HF 1095

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 02/19/2015 01:48pm

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; increasing funding for the early learning
scholarship program; prioritizing early learning scholarship applications;
appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.165, by
adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.165, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 2a. new text end

new text begin Prioritization of scholarship awards. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner shall
prioritize applications according to this subdivision and may establish a range of
scholarship amounts taking into account the child's level of need and geographic location.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall prioritize scholarship amounts to recipients based on the
following characteristics:
new text end

new text begin (1) whether the child's family lives in a neighborhood transformation zone;
new text end

new text begin (2) the severity of poverty facing the family;
new text end

new text begin (3) the level of poverty and concentration of poverty among racial and ethnic groups
for the census tract where the family lives;
new text end

new text begin (4) the level of teen pregnancies in the area where the family lives;
new text end

new text begin (5) the achievement gap facing families in the area where the family lives;
new text end

new text begin (6) the number of single family households in the census tract where the family lives;
new text end

new text begin (7) the number of inmates in Minnesota's prisons convicted of a level 1 offense, as
defined by the National Crime Information Center, with home addresses in the census tract
or other region as determined by the commissioner;
new text end

new text begin (8) the number of teenage mothers living in the census tract or other region as
determined by the commissioner; and
new text end

new text begin (9) other risk families as determined by the commissioner.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for scholarships awarded on or
after July 1, 2015.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; EARLY LEARNING SCHOLARSHIPS.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2016 and $....... in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of education for early learning scholarships.
new text end

new text begin (b) The amounts in paragraph (a) are in addition to the base budget and any other
appropriations for early learning scholarships.
new text end