1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; providing financial aid for teacher candidates of color; 
1.3 	appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 
1.4 	136A.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [136A.1265] TEACHER CANDIDATES OF COLOR SCHOLARSHIPS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. A scholarship program for teacher candidates of color 
1.8 	is established to provide scholarships to qualified candidates with financial needs.
1.9 		Subd. 2.Eligibility. A person may apply for a scholarship if the person:
1.10 	(1) has been admitted to a teacher preparation program approved by the Board of 
1.11 	Teaching;
1.12 	(2) self-identifies to the teacher preparation program as a member of populations 
1.13 	underrepresented among the licensed teachers in the state relative to the diversity of students 
1.14 	as measured under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2);
1.15 	(3) is meeting satisfactory academic progress as defined under section 136A.101, 
1.16 	subdivision 10;
1.17 	(4) is a resident student as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 8; and
1.18 	(5) has a gross family income of $125,000 or less.
1.19 		Subd. 3.Amount. (a) The maximum scholarship amount is $10,000 per year for full-time 
1.20 	study distributed up to $5,000 per academic term. The commissioner of higher education 
1.21 	must establish a sliding scale of scholarship amounts based on the amount of available 
2.1 	funding and the gross family incomes of applicants. Established amounts are not rulemaking 
2.2 	for purposes of chapter 14 or section 14.386. The minimum scholarship under this section 
2.3 	for full-time study must be no less than $1,000 per year.
2.4 	(b) The amount determined under paragraph (a) must be reduced and prorated per credit 
2.5 	for part-time study.
2.6 	(c) The maximum total amount of scholarships from this scholarship per candidate is 
2.7 	$25,000.
2.8 		Subd. 4.Distribution. Scholarships must be paid to the teacher preparation institution 
2.9 	on behalf of the candidate after the institution has informed the Office of Higher Education 
2.10 	of candidates' names, self-identified racial and ethnic identities, gender, licensure area 
2.11 	sought, and full-time or part-time status.

2.12 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS.
 2.13 		Subdivision 1.Teachers of color scholarships. (a) $....... in fiscal year 2020 and $....... 
2.14 	in fiscal year 2021 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of higher 
2.15 	education for teachers of color scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1265.
2.16 	(b) Up to five percent of the appropriation may be used for administration of the program.
2.17 	(c) Any balance in the first year does not cancel, but is available in the second year.
2.18 		Subd. 2.Grants to student teachers. (a) $....... in fiscal year 2020 and $....... in fiscal 
2.19 	year 2021 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of higher education 
2.20 	for grants to student teachers under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1275.
2.21 	(b) Up to five percent of the appropriation may be used for administration of the program.
2.22 	(c) Any balance in the first year does not cancel, but is available in the second year.