| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to education; establishing a skills path program for employment-based |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 training; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124D. |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 Section 1. [124D.351] SKILLS PATH PROGRAM. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Subdivision 1.Purpose.The purpose of the skills path program is to provide students |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7with clear pathways from high school to careers in skilled work and the trades and create |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8opportunities for students to enter postsecondary programs and employment-based training |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9in high school. |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10 Subd. 2.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11meanings given. |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12 (b) "Career and technical education dual credit program" means a postsecondary career |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13or technical education course under section 124D.09, subdivision 5a; a secondary course |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14that has a current articulation agreement for postsecondary credit hours with a participating |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15institution; or a youth skills training program that awards postsecondary credit to students. |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16 (c) "Employment-based training" means a registered apprenticeship or apprenticeship |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17readiness program, a dual-training program, a workforce training program at an opportunities |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18industrialization center, or other work-based learning programs in which the student has |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19paid employment. |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 Subd. 3.Eligible institutions.(a) A secondary public school, an American |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21Indian-controlled Tribal contract or grant school eligible for aid under section 124D.83, |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 23 | 23 | | REVISOR CR/MI 25-0081512/03/24 |
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| 24 | 24 | | State of Minnesota |
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| 25 | 25 | | This Document can be made available |
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| 26 | 26 | | in alternative formats upon request |
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| 27 | 27 | | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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| 28 | 28 | | H. F. No. 271 |
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| 29 | 29 | | NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 30 | 30 | | Authored by Myers and Bakeberg01/23/2025 |
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| 31 | 31 | | The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education Policy 2.1vocational center school, or a nonpublic school, or any combination of schools, is eligible |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.2to apply for a skills path program designation. |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.3 (b) A Minnesota state college or university, an institution licensed or registered as a |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.4postsecondary institution by the Office of Higher Education, or an institution exempt from |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.5the provisions of sections 136A.61 to 136A.71, or 136A.822 to 136A.834, as approved by |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.6the Office of Higher Education may partner with an institution in paragraph (a) to provide |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.7a postsecondary options enrollment career and technical education course for eligible students |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.8in a skills path program. |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.9 (c) An eligible institution may work in partnership with one or more postsecondary |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.10programs designated in paragraph (b) to create a two-year program that incorporates |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.11secondary and postsecondary credit along with employment-based training to award an |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.12associate degree in skilled occupations. |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.13 Subd. 4.Skills path programs.The commissioner of education must develop an |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.14application for programs that provide students with clear pathways from high school to |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.15careers in skilled work and the trades to be designated as skills path programs. Skills path |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.16programs must include career connected learning options, career and technical education |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.17dual credit program options, and employment-based training opportunities to be eligible |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.18for this designation. Applicants must demonstrate how skills path programs will be marketed |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.19to students and what other local partners and employers are involved in developing career |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.20pathway opportunities. Skills path programs may be identified in skilled occupations and |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.21the trades, including manufacturing, construction, health care services, information |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.22technology, agriculture, transportation, child care, law enforcement, energy, and other related |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.23industries. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.24 Subd. 5.Interaction with education finance.For the purpose of computing state aids |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.25for the school district, students participating in the skills path programs under this section |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.26shall be counted in the average daily membership of the school district. |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.27 Subd. 6.Academic credit.A school district may grant academic credit for skills path |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2.28programs under this section in accordance with local requirements. |
