1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to human services; creating parents as 
  1.3             scholars pilot project; appropriating money. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [PARENTS AS SCHOLARS PILOT PROJECT.] 
  1.6      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE.] (a) The 
  1.7   commissioner of human services shall establish a parents as 
  1.8   scholars pilot project for eligible TANF parents in order to: 
  1.9      (1) reduce public expenditures for low-income families; 
  1.10     (2) increase education levels of TANF recipients and the 
  1.11  earning potential of parents receiving TANF assistance; 
  1.12     (3) provide more opportunities for parents receiving TANF 
  1.13  assistance; and 
  1.14     (4) increase self-sufficiency among TANF recipients. 
  1.15     (b) The commissioner shall create the pilot project for 
  1.16  counties for the purpose of offering financial assistance to 
  1.17  TANF-eligible parents to attend four-year postsecondary 
  1.18  educational institutions.  Minimum project and application 
  1.19  requirements shall be developed by the commissioner in 
  1.20  consultation with counties and nonprofit social services 
  1.21  agencies with the goal to provide the maximum flexibility in 
  1.22  program design. 
  1.23     (c) Services under this project must be coordinated with 
  1.24  county MFIP case managers and the eligible project 
  2.1   participants.  The project must be supported with funds other 
  2.2   than federal block grant funds provided under the Social 
  2.3   Security Act, Title IV-A, except that federal funds may be used 
  2.4   in accordance with federal law if their use does not result in 
  2.5   the imposition of (1) conditions of participation or (2) program 
  2.6   requirements other than those established by this section. 
  2.7      Subd. 2.  [DEFINITION.] For the purposes of this section, 
  2.8   "eligible TANF parents" means parents who meet the general 
  2.9   requirements of TANF and: 
  2.10     (1) have a desire to attend a four-year postsecondary 
  2.11  educational institution and earn a degree or certificate; 
  2.12     (2) will improve the ability of the family to be 
  2.13  self-supporting by earning a postsecondary degree or 
  2.14  certificate, based on the current labor market; and 
  2.15     (3) possess the skills, competence, and ability to complete 
  2.16  a postsecondary educational program. 
  2.17     Subd. 3.  [COUNTY ELIGIBILITY.] (a) Up to three counties 
  2.18  may receive funding under this pilot project.  Participating 
  2.19  counties must agree to: 
  2.20     (1) develop minimum project and application requirements in 
  2.21  consultation with the commissioner and local social services 
  2.22  agencies; 
  2.23     (2) for eligible participants who are also TANF recipients, 
  2.24  develop procedures to ensure that the services provided under 
  2.25  this project are closely coordinated with the services provided 
  2.26  under MFIP; 
  2.27     (3) develop a method for evaluating the effectiveness of 
  2.28  the educational program and the amount of any resulting cost 
  2.29  savings to the county and state; and 
  2.30     (4) develop an educational program that assists 
  2.31  participants in attending local colleges and universities, or 
  2.32  contract with an existing integrated program. 
  2.33     (b) Preference may be given to counties that contribute 
  2.34  local resources. 
  2.35     Subd. 4.  [APPLICATION.] Eligible TANF parents may apply to 
  2.36  the county for pilot project assistance on the forms and 
  3.1   according to the timelines established by the commissioner in 
  3.2   consultation with the counties. 
  3.3      Subd. 5.  [PROJECT PARTICIPANT REQUIREMENTS.] Once enrolled 
  3.4   in the project, participants must participate in at least 20 
  3.5   hours per week of classes, study, or employment.  One and 
  3.6   one-half hours of study shall be counted for each classroom hour.
  3.7      Subd. 6.  [EVALUATION.] (a) The commissioner, in 
  3.8   consultation with participating counties, shall evaluate the 
  3.9   outcomes of families participating in the parents as scholars 
  3.10  pilot project.  The evaluation must include an examination of 
  3.11  whether or not the pilot project: 
  3.12     (1) improved the income of parents participating in the 
  3.13  pilot project; 
  3.14     (2) helped to create long-term career opportunities for 
  3.15  participants; 
  3.16     (3) reduced participant dependence on public assistance; 
  3.17  and 
  3.18     (4) promoted self-sufficiency among participants. 
  3.19     (b) The preliminary results of this evaluation must be 
  3.20  presented to the house and senate committees with jurisdiction 
  3.21  over human services policy and finance by January 1, 2009. 
  3.22     Subd. 7.  [SUNSET DATE.] This section sunsets effective 
  3.23  December 31, 2009. 
  3.24     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective January 1, 2005.
  3.25     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.26     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.27  commissioner of human services for the purposes of the parents 
  3.28  as scholars pilot project in section 1.