2025 Minnesota Statutes

CHAPTER 124F. EDUCATION INNOVATION

124F.01 INNOVATION RESEARCH ZONES PILOT PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Establishment; requirements for participation; research zone plans.

(a) The innovation research zone pilot program is established to improve student and school outcomes consistent with the comprehensive achievement and civic readiness requirements under section 120B.11. Innovation zone partnerships allow school districts and charter schools to research and implement innovative education programming models designed to better prepare students for the world of the 21st century.

(b) One or more school districts or charter schools may join together to form an innovation zone partnership. The partnership may include other nonschool partners, including postsecondary institutions, other units of local government, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations. An innovation zone plan must be collaboratively developed in concert with the school's instructional staff.

(c) An innovation research zone partnership must research and implement innovative education programs and models that are based on proposed hypotheses. An innovation zone plan may include an emerging practice not yet supported by peer-reviewed research. Examples of innovation zone research may include, but are not limited to:

(1) personalized learning, allowing students to excel at their own pace and according to their interests, aspirations, and unique needs;

(2) the use of competency outcomes rather than seat time and course completion to fulfill standards, credits, and other graduation requirements;

(3) multidisciplinary, real-world, inquiry-based, and student-directed models designed to make learning more engaging and relevant, including documenting and validating learning that takes place beyond the school day and school walls;

(4) models of instruction designed to close the achievement gap, including new models for age three to grade 3 models, English as a second language models, early identification and prevention of mental health issues, and others;

(5) new partnerships between secondary schools and postsecondary institutions, employers, or career training institutions enabling students to complete industry certifications, postsecondary education credits, and other credentials;

(6) new methods of collaborative leadership including the expansion of schools where teachers have larger professional roles;

(7) new ways to enhance parental and community involvement in learning;

(8) new models of professional development for educators, including embedded professional development; or

(9) new models in other areas such as whole child instruction, social-emotional skill development, technology-based or blended learning, parent and community involvement, professional development and mentoring, and models that increase the return on investment.

(d) An innovation zone plan submitted to the commissioner must describe:

(1) how the plan will improve student and school outcomes consistent with the comprehensive achievement and civic readiness requirements under section 120B.11;

(2) the role of each partner in the zone;

(3) the research methodology used for each proposed action in the plan;

(4) the exemptions from statutes and rules in subdivision 2 that the research zone partnership will use;

(5) a description of how teachers and other educational staff from the affected school sites will be included in the planning and implementation process;

(6) a detailed description of expected outcomes and graduation standards;

(7) a timeline for implementing the plan and assessing the outcomes; and

(8) how results of the plan will be disseminated.

The governing board for each partner must approve the innovation zone plan.

(e) Upon unanimous approval of the initial innovation zone partners and approval of the commissioner of education, the innovation zone partnership may extend membership to other partners. A new partner's membership is effective 30 days after the innovation zone partnership notifies the commissioner of the proposed change in membership unless the commissioner disapproves the new partner's membership.

(f) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a school district or charter school participating in an innovation zone partnership under this section continues to receive all revenue and maintains its taxation authority in the same manner as before its participation in the innovation zone partnership. The innovation zone school district and charter school partners remain organized and governed by their respective school boards with general powers under chapter 123B or 124E and remain subject to any employment agreements under chapters 122A and 179A. School district and charter school employees participating in an innovation zone partnership remain employees of their respective school district or charter school.

(g) An innovation zone partnership may submit its plan at any time to the commissioner in the form and manner specified by the commissioner. The commissioner must approve or reject the plan after reviewing the recommendation of the Innovation Research Zone Advisory Panel. An initial innovation zone plan that has been rejected by the commissioner may be resubmitted to the commissioner after the innovation zone partnership has modified the plan to meet each individually identified objection.

Subd. 2.Exemptions from laws and rules.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, an innovation zone partner with an approved plan is exempt from each of the following state education laws and rules specifically identified in its plan:

(1) any law or rule from which a district-created, site-governed school under section 123B.045 is exempt;

(2) any statute or rule from which the commissioner has exempted another district or charter school, as identified in the list published on the Department of Education's website under subdivision 4, paragraph (b);

(3) online learning program approval under section 124D.095, subdivision 7, if the school district or charter school offers a course or program online combined with direct access to a teacher for a portion of that course or program;

(4) restrictions on extended time revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 2a, for a student who meets the criteria of section 124D.68, subdivision 2; and

(5) any required hours of instruction in any class or subject area for a student who is meeting all competencies consistent with the graduation standards described in the innovation zone plan.

