| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to education; establishing computer science grants; requiring rulemaking; |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.187, by |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 120B; 122A. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Section 1. [120B.2413] COMPUTER SCIENCE PLAN GRANTS. |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8 Subdivision 1.Plan development.(a) The Department of Education must award |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9competitive grants to school districts or charter schools that do not offer instruction in |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10computer science to develop comprehensive computer science plans. A district or charter |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11school must use grant funds to develop a plan that: |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12 (1) describes how the district intends to incorporate computer science into curriculum |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13or course offerings in kindergarten through grade 12; |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14 (2) identifies supports needed to enhance computer science teacher capacity, skills, and |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15learning; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16 (3) identifies funding sources to sustain computer science offerings in future school |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17years. |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18 (b) A plan may include strategies to provide leadership training, curriculum enhancement, |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19partnership engagement, or industry involvement to enhance computer science programs. |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 (c) A grant applicant must submit an application in the form and manner determined by |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21the commissioner. A grant recipient must submit a plan to the department by June 30, 2027. |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 23 | 23 | | 25-05314 as introduced04/01/25 REVISOR CR/AC |
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| 24 | 24 | | SENATE |
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| 25 | 25 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 26 | 26 | | S.F. No. 3378NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 27 | 27 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: LUCERO and Wiklund) |
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| 28 | 28 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 29 | 29 | | Introduction and first reading04/10/2025 |
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| 30 | 30 | | Referred to Education Policy 2.1 Subd. 2.Plan implementation.(a) The Department of Education must award competitive |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2.2grants to school districts or charter schools to implement computer science plans that meet |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.3the requirements for plans under subdivision 1. |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.4 (b) A grant applicant must submit an application in the form and manner determined by |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.5the commissioner, and must include a copy of the plan to be implemented. The department |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.6must prioritize grant awards for applicants that: |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.7 (1) have a plan that describes how the applicant will ensure every student in kindergarten |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.8through grade 8 receives instruction in computer science; |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.9 (2) have a plan that describes how the applicant will ensure computer science is offered |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.10to all high school students; or |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.11 (3) intend to use grant money to serve school sites that serve fewer than 500 students. |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.12 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.187, is amended by adding a subdivision |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.13to read: |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.14 Subd. 8.Computer science.The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.15must adopt rules requiring all licensed teachers renewing their license under sections |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.16122A.181 to 122A.184 to include in the renewal requirements professional development in |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.17foundational computer science concepts. |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.18 Sec. 3. [122A.632] COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHERS. |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.19 Subdivision 1.Teacher preparation programs.(a) The Professional Educator Licensing |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.20and Standards Board must award competitive grants to board-approved teacher preparation |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.21program providers to establish computer science teacher licensure programs or integrate |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.22computer science into existing teacher preparation programs that lead to initial or additional |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.23licensure. An applicant for a grant under this section must submit an application in the form |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.24and manner determined by the board. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.25 (b) An application for a grant to add computer science to an existing licensure program |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.26must include: |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.27 (1) an initial plan for integrating computer science in grade level and subject areas aligned |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.28to state academic standards in science, mathematics, and other areas; and |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2.29 (2) documentation of educator expertise in kindergarten through grade 12 computer |
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| 59 | 59 | | 2.30science aligned to the computer science benchmarks in subject standards, a computer science |
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| 60 | 60 | | 2.31license, or a plan for how teacher educators will gain that expertise. |
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| 61 | 61 | | 2Sec. 3. |
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| 62 | 62 | | 25-05314 as introduced04/01/25 REVISOR CR/AC 3.1 (c) An application for a grant to establish a teacher preparation program that leads to |
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| 63 | 63 | | 3.2licensure in computer science must include: |
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| 64 | 64 | | 3.3 (1) a plan for submitting a request for initial program approval to the board; |
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| 65 | 65 | | 3.4 (2) documentation of educator expertise in kindergarten through grade 12 computer |
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| 66 | 66 | | 3.5science aligned to the computer science license or a plan for how teacher educators will |
