SF4449

Purpose

This bill provides a one-time, general fund appropriation to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to support a grant program called Rally to Read. The goal is to improve Minnesota’s reading proficiency and reduce inequities by focusing on early childhood (prenatal to age three) and building statewide, community-based reading coalitions.

Main Provisions

• Funding: A grant of $250,000 is designated to Minnesotas Rally to Read from the general fund for a specific fiscal period.
• Use of funds: Grant money may be used for coordinating statewide implementation, staffing, coalition facilitation, meeting expenses, data tracking, a benchmark dashboard, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Targeted strategy: Rally to Read must prioritize delivering literacy resources to children who need them most and build on existing programs with proven results.
• Outcomes: The program aims to ensure children are prepared to read by age three and can read proficiently at every grade level.
• Matching requirement: Every dollar of the grant must be matched with private funds (private funding).
• Appropriation timing: This is a one-time appropriation and remains available until June 30, 2028.
• Administration: The appropriation is made to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families for the Rally to Read initiative.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Establishes a new, targeted funding stream within the general fund to support a literacy-focused initiative (Rally to Read) through the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
• Introduces a private matching requirement for all grant funds and a defined sunset/availability date (June 30, 2028).
• Sets explicit goals around early childhood literacy and statewide coalition-based implementation with an emphasis on equity.

Implementation and Accountability

• Data and Evaluation: The bill requires data tracking and the use of a benchmark dashboard to monitor progress and evaluate effectiveness.
• Equity Focus: Emphasizes directing resources to children most in need to close achievement gaps.
• Program Scope: Requires leveraging existing programs with proven results to maximize impact and efficiency.

Funding Source and Timeline

• Source: General fund, one-time appropriation.
• Availability: Funds must be used by June 30, 2028.
• Recipient: Department of Children, Youth, and Families, for the Rally to Read grant program.

Target Population and Impact

• Focused on prenatal to age three development and early literacy as a foundation for later reading success.
• Aims to improve reading proficiency across all grade levels and reduce reading inequities statewide.

Practical Takeaways

• A dedicated funding line is created to support literacy coalitions and early childhood reading initiatives.
• The program emphasizes strong evaluation, transparency, and private-sector engagement to sustain literacy gains.

Relevant Terms

• Rally to Read
• community reading coalitions
• reading proficiency
• inequities
• prenatal to age three
• brain development
• statewide implementation
• staffing
• coalition facilitation
• meeting expenses
• data tracking
• benchmark dashboard
• monitoring and evaluation
• targeted strategy
• children who need it the most
• proven track record
• read by age three
• read proficiently
• private funding match
• one-time appropriation
• general fund
• Department of Children, Youth and Families
• early literacy
• literacy resources