(b) The exemptions under this subdivision must not be construed as exempting an innovation zone partner from the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments.

Subd. 3.Innovation Research Zone Advisory Panel.

(a) The commissioner must establish and convene an Innovation Research Zone Advisory Panel to review all innovation zone plans submitted for approval.

(b) The panel must be composed of nine members. One member must be appointed by each of the following organizations: Educators for Excellence, Education Minnesota, Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association, Minnesota Association of School Administrators, Minnesota School Boards Association, Minnesota Association of Charter Schools, and the Office of Higher Education. The commissioner must appoint one member with expertise in evaluation and research.

Subd. 4.Commissioner approval.

(a) Upon recommendation of the Innovation Research Zone Advisory Panel, the commissioner may approve up to three innovation zone plans in the seven-county metropolitan area and up to three in greater Minnesota. If an innovation zone partnership fails to implement its innovation zone plan as described in its application and according to the stated timeline, upon recommendation of the Innovation Research Zone Advisory Panel, the commissioner must alert the partnership members and provide the opportunity to remediate. If implementation continues to fail, the commissioner must suspend or terminate the innovation zone plan.

(b) The commissioner must publish a list of the exemptions the commissioner has granted to a district or charter school on the Department of Education's website by July 1, 2017. The list must be updated annually.

Subd. 5.Project evaluation, dissemination, and report to legislature.

Each research zone partnership must submit project data to the commissioner in the form and manner provided for in the approved application. At least once every two years, the commissioner must analyze each innovation zone's progress in realizing the objectives of the innovation zone partnership's plan. The commissioner must summarize and categorize innovation zone plans and submit a report to the legislative committees having jurisdiction over education by February 1 of each odd-numbered year in accordance with section 3.195.

History:

1Sp2017 c 5 art 2 s 52; 2024 c 109 art 2 s 32; 1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 25

124F.02 EXPERIENTIAL AND APPLIED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.

(a) To strengthen the alignment between career and college ready curriculum and state and local academic standards and increase students' opportunities for participating in applied and experiential learning in a nontraditional setting, school districts are encouraged to provide programs such as:

(1) magnet schools;

(2) language immersion programs;

(3) project-based learning;

(4) accelerated learning;

(5) college prep schools;

(6) career and technical education;

(7) Montessori schools;

(8) military schools;

(9) work-based schools; and

(10) place-based learning.

(b) Districts may provide such programs independently or in cooperation with other districts, at a school single site, for particular grades, or throughout the district. In addition to meeting the other accountability measures under chapter 120B, districts may declare that a student meets or exceeds specific academic standards required for graduation under the rigorous course of study waiver in section 120B.021, subdivision 1a, where appropriate.

(c) The board of a district that chooses to participate must publicly adopt and review a plan for providing a program under this section. The plan must: define the program and its structure; describe the enrollment process; identify measures and processes for regularly assessing, evaluating, and publicly reporting on program efficacy and use summary data to show student progress and outcomes; and establish a data-informed public process for modifying and revising the plan as needed. A district must publish its plan contents and evaluation outcomes on the district website.

(d) For purposes of further integrating experiential and applied learning into career and college ready curricula, the commissioner may request program information from providing districts under this section, but is not authorized to approve or deny any school board-adopted program provided under this section.

History:

2014 c 272 art 3 s 29; 1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 11,25

124F.03 P-TECH SCHOOLS.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

(a) P-TECH schools are established as a public-private partnership that will prepare students for high-skill jobs of the future in identified growth industries.

(b) The P-TECH school model must deliver five core benefits to students:

(1) a rigorous, relevant, and cost-free education in grades 9 to 14, inclusive, focused on knowledge and skills that students need for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers;

(2) workplace learning that includes mentoring by industry professionals, worksite visits, speakers, and internships;

(3) intensive, individualized academic support by both secondary and postsecondary faculty within an academic year or school day that enables students to progress through the program at their own pace;

(4) an opportunity to earn an associate's degree; and

(5) a commitment to students who complete the program to be first in line for a job with participating business partners following completion of the program.

Subd. 2.Objectives.

(a) P-TECH schools must accomplish the following:

(1) develop programs of study in high-wage, high-skill, and high-demand career areas;

(2) align school, college, and community systems in the programs of study developed under this section;

(3) support strong academic performance by program participants;

(4) promote informed and appropriate career choices and preparation; and

(5) ensure that employers in key technical fields have access to a talented and skilled workforce.

