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HF 3672

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/21/2022 02:50pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Bill Text Versions

Engrossments
Introduction Posted on 02/21/2022

Current Version - as introduced

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A bill for an act
relating to higher education; providing for certain policy changes to student
financial aid, institutional licensure provisions, and institutional grant programs;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 136A.121, subdivision 18; 136A.1701,
subdivision 11; 136A.833; Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 136A.91,
subdivisions 1, 2; repealing Minnesota Rules, part 4880.2500.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136A.121, subdivision 18, is amended to
read:


Subd. 18.

Data.

(a) An eligible institution new text begin whose students are eligible to receive funding
under sections 136A.095 to 136A.246
new text end must provide to the office data on student enrollment
and federal and state financial aid.

(b) An institution or its agent must provide to the office aggregate and distributional
financial or other data as determined by the commissioner that is directly related to the
responsibilities of the office under this chapter. The commissioner may only request aggregate
and distributional data after establishing and consulting with a data advisory task force to
determine the need, content, and detail of the information. Data provided by nonpublic
institutions under this paragraph is considered nonpublic data under chapter 13.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136A.1701, subdivision 11, is amended to read:


Subd. 11.

Data.

(a) An eligible institution new text begin whose students are eligible to receive funding
under sections 136A.15 to 136A.1795 and licensed or registered under sections 136A.61
to 136A.834
new text end must provide to the office data on student enrollment and federal and state
financial aid.

(b) An institution or its agent must provide to the office aggregate and distributional
financial or other data as determined by the commissioner that is directly related to the
responsibilities of the office under this chapter. The commissioner may only request aggregate
and distributional data after establishing and consulting with a data advisory task force to
determine the need, content, and detail of the information. Data provided by nonpublic
institutions under this paragraph is considered nonpublic data under chapter 13.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136A.833, is amended to read:


136A.833 EXEMPTIONS.

Subdivision 1.

Application for exemptions.

A school that seeks an exemption from the
provisions of sections 136A.822 to 136A.834 for the school and all of its programs or some
of its programs must apply to the office to establish that the school new text begin or program new text end meets the
requirements of an exemption. An exemption new text begin for the school or program new text end expires two years
from the date of approval or when a school adds a new program or makes a modification
equal to or greater than 25 percent to an existing educational program. If a school is
reapplying for an exemption, the application must be submitted to the office 90 days before
the current exemption expires. This exemption shall not extend to any school that uses any
publication or advertisement that is not truthful and gives any false, fraudulent, deceptive,
inaccurate, or misleading impressions about the school or its personnel, programs, services,
or occupational opportunities for its graduates for promotion and student recruitment.
Exemptions denied under this section are subject to appeal under section deleted text begin 136A.65,
subdivision 8
, paragraph (c)
deleted text end new text begin 136A.829new text end . If an appeal is initiated, the denial of the exemption
is not effective until the final determination of the appeal, unless immediate effect is ordered
by the court.

Subd. 2.

Exemption reasons.

Sections 136A.821 to 136A.832 shall not apply to the
following:

(1) public postsecondary institutions;

(2) postsecondary institutions registered under sections 136A.61 to 136A.71;

new text begin (3) postsecondary institutions exempt from registration under sections 136A.653,
subdivisions 2, 3, and 3a; 136A.657; and 136A.658;
new text end

deleted text begin (3)deleted text end new text begin (4)new text end private career schools of nursing accredited by the state Board of Nursing or an
equivalent public board of another state or foreign country;

deleted text begin (4)deleted text end new text begin (5)new text end private schools complying with the requirements of section 120A.22, subdivision
4
;

deleted text begin (5)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end courses taught to students in deleted text begin a validdeleted text end new text begin annew text end apprenticeship program new text begin registered by the
United States Department of Labor or Minnesota Department of Labor and
new text end taught by or
required by a trade union;

deleted text begin (6)deleted text end new text begin (7)new text end private career schools exclusively engaged in training physically or mentally
disabled persons for the state of Minnesota;

deleted text begin (7)deleted text end new text begin (8)new text end private career schools licensed by boards authorized under Minnesota law to
issue licenses new text begin for training programs new text end except private career schools required to obtain a private
career school license due to the use of "academy," "institute," "college," or "university" in
their names;