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| 67 | 67 | | 3.6gain that expertise; |
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| 68 | 68 | | 3.7 (3) a plan for sustainability of the program after the grant period; and |
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| 69 | 69 | | 3.8 (4) the number and demographics of teacher candidates impacted by the program. |
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| 70 | 70 | | 3.9 (d) A teacher preparation provider that receives a grant under this section must report |
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| 71 | 71 | | 3.10to the board on the computer science content being taught in teacher preparation programs |
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| 72 | 72 | | 3.11and the number of teachers impacted. |
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| 73 | 73 | | 3.12 Subd. 2.Candidate support.(a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards |
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| 74 | 74 | | 3.13Board must develop a program to support teachers earning licensure in computer science |
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| 75 | 75 | | 3.14through a portfolio or exam process. The board must also conduct a needs assessment to |
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| 76 | 76 | | 3.15understand the feasibility of a microcredential to support licensure in computer science. |
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| 77 | 77 | | 3.16 (b) The program of support must include: |
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| 78 | 78 | | 3.17 (1) offering a course at no cost to teachers to prepare for a board-adopted assessment in |
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| 79 | 79 | | 3.18computer science; and |
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| 80 | 80 | | 3.19 (2) support for completing a portfolio to earn a license in computer science, including: |
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| 81 | 81 | | 3.20 (i) a yearlong mentorship program; |
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| 82 | 82 | | 3.21 (ii) quarterly meetings where applicants receive guidance on completing the portfolio |
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| 83 | 83 | | 3.22process from a portfolio liaison with computer science content expertise, dedicated |
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| 84 | 84 | | 3.23specifically to facilitating this program; |
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| 85 | 85 | | 3.24 (iii) a stipend to cover substitute teachers when meetings take place during the school |
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| 86 | 86 | | 3.25day; and |
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| 87 | 87 | | 3.26 (iv) a waiver for all portfolio and licensure testing fees. |
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| 88 | 88 | | 3.27 Sec. 4. APPROPRIATIONS; COMPUTER SCIENCE IMPLEMENTATION. |
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| 89 | 89 | | 3.28 Subdivision 1.Department of Education.The sums indicated in this section are |
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| 90 | 90 | | 3.29appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal years |
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| 91 | 91 | | 3.30designated. |
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| 92 | 92 | | 3Sec. 4. |
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| 93 | 93 | | 25-05314 as introduced04/01/25 REVISOR CR/AC 4.1 Subd. 2.Computer science plan grants.(a) For grants to school districts or charter |
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| 94 | 94 | | 4.2schools to develop or implement comprehensive computer science plans in accordance with |
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| 95 | 95 | | 4.3Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.2413: |
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| 96 | 96 | | 2026............4.4 $ |
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| 97 | 97 | | 2027............4.5 $ |
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| 98 | 98 | | 4.6 (b) Of this amount, $....... is for grants for plan development under Minnesota Statutes, |
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| 99 | 99 | | 4.7section 120B.2413, subdivision 1, and $....... is for grants for plan implementation under |
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| 100 | 100 | | 4.8Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.2413, subdivision 2. The department may retain up to ... |
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| 101 | 101 | | 4.9percent to administer the grant. |
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| 102 | 102 | | 4.10 (c) This is a onetime appropriation. |
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| 103 | 103 | | 4.11 Sec. 5. APPROPRIATIONS; COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHER GRANTS. |
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| 104 | 104 | | 4.12 Subdivision 1.Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board.The sums |
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| 105 | 105 | | 4.13indicated in this section are appropriated from the general fund to the Professional Educator |
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| 106 | 106 | | 4.14Licensing and Standards Board in the fiscal years designated. |
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| 107 | 107 | | 4.15 Subd. 2.Computer science teachers preparation programs.For grants to approved |
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| 108 | 108 | | 4.16teacher preparation program providers in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section |
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| 109 | 109 | | 4.17122A.632, subdivision 1: |
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| 110 | 110 | | 2026............4.18 $ |
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| 111 | 111 | | 2027............4.19 $ |
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| 112 | 112 | | 4.20 Subd. 3.Computer science teacher support programs.To support a licensure pathway |
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| 113 | 113 | | 4.21program for computer science teachers under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.632, |
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| 114 | 114 | | 4.22subdivision 2: |
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| 115 | 115 | | 20..............4.23 $ |
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| 116 | 116 | | 20..............4.24 $ |
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| 117 | 117 | | 4.25 Subd. 4.Computer science teacher licensure incentive.(a) To provide stipends of |
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| 118 | 118 | | 4.26$1,000 per teacher to teachers newly earning a teaching license in computer science: |
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| 119 | 119 | | 20..............4.27 $ |
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| 120 | 120 | | 20..............4.28 $ |
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| 121 | 121 | | 4.29 (b) This is a onetime appropriation. |
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| 122 | 122 | | 4Sec. 5. |
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| 123 | 123 | | 25-05314 as introduced04/01/25 REVISOR CR/AC |
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