Minnesota 2023-2024 Regular Session

Minnesota Senate Bill SF267 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to higher education; strengthening the Increase Teachers of Color Act in
3	3	1.3 higher education; making permanent a pilot scholarship program for aspiring
4	4	1.4 teachers of color; establishing a special revenue fund account; modifying provisions
5	5	1.5 of the teacher shortage loan repayment program; appropriating money; amending
6	6	1.6 Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 136A.1791, subdivisions 2, 5; Laws 2021, First
7	7	1.7 Special Session chapter 2, article 2, section 45.
8	8	1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
9	9	1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 136A.1791, subdivision 2, is amended to
10	10	1.10read:
11	11	1.11 Subd. 2.Program established; administration.(a) The commissioner shall establish
12	12	1.12and administer a teacher shortage loan repayment program.
13	13	1.13 (b) The commissioner must establish an application deadline and give equal consideration
14	14	1.14to all applicants regardless of the order the application was received before the deadline.
15	15	1.15 (c) If the funds available for the program are insufficient to make full awards to eligible
16	16	1.16applicants, the commissioner must prioritize awards as follows:
17	17	1.17 (1) to applicants with the greatest financial need, taking into consideration the applicant's
18	18	1.18income, household size, total qualified educational loan debt, and other relevant factors;
19	19	1.19and
20	20	1.20 (2) to applicants meeting more than one of the three eligibility categories in subdivision
21	21	1.213a.
22	22	1Section 1.
23	23	23-01200 as introduced01/03/23 REVISOR JFK/AD
24	24	SENATE
25	25	STATE OF MINNESOTA
26	26	S.F. No. 267NINETY-THIRD SESSION
27	27	(SENATE AUTHORS: FATEH and Rarick)
28	28	OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
29	29	Introduction and first reading01/12/2023
30	30	Referred to Higher Education 2.1 (d) The commissioner must ensure an equitable distribution of student loan repayment
31	31	2.2funds to teachers across all economic development regions using a method determined by
32	32	2.3the commissioner. Funds reserved under paragraph (e) must be allocated separately.
33	33	2.4 (e) So long as the aggregate percentage of teachers of color and American Indian teachers
34	34	2.5in the state, as determined by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, is
35	35	2.6lower than the aggregate percentage of kindergarten through grade 12 students of color and
36	36	2.7kindergarten through grade 12 American Indian students in the state, as determined by the
37	37	2.8commissioner of education under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, the commissioner must
38	38	2.9reserve a percentage of the loan forgiveness program's available funds for those teachers
39	39	2.10eligible for loan forgiveness because they belong to a racial or ethnic group underrepresented
40	40	2.11in the teacher workforce. The percentage reserved under this paragraph must be equal to or
41	41	2.12greater than the aggregate percentage of kindergarten through grade 12 students of color
42	42	2.13and kindergarten through grade 12 American Indian students in the state, as determined by
43	43	2.14the commissioner of education under section 120B.35, subdivision 3. Funds reserved under
44	44	2.15this paragraph must be considered separately for purposes of prioritizing awards under
45	45	2.16paragraph (c). The amount reserved under this paragraph seeks to improve all students'
46	46	2.17access to effective and diverse teachers under sections 120B.11 and 124D.861.
47	47	2.18 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 136A.1791, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
48	48	2.19 Subd. 5.Amount of loan repayment.(a) To the extent funding is available, the
49	49	2.20maximum annual amount of a teacher shortage loan repayment award for an approved
50	50	2.21applicant is as follows:
51	51	2.22 (1) for an applicant meeting only one of the three eligibility categories under subdivision
52	52	2.233a, the maximum award amount shall not exceed $1,000 $2,000 or the cumulative balance
53	53	2.24of the applicant's qualified educational loans, including principal and interest, whichever
54	54	2.25amount is less.; and
55	55	2.26 (2) for an applicant meeting two or more of the three eligibility categories under
56	56	2.27subdivision 3a, the maximum award amount shall not exceed $4,000 or the cumulative
57	57	2.28balance of the applicant's qualified educational loans, including principal and interest,
58	58	2.29whichever amount is less.
59	59	2.30 (b) Recipients must secure their own qualified educational loans. Teachers who graduate
60	60	2.31from an approved teacher preparation program or teachers who add a licensure field,
61	61	2.32consistent with the teacher shortage requirements of this section, are eligible to apply for
62	62	2.33the loan repayment program.
63	63	2Sec. 2.
64	64	23-01200 as introduced01/03/23 REVISOR JFK/AD 3.1 (c) No teacher shall receive more than five annual awards.
