SF 3028

2nd Engrossment - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/27/2016 09:02am

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; regulating remediation and testing; regulating the
teacher shortage loan forgiveness program; broadening child care grants; requiring
information about federal loan forgiveness programs; requiring information
about school acceptance of dual credits; regulating MnSCU credit transfer and
curriculum policies; creating a pilot MnSCU program for developmentally
disabled students; regulating state grants; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014,
section 136A.101, subdivision 10; Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, sections
120B.30, subdivision 1; 136A.121, subdivision 7a; 136A.125, subdivision 2;
136A.1791, subdivisions 4, 5, 6; 136A.87; 136F.302, subdivision 1; Laws 2015,
chapter 69, article 3, sections 20, subdivision 15; 24, subdivision 1; proposing
coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 136A; 136F.

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

ARTICLE 1

HIGH SCHOOL TESTING; COLLEGE READINESS AND REMEDIATION

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, is
amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Statewide testing.

(a) The commissioner, with advice from experts
with appropriate technical qualifications and experience and stakeholders, consistent with
subdivision 1a, shall include in the comprehensive assessment system, for each grade
level to be tested, state-constructed tests developed as computer-adaptive reading and
mathematics assessments for students that are aligned with the state's required academic
standards under section 120B.021, include multiple choice questions, and are administered
annually to all students in grades 3 through 8. State-developed high school tests aligned
with the state's required academic standards under section 120B.021 and administered
to all high school students in a subject other than writing must include multiple choice
questions. The commissioner shall establish one or more months during which schools
shall administer the tests to students each school year.

(1) Students enrolled in grade 8 through the 2009-2010 school year are eligible
to be assessed under (i) the graduation-required assessment for diploma in reading,
mathematics, or writing under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1,
paragraphs (c), clauses (1) and (2), and (d), (ii) the WorkKeys job skills assessment, (iii)
the Compass college placement test, (iv) the ACT assessment for college admission, (v) a
nationally recognized armed services vocational aptitude test.

(2) Students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2010-2011 or 2011-2012 school year are
eligible to be assessed under (i) the graduation-required assessment for diploma in reading,
mathematics, or writing under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision
1, paragraph (c), clauses (1) and (2), (ii) the WorkKeys job skills assessment, (iii) the
Compass college placement test, (iv) the ACT assessment for college admission, (v) a
nationally recognized armed services vocational aptitude test.

(3) For students under clause (1) or (2), a school district may substitute a score from
an alternative, equivalent assessment to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph.

(b) The state assessment system must be aligned to the most recent revision of
academic standards as described in section 120B.023 in the following manner:

(1) mathematics;

(i) grades 3 through 8 beginning in the 2010-2011 school year; and

(ii) high school level beginning in the 2013-2014 school year;

(2) science; grades 5 and 8 and at the high school level beginning in the 2011-2012
school year; and

(3) language arts and reading; grades 3 through 8 and high school level beginning in
the 2012-2013 school year.

(c) For students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2012-2013 school year and later, students'
state graduation requirements, based on a longitudinal, systematic approach to student
education and career planning, assessment, instructional support, and evaluation, include
the following:

(1) an opportunity to participate on a nationally normed college entrance exam,
in grade 11 or grade 12;

(2) achievement and career and college readiness in mathematics, reading, and
writing, consistent with paragraph deleted text begin (j) deleted text end new text begin (k) new text end and to the extent available, to monitor students'
continuous development of and growth in requisite knowledge and skills; analyze
students' progress and performance levels, identifying students' academic strengths and
diagnosing areas where students require curriculum or instructional adjustments, targeted
interventions, or remediation; and, based on analysis of students' progress and performance
data, determine students' learning and instructional needs and the instructional tools and
best practices that support academic rigor for the student; and

(3) consistent with this paragraph and section 120B.125, age-appropriate exploration
and planning activities and career assessments to encourage students to identify personally
relevant career interests and aptitudes and help students and their families develop a
regularly reexamined transition plan for postsecondary education or employment without
need for postsecondary remediation.

