1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; expanding the Minnesota Goes to College program; 
1.3 	requiring a report.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. MINNESOTA GOES TO COLLEGE EXPANSION.
 1.6 	(a) The Office of Higher Education and the Minnesota Department of Education shall 
1.7 	explore an overall design to provide a comprehensive and uniform program promoting 
1.8 	Minnesota students' efforts to go to college and building on the existing Minnesota Goes 
1.9 	to College program to help the state in:
1.10 	(1) obtaining the state higher education attainment goal under Minnesota Statutes, section 
1.11 	135A.012, to increase the number of Minnesota residents ages 25 to 44 years who hold 
1.12 	postsecondary degrees or certificates by at least 70 percent by 2025; and
1.13 	(2) incentivizing Minnesota students to attend Minnesota institutions of higher learning.
1.14 	(b) The Office of Higher Education and Department of Education shall explore the 
1.15 	feasibility of developing a program that includes but is not limited to:
1.16 	(1) developing a college application month to provide:
1.17 	(i) training to high school counselors on financial aid, general college admissions, and 
1.18 	site coordination. Training must be available, in person or electronically, to all high schools 
1.19 	around the state;
1.20 	(ii) no-cost applications;
1.21 	(iii) promotional materials; and
2.1 	(iv) access to volunteers in high schools;
2.2 	(2) increasing Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion with 
2.3 	incentives that may include scholarship awards;
2.4 	(3) training for counselors and information for students on next steps after FAFSA 
2.5 	completion;
2.6 	(4) increasing Minnesota Dream Act applications;
2.7 	(5) sending direct admission letters in early fall to all Minnesota high school seniors that 
2.8 	admit students to the state's public higher education institutions based on criteria established 
2.9 	by the higher education institutions and the Office of Higher Education and provides financial 
2.10 	aid information including state grant amount and state merit scholarship amount, if available; 
2.11 	and
2.12 	(6) strategies to increase high school participation in the Minnesota Goes to College 
2.13 	program to 100 percent.
2.14 	(c) The Office of Higher Education and Department of Education shall also investigate 
2.15 	possible sources of funding for activities, incentives, and scholarships.
2.16 	(d) The Office of Higher Education and Department of Education shall provide a report 
2.17 	to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction 
2.18 	over higher education policy and finance by ....... recommending options for a comprehensive, 
2.19 	uniform Minnesota Goes to College plan that fulfills the goals in paragraph (a). The report 
2.20 	shall include plan options, draft legislation, fiscal analysis of the cost of implementing each 
2.21 	plan option, and other potential funding streams.