Funding provision for early learning scholarships

This bill appropriates $96.565 million annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from the general fund to the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families for its Early Learning Scholarships program. The funding directly supports low-income families with young children by expanding access to subsidized early childhood education. It adds this amount to the program’s existing base funding, increasing resources available for scholarships under Minnesota Statutes section 142D.25. The bill does not change eligibility rules or program structure, only providing new funding for current operations.