Based on appropriate state guidelines, students with an individualized education program
may satisfy state graduation requirements by achieving an individual score on the
state-identified alternative assessments.

(d) Expectations of schools, districts, and the state for career or college readiness
under this subdivision must be comparable in rigor, clarity of purpose, and rates of
student completion.

A student under paragraph (c), clause (2), must receive targeted, relevant,
academically rigorous, and resourced instruction, which may include a targeted instruction
and intervention plan focused on improving the student's knowledge and skills in core
subjects so that the student has a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college
without need for postsecondary remediation. Consistent with sections 120B.13, 124D.09,
124D.091, 124D.49, and related sections, an enrolling school or district must actively
encourage a student in grade 11 or 12 who is identified as academically ready for a career
or college to participate in courses and programs awarding college credit to high school
students. Students are not required to achieve a specified score or level of proficiency on
an assessment under this subdivision to graduate from high school.

(e) Though not a high school graduation requirement, students are encouraged to
participate in a nationally recognized college entrance exam. With funding provided by
the state, a district must pay the cost, one time, for an interested student in grade 11 or 12
to take a nationally recognized college entrance exam before graduating. A student must
be able to take the exam under this paragraph at the student's high school during the school
day and at any one of the multiple exam administrations available to students in the district.

(f) The commissioner and the chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities must collaborate in aligning instruction and assessments for adult basic
education students and English learners to provide the students with diagnostic information
about any targeted interventions, accommodations, modifications, and supports they
need so that assessments and other performance measures are accessible to them and
they may seek postsecondary education or employment without need for postsecondary
remediation. When administering formative or summative assessments used to measure
the academic progress, including the oral academic development, of English learners
and inform their instruction, schools must ensure that the assessments are accessible to
the students and students have the modifications and supports they need to sufficiently
understand the assessments.

(g) Districts and schools, on an annual basis, must use career exploration elements
to help students, beginning no later than grade 9, and their families explore and plan
for postsecondary education or careers based on the students' interests, aptitudes, and
aspirations. Districts and schools must use timely regional labor market information and
partnerships, among other resources, to help students and their families successfully
develop, pursue, review, and revise an individualized plan for postsecondary education or a
career. This process must help increase students' engagement in and connection to school,
improve students' knowledge and skills, and deepen students' understanding of career
pathways as a sequence of academic and career courses that lead to an industry-recognized
credential, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree and are available to all students,
whatever their interests and career goals.

(h) A student who demonstrates attainment of required state academic standards,
which include career and college readiness benchmarks, on high school assessments
under subdivision 1a is academically ready for a career or college and is encouraged to
participate in courses awarding college credit to high school students. Such courses and
programs may include sequential courses of study within broad career areas and technical
skill assessments that extend beyond course grades.

(i) As appropriate, students through grade 12 must continue to participate in targeted
instruction, intervention, or remediation and be encouraged to participate in courses
awarding college credit to high school students.

(j) In developing, supporting, and improving students' academic readiness for a
career or college, schools, districts, and the state must have a continuum of empirically
derived, clearly defined benchmarks focused on students' attainment of knowledge and
skills so that students, their parents, and teachers know how well students must perform to
have a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without need for postsecondary
remediation. The commissioner, in consultation with local school officials and educators,
and Minnesota's public postsecondary institutions must ensure that the foundational
knowledge and skills for students' successful performance in postsecondary employment
or education and an articulated series of possible targeted interventions are clearly
identified and satisfy Minnesota's postsecondary admissions requirements.

(k) For students in grade 8 in the 2012-2013 school year and later, a school, district,
or charter school must record on the high school transcript a student's progress toward
career and college readiness, and for other students as soon as practicable.

(l) The school board granting students their diplomas may formally decide to include
a notation of high achievement on the high school diplomas of those graduating seniors
who, according to established school board criteria, demonstrate exemplary academic
achievement during high school.