deleted text begin (8)deleted text end new text begin (9)new text end private career schools and educational programs, or training programs, contracted
for by persons, firms, corporations, government agencies, or associations, for the training
of their own employees, for which no fee is charged the employee;

deleted text begin (9)deleted text end new text begin (10)new text end private career schools engaged exclusively in the teaching of purely avocational,
recreational, or remedial subjectsnew text begin , including adult basic education,new text end as determined by the
office except private career schools required to obtain a private career school license due
to the use of "academy," "institute," "college," or "university" in their names unless the
private career school used "academy" or "institute" in its name prior to August 1, 2008;

deleted text begin (10)deleted text end new text begin (11)new text end classes, courses, or programs conducted by a bona fide trade, professional, or
fraternal organization, solely for that organization's membership;

deleted text begin (11)deleted text end new text begin (12)new text end programs in the fine arts provided by organizations exempt from taxation under
section 290.05 and registered with the attorney general under chapter 309. For the purposes
of this clause, "fine arts" means activities resulting in artistic creation or artistic performance
of works of the imagination which are engaged in for the primary purpose of creative
expression rather than commercial sale or employment. In making this determination the
office may seek the advice and recommendation of the Minnesota Board of the Arts;

deleted text begin (12)deleted text end new text begin (13)new text end classes, courses, or programs intended to fulfill the continuing education
requirements for licensure or certification in a profession, that have been approved by a
legislatively or judicially established board or agency responsible for regulating the practice
of the professionnew text begin or by an industry-specific certification entitynew text end , and that are offered
exclusively to deleted text begin an individual practicing the professiondeleted text end new text begin individuals with the professional
licensure or certification
new text end ;

deleted text begin (13)deleted text end new text begin (14)new text end classes, courses, or programs intended to prepare students to sit for
undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, or occupational licensing deleted text begin and occupationaldeleted text end new text begin ,
certification, or
new text end entrance examinations;

deleted text begin (14)deleted text end new text begin (15)new text end classes, courses, or programs providing 16 or fewer clock hours of instruction
deleted text begin that are not part of the curriculum for an occupation or entry level employment except
private career schools required to obtain a private career school license due to the use of
"academy," "institute," "college," or "university" in their names
deleted text end ;

deleted text begin (15)deleted text end new text begin (16)new text end classes, courses, or programs providing instruction in personal development,
modeling, or acting;

deleted text begin (16) training or instructional programs, in which one instructor teaches an individual
student, that are not part of the curriculum for an occupation or are not intended to prepare
a person for entry level employment;
deleted text end

(17) private career schools with no physical presence in Minnesota, as determined by
the office, engaged exclusively in offering distance instruction that are located in and
regulated by other states or jurisdictions if the distance education instruction does not include
internships, externships, field placements, or clinical placements for residents of Minnesota;
and

(18) private career schools providing exclusively training, instructional programs, or
courses where tuition, fees, and any other charges for a student to participate do not exceed
$100.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 136A.91, subdivision 1, is amended
to read:


Subdivision 1.

Grants.

(a) The Office of Higher Education must establish a competitive
grant program for postsecondary institutions to expand concurrent enrollment opportunities.
To the extent that there are qualified applicants, the commissioner of the Office of Higher
Education shall distribute grant funds to ensure:

(1) eligible students throughout the state have access to concurrent enrollment programs;
and

(2) preference for grants that expand programs is given to programs already at capacity.

(b) The commissioner may award grants under this section to postsecondary institutions
for any of the following purposes:

(1) to develop new concurrent enrollment courses under section 124D.09, subdivision
10, that satisfy the elective standard for career and technical education; or

(2) to expand the existing concurrent enrollment programs already offered by the
postsecondary institution by:

(i) creating new sections within the same high school;

(ii) offering the existing course in new high schools; deleted text begin ordeleted text end new text begin and
new text end

(iii) supporting the preparation, recruitment, and success of students who are
underrepresented in concurrent enrollment classrooms.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 136A.91, subdivision 2, is amended
to read:


Subd. 2.