(b) Through the programs of study developed under this section, participating students must be able to earn college course credit toward an associate's degree. Career pathways will begin in grade 9 and must include workplace learning, high school, and postsecondary coursework. These pathways will provide a seamless sequence of study, extending through two years of postsecondary career and technical education, and culminating in an associate's degree.

Subd. 3.Board approval process.

The school board plan for adopting a P-TECH program must contain at least the following information:

(1) the written agreement between a public school, a higher education institution under section 124D.09, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), and a business partner to jointly develop and support a P-TECH school;

(2) a proposed school design consistent with subdivisions 1 and 2;

(3) a description of how the P-TECH school supports the needs of the economic development region in which the P-TECH school is to be located;

(4) a description of the facilities to be used by the P-TECH school;

(5) a description of proposed budgets, curriculum, transportation plans, and other operating procedures for the P-TECH school;

(6) the process by which students will be enrolled in the P-TECH school;

(7) the qualifications required for individuals employed in the P-TECH school; and

(8) any additional information that the board determines is appropriate.

Subd. 4.Grant process.

(a) When an appropriation is available, the commissioner of education must appoint an advisory committee to review the grant applications and to recommend approval for those applications that meet the requirements of this section. The commissioner of education has final authority over grant application approvals.

(b) To the extent practicable, the commissioner must ensure an equitable geographic distribution of grants for approved P-TECH schools.

(c) Nothing in this subdivision may be construed to authorize the commissioner to approve or deny a locally adopted P-TECH plan.

Subd. 5.P-TECH implementation grants: support; start-up; and mentoring grants.

(a) When an appropriation is available, each P-TECH school is eligible for a grant to support start-up and ongoing program costs, which may include, but are not limited to, recruitment, student support, program materials, and P-TECH school liaisons. A P-TECH school may form a partnership with a school in another school district.

(b) For fiscal year 2026 and later, the maximum P-TECH support grant must not exceed $500,000 per year.

(c) An approved P-TECH school is eligible to receive a grant to support start-up costs the year before first enrolling P-TECH students. A start-up grant may be awarded to a new applicant in an amount not to exceed $50,000.

(d) A grant recipient operating a P-TECH program may provide mentoring and technical assistance to a school eligible for a start-up grant. A mentoring and technical assistance grant may not exceed $50,000.

(e) For each year that an appropriation is made for the purposes of this section, the department may retain five percent of the appropriation for grant administration and program oversight.

History:

1Sp2019 c 11 art 2 s 11; 2024 c 115 art 2 s 8, 9;1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 12,13,25

124F.04 INNOVATIVE DELIVERY OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS; SHARING OF DISTRICT RESOURCES.

Subdivision 1.Establishment; requirements for participation.

(a) A program is established to improve student, career and college readiness, and school outcomes by allowing groups of school districts to work together in partnership with local and regional postsecondary institutions and programs, community institutions, and other private, public, for-profit, and nonprofit workplace partners, to:

(1) provide innovative education programs and activities that integrate core academic and career and technical subjects in students' programs of study through coordinated secondary and postsecondary career and technical programs leading to an industry certification or other credential;

(2) provide embedded professional development for program participants;

(3) use performance assessments in authentic settings to measure students' technical skills and progress toward attaining an industry certification or other credential; and

(4) efficiently share district, institution, and workplace resources.

(b) To participate in this program to improve student, career and college readiness, and school outcomes, a group of two or more school districts must collaborate with school staff and project partners and receive formal school board approval to form a partnership. The partnership must develop a plan to provide challenging programmatic options for students under paragraph (a); create professional development opportunities for educators and other program participants; increase student engagement and connection and challenging learning opportunities for diverse populations of students that are focused on employability skills and technical, job-specific skills related to a specific career pathway; or demonstrate efficiencies in delivering financial and other services needed to realize plan goals and objectives. The plan must include:

(1) collaborative education goals and objectives;

(2) strategies and processes to implement those goals and objectives, including a budget process with periodic expenditure reviews;

(3) valid and reliable measures including performance assessments in authentic settings and progress toward attaining an industry certification or other credential, among other measures, to evaluate progress in realizing plan goals and objectives;

(4) an implementation timeline; and

(5) other applicable conditions, regulations, responsibilities, duties, provisions, fee schedules, and legal considerations needed to fully implement the plan.