65	65	3.2 Sec. 3. Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article 2, section 45, is amended to
66	66	3.3read:
67	67	3.4 Sec. 45. ASPIRING MINNESOTA TEACHERS OF COLOR SCHOLARSHIP
68	68	3.5PILOT PROGRAM.
69	69	3.6 Subdivision 1.Scholarship pilot program established.The commissioner must establish
70	70	3.7a scholarship pilot program to support undergraduate and graduate students who are preparing
71	71	3.8to become teachers, have demonstrated financial need, and belong to racial or ethnic groups
72	72	3.9underrepresented in the state's teacher workforce.
73	73	3.10 Subd. 2.Eligibility.(a) To be eligible for a scholarship under this section, an applicant
74	74	3.11must:
75	75	3.12 (1) either be admitted and enrolled in a teacher preparation program approved by the
76	76	3.13Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board and be seeking initial licensure,; or
77	77	3.14be enrolled in an eligible institution under section 136A.103 and be completing a two-year
78	78	3.15program specifically designed to prepare early childhood educators an associate's degree
79	79	3.16in early childhood education, education, or special education;
80	80	3.17 (2) affirm to the teacher preparation program or the Office of Higher Education that the
81	81	3.18applicant is a person of color or American Indian;
82	82	3.19 (3) be meeting satisfactory academic progress as defined under section 136A.101,
83	83	3.20subdivision 10; and
84	84	3.21 (4) demonstrate financial need based on criteria developed by the commissioner.
85	85	3.22 (b) An eligible applicant may receive a scholarship award more than once, but may
86	86	3.23receive a total of no more than $25,000 $30,000 in scholarship awards from the program.
87	87	3.24 (c) An applicant may apply for both a scholarship under this section and an
88	88	3.25underrepresented student teacher grant under section 136A.1274, but may not receive an
89	89	3.26award from both programs during the same academic semester or term unless there are
90	90	3.27sufficient funds appropriated to support all eligible applicants.
91	91	3.28 Subd. 3.Scholarship award amount.(a) The commissioner must establish a priority
92	92	3.29application deadline and must give equal consideration to all eligible applicants regardless
93	93	3.30of the applicant's attended institution or the order the application was received before the
94	94	3.31priority application deadline. If the funds available for the program are insufficient to make
95	95	3Sec. 3.
96	96	23-01200 as introduced01/03/23 REVISOR JFK/AD 4.1full awards to all eligible applicants who apply on or before the deadline, the commissioner
97	97	4.2must make awards based on the expected family contribution Student Aid Index of an
98	98	4.3applicant, prioritizing applicants with the lowest expected family contributions Student Aid
99	99	4.4Indexes. If there are multiple complete applications with identical expected family
100	100	4.5contributions Student Aid Indexes, those applications may be prioritized by application
101	101	4.6completion date.
102	102	4.7 (b) For eligible applicants enrolled in a teacher preparation program as part of a
103	103	4.8baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree program, the maximum award amount is $10,000
104	104	4.9per year for full-time study. For eligible applicants enrolled in an associate's degree program,
105	105	4.10the maximum award amount is $6,000 per year for full-time study. For undergraduate
106	106	4.11students, full-time study means enrollment in a minimum of 15 or more credits per term.
107	107	4.12For graduate students, full-time study means enrollment in a minimum of six graduate
108	108	4.13credits or the equivalent.
109	109	4.14 (c) If an eligible applicant is enrolled full time in a program for only one term during
110	110	4.15the academic year, the applicant may receive no more than half the applicable maximum
111	111	4.16award amount is $5,000. If an eligible applicant is enrolled part time, the award amount
112	112	4.17must be prorated on a per-credit basis.
113	113	4.18 (d) Subject to the funds available for the program, and subject to the limitation in
114	114	4.19paragraph (e), the minimum award amount established under this section for full-time study
115	115	4.20must be no less than $1,000 per year.
116	116	4.21 (e) An eligible applicant's individual award amount must not exceed the applicant's cost
117	117	4.22of attendance after deducting: (1) the student's expected family contribution Student Aid
118	118	4.23Index; (2) the sum of all state or federal grants and gift aid received, including a Pell Grant
119	119	4.24and state grant; (3) the sum of all institutional grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, and
120	120	4.25tuition remission amounts; and (4) the amount of any private grants or scholarships.
121	121	4.26 (f) Awards are made until available funds are expended. Eligible applicants who
122	122	4.27completed their applications on or before the priority application deadline but who did not
123	123	4.28receive an award due to insufficient funds, and eligible applicants who completed their
124	124	4.29applications after the priority application deadline, shall be placed on an award waiting list
125	125	4.30by order of application completion date.
