1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to education finance; increasing award amounts of innovative
1.3 service-learning grants; appropriating money; amending Laws 2023, chapter 55,
1.4 article 2, section 59.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Laws 2023, chapter 55, article 2, section 59, is amended to read:
1.7 Sec. 59. INNOVATIVE INCUBATOR SERVICE-LEARNING GRANTS.
1.8 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have
1.9the meanings given.
1.10 (b) "Eligible school" means a school district or school site operated by a school district,
1.11charter school, or Tribal contract or grant school eligible for state aid under Minnesota
1.12Statutes, section 124D.83, or cooperative unit under Minnesota Statutes, section 123A.24,
1.13subdivision 2.
1.14 (c) "Eligible service-learning partnership" means a partnership that includes an eligible
1.15school and at least one community-based organization, community education program, state
1.16or federal agency, or political subdivision. An eligible service-learning partnership may
1.17include other individuals or entities, such as a postsecondary faculty member or institution,
1.18parent, other community member, local business or business organization, or local media
1.19representative. A school district member in an eligible service-learning partnership may
1.20participate in the partnership through a community education program established under
1.21Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.19.
1Section 1.
REVISOR CR/BM 25-0317202/05/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 679
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Freiberg02/13/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education Finance 2.1 Subd. 2.Establishment; eligibility criteria; application requirements.(a) A technical
2.2assistance and grant program is established to initiate or expand and strengthen innovative
2.3service-learning opportunities for students in kindergarten through grade 12; increase student
2.4engagement and academic achievement; help close the academic achievement gap and the
2.5community, college, and career opportunity gaps; and create a positive school climate and
2.6safer schools and communities.
2.7 (b) At least one teacher, administrator, or program staff member and at least one
2.8service-learning specialist, service-learning coordinator, curriculum specialist, or other
2.9qualified employee employed by an eligible school and designated to develop and share
2.10expertise in implementing service-learning best practices must work with students to form
2.11a student-adult partnership. Before developing and submitting a grant application to the
2.12department, a participating student must work with at least one adult who is part of the
2.13initial partnership to identify a need or opportunity to pursue through a service-learning
2.14partnership and invite at least one partner to collaborate in developing and submitting a
2.15grant application. The fiscal agent for the grant to an eligible service-learning partnership
2.16is an eligible school that is a member of the partnership or has a program that is a member
2.17of the partnership.
2.18 (c) An eligible service-learning partnership receiving an innovation service-learning
2.19grant must:
2.20 (1) include at least two or more enrolled students; two or more school employees of an
2.21eligible school in accordance with paragraph (b); and an eligible community-based
2.22organization, community education program, state or federal agency, or political subdivision;
2.23and
2.24 (2) assist students to:
2.25 (i) actively participate in service-learning experiences that meet identified student and
2.26community needs or opportunities;
2.27 (ii) operate collaboratively with service-learning partnership members;
2.28 (iii) align service-learning experiences with at least one state or local academic standard,
2.29which may include a local career and technical education standard;
2.30 (iv) apply students' knowledge and skills in their community and help solve community
2.31problems or address community opportunities;
2.32 (v) foster students' civic engagement; and
2.33 (vi) explore or pursue career pathways and support career and college readiness.
2Section 1.
REVISOR CR/BM 25-0317202/05/25 3.1 (d) An eligible service-learning partnership interested in receiving a grant must apply
3.2to the commissioner of education in the form and manner determined by the commissioner.
3.3The partnership must work with an eligible school. Consistent with this subdivision, the
3.4application must describe the eligible service-learning partnership plan to:
3.5 (1) incorporate student-designed and student-led service-learning into the school
3.6curriculum or specific courses or across subject areas;
3.7 (2) provide students with instruction and experiences using service-learning best practices
3.8during the regular school day with an option to supplement their service-learning experiences
3.9outside of the school day;
3.10 (3) align service-learning experiences with at least one state or local academic standard,
3.11which may include a local career or technical education standard, and at least one goal of
3.12the world's best workforce comprehensive achievement and civic readiness in accordance
3.13with Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.11, or the state plan submitted and approved under
3.14the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act;
3.15 (4) make implementing service-learning best practices an educational priority;
3.16 (5) provide student-designed, student-led service-learning experiences that help meet
3.17community needs or develop or advance community opportunities; and
3.18 (6) identify at least one eligible school teacher, administrator, or program staff member
3.19and at least one service-learning specialist, service-learning coordinator, curriculum specialist,
3.20or other qualified eligible school employee designated to develop and share expertise in
3.21implementing service-learning best practices to work with students to form a student-adult
3.22partnership that includes at least one community-based organization, community education
3.23program, state or federal agency, or political subdivision.
3.24 Subd. 3.Innovation grants.The commissioner of education must award up to 32 grants
3.25of up to $50,000 $75,000 each to allow eligible partnerships to provide student-designed,
3.26student-led service-learning opportunities consistent with this section. Grant awards must
3.27be equitably distributed throughout Minnesota by congressional district. The commissioner
3.28may designate start-up or leader grant categories with differentiated maximum grant dollar
3.29amounts up to $50,000 $75,000. A grantee designated as a leader grantee may be required
3.30to meet additional leader grant requirements as established by the commissioner in the grant
3.31application criteria developed by the commissioner. In order to receive a grant, a partnership
3.32must provide a 50 percent match in funds or in-kind contributions unless the commissioner
3.33waives the match requirement for an applicant serving a high number of students whose
3.34families meet federal poverty guidelines. A partnership grantee must allocate the grant
3Section 1.
REVISOR CR/BM 25-0317202/05/25 4.1amount according to its grant application. The partnership must convey 50 percent of the
4.2actual grant amount to at least one community-based organization, community education
4.3program, state or federal agency, or political subdivision to help implement or defray the
4.4direct costs of carrying out the service-learning strategies and activities described in the
4.5partnership's grant application. A grantee may use grant money awarded for new
4.6service-learning initiatives or to maintain or expand service-learning initiatives.
4.7 Subd. 4.Report.A grantee must report to the commissioner on the educational and
4.8developmental outcomes of participating students and the eligible school's progress toward
4.9meeting at least one goal of the world's best workforce comprehensive achievement and
4.10academic readiness goals in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.11, or the
4.11state plan submitted and approved under the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary
4.12and Secondary Education Act. A grantee must report on the community outcomes achieved
4.13through student service-learning experiences and the corresponding student service activities.
4.14The commissioner must submit a report on participating student and community outcomes
4.15under this section to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through
4.16grade 12 education by February 15, 2025 in each odd-numbered year.
4.17 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025.
4.18 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; SERVICE LEARNING GRANTS.
4.19 Subdivision 1.Department of Education.The sums indicated in this section are
4.20appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal years
4.21designated.
4.22 Subd. 2.Innovative service-learning grants.(a) For innovative service-learning grants
4.23under Laws 2023, chapter 55, article 2, section 59:
2026.....$1,000,0004.24 $
2027.....$1,000,0004.25 $
4.26 (b) Any balance remaining in fiscal year 2026 is available in fiscal year 2027.
4.27 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025.
4Sec. 2.
REVISOR CR/BM 25-0317202/05/25