1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education finance; authorizing a grant to Minnesota Service Cooperative 
1.3 	No. 924, National Joint Powers Alliance, for alternative career pathways; 
1.4 	appropriating money.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATHWAYS.
 1.7 	(a) A school district and the exclusive representative of the teachers may enter into a 
1.8 	memorandum of understanding specifying how alternative career pathways may be 
1.9 	recognized by the district. The memorandum of understanding must include a statement 
1.10 	regarding how the district will recognize and encourage portability of the alternative career 
1.11 	pathway credits for teachers entering the district from another district. The alternative career 
1.12 	pathways program must support personalized professional development for educators by 
1.13 	providing programs with direct relevance to their classroom and content areas.
1.14 	(b) A teacher employed in a district that has entered into a memorandum of understanding 
1.15 	under paragraph (a) may apply to participate in an alternative career pathways program. 
1.16 	The National Joint Powers Alliance, acting individually or in cooperation with other service 
1.17 	cooperatives, may provide alternative career pathway experiences for teachers in participating 
1.18 	school districts at a reduced cost or no cost to the teacher.
1.19 	(c) The National Joint Powers Alliance must report to the education committees of the 
1.20 	legislature by January 15, 2019. The report must summarize the demographics and 
1.21 	characteristics of the teachers and school districts participating in the alternative career 
1.22 	pathway program. The report must also recommend how to improve the portability of 
1.23 	alternative career pathway credits among school districts.

2.1 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; NATIONAL JOINT POWERS ALLIANCE.
 2.2 	$1,000,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from 
2.3 	the general fund to the commissioner of education for a grant to Minnesota Service 
2.4 	Cooperative No. 924, National Joint Powers Alliance. The National Joint Powers Alliance 
2.5 	must match the grant money with nonstate money. The local match provided by the National 
2.6 	Joint Powers Alliance must be for at least 50 cents for every dollar of state aid received 
2.7 	under this section. The local match may include documented in-kind contributions. The 
2.8 	grant may be used in cooperation with other service cooperatives.