SF 3189

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/18/2022 08:41am

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; establishing a program to provide grants to student
teachers; providing an income tax subtraction for certain grants; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0132, by adding a subdivision; Laws 2021,
First Special Session chapter 2, article 1, section 2, subdivisions 1, 25, 26; proposing
coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 136A; repealing Minnesota
Statutes 2021 Supplement, sections 136A.1274; 136A.1275.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [136A.1272] STUDENT TEACHER GRANTS FOR STUDENT
TEACHERS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education
must establish a program to provide grants to student teachers.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Eligibility. new text end

new text begin To be eligible for a grant under this section, a student teacher must:
new text end

new text begin (1) be enrolled in a Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved
teacher preparation program that requires at least 12 weeks of student teaching in order to
be recommended for any Tier 3 teaching license; and
new text end

new text begin (2) be meeting satisfactory academic progress as defined under section 136A.101,
subdivision 10.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Administration. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner must establish an application process
and other guidelines for implementing the program. The commissioner must notify grant
recipients of their award amounts by the following dates:
new text end

new text begin (1) for fall student teaching placements, recipients must be notified by August 15;
new text end

new text begin (2) for spring student teaching placements, recipients must be notified by December 1;
and
new text end

new text begin (3) for summer student teaching placements, recipients must be notified by May 1.
new text end

new text begin These notification deadlines do not apply in cases where grants are awarded to student
teachers who applied after application deadlines and funds remained after the initial round
of grants were awarded.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner must determine each academic year the grant amount up to $7,500
based on the amount of available funding and the number of eligible applicants.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner must give equal consideration to all eligible applicants regardless
of the order the application was received before the application deadline.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Reporting. new text end

new text begin By February 15 of each year, the commissioner must submit a
report on the details of the program under this section to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over E-12 and higher education
finance and policy. The report must include the following information:
new text end

new text begin (1) the number of eligible applicants and the number of student teachers receiving an
award, each broken down by postsecondary institution;
new text end

new text begin (2) the total number of awards, the total dollar amount of all awards, and the average
award amount; and
new text end

new text begin (3) other summary data identified by the commissioner as outcome indicators.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 290.0132, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 31. new text end

new text begin Student teacher grants. new text end

new text begin The portion of a grant issued under section 136A.1272
that is not used for qualified tuition and related expenses, as defined in Internal Revenue
Code, section 117, paragraph (b), clause (2), is a subtraction.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for taxable years beginning after December
31, 2021.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article 1, section 2, subdivision 1, is
amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Total Appropriation

$

271,702,000

$

deleted text begin 274,269,000 deleted text end new text begin 272,769,000 new text end

The amounts that may be spent for each
purpose are specified in the following
subdivisions.

Sec. 4.

Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article 1, section 2, subdivision 25, is
amended to read:

Subd. 25. Grants to Student Teachers in Shortage Areas

500,000

deleted text begin 500,000 deleted text end new text begin 0 new text end

For grants to student teachers in shortage areas
under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1275.

The commissioner may use no more than three
percent of the appropriation for administration
of the program.

Sec. 5.

Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article 1, section 2, subdivision 26, is
amended to read:

Subd. 26. Grants to Underrepresented Student Teachers

1,000,000

deleted text begin 1,000,000 deleted text end new text begin 0 new text end

For grants to underrepresented student teachers
under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1274.

The commissioner may use no more than three
percent of the appropriation for administration
of the program.

deleted text begin The base for this appropriation is $1,125,000
in fiscal year 2024 and later.
deleted text end

Sec. 6. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
the Office of Higher Education for the grant program under Minnesota Statutes, section
136A.1272. This appropriation may be used for grants for 2022 summer teaching placements
under Minnesota Statutes, sections 136A.1274 and 136A.1275, if those placements would
have been funded by fiscal year 2023 appropriations for those programs.
new text end

Sec. 7. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, sections 136A.1274; and 136A.1275, new text end new text begin are repealed.
new text end

APPENDIX

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 22-05730

136A.1274 UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENT TEACHER GRANTS.

Subdivision 1.

Establishment.

The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education must establish a grant program for student teaching stipends for low-income students who belong to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group.

Subd. 2.

Eligibility.

To be eligible for a grant under this section, a student teacher must:

(1) be enrolled in a Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved teacher preparation program that requires at least 12 weeks of student teaching in order to be recommended for any Tier 3 teaching license;

(2) demonstrate financial need based on criteria established by the commissioner under subdivision 3;

(3) be meeting satisfactory academic progress as defined under section 136A.101, subdivision 10; and

(4) belong to a racial or ethnic group underrepresented in the Minnesota teacher workforce.

