HF 2393

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/23/2021 09:53am

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; modifying parameters in the state grant program;
modifying restrictions on developmental education in state colleges and universities;
creating new grant programs within the Office of Higher Education and the
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; requiring reports; appropriating money;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 136A.121, subdivisions 5, 6, 9;
136F.302, subdivisions 1, 2, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new
law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 136A.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [136A.057] STUDENT TRANSFER REPORTING.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner must report on the office's website summary data on students
who, within the most recent academic year, withdrew from enrollment without completing
a degree or credential program at a public postsecondary institution in Minnesota. The
summary data must include whether the students who withdrew transferred to another
institution and the institutions transferred to and from.
new text end

new text begin (b) Summary data must be aggregated by postsecondary institution and degree or
credential program. Summary data must be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, Pell eligibility,
and age.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner must post the initial data on the office's website on or before
February 15, 2022, and must update the data at least annually thereafter.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136A.121, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Grant stipends.

The grant stipend shall be based on a sharing of responsibility
for covering the recognized cost of attendance by the applicant, the applicant's family, and
the government. The amount of a financial stipend must not exceed a grant applicant's
recognized cost of attendance, as defined in subdivision 6, after deducting the following:

(1) the assigned student responsibility of at least deleted text begin 50 deleted text end new text begin 46 new text end percent of the cost of attending
the institution of the applicant's choosing;

(2) the assigned family responsibility as defined in section 136A.101; and

(3) the amount of a federal Pell grant award for which the grant applicant is eligible.

The minimum financial stipend is $100 per academic year.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136A.121, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Cost of attendance.

(a) The recognized cost of attendance consists of: (1) an
allowance specified in law for living and miscellaneous expenses, and (2) an allowance for
tuition and fees equal to the lesser of the average tuition and fees charged by the institution,
or a tuition and fee maximum if one is established in law. If no living and miscellaneous
expense allowance is established in law, the allowance is equal to deleted text begin 106 deleted text end new text begin 115 new text end percent of the
federal poverty guidelines for a one person household in Minnesota for nine months. If no
tuition and fee maximum is established in law, the allowance for tuition and fees is equal
to the lesser of: (1) the average tuition and fees charged by the institution, and (2) for
two-year programs, an amount equal to the highest tuition and fees charged at a public
two-year institution, or for four-year programs, an amount equal to the highest tuition and
fees charged at a public university.

(b) For a student registering for less than full time, the office shall prorate the cost of
attendance to the actual number of credits for which the student is enrolled.

(c) The recognized cost of attendance for a student who is confined to a Minnesota
correctional institution shall consist of the tuition and fee component in paragraph (a), with
no allowance for living and miscellaneous expenses.

(d) For the purpose of this subdivision, "fees" include only those fees that are mandatory
and charged to full-time resident students attending the institution. Fees do not include
charges for tools, equipment, computers, or other similar materials where the student retains
ownership. Fees include charges for these materials if the institution retains ownership. Fees
do not include optional or punitive fees.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136A.121, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

Subd. 9.

Awards.

An undergraduate student who meets the office's requirements is
eligible to apply for and receive a grant in any year of undergraduate study unless the student
has obtained a baccalaureate degree or previously has been enrolled full time or the equivalent
for deleted text begin eight deleted text end new text begin ten new text end semesters or the equivalent, excluding new text begin (1) new text end courses taken from a Minnesota
school or postsecondary institution which is not participating in the state grant program and
from which a student transferred no credit new text begin , and (2) courses taken that qualify as
developmental education or below college-level new text end . A student enrolled in a two-year program
at a four-year institution is only eligible for the tuition and fee maximums established by
law for two-year institutions.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136F.302, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

ACT or SAT college ready score; Minnesota Comprehensive
Assessment career and college ready benchmarks.

(a) A state college or university must
not require an individual to take a deleted text begin remedial deleted text end new text begin developmental new text end , noncredit course in a subject
area if the individual has received a college ready ACT or SAT score or met a career and
college ready Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment benchmark in that subject area. Only
the ACT and SAT scores an individual received and the Minnesota Comprehensive
Assessment benchmarks an individual met in the previous five years are valid for purposes
of this section. Each state college and university must post notice of the exemption from
deleted text begin remedial deleted text end new text begin developmental new text end course taking on its website explaining student course placement
requirements. new text begin Prior to enrolling an individual in a developmental course, a state college or
university (1) must check whether that individual's performance on the ACT, SAT, or
Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments exempts the individual from the developmental
course under this paragraph, and (2) must specifically inform the individual whether that
course is required.
new text end

(b) When deciding if an individual is admitted to or if an individual may enroll in a state
college or university, the state college or university must consider the individual's scores
on the high school Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, in addition to other factors
determined relevant by the college or university.

