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122A.64 Teachers of color program.

Subdivision 1. Definition. For purposes of this section, "people of color" means permanent United States residents who are African-American, American Indian or Alaskan native, Asian or Pacific Islander, or Hispanic.

Subd. 2. Grants. The commissioner of children, families, and learning in consultation with the desegregation/integration advisory board established in section 124D.892, subdivision 3, shall award grants for professional development programs to recruit and educate people of color in the field of education, including early childhood and parent education. Grant applicants must be a school district with a growing minority population working in collaboration with a state institution of higher education with an approved teacher licensure program or an approved early childhood or parent education licensure program.

Subd. 3. Program requirements. (a) A grant recipient must recruit persons of color to be teachers in elementary, secondary, early childhood or parent education, and provide support in linking program participants with jobs in the recipient's school district.

(b) A grant recipient must establish an advisory council composed of representatives of communities of color.

(c) A grant recipient, with the assistance of the advisory council, must recruit high school students and other persons, including educational paraprofessionals, support them through the higher education application and admission process, advise them while enrolled and link them with support resources in the college or university and the community.

(d) A grant recipient must award stipends to students of color enrolled in an approved licensure program to help cover the costs of tuition, student fees, supplies, and books. Stipend awards must be based on a student's financial need and students must apply for any additional financial aid they are eligible for to supplement this program. No more than ten percent of the grant may be used for costs of administering the program. Students must agree to teach in the grantee school district for at least two years after licensure. If the district has no licensed positions open, the student may teach in another district in Minnesota.

(e) The commissioner of children, families, and learning shall consider the following criteria in awarding grants:

(1) whether the program is likely to increase the recruitment and retention of students of color in teaching;

(2) whether grant recipients will recruit paraprofessionals from the district to work in its schools; and

(3) whether grant recipients will establish or have a mentoring program for students of color.

HIST: 1993 c 224 art 8 s 9; 1994 c 647 art 8 s 21; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 8 s 7; art 16 s 13; 1998 c 397 art 8 s 90,101; art 11 s 3

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