HF 2223

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 02/25/2014 01:28pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; creating grants for a pilot program to increase graduation
rate and higher education enrollment among Latino students; appropriating
money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.19, subdivision 13.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.19, subdivision 13, is amended to
read:

Subd. 13.

Youth after-school enrichment program goals.

The goals of youth
after-school enrichment programs are to:

(1) collaborate with and leverage existing community resources that have
demonstrated effectiveness;

(2) reach out to children and youth, including at-risk youth, in the community;

(3) increase the number of children participating in adult-supervised programs new text begin ,
including mentoring and college orientation, new text end during nonschool hours;

(4) support academic achievement; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(5) new text begin support career exploration and preparation; and
new text end

new text begin (6) new text end increase skills in new text begin reading, mathematics, science, new text end technology, the arts, new text begin intercultural
communications, new text end sports, and other activities.

Sec. 2. new text begin LATINO GRADUATION RATE ADVANCEMENT PILOT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Eligibility. new text end

new text begin Any school district or charter school may apply to the
Department of Education to participate in a two-year pilot program designed to increase
the high school graduation rate and enrollment in higher education of students of Latino
heritage. The Department of Education shall develop criteria to evaluate school districts
and charter schools that are most able to act as pilot sites. The criteria must emphasize
developing (1) competitiveness in a globalized economy through proficiency in STEM,
intercultural communication and cooperation, and foreign languages, (2) culturally
competent and bilingual teachers and counselors, and (3) a supportive system to encourage
and enable parents to be free to better invest in their children's education. The criteria must
include, at a minimum, the proposal's likelihood of success, based on principles of success
elicited through a study that was done by the Chicano Latino Affairs Council, Minnesota
Humanities Center, and others within the school applying for the grant and the likelihood
of success of implementation of a similar program in other schools.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Grants. new text end

new text begin The Department of Education shall award grants to schools
selected as pilot sites. The department shall award pilot sites to ensure geographic
representation throughout the state. The department shall distribute the appropriation for
this program equally in fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Evaluations. new text end

new text begin The Department of Education must report to the education
committees of the house of representatives and senate by January 15, 2018, on the effects
of the pilot program on the high school graduation rates and higher education enrollment
of Latino students and the recommendations of the department on how to replicate
successful programs throughout the state.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Department of Education. new text end

new text begin The amount indicated in this section
is appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal year
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Latino graduation rate advancement pilot program. new text end

new text begin For creating a
grant program under section 2 to provide for programs designed to increase the graduation
rate of Latino students.
new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin ....... new text end

new text begin ..... new text end

new text begin 2015 new text end

new text begin The appropriation shall be available until expended.
new text end