(m) The 3rd through 8th grade computer-adaptive assessment results and high school
test results shall be available to districts for diagnostic purposes affecting student learning
and district instruction and curriculum, and for establishing educational accountability.
The commissioner must establish empirically derived benchmarks on adaptive assessments
in grades 3 through 8 new text begin and the high school tests new text end that reveal a trajectory toward career and
college readiness. new text begin The chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities must
review the benchmarks established by the commissioner as indicating students can be
expected to successfully complete credit-bearing coursework at a Minnesota state college
or university. new text end The commissioner must disseminate to the public the computer-adaptive
assessments and high school test results upon receiving those results.

(n) The grades 3 through 8 computer-adaptive assessments and high school tests
must be aligned with state academic standards. The commissioner shall determine the
testing process and the order of administration. The statewide results shall be aggregated
at the site and district level, consistent with subdivision 1a.

(o) The commissioner shall include the following components in the statewide
public reporting system:

(1) uniform statewide computer-adaptive assessments of all students in grades 3
through 8 and testing at the high school levels that provides appropriate, technically sound
accommodations or alternate assessments;

(2) educational indicators that can be aggregated and compared across school
districts and across time on a statewide basis, including average daily attendance, high
school graduation rates, and high school drop-out rates by age and grade level;

(3) state results on the American College Test; and

(4) state results from participation in the National Assessment of Educational
Progress so that the state can benchmark its performance against the nation and other
states, and, where possible, against other countries, and contribute to the national effort
to monitor achievement.

(p) For purposes of statewide accountability, "career and college ready" means a
high school graduate has the knowledge, skills, and competencies to successfully pursue a
career pathway, including postsecondary credit leading to a degree, diploma, certificate, or
industry-recognized credential and employment. Students who are career and college ready
are able to successfully complete credit-bearing coursework at a two- or four-year college
or university or other credit-bearing postsecondary program without need for remediation.

(q) For purposes of statewide accountability, "cultural competence," "cultural
competency," or "culturally competent" means the ability and will to interact effectively
with people of different cultures, native languages, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2016-2017 school year and
later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 136F.302, subdivision 1, is
amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

ACT college ready score.

new text begin (a) new text end A state college or university deleted text begin may deleted text end new text begin must
new text end not require an individual to take a remedial, noncredit course in a subject area if the
individual has received a college ready ACT score in that subject area.

new text begin (b) When deciding if an individual is admitted to or enrolling 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.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [136F.3025] MCA COLLEGE-READY BENCHMARK.
new text end

new text begin A state college or university must not require an individual to take a remedial,
noncredit course in a subject area if the individual has received a college-ready MCA
benchmark in that subject area, consistent with section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph
(m). As part of the notification of high school students and their families under section
120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (m), the commissioner shall include a statement
that students who receive a college-ready benchmark on the high school MCA are not
required to take a remedial, noncredit course at a Minnesota state college or university in
the corresponding subject area.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2018-2019 school year and
later, except for notification of students and families consistent with Minnesota Statutes,
section 136F.302, subdivision 1, which is effective for the 2016-2017 school year.
new text end

ARTICLE 2

OFFICE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Section 1.

new text begin [136A.0412] ACCEPTANCE OF PRIVATE FUNDS;
APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner may accept donations, grants, bequests, and other gifts of money
to carry out the purposes of section 136A.01. Money accepted by the commissioner
must be deposited in an account in the special revenue fund and is appropriated to the
commissioner for the purpose for which it was given.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 136A.1791, subdivision 4,
is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Application for loan forgiveness.

