1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education finance; expanding the paraprofessional pathway to teacher 
1.3 	licensure program to include school districts in greater Minnesota; appropriating 
1.4 	money;amending Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 2, section 
1.5 	57, subdivision 23.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 2, section 57, subdivision 
1.8 	23, is amended to read:
1.9 		Subd. 23.Paraprofessional pathway to teacher licensure. (a) For grants to school 
1.10 	districts for Grow Your Own new teacher programs:

1.11		$
	1,500,000
	.....
	2018
	
1.131.12
		$
	1,500,000
2,500,000
	.....
	2019
	
1.14 	(b) The 2018 grants and $1,500,000 of the 2019 grants are for school districts with more 
1.15 	than 30 percent minority students for a Board of Teaching-approved nonconventional teacher 
1.16 	residency pilot program.
1.17 	(c) $1,000,000 of the 2019 appropriation is for school districts located in greater 
1.18 	Minnesota operating a Grow Your Own program in cooperation with a teacher preparation 
1.19 	program. The teacher preparation program must be approved by the Professional Educator 
1.20 	Licensing and Standards Board and lead to Tier 3 licensure for the program participants 
1.21 	with the expectation that the teacher will meet Tier 4 licensure requirements once the teacher 
1.22 	has three years of teaching experience. A district qualifying for a grant under this paragraph 
1.23 	must apply in the form and manner specified by the commissioner.
2.1 	The (d) A Grow Your Own program must provide tuition scholarships or stipends to 
2.2 	enable school district employees or community members affiliated with a school district 
2.3 	who seek an education license to participate in a qualifying teacher program. For school 
2.4 	districts located in the seven-county metropolitan area, the teacher residency program must 
2.5 	be a nonconventional teacher preparation program. For districts located in greater Minnesota, 
2.6 	the teacher preparation program must be approved by the Professional Educator Licensing 
2.7 	and Standards Board. School districts that receive funds under this subdivision are strongly 
2.8 	encouraged to recruit candidates of color and American Indian candidates to participate in 
2.9 	the Grow Your Own new teacher programs. Districts or schools providing financial support 
2.10 	may require a commitment as determined by the district to teach in the district or school 
2.11 	for a reasonable amount of time that does not exceed five years.
2.12 	(c) (e) School districts and charter schools may also apply for grants to develop innovative 
2.13 	expanded Grow Your Own programs that encourage secondary school students to pursue 
2.14 	teaching, including developing and offering dual-credit postsecondary course options in 
2.15 	schools for "Introduction to Teaching" or "Introduction to Education" courses consistent 
2.16 	with Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09, subdivision 10.
2.17 	(d) (f) Programs must annually report to the commissioner by the date determined by 
2.18 	the commissioner on their activities under this section, including the number of participants, 
2.19 	the percentage of participants who are of color or who are American Indian, and an 
2.20 	assessment of program effectiveness, including participant feedback, areas for improvement, 
2.21 	the percentage of participants continuing to pursue teacher licensure, and the number of 
2.22 	participants hired in the school or district as teachers after completing preparation programs.
2.23 	(e) (g) The department may retain up to three percent of the appropriation amount in 
2.24 	each year to monitor and administer the grant program.
2.25 	(f) (h) Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

2.26 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.