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136F.302, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

deleted text begin Testing deleted text end Process for determining if deleted text begin remediating deleted text end new text begin developmental education new text end
is necessary.

new text begin (a) A state college or university must not determine whether an individual is
placed in a developmental, noncredit course based solely on a testing process. A state college
or university may use multiple measures to make a holistic determination on whether to
place an individual in a developmental course. Multiple measures may include:
new text end

new text begin (1) testing under paragraph (b);
new text end

new text begin (2) the individual's scores on the high school Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments,
the ACT, or the SAT;
new text end

new text begin (3) high school grade point average;
new text end

new text begin (4) teacher recommendations; and
new text end

new text begin (5) other factors determined relevant by the college or university.
new text end

new text begin (b) new text end A college or university testing process used to determine whether an individual is
placed in a deleted text begin remedial deleted text end new text begin developmental new text end , noncredit course must comply with this subdivision.
Prior to taking a test, an individual must be given reasonable time and opportunity to review
materials provided by the college or university covering the material to be tested which
must include a sample test. An individual who is required to take a deleted text begin remedial deleted text end new text begin developmental new text end ,
noncredit course as a result of a test given by a college or university must be given an
opportunity to retake the test at the earliest time determined by the individual when testing
is otherwise offered. The college or university must provide an individual with study materials
for the purpose of retaking and passing the test.

Sec. 7.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136F.302, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Phase-out of noncredit developmental education. new text end

new text begin (a) By the start of the fall
2025 academic term, the Board of Trustees must reduce by 75 percent the total number of
noncredit developmental education courses taken system-wide as compared to the average
number of noncredit developmental education courses taken system-wide in the fall 2019
academic year. This may be accomplished through alternative delivery models or by
providing additional academic supports to students.
new text end

new text begin (b) Beginning August 1, 2022, the board shall report to the legislature as provided in
section 3.195, and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees
with jurisdiction over higher education on progress in phasing out noncredit developmental
education.
new text end

new text begin (c) This subdivision expires January 1, 2026.
new text end

Sec. 8. new text begin STUDY AND REPORT ON THE WORK-STUDY PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education must conduct a study of the
work-study program under Minnesota Statutes, sections 136A.231 to 136A.233. The study
must analyze how the program could be expanded to meet the needs of college students and
enable more students to work on campus. The study should include an assessment of:
new text end

new text begin (1) the interplay between state, federal, and institutional work-study programs and funds;
new text end

new text begin (2) the impact of minimum wage laws and ordinances on the program;
new text end

new text begin (3) the ability of the program to require a wage for student workers that is higher than
the prevailing minimum wage set by law;
new text end

new text begin (4) the number of hours students should be working on campus; and
new text end

new text begin (5) options for legislative and administrative actions to expand the work-study program
along with the anticipated costs of those actions.
new text end

new text begin (b) By January 15, 2022, the commissioner shall report to the legislature as provided in
Minnesota Statutes, section 3.195, and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over higher education on the results of the study.
new text end

Sec. 9. new text begin CHALLENGE GRANTS FOR INCREASING DEGREE COMPLETION;
APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2022 and $....... in fiscal year 2023 are appropriated from the
general fund to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities for
grants to system campuses to pursue innovations in student transfer aimed at shortening the
time to degree completion and minimizing excess credits. Priority shall be given to proposals
that partner two-year colleges and four-year universities.
new text end

new text begin (b) By January 1, 2023, the board shall report to the legislature as provided in Minnesota
Statutes, section 3.195, and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative
committees with jurisdiction over higher education on the results of the grant program. The
report must include information about funded projects and their outcomes.
new text end

Sec. 10. new text begin CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE AND ANTI-RACIST TEACHING GRANTS;
APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2022 and $....... in fiscal year 2023 are appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for grants to
postsecondary institutions to support professional development for faculty and staff in the
areas of culturally responsive teaching, racial equity, and anti-racist teaching practices.
Applications for a grant shall be on a form created by the commissioner and on a schedule
set by the commissioner. Grantees must be required to provide the commissioner information
regarding the outcome of programs supported by grant funds.
new text end

new text begin (b) By January 1, 2023, the commissioner shall report to the legislature as provided in
Minnesota Statutes, section 3.195, and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over higher education on the results of the grant
program. The report must include information about funded projects and their outcomes.
new text end

Sec. 11. new text begin REVISOR INSTRUCTION.
new text end

new text begin The revisor of statutes shall substitute the term "developmental" for "remedial" wherever
the term refers to remedial education courses at a postsecondary institution. The revisor
shall also make grammatical changes related to the changes in terms to preserve the meaning
of the text.
new text end