A partnership may invite additional districts or other participants under paragraph (a) to join the partnership after notifying the commissioner.

(c) A partnership of interested districts must submit an application to the commissioner of education in the form and manner the commissioner determines, consistent with the requirements of this section. The application must contain the formal approval adopted by the school board in each district to participate in the plan.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a participating school district under this section continues to: receive revenue and maintain its taxation authority; be organized and governed by an elected school board with general powers under section 123B.02; and be subject to employment agreements under chapter 122A and section 179A.20; and district employees continue to remain employees of the employing school district.

(e) Participating districts must submit a biennial report by February 1 in each odd-numbered year to the education committees of the legislature and the commissioner of education that includes performance assessment, high school graduation, and career and technical certification data to show the success of the partnership in preparing diverse populations of students for careers and jobs.

Subd. 2.Commissioner's role.

The commissioner of education must convene an advisory panel to advise the commissioner on applicants' qualifications to participate in this program. The commissioner must ensure an equitable geographical distribution of program participants to the extent practicable. The commissioner must select only those applicants that fully comply with subdivision 1. The commissioner may terminate a program participant that fails to effectively implement the goals and objectives contained in its application and according to its stated timeline.

History:

1Sp2017 c 5 art 2 s 35; 1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 25

124F.05 EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT TRANSITIONS SYSTEM.

Subdivision 1.Goals.

To better prepare all learners to make transitions between education and employment, a comprehensive education and employment transitions system is established that is driven by multisector partnerships and takes a lifelong approach to workforce development. The goals of the statewide education and employment transitions system are:

(1) to improve the skills learners need to achieve greater levels of self-sufficiency through education, training, and work;

(2) to improve work-related counseling and information about career opportunities and vocational education programs available to learners to facilitate workforce development;

(3) to integrate opportunities for work-based learning, service-learning, and other applied learning methods into the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary curriculum and state and local graduation standards;

(4) to increase participation in employment opportunities and demonstrate the relationship between education and employment at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education levels;

(5) to promote the efficient use of public and private resources by coordinating elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education with related government programs;

(6) to expand educational options available to all learners through collaborative efforts between school districts, postsecondary institutions, employers, organized labor, workers, learners, parents, community-based organizations, and other interested parties;

(7) to increase opportunities for women, minorities, individuals with a disability, and at-risk learners to fully participate in work-based learning;

(8) to establish performance standards for learners that integrate state and local graduation standards and generally recognized industry and occupational skill standards; and

(9) to provide support systems including a unified labor market information system; a centralized quality assurance system with information on learner achievement, employer satisfaction, and measurable system outcomes; a statewide marketing system to promote the importance of lifework development; a comprehensive professional development system for public and private sector partners; and a comprehensive system for providing technical support to local partnerships for education and employment transitions.

Subd. 2.Funding.

Work-based learning programs incorporating postsecondary instruction implemented under this section and sections 124D.475 and 124F.06 to 124F.08 shall provide for student funding according to section 124D.09.

Subd. 3.Governor's Workforce Development Board.

The governor's Workforce Development Board is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating the statewide education and employment transitions system and achieving the goals of the system.

Subd. 4.Partnership grants.

The board must award grants to implement local education and employment transition partnerships established under section 124F.08. Grants under this section may be used for the local education and employment transitions system, youth apprenticeship and other work-based learning programs, youth employer programs, youth entrepreneurship programs, and other programs and purposes the board determines fulfill the purposes of the education and employment transitions system. The board must evaluate grant proposals on the basis of the elements required in the local plan described in section 124F.08, subdivision 3. The board must develop and publicize the grant application process and review and comment on the proposals submitted. Priority in awarding grants must be given to local partnerships that include multiple communities and a viable base of educational, work-based learning, and employment opportunities.

History:

1993 c 335 s 1; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 4 s 23; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 99,100,103; art 11 s 3; 2018 c 182 art 1 s 108; 1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 25

124F.06 COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Academic instruction and work-related learning.

Comprehensive youth apprenticeship programs and other work-based learning programs under the education and employment transitions system must integrate academic instruction and work-related learning in the classroom and at the workplace. Schools, in collaboration with learners' employers, must use competency-based measures to evaluate learners' progress in the program. Learners who successfully complete the program must receive academic and occupational credentials from the participating school.

