1998 Minnesota Statutes

     124D.88 Metropolitan magnet school grants. 

    Subdivision 1.    Policy and purpose.  A metropolitan 
 magnet school grant program is established for the purpose of 
 promoting integrated education for students in prekindergarten 
 through grade 12, increasing mutual understanding among all 
 students, and addressing the inability of local school districts 
 to provide required construction funds through local property 
 taxes.  The program seeks to encourage districts located in 
 whole or in part within the seven-county metropolitan area to 
 make available to school age children residing in the 
 metropolitan area those educational programs, services, and 
 facilities that are essential to meeting all children's needs 
 and abilities.  The program anticipates using the credit of the 
 state, to a limited degree, to provide grants to metropolitan 
 area school districts to improve the educational opportunities 
 and academic achievement of disadvantaged children and the 
 facilities that are available to those children.  

    Subd. 2.    Approval authority; application forms.  To 
 the extent money is available, the commissioner may approve 
 projects from applications submitted under this section.  The 
 grant money must be used only to design, acquire, construct, 
 expand, remodel, improve, furnish, or equip the building or site 
 of a magnet school facility according to contracts entered into 
 within 24 months after the date on which a grant is awarded. 

    Subd. 3.    Grant application process.  (a) Any group of 
 school districts that meets the criteria required under 
 paragraph (b)(i) may apply for a magnet school grant in an 
 amount not to exceed $15,000,000 for the approved costs or 
 expansion of a magnet school facility. 

    (b)(i) Any group of districts that submits an application 
 for a grant shall submit a proposal to the commissioner for 
 review and comment under section 123B.71, and the commissioner 
 shall prepare a review and comment on the proposed magnet school 
 facility, regardless of the amount of the capital expenditure 
 required to design, acquire, construct, remodel, improve, 
 furnish, or equip the facility.  The commissioner must not 
 approve an application for a magnet school grant for any 
 facility unless the facility receives a favorable review and 
 comment under section 123B.71 and the participating districts: 

    (1) establish a joint powers board under section 471.59 to 
 represent all participating districts and govern the magnet 
 school facility; 

    (2) design the planned magnet school facility to meet the 
 applicable requirements contained in Minnesota Rules, chapter 
 3535; 

    (3) submit a statement of need, including reasons why the 
 magnet school will facilitate integration and improve learning; 

    (4) prepare an educational plan that includes input from 
 both community and professional staff; and 

    (5) develop an education program that will improve learning 
 opportunities for students attending the magnet school. 

    (ii) The districts may develop a plan that permits social 
 service, health, and other programs serving students and 
 community residents to be located within the magnet school 
 facility.  The commissioner shall consider this plan when 
 preparing a review and comment on the proposed facility.  

    (c) When two or more districts enter into an agreement 
 establishing a joint powers board to govern the magnet school 
 facility, all member districts shall have the same powers.  

    (d) A joint powers board of participating school districts 
 established under paragraphs (b) and (c) that intends to apply 
 for a grant must adopt a resolution stating the costs of the 
 proposed project, the purpose for which the debt is to be 
 incurred, and an estimate of the dates when the contracts for 
 the proposed project will be completed.  A copy of the 
 resolution must accompany any application for a state grant 
 under this section. 

    (e)(i) The commissioner shall examine and consider all 
 grant applications.  If the commissioner finds that any joint 
 powers district is not a qualified grant applicant, the 
 commissioner shall promptly notify that joint powers board.  The 
 commissioner shall make awards to no more than two qualified 
 applicants whose applications have been on file with the 
 commissioner more than 30 days.  

    (ii) A grant award is subject to verification by the joint 
 powers board under paragraph (f).  A grant award must not be 
 made until the participating districts determine the site of the 
 magnet school facility.  If the total amount of the approved 
 applications exceeds the amount of grant funding that is or can 
 be made available, the commissioner shall allot the available 
 amount equally between the approved applicant districts.  The 
 commissioner shall promptly certify to each qualified joint 
 powers board the amount, if any, of the grant awarded to it. 

    (f) Each grant must be evidenced by a contract between the 
 joint powers board and the state acting through the 
 commissioner.  The contract obligates the state to pay to the 
 joint powers board an amount computed according to paragraph 
 (e)(ii) and a schedule, and terms and conditions acceptable to 
 the commissioner of finance. 

    HIST: 1994 c 643 s 62; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1996 c 284 s 
 1,2; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 2 s 33; art 7 s 7; 1998 c 397 art 7 s 
 159,164; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 404 s 48