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| 59 | 59 | | 2.29 Sec. 2. [124D.352] SKILLS PATH GRANT PROGRAM. |
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| 60 | 60 | | 2.30 (a) The commissioner of education shall award grants up to $50,000 per grant to up to |
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| 61 | 61 | | 2.31ten secondary schools annually for skills path programs that align career and technical |
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| 62 | 62 | | 2.32education dual credit program options with employment-based training opportunities. |
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| 63 | 63 | | 2.33Applications must demonstrate how grant funding will provide students with clear pathways |
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| 64 | 64 | | 2Sec. 2. |
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| 65 | 65 | | REVISOR CR/MI 25-0081512/03/24 3.1from high school to postsecondary training that lead to careers in skilled work and the trades. |
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| 66 | 66 | | 3.2The commissioner of education may work with the commissioner of higher education and |
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| 67 | 67 | | 3.3the commissioner of labor and industry to develop the grant application and administer the |
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| 68 | 68 | | 3.4grants. |
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| 69 | 69 | | 3.5 (b) A secondary school awarded a grant under this section must use the grant award for |
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| 70 | 70 | | 3.6any of the following implementation and coordination activities: |
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| 71 | 71 | | 3.7 (1) marketing efforts to students about skills path program opportunities; |
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| 72 | 72 | | 3.8 (2) coordinating academic, vocational, and occupational learning, school-based and |
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| 73 | 73 | | 3.9work-based learning, and secondary and postsecondary education for participants in the |
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| 74 | 74 | | 3.10program; |
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| 75 | 75 | | 3.11 (3) reimbursement of tuition, books, required tools, and other expenses necessary for |
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| 76 | 76 | | 3.12participation in the program; and |
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| 77 | 77 | | 3.13 (4) any other implementation or coordination activity that the commissioner may direct |
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| 78 | 78 | | 3.14or permit the eligible institution to perform. |
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| 79 | 79 | | 3.15 (c) Grant awards may not be used to pay the wages of a student directly or indirectly. |
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| 80 | 80 | | 3.16 (d) The following information must be included in the grant application: |
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| 81 | 81 | | 3.17 (1) the identity of each secondary school that is a participant in the skills path program; |
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| 82 | 82 | | 3.18 (2) the identity of each registered apprenticeship program or apprenticeship readiness |
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| 83 | 83 | | 3.19program, dual-training program, workforce training program at an opportunities |
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| 84 | 84 | | 3.20industrialization center, or other work-based learning program in which the student has the |
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| 85 | 85 | | 3.21opportunity for paid employment that is a participant in the skills path program; |
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| 86 | 86 | | 3.22 (3) the identity of each postsecondary institution, intermediate school district, public |
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| 87 | 87 | | 3.23agency, nonprofit organization, union, career and technical education consortium, or |
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| 88 | 88 | | 3.24workforce development authority that is a participant in the skills path program; |
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| 89 | 89 | | 3.25 (4) the identity of any employers participating in the skills path program; |
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| 90 | 90 | | 3.26 (5) a description of any career connected learning components; |
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| 91 | 91 | | 3.27 (6) a description of the career and technical education dual-credit program options; |
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| 92 | 92 | | 3.28 (7) a description of any postsecondary education components in the skills path program; |
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| 93 | 93 | | 3.29 (8) a description of employment-based training opportunities; and |
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| 94 | 94 | | 3.30 (9) applicable career planning information. |
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| 95 | 95 | | 3Sec. 2. |
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| 96 | 96 | | REVISOR CR/MI 25-0081512/03/24 4.1 Sec. 3. SKILLS PATH PROGRAM; APPROPRIATION. |
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| 97 | 97 | | 4.2 Subdivision 1.Commissioner of education.The sums indicated in this section are |
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| 98 | 98 | | 4.3appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of education in the fiscal years |
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| 99 | 99 | | 4.4designated. |
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| 100 | 100 | | 4.5 Subd. 2.Skills path program.(a) To administer skills path grants under Minnesota |
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| 101 | 101 | | 4.6Statutes, section 124D.352: |
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| 102 | 102 | | 2026.....500,0004.7 $ |
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| 103 | 103 | | 2027.....500,0004.8 $ |
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| 104 | 104 | | 4.9 (b) The base for this program for fiscal year 2028 and later is $500,000. |
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| 105 | 105 | | 4Sec. 3. |
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| 106 | 106 | | REVISOR CR/MI 25-0081512/03/24 |
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