HF 2500

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/06/2016 12:52pm

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; appropriating money to support certain student
support services programs; 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.123] TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Qualifying TRIO Student Support Services programs. new text end

new text begin As used
in this section, "qualifying program" means a TRIO Student Support Services program
that is eligible for and has received federal grant aid under United States Code, title 20,
section 1070a-14. A qualifying program's purpose must be to increase college retention
and graduation rates for eligible students. Qualifying program activities may include, but
are not limited to, academic advising, academic tutoring and instruction, financial aid
counseling, and direct grant aid to students.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Supplemental grant assistance. new text end

new text begin (a) Upon application to the commissioner,
a public or private postsecondary institution in Minnesota that operates a qualifying
program is eligible to receive a supplemental grant to support the program, as provided in
this subdivision. The commissioner shall prescribe a form for this purpose.
new text end

new text begin (b) No later than September 1 of each year, the commissioner shall distribute a
supplemental grant to each institution that has submitted a completed application indicating
eligibility for the grant. The amount of each institution's grant shall be proportional, based
on the amount of federal grant aid received by the institution for the qualifying program.
new text end

new text begin (c) A supplemental grant must be used to support the program purpose and
activities described in subdivision 1. Notwithstanding the requirements of federal law,
a supplemental grant may be used to extend direct aid to students beyond their second
year of enrollment. Supplemental grants must be used to supplement, not supplant, other
existing funds received by the institution to support the qualifying program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Outcomes report. new text end

new text begin (a) As a condition of receiving a supplemental
grant under this section, an institution must provide the commissioner with a report on
qualifying program outcomes, no later than October 15 of each year. The report must
describe the impact of the supplemental grant on the institution's qualifying programs in
the prior fiscal year, including:
new text end

new text begin (1) the number of students served;
new text end

new text begin (2) the number of students receiving direct grant aid, if applicable;
new text end

new text begin (3) persistence and retention rates of participating students; and
new text end

new text begin (4) graduation rates of participating students.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner, in consultation with each qualifying program, may prescribe
a consistent formula or methodology to be used in calculating the data required to be
reported under paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin (c) No later than January 1 of each year, the commissioner shall submit a report to
the legislative committees with jurisdiction over higher education policy and finance on
the distribution of supplemental grants under this section in the prior year. The report must
include the data reported by institutions received under paragraph (a).
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS; TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
PROGRAMS.
new text end

new text begin $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of higher education for the purpose of providing supplemental grants to
support qualifying TRIO Student Support Services programs, as provided in Minnesota
Statutes, section 136A.123.
new text end