1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; creating a teacher preparation 
  1.3             program; appropriating money. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [PROGRAM CREATED.] 
  1.6      The board of trustees of the Minnesota state colleges and 
  1.7   universities shall offer a program of teacher preparation 
  1.8   leading to licensure, involving Metropolitan state university, 
  1.9   Inver Hills community college, and Minneapolis community and 
  1.10  technical college.  The institutions involved shall enter into 
  1.11  an agreement whereby Inver Hills community college and 
  1.12  Minneapolis community and technical college shall provide the 
  1.13  first two years of the program, and Metropolitan state 
  1.14  university shall provide the final two years of the program.  In 
  1.15  fall semester 2000, Minneapolis community and technical college 
  1.16  and Inver Hills community college shall offer a preeducation 
  1.17  program.  After development of the program in fiscal year 2001, 
  1.18  Metropolitan state university shall begin its licensure program 
  1.19  in fall semester 2001.  The program shall focus on preparing 
  1.20  teachers to meet the specific needs of urban and inner-ring 
  1.21  suburban schools and shall emphasize significant direct 
  1.22  classroom teaching experience and mentoring throughout each 
  1.23  student's preparation.  Metropolitan state university, Inver 
  1.24  Hills community college, and Minneapolis community and technical 
  2.1   college are encouraged to enter into partnerships with urban and 
  2.2   inner-ring suburban schools to provide for significant 
  2.3   involvement of elementary and secondary teachers in the 
  2.4   mentoring of students enrolled in the program. 
  2.5      Sec. 2.  [REPORT REQUIRED.] 
  2.6      By February 15, 2002, the board of trustees shall provide a 
  2.7   progress report to the chairs of the higher education finance 
  2.8   divisions of the legislature regarding the development of the 
  2.9   teacher preparation program.  The report shall include feedback 
  2.10  from enrolled students concerning how the program meets their 
  2.11  needs, as well as from cooperating elementary and secondary 
  2.12  schools on how the students are performing on site. 
  2.13     Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.14     $1,500,000 is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal 
  2.15  year 2001 to the board of trustees of the Minnesota state 
  2.16  colleges and universities for the development and implementation 
  2.17  of the program provided in section 1.