Subd. 2.Youth apprenticeship programs.

(a) A comprehensive youth apprenticeship program must require representatives of secondary and postsecondary school systems, affected local businesses, industries, occupations and labor, as well as the local community, to be actively and collaboratively involved in advising and managing the program and ensuring, in consultation with local private industry councils, that the youth apprenticeship program meets local labor market demands, provides student apprentices with the high skill training necessary for career advancement, meets applicable state graduation requirements and labor standards, pays apprentices for their work and provides support services to program participants.

(b) Local employers, collaborating with labor organizations where appropriate, must assist the program by analyzing workplace needs, creating work-related curriculum, employing and adequately paying youth apprentices engaged in work-related learning in the workplace, training youth apprentices to become skilled in an occupation, providing student apprentices with a workplace mentor, periodically informing the school of an apprentice's progress, and making a reasonable effort to employ youth apprentices who successfully complete the program.

(c) A student participating in a comprehensive youth apprenticeship program must sign a youth apprenticeship agreement with participating entities that obligates youth apprentices, their parents or guardians, employers, and schools to meet program requirements; indicates how academic instruction, work-based learning, and worksite learning and experience will be integrated; ensures that successful youth apprentices will receive a recognized credential of academic and occupational proficiency; and establishes the wage rate and other benefits for which youth apprentices are eligible while employed during the program.

(d) Secondary school principals, counselors, or business mentors familiar with the education to employment transitions system must inform entering secondary school students about available occupational and career opportunities and the option of entering a youth apprenticeship or other work-based learning program to obtain postsecondary academic and occupational credentials.

History:

1993 c 224 art 14 s 17; 1993 c 335 s 3; 1993 c 374 s 25; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 4 s 24,25; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 103; 1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 25

124F.07 GENERAL APPLICATION OF WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS; DISPLACEMENT OF WORKERS PROHIBITED.

(a) All state and federal laws relating to workplace health and safety apply to youth apprenticeships.

(b) The employment of a youth apprentice may not displace or cause any reduction in the number of nonovertime hours worked, wages, or benefits of a currently employed worker.

History:

1993 c 335 s 6; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 103; 1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 25

124F.08 EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT TRANSITIONS PARTNERSHIPS.

Subdivision 1.Local partnerships; establishment.

Local education and employment transitions partnerships may be established to implement local education and employment transitions systems. Local partnerships must represent multiple sectors in the community, including, at a minimum, representatives of employers, primary and secondary education, labor and professional organizations, workers, learners, parents, community-based organizations, and to the extent possible, postsecondary education.

Subd. 2.Board.

A local education and employment transitions partnership must establish a governing board for planning and implementing work-based and other applied learning programs. The board must consist of at least one representative from each member of the education and employment transitions partnership. A majority of the board must consist of representatives of local or regional employers.

Subd. 3.Local education and employment transitions systems.

A local education and employment transitions partnership must assess the needs of employers, employees, and learners, and develop a plan for implementing and achieving the objectives of a local or regional education and employment transitions system. The plan must provide for a comprehensive local system for assisting learners and workers in making the transition from school to work or for retraining in a new vocational area. The objectives of a local education and employment transitions system include:

(1) increasing the effectiveness of the educational programs and curriculum of elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools and the work site in preparing students in the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in the workplace;

(2) implementing learner outcomes for students in grades kindergarten through 12 designed to introduce the world of work and to explore career opportunities, including nontraditional career opportunities;

(3) eliminating barriers to providing effective integrated applied learning, service-learning, or work-based curriculum;

(4) increasing opportunities to apply academic knowledge and skills, including skills needed in the workplace, in local settings which include the school, school-based enterprises, postsecondary institutions, the workplace, and the community;

(5) increasing applied instruction in the attitudes and skills essential for success in the workplace, including cooperative working, leadership, problem-solving, English language proficiency, and respect for diversity;

(6) providing staff training for vocational guidance counselors, teachers, and other appropriate staff in the importance of preparing learners for the transition to work, and in methods of providing instruction that incorporate applied learning, work-based learning, English language proficiency, and service-learning experiences;

(7) identifying and enlisting local and regional employers who can effectively provide work-based or service-learning opportunities, including, but not limited to, apprenticeships, internships, and mentorships;

(8) recruiting community and workplace mentors including peers, parents, employers and employed individuals from the community, and employers of high school students;

(9) identifying current and emerging educational, training, native and English language development, and employment needs of the area or region, especially within industries with potential for job growth;

