Bill > HF2322

This bill establishes the Minnesota Young Readers Club program, a comprehensive literacy support initiative designed to help prekindergarten through 5th-grade students who are reading below grade level improve their reading skills. The program will provide eligible students with culturally and linguistically appropriate books delivered monthly to their homes or schools, along with family support materials that offer guidance on creating home libraries and effective reading practices. Students can qualify for the program if they are identified through universal screening as not meeting literacy benchmarks, scored below proficiency on state reading assessments, or receive a recommendation from an educator. The Department of Education will partner with a qualified organization to select and distribute books that are age-appropriate, engaging, and reflective of Minnesota's student diversity. The bill requires the department to collect and analyze data on program participation, family engagement, and student reading outcomes, and to submit an annual report to legislative committees. Additionally, the program aims to foster family engagement, promote literacy development, and potentially form public-private partnerships to support community literacy efforts. The bill includes funding appropriations to implement the program, with the intent of supporting the state's broader Read Well by Third Grade initiative and Read Act.

Budget and Finance

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2322&ssn=0&y=2025