SF4979

Purpose

• Create a Task Force on Early Childhood Educator Licensure to develop a framework for a new, individual licensure system for early childhood educators in Minnesota. The task force will propose how to demonstrate professional qualifications beyond a postsecondary degree, set competency standards, and identify ways to increase educator compensation. It will also examine related issues and deliver a plan and timeline to implement the recommended licensure system.

Main Provisions

• Establishment: A new Task Force on Early Childhood Educator Licensure is created to study and develop a framework for individual licensure of early childhood educators in Minnesota.
• Membership: The task force includes:
  • Appointees from the governor, House, and Senate (including leadership and both major parties).
  • Representations from licensed child care centers, family child care programs, and early care and education programs run by public schools.
  • A federally recognized Tribe in Minnesota with tribal early care expertise.
  • Head Start or Early Head Start representatives.
  • Parents of children currently or recently in early care and education.
  • A pediatrician or licensed mental health professional with early childhood expertise.
  • A faculty member or researcher in early childhood education or development.
  • The commissioner or a designee.
  • The governor must strive for diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic representation and include people with experience serving children with disabilities.
• Appointments deadline: All appointments must be made by August 1, 2026.
• Meetings and operations:
  • The first meeting must occur by September 1, 2026.
  • The task force must elect a chair and may elect other officers.
  • It must meet at least monthly (or as chair directs) and follow open meeting rules.
  • Members serve without compensation; the commissioner provides staff, office space, and administrative services.
• Duties (minimum requirements):
  • Propose a plan for a new, individual-based licensure system for early childhood educator qualifications.
  • Establish clear, comparable competency frameworks for professional qualifications beyond a postsecondary degree.
  • Identify a method to increase early childhood educator compensation aligned with the move to individual licensure and varying licensure levels.
  • The task force may study other related issues related to licensure and early childhood education.
• Reporting:
  • By March 1, 2027, the task force must report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over child care licensing.
  • The report must summarize work, findings, and recommendations and include an implementation timeline to transition Minnesota to the proposed individual licensure system.
• Expiration:
  • The task force expires the day after it submits its report.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Creates the formal process and governance structure (a dedicated Task Force) to design and recommend an entirely new, individual licensure system for early childhood educators, including competency-based qualifications and a pathway to higher compensation.
• Introduces a diverse, multi-stakeholder membership and a defined timeline that directs state agencies toward implementing a new licensure framework.
• Establishes requirements for reporting and a concrete expiration date tied to the completion of the study.

Timeline and Milestones

• August 1, 2026: Task force appointments must be completed.
• September 1, 2026: First task force meeting must occur.
• March 1, 2027: Task force must submit its final report and implementation timeline.
• Post-report: Task force expires the day after the report is submitted.

Administrative and Procedural Details

• Meetings are governed by the state’s open meeting laws.
• Members serve without pay; the state provides support staff and space.
• The chair and officers are elected by the task force.

Relevant terms - Early childhood (birth to start of kindergarten) - Individual licensure - Competency frameworks - Professional qualifications - Early childhood educator compensation - Task Force on Early Childhood Educator Licensure - Child care licensing (Minnesota Rules chapter 9503 and 9502) - Greater Minnesota vs. metropolitan area - Tribe / tribal early care and education system - Head Start / Early Head Start - Public school district or charter school programs - Licensed child care center - Family child care program - Open meeting requirements (Minnesota Statutes chapter 13D) - Diversity representation (racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic; disability experience)

Relevant Terms (plain list for quick reference) - individual licensure - early childhood educators - competency framework - licensure plan - compensations strategies - implementation timeline - child care licensing - Head Start - tribal early care and education - Minnesota Rules chapters 9502 and 9503 - open meetings - diversity in appointments