Each applicant for loan forgiveness,
according to rules adopted by the commissioner, shall:

(1) apply for teacher shortage loan forgiveness and promptly submit any additional
information required by the commissioner; new text begin and
new text end

deleted text begin (2) annually reapply for up to five consecutive school years and submit information
the commissioner requires to determine the applicant's continued eligibility for loan
forgiveness; and
deleted text end

deleted text begin (3) deleted text end new text begin (2) new text end submit to the commissioner a completed affidavit, prescribed by the
commissioner, affirming the teacher is teaching in new text begin : (i) new text end a licensure field deleted text begin and in deleted text end new text begin identified by
the commissioner as experiencing a teacher shortage; or (ii) new text end an economic development
region identified by the commissioner as experiencing a teacher shortage.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 136A.1791, subdivision 5,
is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Amount of loan forgiveness.

(a) To the extent funding is available, the
annual amount of teacher shortage loan forgiveness for an approved applicant shall not
exceed $1,000 or the cumulative balance of the applicant's qualified educational loans,
including principal and interest, whichever amount is less.

(b) Recipients must secure their own qualified educational loans. Teachers who
graduate from an approved teacher preparation program or teachers who add a licensure
field, consistent with the teacher shortage requirements of this section, are eligible to
apply for the loan forgiveness program.

new text begin (c) No teacher shall receive more than five annual awards.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 136A.1791, subdivision 6,
is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Disbursement.

(a) The commissioner must make annual disbursements
directly to the participant of the amount for which a participant is eligible, for each year
that a participant is eligible.

(b) Within 60 days of deleted text begin receipt of a deleted text end new text begin the new text end disbursement new text begin date new text end , the participant must provide
the commissioner with verification that the full amount of loan repayment disbursement
has been applied toward the designated loans. A participant that previously received
funds under this section but has not provided the commissioner with such verification
is not eligible to receive additional funds.

Sec. 5.

Laws 2015, chapter 69, article 3, section 20, subdivision 15, is amended to read:

Subd. 15.

Reporting.

(a) A college must report to the commissioner the following
information:

(1) the number of grantees and their race, gender, and ethnicity;

(2) grantee persistence and completion;

(3) employment outcomes; and

(4) other information requested by the commissioner.

(b) The commissioner shall report deleted text begin annually deleted text end by January 15, new text begin 2017, and January 15,
2018, new text end to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with
jurisdiction over higher education finance by college and in aggregate on the information
submitted to the commissioner under paragraph (a). The commissioner may include in the
report recommendations for changes in the grant program.

ARTICLE 3

CHILD CARE GRANTS

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 136A.125, subdivision 2,
is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Eligible students.

(a) An applicant is eligible for a child care grant if
the applicant:

(1) is a resident of the state of Minnesota or the applicant's spouse is a resident
of the state of Minnesota;

(2) has a child 12 years of age or younger, or 14 years of age or younger who is
disabled as defined in section 125A.02, and who is receiving or will receive care on a
regular basis from a licensed or legal, nonlicensed caregiver;

(3) is income eligible as determined by the office's policies and rules, but is not a
recipient of assistance from the Minnesota family investment program;

(4) new text begin either new text end has not earned a baccalaureate degree and has been enrolled full time less
than eight semesters or the equivalent new text begin , or has earned a baccalaureate degree and has been
enrolled full time less than eight semesters or the equivalent in a graduate or professional
degree program new text end ;

(5) is pursuing a nonsectarian program or course of study that applies to an
undergraduate new text begin , graduate, or professional new text end degree, diploma, or certificate;

(6) is enrolled at least half time in an eligible institution; and

(7) is in good academic standing and making satisfactory academic progress.

(b) A student who withdraws from enrollment for active military service after
December 31, 2002, because the student was ordered to active military service as defined
in section 190.05, subdivision 5b or 5c, or for a major illness, while under the care of a
medical professional, that substantially limits the student's ability to complete the term
is entitled to an additional semester or the equivalent of grant eligibility and will be
considered to be in continuing enrollment status upon return.

