Purpose of the Bill

This bill aims to establish a financial support program specifically for child care and early learning programs in rural areas of Minnesota. The program's goal is to stabilize and improve access to child care, support recruitment and retention of early educators, and ultimately strengthen the child care infrastructure in these communities.

Main Provisions

• Program Establishment: The Rural Child Care Stabilization and Support Payments program will be administered by the Minnesota Commissioner of Children, Youth, and Families.
• Eligibility: Eligible programs include family day care, group family day care, licensed child care centers, certified license-exempt centers, Tribally licensed child care, and others as identified by the commissioner. The program targets rural areas with populations of 2,500 or fewer.
• Exclusion Criteria: Programs currently penalized for fraud, or with suspended payments or licenses are ineligible.
• Application Requirements: Programs must apply per payment period, provide data on child enrollment and attendance, and confirm their operational status during the funding period.
• Record Keeping: Recipients must keep detailed financial and attendance records for six years.
• Uses of Funds: Funds can be used for rent, equipment, training, professional development, increased employee compensation, and mental health supports, depending on the type of provider.
• Payment Structure: Payments are determined based on the number of full-time equivalent staff, with increases for programs providing child care assistance or located in areas with low access to child care.
• Reporting and Enforcement: Annual reporting to legislative committees is required, and non-compliance can result in payment discontinuation and recovery of funds.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• This bill introduces a new section to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 142D, which specifically focuses on rural child care stabilization and support.
• It provides structured financial assistance for rural child care providers to enhance their service offering and capacity to recruit and retain staff.

Relevant Terms

rural child care, child care stabilization, early learning programs, tribal child care, full-time equivalent, child care equity, financial assistance, recruitment and retention