1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; providing incentives for individuals near degree 
1.3 	completion to complete degree.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. MINNESOTA RECONNECT PERSISTENCE INCENTIVES.
 1.6 	The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education and each public institution of higher 
1.7 	education must create incentives for individuals near degree completion who have earned 
1.8 	at least 15 credits at a technical or community college or at least 30 credits at a four-year 
1.9 	institution and offer incentives for the individuals near degree completion to reenroll and 
1.10 	earn a degree. The student must be a Minnesota resident, at least two years removed from 
1.11 	attending a higher education institution, and committed to earning a degree. Institutions 
1.12 	must also create a statewide communications campaign to identify and target individuals 
1.13 	near degree completion. Incentives may include:
1.14 	(1) tuition banding: charge a single tuition rate for enrollment within a specific range of 
1.15 	credits. This initiative will help students graduate on time and reduce student educational 
1.16 	costs;
1.17 	(2) encouraging the choice of 120-credit degrees while enrolling full time: studies indicate 
1.18 	students who enroll in 15 credits per term are more successful and graduate on time;
1.19 	(3) discontinuing credit expiration policies: remove five- to ten-year expiration on credits 
1.20 	and replace with a lifetime credit policy without expiration;
1.21 	(4) waiving financial holds: 20 percent of students over the age of 25 have a financial 
1.22 	hold preventing reregistration or reenrollment. Waive fees for those owing under $500;
2.1 	(5) offering developmental courses: provide additional assistance for students enrolled 
2.2 	in developmental courses to avoid the loss of student aid dollars before enrolling in 
2.3 	credit-bearing courses. Provide math pathways, corequisite course, academic roadmaps, 
2.4 	and proactive advising;
2.5 	(6) providing the first class for free, or providing a stipend covering tuition for two 
2.6 	classes when adult students return to complete their degree;
2.7 	(7) offering prior learning credit: expand prior learning experiential credit for students; 
2.8 	or
2.9 	(8) expanding reverse credit transfer: students who transfer from a two-year institution 
2.10 	to a four-year institution can transfer back credits earned at a four-year institution to earn 
2.11 	an associate's degree, which provides a safety net for students if unforeseen circumstances 
2.12 	intervene in earning a bachelor's degree.