ARTICLE 4

LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM INFORMATION

Section 1.

new text begin [136A.1792] PROMOTION OF FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN
FORGIVENESS PROGRAMS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms
have the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Employer" means an organization, agency, or entity that is a public service
organization under Code of Federal Regulations, title 34, part 685, section 219, provided
that the following are not employers:
new text end

new text begin (1) a federal or tribal government organization, agency, or entity; and
new text end

new text begin (2) a tribal college or university.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Employment certification form" means the form used by the United States
Department of Education to certify an individual's employment at a public service
organization for the purposes of the federal public service loan forgiveness program.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Federal loan forgiveness program" means a loan forgiveness program offered
under Code of Federal Regulations, title 34, part 685.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Public service loan forgiveness program" means the loan forgiveness program
under Code of Federal Regulations, title 34, part 685, section 219.
new text end

new text begin (f) "Public service organization" means a public service organization under Code of
Federal Regulations, title 34, part 685, section 219.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Promotion of federal public service loan forgiveness programs. new text end

new text begin (a) The
commissioner must develop and distribute informational materials designed to increase
awareness of federal public service loan forgiveness programs among Minnesota residents
who are eligible for those programs. At a minimum, the commissioner must develop and
distribute informational materials that public service organizations may use to promote
awareness of the federal public service loan forgiveness program, including:
new text end

new text begin (1) a one-page letter addressed to individuals who may be eligible for the public
service loan forgiveness program that briefly summarizes the program, provides
information on what an eligible individual must do in order to participate, and recommends
that they contact their student loan servicer or servicers for additional information;
new text end

new text begin (2) a detailed fact sheet describing the public service loan forgiveness program; and
new text end

new text begin (3) a document containing answers to frequently asked questions about the public
service loan forgiveness program.
new text end

new text begin (b) In place of developing and publishing an informational document required under
paragraph (a), the commissioner may distribute a document published by a federal agency
that meets the requirements of paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Publication of informational materials. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must make
the informational materials required under subdivision 2 available on the office's Web
site and must verify each biennium that the informational materials contain current
information. The commissioner must update and correct any informational materials that
the commissioner finds inaccurate or outdated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Employer information. new text end

new text begin (a) An employer must provide an employee with
information about the employee's potential eligibility for the federal public service loan
forgiveness program. An employer must annually provide to each employee in written or
electronic form the one-page letter, fact sheet, and frequently asked questions required
under subdivision 2. In addition, an employer must provide a newly hired employee with
that information within two weeks of the employee's first day of employment.
new text end

new text begin (b) At an employee's request, an employer must provide the employee with a copy
of the employment certification form.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin Subdivision 4 is effective January 1, 2017.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [136A.1793] TEACHER LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAMS;
STUDENT INFORMATION.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall provide information to public and private teacher education
programs concerning public and private student loan programs that provide for full or
partial repayment forgiveness. Teacher education programs must provide the information
furnished by the commissioner to its teacher education students.
new text end

ARTICLE 5

DUAL CREDIT ACCEPTANCE INFORMATION

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 136A.87, is amended to read:

136A.87 PLANNING INFORMATION FOR POSTSECONDARY
EDUCATION.

new text begin (a) new text end The office shall make available to all residents beginning in 7th grade through
adulthood information about planning and preparing for postsecondary opportunities.
Information must be provided to all 7th grade students and their parents annually
by September 30 about planning for their postsecondary education. The office may
also provide information to high school students and their parents, to adults, and to
out-of-school youth.

new text begin (b) The office must make reasonable efforts to obtain publicly available information
about the dual credit acceptance policies of each Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota,
and North Dakota public and private college and university. This information must be
shared on the office's Web site and included in the information under paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin (c) new text end The information provided new text begin under paragraph (a) new text end may include the following:

(1) the need to start planning early;

(2) the availability of assistance in educational planning from educational institutions
and other organizations;

(3) suggestions for studying effectively during high school;

(4) high school courses necessary to be adequately prepared for postsecondary
education;

(5) encouragement to involve parents actively in planning for all phases of education;