Subd. 3.

Administration.

(a) The commissioner must establish an application process and other guidelines for implementing this program. The commissioner must notify grant recipients of their award amounts by the following dates:

(1) for fall student teaching placements, recipients must be notified by August 15;

(2) for spring student teaching placements, recipients must be notified by December 1; and

(3) for summer student teaching placements, recipients must be notified by May 1.

These notification deadlines do not apply in cases where grants are awarded to student teachers who applied after application deadlines and funds remained after the initial round of grants were awarded.

(b) The commissioner must determine each academic year the stipend amount up to $7,500 based on the amount of available funding, the number of eligible applicants, and the financial need of the applicants.

(c) The commissioner must give equal consideration to all eligible applicants regardless of the order the application was received before the application deadline.

(d) If there are insufficient funds to provide an award to all eligible applicants, the commissioner shall prioritize the awards to eligible applicants based on:

(1) the financial need of an applicant; and

(2) the statewide distribution of funds.

Subd. 4.

Reporting.

By February 15 of each year, the commissioner must submit a report on the details of the program under this section to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over E-12 and higher education finance and policy. The report must include the following information:

(1) the number of eligible applicants and the number of teacher candidates receiving an award, each broken down by postsecondary institution;

(2) the total number of awards, the total dollar amount of all awards, and the average award amount; and

(3) other summary data identified by the commissioner as outcome indicators.

136A.1275 STUDENT TEACHER GRANTS IN SHORTAGE AREAS.

Subdivision 1.

Establishment.

(a) The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education must establish a grant program for student teaching stipends for low-income students who intend to teach in a license shortage area or rural school district after graduating and receiving their teaching license.

(b) "License shortage area" means a licensure area that is identified as a shortage area by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board in coordination with the commissioner using data collected for the teacher supply and demand report under section 122A.091, subdivision 5, provided that only licensure areas within the following fields may be identified as a license shortage area for purposes of this section:

(1) English as a second language;

(2) early childhood;

(3) special education;

(4) career and technical education;

(5) science, technology, engineering, arts, and math; and

(6) world languages.

(c) "Rural school district" means a school district with fewer than 30 resident pupil units under section 126C.05, subdivision 6, per square mile.

Subd. 2.

Eligibility.

To be eligible for a grant under this section, a student teacher must:

(1) be enrolled in a Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved teacher preparation program that requires at least 12 weeks of student teaching;

(2) demonstrate financial need based on criteria established by the commissioner under subdivision 3;

(3) be meeting satisfactory academic progress as defined under section 136A.101, subdivision 10; and

(4) intend to teach in a rural school district or intend to teach in a license shortage area. Intent to teach in a license shortage area must be verified based on the teacher license field the student is pursuing. To verify intent to teach in a rural school district, the student must submit to the commissioner a completed affidavit, prescribed by the commissioner, affirming the student's intent to teach in a rural district following graduation. Upon obtaining employment after graduating, the teacher shall report to the office the name of the school district in which the teacher is teaching.

Subd. 3.

Administration.

(a) The commissioner must establish an application process and other guidelines for implementing this program. The commissioner must notify grant recipients of their award amounts by the following dates:

(1) for fall student teaching placements, recipients must be notified by August 15;

(2) for spring student teaching placements, recipients must be notified by December 1; and

(3) for summer student teaching placements, recipients must be notified by May 1.

These notification deadlines do not apply in cases where grants are awarded to student teachers who applied after application deadlines and funds remained after the initial round of grants were awarded.

(b) The commissioner must determine each academic year the stipend amount up to $7,500 based on the amount of available funding, the number of eligible applicants, and the financial need of the applicants.

(c) The commissioner must give equal consideration to all eligible applicants regardless of the order the application was received before the application deadline.

(d) If there are insufficient funds to provide an award to all eligible applicants, the commissioner shall prioritize the awards to eligible participants based on:

(1) the financial need of an applicant; and

(2) whether the applicant intends to teach in both a rural school district and a license shortage area.

Subd. 4.

Reporting.

(a) By February 1 of each year, the commissioner must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over E-12 and higher education finance and policy. The report must include the following information:

(1) the total number of awards, the total dollar amount of all awards, and the average award amount;

(2) the number of eligible applicants and the number of student teachers receiving an award, each broken down by postsecondary institution;

(3) the licensure areas and school districts in which the student teachers taught; and

(4) other summary data identified by the commissioner as outcome indicators, including how many student teachers awarded a rural teacher grant were employed in a rural school district after graduation.

(b) By July 1 of each odd numbered year, the commissioner must update and post on the office's website a list of licensure shortage areas eligible for a grant under this section.