Early childhood literacy pilot programs established, and money appropriated.

HF 1736 establishes requirements for kindergarten readiness assessments and creates early childhood literacy pilot programs in Minnesota. It mandates school districts to use approved tools to measure kindergarten readiness by 2026-2027, reporting results to the state. The bill also creates an expert panel to develop evidence-based literacy practices for pilot programs in diverse settings like public pre-K, Head Start, and childcare centers. These pilots will be evaluated by independent researchers to measure literacy outcomes, with annual public reviews of results. The bill directly affects schools, early learning providers, and young children entering kindergarten.