(6) information about postsecondary education and training opportunities existing
in the state, their respective missions and expectations for students, their preparation
requirements, admission requirements, and student placement;

(7) ways to evaluate and select postsecondary institutions;

(8) the process of transferring credits among Minnesota postsecondary institutions
and systems;

(9) the costs of postsecondary education and the availability of financial assistance
in meeting these costs, including specific information about the Minnesota Promise;

(10) the interrelationship of assistance from student financial aid, public assistance,
and job training programs; and

(11) financial planning for postsecondary education.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2016-2017 school year and
later.
new text end

ARTICLE 6

MNSCU CREDIT AND CURRICULUM

Section 1.

new text begin [136F.304] FULL VALUE OF CREDITS.
new text end

new text begin The board must adopt policies that give full value to all credits obtained from a
state college or university for use in satisfying credit requirements for a degree, diploma,
or certificate. Among other policies, the board may adopt policies accepting those
credits for the purpose of meeting general education credits or other distribution credit
requirements. The policies must apply regardless of whether the credits were earned in a
degree, diploma, or certificate program.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [136F.305] CURRICULUM CONSISTENCY.
new text end

new text begin The board must adopt policies that provide for reasonable state college and
university consistency among offerings of the same course, so students can have all credits
in these courses transfer to any college or university, and so students are well prepared to
advance through course sequences. Course curricula need not be identical, but a common
core must exist among the same courses.
new text end

ARTICLE 7

MNSCU DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED PILOT

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 136A.101, subdivision 10, is amended to
read:

Subd. 10.

Satisfactory academic progress.

"Satisfactory academic progress"
means satisfactory academic progress as defined under Code of Federal Regulations, title
34, sections 668.16(e), 668.32(f), and 668.34 new text begin , except that a student with an intellectual
disability as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 34, section 668.231, enrolled
in an approved comprehensive transition and postsecondary program under that section
is subject to the institution's published satisfactory academic process standards for that
program as approved by the Office of Higher Education new text end .

Sec. 2. new text begin STATE UNIVERSITIES; PILOT PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH
INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Pilot program created. new text end

new text begin (a) The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota
State Colleges and Universities must offer a pilot academic program as described in
this section for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The pilot is for
students entering the program in the 2017-2018 academic year. The program must be
offered at a total of four state university or college campuses that have the ability to offer
a robust program using existing facilities, including residential facilities. The campuses
selected must, to the extent possible, be located in different geographic regions of the state.
new text end

new text begin (b) In designing the pilot program, the Board of Trustees must consult with PACER
Center, Inc., the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities, Arc
Minnesota, and other interested stakeholder groups. The board must also consult with
administrators of similar programs at other postsecondary institutions.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Program enrollment and admission. new text end

new text begin The enrollment goal for each
campus's pilot program must be at least ten incoming students per academic year. Students
must be admitted based on an application process that includes an in-person interview;
an independent assessment of an applicant's interest, motivation, and likelihood of
success in the program; and any other eligibility requirements established by the board.
Upon successful completion, a student must be awarded a certificate, diploma, or other
appropriate academic credential.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Program curriculum and activities. new text end

new text begin (a) The pilot program must provide
an inclusive, two-year full-time residential college experience for students with intellectual
and developmental disabilities. The required curriculum must include core courses
that develop life skills, financial literacy, and the ability to live independently; rigorous
academic work in a student's chosen field of study; and an internship, apprenticeship, or
other skills-based experience to prepare for meaningful employment upon completion
of the program.
new text end

new text begin (b) In addition to academic requirements, the program must offer participating
students the opportunity to engage fully in campus life. Program activities must include
but are not limited to (1) the establishment of on-campus mentoring and peer support
communities and (2) opportunities for personal growth through leadership development
and other community engagement activities.
new text end

new text begin (c) A participating campus may tailor its program curriculum and activities to
highlight academic programs, student and community life experiences, and employment
opportunities unique to that campus or the region of the state where the campus is located.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Progress reports to legislature. new text end

