HF 3803

1st Engrossment - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/21/2024 04:02pm

A bill for an act
relating to teachers; requiring stipends to be paid to student teachers; 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.

new text begin [122A.78] PAID STUDENT TEACHING.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of education must develop a system
to provide teacher candidates who are completing field-specific student teaching requirements
of a Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved teacher preparation
program with a stipend during the student teaching period.
new text end

new text begin (b) For purposes of this section, student teachers are considered temporary employees
and are not eligible to enroll in local bargaining units or eligible for locally bargained
benefits.
new text end

new text begin (c) Minnesota districts and charter schools that host student teachers must provide student
teacher stipends under this section. One-half of the stipend must be paid at the beginning
of the student teaching experience. The other half of the stipend must be paid at the
conclusion of the student teaching experience. Host schools must be reimbursed by the
Department of Education as described in this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Paid student teaching formula. new text end

new text begin (a) By March 31 of each year, Professional
Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved teacher preparation programs
collaborating with the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must provide
the commissioner of education with a projected number of student teachers for the following
school year.
new text end

new text begin (b) Annually, the commissioner of education must establish a stipend amount per teacher
based on the projected number of student teachers and the available funds for the program.
The commissioner must establish a process to reimburse host schools for stipends paid to
student teachers.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Stipends not considered income for certain purposes. new text end

new text begin (a) Notwithstanding
any law to the contrary, payments under this section must not be considered income, assets,
or personal property for purposes of determining eligibility or recertifying eligibility for:
new text end

new text begin (1) child care assistance programs under chapter 119B and early learning scholarships
under section 124D.165;
new text end

new text begin (2) general assistance, Minnesota supplemental aid, and food support under chapter
256D;
new text end

new text begin (3) housing support under chapter 256I;
new text end

new text begin (4) Minnesota family investment program and diversionary work program under chapter
256J; and
new text end

new text begin (5) economic assistance programs under chapter 256P.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of human services must not consider a teacher stipend under this
section as income or assets when determining medical assistance eligibility under chapter
256B.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin Subdivisions 1 and 2 of this section are effective July 1, 2025,
and subdivision 3 is effective July 1, 2025, or upon federal approval, whichever is later.
new text end

Sec. 2. 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 sum indicated in this section is
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal year
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Paid student teaching. new text end

new text begin (a) To provide a stipend to student teachers under
Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.78:
new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 18,526,000 new text end

new text begin ..... new text end

new text begin 2025 new text end

new text begin (b) The base for fiscal year 2026 and later is $18,526,000.
new text end