HF 1589

1st Engrossment - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/20/2023 04:38pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing a special education teacher pipeline program;
requiring a report; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 122A.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

[122A.731] SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER PIPELINE PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.

Grant program established.

(a) The commissioner of education must
administer a grant program to develop a pipeline of trained, licensed special education
teachers. A school district, charter school, or cooperative unit under section 123A.24,
subdivision 2, may apply for a grant under this section. An applicant must partner with a
board-approved teacher preparation program.

(b) The commissioner must award half of the grant funding available to school districts
in the seven-county metropolitan area, and half to applicants outside the seven-county
metropolitan area. In awarding grants, the commissioner must consider the existing supply
of Tier 3 and 4 special education teachers in the district, charter school, or cooperative unit
relative to the number of students receiving special education instruction and services.

Subd. 2.

Grant uses.

(a) A grant recipient must use grant funds to support participants
who are employed by the grant recipient as either a paraprofessional or other unlicensed
staff, or a teacher with a Tier 1 or Tier 2 license, and demonstrate a willingness to be a
special education teacher after completing the program.

(b) A grant recipient may use grant funds for:

(1) tuition assistance or stipends for participants;

(2) supports for participants, including mentoring, licensure test preparation, and
technology support; or

(3) participant recruitment.

Subd. 3.

Report.

Within one year of receiving grant funds, and for each year that a
recipient receives grant funds, a grant recipient must report to the commissioner in the form
and manner determined by the commissioner, the number of participants in the program,
and how grant funds were used. The commissioner must publish an annual report that
identifies the grant recipients and summarizes how grant funds are used.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective July 1, 2023.

Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS; SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER PIPELINE.

Subdivision 1.

Department of Education.

The sums indicated in this section are
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years
designated.

Subd. 2.

Special education teacher pipeline.

(a) For grants to develop special education
teacher pipelines across Minnesota under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.731:

	$	.......	.....	2024
	$	.......	.....	2025

(b) The department may retain up to ... percent of the appropriation to administer the
grant program.

(c) Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the following fiscal
year.

(d) The base for fiscal years 2026 and later is $........