HF 4880

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/13/2024 12:18pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing a pilot program for evidence-based literacy
instruction; establishing grants for out-of-school literacy programs; requiring
reports; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME LITERACY INSTRUCTION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin A three-year pilot program is established to provide
evidence-based literacy instruction in out-of-school programs through nonprofit community
organizations and public libraries across the state.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Grant eligibility. new text end

new text begin A nonprofit community organization or public library that
provides after-school or out-of-school time programming to school-aged children may apply,
in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner of education, for a grant to provide
evidence-based literacy instruction. Recipients may use grant funds to establish new
evidence-based literacy instruction programming, to expand current evidence-based literacy
instruction programming, and to ensure program staff obtain the knowledge and skills
necessary to provide evidence-based literacy instruction to school-aged children. The
commissioner must award up to 50 percent of the grant funds to nonprofit community
organizations or public libraries located in the city of Minneapolis and the remaining grant
funds must be awarded to eligible grant recipients in greater Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Report; evaluation. new text end

new text begin A grant recipient must report to the Department of
Education by December 15, 2025, and August 15, 2027, on the progress of their activities.
The report must include but is not limited to the number of children served by each program,
specific details of the evidence-based literacy programming, and the training provided to
program staff. The commissioner of education must evaluate the participating programs to
determine the effect of the evidence-based literacy instruction provided under the pilot
program on student achievement and provide recommendations to the participating programs
for continuous improvement. The commissioner must report to the chairs and ranking
minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over kindergarten
through grade 12 education by February 2, 2026, and January 15, 2027, summarizing the
information reported by the grant recipients and the department's evaluation findings. The
final report must include recommendations for expanding the grant program statewide,
budget recommendations for expanding the program, any necessary modifications to the
program, and any recommended legislation.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Department of Education. new text end

new text begin The sum indicated in this section is
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal year
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Out-of-school time literacy grants. new text end

new text begin (a) For grants to public libraries and
nonprofit community organizations to provide evidence-based literacy instruction to
school-aged children:
new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 20,000,000 new text end

new text begin ..... new text end

new text begin 2025 new text end

new text begin (b) This is a onetime appropriation.
new text end

new text begin (c) This appropriation is available until June 30, 2027.
new text end