HF 4986

03/25/26   REVISOR  CR/RC  26-08112
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request  State of Minnesota
  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
  H. F. No.   4986
04/16/2026     Authored by Rymer
  The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education Finance
1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to education; establishing the Mindful Foundations pilot program for
1.3students in prekindergarten through grade 1; requiring a report; appropriating
1.4money.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6Section 1. MINDFUL FOUNDATIONS PILOT PROGRAM.
1.7Subdivision 1. Department of Education. The sum indicated in this section is
1.8appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal year
1.9designated.
1.10Subd. 2. Mindful Foundations pilot program grant. For a grant to Mindful Foundations
1.11for the purposes described in subdivision 3:
1.12$  1,200,000  ..... 2027
1.13Subd. 3. Grant uses. The grant money appropriated for the Mindful Foundations pilot
1.14program must be directed toward a trauma-informed early childhood pilot program agreed
1.15upon by the Department of Education for prekindergarten through grade 1 classroom
1.16management and behavioral guidance programs. The pilot program must be collaboratively
1.17agreed upon by the commissioner of education and an attending member as fiscal and
1.18compliance administrator, with full operational authority over curriculum delivery,
1.19implementation, progress monitoring, and evaluation vested in the curriculum developer.
1.20The grant money must be used to:
Section 1.  1
03/25/26   REVISOR  CR/RC  26-08112
2.1      (1) deliver the Mindful Foundations curriculum, including the LOVEE Method (Listen,
2.2  Observe, Value, Empathize, Evolve), in prekindergarten through grade 1 classrooms in one
2.3  or more selected school districts or licensed early childhood programs;
2.4      (2) recruit, hire, and train one field progress monitoring specialist per pilot school location
2.5  to conduct structured classroom observations and collect program data under the supervision
2.6  of the curriculum developer;
2.7      (3) provide leadership, staff, and family training and ongoing weekly consultation
2.8  throughout the pilot year;
2.9      (4) administer the Mindful Foundations progress monitoring system across student,
2.10 educator, family, and classroom environment domains; and
2.11     (5) support statewide evaluation of trauma-informed early childhood practices to inform
2.12 potential expansion.
2.13     Subd. 4. Selection of pilot districts or programs. The commissioner, in consultation
2.14 with the curriculum developer, must establish a voluntary application process for eligible
2.15 school districts and licensed early childhood programs by May 1, 2027. The commissioner
2.16 must notify selected districts and programs no later than May 15, 2027. Selection criteria
2.17 include demonstrated administrative commitment to whole-school trauma-informed practice,
2.18 classrooms serving prekindergarten through grade 1, and organizational capacity to support
2.19 full curriculum implementation.
2.20     Subd. 5. Report required. By January 15, 2028, the grant recipient must submit a written
2.21 report to the commissioner of education and to the chairs and ranking minority members
2.22 of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education
2.23 finance and policy. The report must include a summary of pilot program implementation;
2.24 quantitative and qualitative findings from the Mindful Foundations progress monitoring
2.25 system across student, educator, family, and classroom environment domains; analysis of
2.26 the curriculum's impact on educator retention and family engagement; and recommendations
2.27 regarding statewide adoption or phased expansion, including a proposed implementation
2.28 framework and budget.
2.29     EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.
Section 1.  2