1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; requiring the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities 
1.3 	to establish a program allowing secondary school teachers to earn graduate credits 
1.4 	required to teach concurrent enrollment courses; appropriating money.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Program established. The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State 
1.8 	Colleges and Universities must develop a continuing education program to allow eligible 
1.9 	teachers to attain the requisite graduate credits necessary to be qualified to teach secondary 
1.10 	school courses for postsecondary credit.
1.11 		Subd. 2.Program requirements. The program must:
1.12 	(1) be accessible to eligible teachers throughout the state;
1.13 	(2) provide up to 18 credits in applicable postsecondary subject areas;
1.14 	(3) provide graduate credit at a reduced price; and
1.15 	(4) be practicable for teachers carrying a full work load during the school year.
1.16 		Subd. 3.Funding for scholarships and stipends. The board must:
1.17 	(1) provide funding for scholarships for eligible teachers to enroll in the program; and
1.18 	(2) develop criteria for awarding educator stipends on a per-credit basis to incentivize 
1.19 	participating in the program.
2.1 		Subd. 4.Participant eligibility. Participation in the continuing education program is 
2.2 	reserved for secondary school teachers who need to earn additional graduate credits to 
2.3 	qualify to teach secondary school courses for postsecondary credit.
2.4 		Subd. 5.Report required. The board must submit an annual report by January 15 of 
2.5 	each year on the progress of its activities to the chairs and ranking minority members of the 
2.6 	legislative committees with jurisdiction over higher education finance and policy and 
2.7 	kindergarten through grade 12 education policy and finance, and the commissioner of 
2.8 	education. The annual report shall contain a financial report for the preceding year. The 
2.9 	first report is due no later than January 15, 2019.
2.10 		Subd. 6.Effect on Northwest Regional Partnership concurrent enrollment program.
 2.11 	The board may develop the program independent of or in partnership with the Northwest 
2.12 	Regional Partnership concurrent enrollment program established by Laws 2016, chapter 
2.13 	189, article 25, section 58.

2.14 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT TEACHER 
2.15 	TRAINING PROGRAM.
 2.16 	$....... in fiscal year 2018 and $....... in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from the general 
2.17 	fund to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities for a 
2.18 	concurrent enrollment teacher training program. This is a onetime appropriation. If the 
2.19 	appropriation in this subdivision for either year is insufficient, the appropriation for the 
2.20 	other year is available for it.