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Senate bill would back Rotary–school pilot expanding preschool seats in St. Cloud
Summary
Senate file 328, presented by Sen. Putnam, would support a pilot modeled on a St. Cloud public–private partnership in which the Rotary Club helped expand preschool seats; lawmakers heard data on academic gains and a persistent waiting list before the bill was laid over for possible inclusion.
Sen. Putnam brought Senate file 328 to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on March 26, 2025, asking lawmakers to support a pilot program that would encourage local public–private partnerships to expand preschool access.
The measure grew out of a volunteer effort in St. Cloud. Amy Tremblay, a Rotarian and vice president for community at Initiative Foundation, told the committee the Rotary and local funders raised about $289,000 to add preschool slots in partnership with the St. Cloud Area School District. “For every dollar invested into early childhood programming, you get a $16 return on investment,” Tremblay said, citing research she referenced in her packet.
Why it matters: supporters told the committee early learning can narrow gaps in school readiness and later achievement. Laurie Putnam, superintendent of St. Cloud Area Schools, said the district began the program in the 2021–22 school year and has expanded it since; this school year the district served 96 children through the program. Putnam said the district still has a waiting list for preschool seats — she said hundreds of children sought slots earlier in the effort — and that district funding for the program has come from the general fund and from district–Rotary cost sharing.
Committee discussion focused on funding source and scalability. Sen. Crean asked where the district and Rotary dollars came from; Superintendent Putnam said the district has used its general fund while Rotary philanthropy has matched district contributions roughly 50–50. Some members urged lawmakers to consider state policy that could help other school districts replicate the model.
Outcome: After testimony and questions, the chair said the committee would “lay over” Senate file 328 for possible inclusion in a later package. The committee did not vote to adopt the bill in the hearing; the official action was that the bill was laid over for possible inclusion.
What remains unclear: the bill as presented did not specify statewide cost estimates, an exact formula for state matching, or a uniform eligibility test for districts seeking to replicate St. Cloud’s partnership. Supporters said the bill is a pilot and intended to be replicated by other districts working with local philanthropies and service organizations.
Looking ahead: supporters asked legislators to consider ways to help districts that are already subsidizing local preschool pilots from operating budgets and to explore whether targeted state support could expand capacity in communities that lack active philanthropies.
