What is it?
In 2021 early care and education advocates in partnership with legislators and the Walz-Flanagan Administration proposed The Great Start for All Minnesota Children Task Force to develop a statewide plan to accomplish the goal that, “All families to have access to affordable, high quality early care and duration that enriches, nurtures, and supports children and their families” (Minnesota 2021 Session Law, First Special Session, Chapter 7, Article 14, Section 18, Subd. 2).
The group must develop a plan and timeline for implementation to achieve the goals outlined below beginning in July of 2025 and wrapping up no later than July 2031.
- Create a system in which family costs for early care and education are affordable
- Ensure that a a child’s access to high-quality early care and education is not determined by the child’s race, family income, or zip code.
- Ensure that Minnesota’s early childhood educators are qualified, diverse, supported and equitably compensated regardless of setting.
Milestones:
- December 1, 2021: Date by which the first task force meeting must be held
- December 15, 2022: Deadline for the group to submit preliminary findings and a draft of the implementation plans to the appropriate parties who have jurisdiction over early childhood programs
- February 1, 2023: Deadline for the task force to submit their final recommendations and implementation plan to the appropriate parties. This final report will expire the task force.
To view the members of the task force, and review meeting dates and notes please visit the Great Start for All Minnesota Children Task Force web page.
Transforming the Financing of Early Care and Education in Minnesota
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