new text begin The board must submit progress reports
on the pilot program required by this section to the chairs and ranking minority members
of the committees in the house of representatives and the senate with jurisdiction over
higher education finance and policy and human services finance and policy as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) no later than January 15, 2017, a report describing plans for implementation of
the program and recruitment of applicants, including identification of anticipated program
needs that cannot be filled using existing campus or system resources; and
new text end

new text begin (2) no later than January 15, 2019, a report describing program operations, including
information on participation and expected completion rates, the feasibility of program
expansion to other state university campuses, and detail on any unmet program needs.
new text end

ARTICLE 8

MNSCU TRANSFER CURRICULUM

Section 1.

new text begin [136F.306] MINNESOTA TRANSFER CURRICULUM;
AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION.
new text end

new text begin The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities must apply agricultural science
education credits in calculating a student's completion of the Minnesota transfer
curriculum's natural sciences requirement.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin MINNESOTA TRANSFER CURRICULUM; OCCUPATIONAL
COURSES.
new text end

new text begin The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities must report
by February 1, 2017, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the committees
in the house of representatives and the senate with jurisdiction over higher education
policy concerning the Minnesota transfer curriculum and the board's policy with respect
to accepting courses with an occupational component to satisfy transfer curriculum
requirements. Specifically, and without limitation, the board must report on its policy
of accepting courses that contain more than a 50 percent occupational component and
explain the rationale regarding that policy.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

ARTICLE 9

PUBLIC POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTION EMPLOYEE PRIVACY POLICY

Section 1. new text begin PUBLIC POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTION; EMPLOYEE
ELECTRONIC DEVICE PRIVACY POLICY.
new text end

new text begin The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the
Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota must report by June 15, 2016, to the
chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over
higher education policy on their policies regarding the privacy of employee-owned cell
phones, computers, and other similar electronic devices that are used, at least in part, by
the employee to perform work duties. The reports must include, without limitation, the
boards' policies regarding their right to inspect these devices.
new text end

ARTICLE 10

STATE GRANT

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 136A.121, subdivision 7a,
is amended to read:

Subd. 7a.

Surplus appropriation.

If the amount appropriated is determined by the
office to be more than sufficient to fund projected grant demand in the second year of the
biennium, the office may increase the living and miscellaneous expense allowance deleted text begin or the
tuition and fee maximums deleted text end in the second year of the biennium by up to an amount that
retains sufficient appropriations to fund the projected grant demand. The adjustment may
be made one or more times. In making the determination that there are more than sufficient
funds, the office shall balance the need for sufficient resources to meet the projected
demand for grants with the goal of fully allocating the appropriation for state grants. An
increase in the living and miscellaneous expense allowance under this subdivision does
not carry forward into a subsequent biennium.

ARTICLE 11

STUDENT LOAN COUNSELING

Section 1.

Laws 2015, chapter 69, article 3, section 24, subdivision 1, is amended to
read:

Subdivision 1.

Pilot program created.

The commissioner of the Office of Higher
Education shall make a grant to a nonprofit qualified debt counseling organization to
provide individual student loan debt repayment counseling to borrowers who are Minnesota
residents concerning loans obtained to attend a Minnesota postsecondary institution. deleted text begin The
counseling shall be provided to borrowers who are 30 to 60 days delinquent when they
are referred to or otherwise identified by the organization as candidates for counseling.
deleted text end The number of individuals receiving counseling may be limited to those capable of being
served with available appropriations for that purpose. A goal of the counseling program is
to provide two counseling sessions to at least 75 percent of borrowers receiving counseling.

The purpose of the counseling is to assist borrowers to:

(1) understand their loan and repayment options;

(2) manage loan repayment; and

(3) develop a workable budget based on the borrower's full financial situation
regarding income, expenses, and other debt.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment
and is retroactive to July 1, 2015.
new text end