Application.

deleted text begin (a)deleted text end The commissioner shall develop a grant application process.
A grant applicant must:

(1) specify the purpose under subdivision 1, paragraph (b), for which the institution is
applying;

(2) specify both program and student outcome goals;

(3) include student feedback in the development of new programs or the expansion of
existing programs; and

(4) demonstrate a commitment to equitable access to concurrent enrollment coursework
for all eligible high school students.

deleted text begin (b) A postsecondary institution applying for a grant under subdivision 1, paragraph (b),
clause (3), must provide a 50 percent match for the grant funds.
deleted text end

Sec. 6. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Rules, part 4880.2500, new text end new text begin is repealed.
new text end

APPENDIX

Repealed Minnesota Rule: 22-04782

4880.2500 CATEGORIES OF CHAPTER 141 SCHOOLS.

Subpart 1.

Definitions.

For purposes of this part, the following terms have the meanings given.

A.

"Examination" means an examination administered by a national or state testing body, the state of Minnesota, or the federal government for licensure or other certification in a profession or occupation.

B.

"Graduate" means an individual who has received a degree, diploma, or certificate for completion of a program during the most recent 12-month period that ended June 30 for which data are available.

C.

"Passing rate" means the number of the school's graduates who passed the examination, as reported by the testing agency, as a percent of the number of the school's graduates who took the examination during the most recent 12-month period ending June 30 for which data are available.

D.

"Placement" means a graduate who, within 12 months after graduation, has obtained a paid position of employment and the position is in an occupation related to the educational program, as reported by the graduate, the graduate's parent or guardian, spouse or domestic partner, adult sibling, employer, or instructional staff at the school.

E.

"Placement rate" means the number of graduates in a cohort who obtained employment related to their education program as a percent of the total number of graduates in the cohort. For purposes of this item, a "cohort" is a class or group of students of the school that graduate in the same year.

F.

"Program" means a vocational or professional program preparing students for an occupation which requires licensure or other certification by examination for entry into the occupation in Minnesota and completion of the program is required for admission to the examination. This definition applies only to a category C school under subpart 2, item C, subitem (3).

Subp. 2.

Categories of schools.

Schools licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 141, must qualify under one of the two following categories of schools:

A.

A category A school must, for reporting purposes, satisfy all of the licensure requirements under parts 4880.1500 to 4880.2800 and Minnesota Statutes, chapter 141.

B.

A category B school must, for reporting purposes, satisfy all of the licensure requirements under parts 4880.1500 to 4880.2800, Minnesota Statutes, chapter 141, and meet all of the following applicable performance indicators:

(1)

the school must verify that it has achieved full institutional reaccreditation with an accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education;

(2)

the school must have a cohort default rate equal to or less than an average of 15 percent for the previous three consecutive years, as calculated by the United States Department of Education;

(3)

the passing rate of the school's graduates on licensure or other certification examinations must be equal to or greater than 85 percent of the national or state passing rate, based on a minimum of ten graduates sitting for the examination in any one year;

(4)

the school must have a placement rate equal to or greater than 70 percent, based on a minimum of ten graduates from the school in any one year;

(5)

the school's withdrawal rate for the three most recent consecutive years, as established by the Code of Federal Regulations, title 34, section 668.16, paragraph (1), must not exceed 33 percent;

(6)

the school must receive a satisfactory audit by the office for the three most recent consecutive years. The school must provide evidence that it has adhered to:

(a)

the refund policy as specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.827, or that any discrepancies noted by each audit report have been corrected within 90 days of issuance of the report to the school; and

(b)

the requirement for student records pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 141, including acceptable academic transcripts and student financial account records, or that any discrepancies noted in an audit report have been corrected within 90 days of issuance of the report to the school;

(7)

the school must provide evidence that there has been no determination of limitation, suspension, or termination by the United States Department of Education during the past five years; and

(8)

the school must verify annually there have been no unresolved student complaints related to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 141, or its attendant rules during the preceding 12 months immediately prior to the relicensure notification from the office. The office will notify a school in writing when the office has determined that a student complaint has been resolved.

Subp. 3.

Relicensure report.

Schools that meet the requirements of subpart 2, item A, are required to submit a full licensure report every year. Schools that meet the requirements of subpart 2, items B and C, are required to submit a full relicensure report once every four years and in the interim years will be exempt from the requirements of parts 4880.1700, subpart 6, and 4880.2100, subpart 4; and Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.822, subdivision 4, clauses (4), (5), and (8).