(10) improving the coordination and effectiveness of local vocational and job training programs, including vocational education, adult basic education, tech prep, apprenticeship, service-learning, youth entrepreneur, youth training and employment programs administered by the commissioner of employment and economic development, and local job training programs under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law 105-220;

(11) identifying and applying for federal, state, local, and private sources of funding for vocational or applied learning programs;

(12) providing students with current information and counseling about career opportunities, potential employment, educational opportunities in postsecondary institutions, workplaces, and the community, and the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed;

(13) providing educational technology, including interactive television networks and other distance learning methods, to ensure access to a broad variety of work-based learning opportunities;

(14) including students with disabilities in a district's vocational or applied learning program and ways to serve at-risk learners through collaboration with area learning centers under sections 123A.05 to 123A.09, or other alternative programs; and

(15) providing a warranty to employers, postsecondary education programs, and other postsecondary training programs, that learners successfully completing a high school work-based or applied learning program will be able to apply the knowledge and work skills included in the program outcomes or graduation requirements. The warranty shall require education and training programs to continue to work with those learners that need additional skill or English language development until they can demonstrate achievement of the program outcomes or graduation requirements.

Subd. 4.Annual reports.

A local education and employment transitions partnership must annually publish a report and submit information to the council as required. The report must include information required by the council for the statewide system performance assessment. The report must be available to the public in the communities served by the local education and employment transitions partnership. The report must be published no later than September 1 of the year following the year in which the data was collected.

History:

1Sp1995 c 3 art 4 s 26,30; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 101,103; art 11 s 3; 2004 c 206 s 52; 2009 c 78 art 2 s 31; 2014 c 272 art 1 s 33; 1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 25

124F.09 SERVICE-LEARNING AND WORK-BASED LEARNING CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.Service-learning and work-based learning programs study.

The governor's Workforce Development Board must assist the commissioner in studying how to combine community service activities and service-learning with work-based learning programs.

Subd. 2.Service-learning programs developed.

The commissioner, in consultation with the commission, shall develop a service-learning program curriculum that includes a policy framework and strategies for youth community service and an infrastructure for mentoring youth. The commissioner shall include in the curriculum at least the following:

(1) youth community service strategies that enable young people to make significant contributions to the welfare of their community through such organizations as schools, colleges, government agencies, and community-based organizations or through individual efforts;

(2) mentoring strategies that enable young people to be matched with caring, responsible individuals who can encourage and guide the young people in their personal growth and development;

(3) guidelines, criteria, and procedures for community service programs that incorporate the results of the study in subdivision 1; and

(4) criteria for community service activities and service-learning.

Subd. 3.Structuring programs according to grade or education level.

The service-learning curriculum must accommodate students' grade level or the last completed grade level of the participants not currently enrolled in school. Schools must provide at least the following:

(1) for students in grades 7 to 9, an opportunity to learn about service-learning activities and possible occupations;

(2) for students in grade 10, an opportunity to apply for service-learning under section 124D.19 subdivision 10, and youth apprenticeship programs; and

(3) for students in grades 11 and 12 and young people not currently enrolled in school, an opportunity to become involved in community service activities, participate in youth apprenticeship programs, and, depending upon the individual's demonstrated abilities, complete high school or pursue postsecondary coursework.

Subd. 4.Programs following youth community service.

(a) The Minnesota Commission on National and Community Service in cooperation with the governor's Workforce Development Board, the commissioner and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, shall provide for those participants who successfully complete youth community service under sections 124D.39 to 124D.44, the following:

(1) for those who have a high school diploma or its equivalent, an opportunity to participate in a youth apprenticeship program at a community or technical college; and

(2) for those who are postsecondary students, an opportunity to participate in an educational program that supplements postsecondary courses leading to a degree or a statewide credential of academic and occupational proficiency.

(b) The governor's Workforce Development Board, in cooperation with the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, must establish a mechanism to transfer credit earned in a youth apprenticeship program between the technical colleges and other postsecondary institutions offering applied associate degrees.

History:

1993 c 146 art 5 s 14; 1994 c 647 art 4 s 13-15; 1995 c 212 art 3 s 59; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 4 s 13,14,30; art 16 s 13; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 51,52,103; art 11 s 3; 2005 c 107 art 2 s 60; 2016 c 158 art 1 s 43; 2018 c 182 art 1 s 108; 1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 25