The Design Team began meeting in early 2014 and added professional facilitation and project management in the summer of 2014. The first year was spent building a shared understanding of Pre-K to 3 by working through a framework for planning, implementing and evaluating Pre-K to third grade approaches. Following the 2015 legislative session, staff at the Minnesota Department of Education approached the Design Team and asked it to provide specific input and insight into how Minnesota could develop a statewide, voluntary preschool system for four year olds that includes mixed delivery options for families and communities.
| Name | Organization | Affiliation for Outreach? | |
| Debbie Hewitt (Co-Lead) | Minnesota Department of Education | debbie.hewitt@state.mn.us | MDE conferences, multiple associations, organizations |
| Roz Zuest (Co-Lead) | Minnesota Department of Human Services | Rosalyn.b.zuest@state.mn.us | DHS conferences, multiple associations and organizations |
| Sharon Bergen | Dakota Community and Technical College | Sharon.bergen@dctc.edu | Community Colleges, NAEYC, Educator Associations, ACCESS (2-year college) |
| Layna Cole | Minnesota State University Moorhead | colela@mnstate.edu | Mn Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (MnAECTE) |
| Melvin Carter | Governor’s Children Cabinet | Melvin.Carter@state.mn.us | Governor, Lt Governor |
| Kelly Monson | Governor’s Children Cabinet | Kelly.Monson@state.mn.us. | Back-up for Melvin Carter |
| Molly Harney | University of Minnesota, Duluth | mharney@d.umn.edu | University of Minnesota, 4 year colleges, IHE associations |
| Dianne Haulcey | Think Small | dhaulcy@thinksmall.org | Clinton Global Initiative (?), MLFCCA, providers, Voices and Choices for Children |
| Rae Jean Hansen | Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation | raejeanh@smifoundation.org | Minnesota Initiative Foundations |
| Ann McCully | Child Care Aware of MN | AnnM@Childcareawaremn.org | Child Care Aware – statewide, MN Futures |
| Christa Anders | Advance Consulting/McKnight/West Central Initiative | christa@advance-consulting.com | Facilitator |
| Erin Troedson | Intern from University of Minnesota | troed007@umn.edu |