SF 2455

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 03/15/2019 08:47am

A bill for an act
relating to education; integrating service-learning into Minnesota's education
system; establishing an evidence-based service-learning technical assistance and
grant program; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, section
124D.50, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 124D.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.50, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 2a. new text end

new text begin Service-learning specialist; service-learning work. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner
must create a service-learning specialist position in the department to expand evidence-based
service-learning; coordinate service-learning grants under section 124D.501; and provide
technical assistance to school districts, charter schools, schools, tribal contract or grant
schools eligible for state aid under section 124D.83, school programs and their
community-based partners, including nonprofit organizations and political subdivisions.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner may provide or may contract for specialized expertise in school-
and community-based service-learning best practices, professional development or training,
service-learning research or evaluation, or development of service-learning learning
communities.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2019.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [124D.501] INNOVATIVE INCUBATOR SERVICE-LEARNING GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment; eligibility criteria; application requirements. new text end

new text begin (a) A
five-year technical assistance and grant program is established to initiate or expand and
strengthen innovative service-learning opportunities for students in early childhood programs
through grade 12; increase student engagement and academic achievement; close the
academic achievement gap and the community, college, and career opportunity gaps; and
create a positive school climate and safer schools and communities.
new text end

new text begin (b) At least one public school teacher, administrator, or program staff member and at
least one service-learning specialist, service-learning coordinator, curriculum specialist, or
other qualified employee designated to develop and share expertise in implementing
service-learning best practices who are employed at a public school, tribal contract school,
or charter school must work with students to form a student-adult partnership. The partnership
must include at least one community-based organization or political subdivision. The
partnership may invite other individuals or entities, such as a postsecondary faculty member
or institution, parent, other community member, local business or business organization, or
local media representative to become a partner or participate with the partnership, consistent
with this paragraph. Before developing and submitting a grant application to the department,
a participating student must work with at least one adult who is part of the initial partnership
to identify a need or opportunity to pursue through a service-learning partnership and invite
at least one partner to collaborate in developing and submitting a grant application. The
fiscal agent for the grant is a school district, charter school, or tribal contract school that is
a member of the partnership or has a school or school program that is a member of the
partnership.
new text end

new text begin (c) An eligible service-learning partnership receiving an innovation service-learning
grant must:
new text end

new text begin (1) include at least two or more enrolled students, two or more school employees in
accordance with paragraph (b), and an eligible community-based organization or political
subdivision; and
new text end

new text begin (2) assist students to:
new text end

new text begin (i) actively participate in service-learning experiences that meet identified student and
community needs or opportunities;
new text end

new text begin (ii) operate collaboratively with service-learning partnership members;
new text end

new text begin (iii) align service-learning experiences with at least one state or local academic standard;
new text end

new text begin (iv) apply students' knowledge and skills in their community and help solve community
problems or address community opportunities;
new text end

new text begin (v) foster students' civic engagement; and
new text end

new text begin (vi) explore or pursue career pathways and support college readiness.
new text end

new text begin (d) A school district member in a partnership may participate in the partnership through
a community education program established under section 124D.19.
new text end

new text begin (e) An eligible partnership interested in receiving a grant must apply to the commissioner
of education in the form and manner determined by the commissioner. The partnership must
work with a district, charter school, public school, tribal contract school, or public school
program. Consistent with this subdivision, the application must describe the partnership
plan to:
new text end

new text begin (1) incorporate student-designed and student-led service learning into the school
curriculum or specific courses or across subject areas;
new text end

new text begin (2) provide students with instruction and experiences using service-learning best practices
during the regular school day with an option to supplement their service-learning experiences
outside of the school day;
new text end

new text begin (3) align service-learning experiences with at least one state or local academic standard
or at least one goal of the world's best workforce in accordance with section 120B.11 or the
state plan submitted and approved under the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act;
new text end

new text begin (4) make implementing service-learning best practices an educational priority;
new text end

new text begin (5) provide student-designed, student-led service-learning experiences that help meet
community needs or develop community opportunities; and
new text end

new text begin (6) identify at least one public school teacher, administrator, or program staff member
and at least one service-learning specialist, service-learning coordinator, curriculum specialist,
or other qualified employee designated to develop and share expertise in implementing
service-learning best practices to work with students to form a student-adult partnership
that includes at least one community-based organization or political subdivision.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Innovation grants. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must annually award up
to 32 grants of up to $50,000 each to allow eligible partnerships, equitably distributed
throughout Minnesota by congressional district, to provide student-designed, student-led
service-learning opportunities consistent with this section. The commissioner may designate
start-up or leader grant categories with differentiated maximum grant dollar amounts up to
$50,000. A grantee designated as leader grantee may be required to meet additional leader
grant requirements as established by the commissioner in the grant application criteria
developed by the commissioner. The commissioner may renew a grant annually as
appropriated funds are available and consistent with the grant criteria established in this
section and other criteria the commissioner may establish for grant eligibility or for renewing
a grant. In order to receive a grant, a partnership must provide a 50 percent match in funds
or in-kind contributions unless the commissioner waives the match requirement for an
applicant serving a high number of students whose families meet federal poverty guidelines.
A partnership grantee must allocate the grant amount according to its grant application. The
partnership must convey 50 percent of the actual grant amount to at least one
community-based organization or political subdivision to help implement or defray the
direct costs of carrying out the service-learning strategies and activities described in the
partnership's grant application.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Evaluation. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must evaluate innovative, incubator,
service-learning awarded grants based on the educational and developmental outcomes of
participating students and on member districts' progress toward meeting at least one goal
of the world's best workforce goals in accordance with section 120B.11 or the state plan
submitted and approved under the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act. The commissioner must review data on student academic growth
and student development in areas including engagement in school, school attendance, and
access to opportunities to develop community, college, and career-related connections. The
commissioner must evaluate the success of service-learning grants based on the community
outcomes achieved through student service-learning experiences and the corresponding
student service activities. The commissioner must submit an interim progress report on
participating student and community outcomes under this section to the legislative committees
with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education by February 15, 2024, and
a final report to the same legislative committees by February 15, 2026.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2019.
new text end

Sec. 3. 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 sums indicated in this section are
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal years
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Service-learning specialist; service-learning work. new text end

new text begin (a) For the service-learning
specialist position at the Department of Education under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.50,
subdivision 2a, and for related service-learning work under Minnesota Statutes, section
124D.501:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 200,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2020 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 250,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2021 new text end

new text begin (b) The base for fiscal year 2022 is $250,000.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Innovative service-learning grants. new text end

new text begin (a) For innovative service-learning grants
under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.501:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 0 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2020 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 800,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2021 new text end

new text begin (b) Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
new text end

new text begin (c) The base for fiscal year 2022 is $800,000.
new text end