HF 3165

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/16/2016 11:36am

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; establishing an alternative teacher preparation grant
program; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 136A.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [136A.1281] ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PREPARATION GRANT
PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the definitions have
the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Alternative teacher preparation program" means a teacher preparation program
approved or seeking approval under section 122A.245, or an experimental teacher
preparation program approved or seeking approval from the Board of Teaching.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Diversity" means the inclusion of different types of people including differences
in race, ethnicity, gender, background, and origin of individuals.
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new text begin (d) "Highly selective" means accepting less than 25 percent of applicants.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Establishment and eligibility. new text end

new text begin (a) A competitive grant program is
established for alternative teacher preparation programs. The commissioner of the Office
of Higher Education shall develop the form and method for applying for the grants.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall develop criteria for allocating the grants to alternative
teacher preparation programs that meet the following requirements:
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new text begin (1) have a highly selective process for program participants;
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new text begin (2) are seeking to increase the diversity of Minnesota's teaching workforce;
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new text begin (3) are based on an established teacher preparation model that has a positive impact
on student learning as demonstrated by peer-reviewed local or national research on the
program's model; and
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new text begin (4) aim to place educators in hard-to-fill positions or hard-to-staff school settings
such as a school with a majority of students whose families meet federal poverty
guidelines, a geographically isolated school, or a school identified by the state as eligible
for targeted programs or services for its students.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Use of grant. new text end

new text begin The grant must be used for:
new text end

new text begin (1) expenses related to the recruitment, selection, and training of teachers;
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new text begin (2) ongoing professional development of teachers;
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new text begin (3) regional management and operational support, development, and central services,
including finance, technology, and human services;
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new text begin (4) leveraging nonstate money to accomplish clauses (1) to (3); or
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new text begin (5) expenses related to the application and establishment of alternative teacher
preparation programs new to Minnesota.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Evaluation. new text end

new text begin The Office of Higher Education may request a report from
the alternative teacher preparation program at the end of the biennium for the grantee to
share compliance with this section.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for the alternative teacher preparation
grant program under section 1.
new text end