126	126	4.31 Subd. 4.Administration.(a) The commissioner must establish an application process
127	127	4.32for individual students and institutions on behalf of all eligible students at the institution
128	128	4.33and other guidelines for implementing the scholarship program.
129	129	4Sec. 3.
130	130	23-01200 as introduced01/03/23 REVISOR JFK/AD 5.1 (b) A scholarship award must be paid to the eligible applicant's teacher preparation
131	131	5.2institution on behalf of the eligible applicant. Awards may be paid only when the institution
132	132	5.3has confirmed to the commissioner the applicant's name, racial or ethnic identity, gender,
133	133	5.4licensure area sought, and enrollment status.
134	134	5.5 Subd. 4a.Account established.An aspiring Minnesota teachers of color scholarship
135	135	5.6program account is created in the special revenue fund for depositing money appropriated
136	136	5.7to or received by the commissioner for the program. Money deposited in the account is
137	137	5.8appropriated to the commissioner, does not cancel, and is continuously available for
138	138	5.9scholarship awards under this section.
139	139	5.10 Subd. 5.Service expectation.An applicant who receives a scholarship under this section
140	140	5.11is expected to serve as a full-time teacher in Minnesota after completing the program for
141	141	5.12which the scholarship was awarded.
142	142	5.13 Subd. 6.Report.By December 15 of each year, the commissioner must submit a full
143	143	5.14report on the details of the scholarship program for the previous fiscal year to the legislative
144	144	5.15committees with jurisdiction over E-12 and higher education finance and policy. The reports
145	145	5.16must also be made available on the Office of Higher Education's website. The reports must
146	146	5.17include the following information:
147	147	5.18 (1) the number of applicants and the number of award recipients, each broken down by
148	148	5.19postsecondary institution with ten or more recipients;
149	149	5.20 (2) the total number of awards, the total dollar amount of all awards, and the average
150	150	5.21award amount;
151	151	5.22 (3) summary data on the racial or ethnic identity, gender, licensure area sought, and
152	152	5.23enrollment status of all applicants and award recipients; and
153	153	5.24 (4) other summary data identified by the commissioner as outcome indicators.
154	154	5.25 Sec. 4. APPROPRIATIONS.
155	155	5.26 Subdivision 1.Aspiring Minnesota teachers of color scholarship program.(a)
156	156	5.27$18,500,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $18,500,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from
157	157	5.28the general fund for transfer to the aspiring Minnesota teachers of color scholarship program
158	158	5.29account in the special revenue fund under Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article
159	159	5.302, section 45, as amended by this act. The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education
160	160	5.31and the commissioner of the Department of Management and Budget shall transfer to the
161	161	5.32program's special revenue fund account any remaining balance of the amount appropriated
162	162	5Sec. 4.
163	163	23-01200 as introduced01/03/23 REVISOR JFK/AD 6.1for the program in Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article 1, section 2, subdivision
164	164	6.238.
165	165	6.3 (b) The commissioner may use no more than $200,000 of this appropriation to administer
166	166	6.4the program.
167	167	6.5 (c) The base for this appropriation is $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and later.
168	168	6.6 Subd. 2.Grants to underrepresented student teachers.(a) $2,500,000 in fiscal year
169	169	6.72024 and $2,500,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general fund to the
170	170	6.8commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for grants to underrepresented student
171	171	6.9teachers under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1274.
172	172	6.10 (b) The commissioner may use no more than three percent of this appropriation to
173	173	6.11administer the program.
174	174	6.12 (c) The base for this appropriation is $3,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and later.
175	175	6.13 Subd. 3.Teacher shortage loan repayment program.(a) $8,250,000 in fiscal year
176	176	6.142024 and $8,250,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general fund for transfer
177	177	6.15to the teacher shortage loan repayment account in the special revenue fund under Minnesota
178	178	6.16Statutes, section 136A.1791, subdivision 8.
179	179	6.17 (b) The amount reserved for eligible applicants belonging to a racial or ethnic group
180	180	6.18underrepresented in the teacher workforce pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1791,
181	181	6.19subdivision 2, paragraph (e), as amended by this act, may be no less than $8,000,000 in
182	182	6.20each fiscal year.
183	183	6.21 (c) The commissioner may use no more than $250,000 of this appropriation to administer
184	184	6.22the program.
185	185	6.23 (d) The base for this appropriation is $8,250,000 in fiscal year 2026 and later.
186	186	6.24 Sec. 5. REVISOR INSTRUCTION.
187	187	6.25 The revisor of statutes shall codify Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article
188	188	6.262, section 45, as amended by this act, as a new section in Minnesota Statutes numbered
189	189	6.27136A.1273.
190	190	6Sec. 5.
191	191	23-01200 as introduced01/03/23 REVISOR JFK/AD