SF 1397

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/17/2017 08:41am

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing a program to promote educational stability for
students in foster care; requiring a report; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin EDUCATIONAL STABILITY FOR STUDENTS IN FOSTER CARE.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin A pilot project is established to provide incentives for
school districts and county governments to develop partnership agreements and implement
transportation plans to help keep foster care students enrolled in their school of origin when
a student is placed in a foster care setting outside the school of origin's boundaries.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Qualifying plans. new text end

new text begin A school district must submit an application in the form and
manner prescribed by the commissioner of education to participate in the program. To
qualify for participation, one or more school districts and the local child welfare agency
must have a written interagency agreement that describes the local plan for ensuring
educational stability for foster care students. The parties to the agreement must seek title
IV-E reimbursement for eligible students and eligible transportation costs. The plan must
describe:
new text end

new text begin (1) how transportation services will be arranged and provided; and
new text end

new text begin (2) how local transportation costs will be paid for if pilot project funds are insufficient
to cover all costs.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Pilot project; funding. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must reimburse partnerships with
qualifying plans under subdivision 2 at the end of the school year based on allowable
expenditures and reimbursements and compliance with other reporting requirements. If the
available appropriation is insufficient to fully fund all qualifying plans, the commissioner
may prorate the available funds statewide among all school districts with qualifying plans.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin By February 1, 2018, the commissioner of education shall report on
the pilot project to the legislative committees having jurisdiction over early childhood
through grade 12 education. The report must include, at a minimum, the number of local
agreements entered into for this project along with the number of school districts and counties
participating in the agreements, baseline data showing the number of foster care students
who were able to remain in their school of origin and the changes in the ratio over the time
of the pilot project, data on expenditures for school stability transportation and federal
reimbursements received for the pilot project with a midyear projection of end-of-year costs
and revenues, and projected costs for statewide implementation of the program.
new text end

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

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2018 is appropriated from the general fund to the Department of
Education for a pilot project to promote educational stability for students living in foster
care. Up to five percent of the appropriation may be used for state and local administrative
costs such as reporting, technical support, and establishing a title IV-E reimbursement
claiming process.
new text end