1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; providing financial aid for teacher candidates of color; 
1.3 	appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 136A.1275; 
1.4 	proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 136A.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [136A.1265] TEACHER CANDIDATES OF COLOR SCHOLARSHIPS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. A scholarship program for teacher candidates of color 
1.8 	is established to provide scholarships to qualified candidates with financial needs.
1.9 		Subd. 2.Eligibility. A person may apply for a scholarship if the person:
1.10 	(1) has been admitted to a teacher preparation program approved by the Board of 
1.11 	Teaching;
1.12 	(2) self-identifies to the teacher preparation program as a member of populations 
1.13 	underrepresented among the licensed teachers in the state relative to the diversity of students 
1.14 	as measured under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2);
1.15 	(3) is meeting satisfactory academic progress as defined under section 136A.101, 
1.16 	subdivision 10;
1.17 	(4) is a resident student as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 8; and
1.18 	(5) has a gross family income of $125,000 or less.
1.19 		Subd. 3.Amount. (a) The maximum scholarship amount is $10,000 per year for full-time 
1.20 	study distributed up to $5,000 per academic term. The commissioner of higher education 
1.21 	must establish a sliding scale of scholarship amounts based on the amount of available 
2.1 	funding and the gross family incomes of applicants. Established amounts are not rulemaking 
2.2 	for purposes of chapter 14 or section 14.386. The minimum scholarship under this section 
2.3 	for full-time study must be no less than $1,000 per year.
2.4 	(b) The amount determined under paragraph (a) must be reduced and prorated per credit 
2.5 	for part-time study.
2.6 	(c) The maximum total amount of scholarships from this scholarship per candidate is 
2.7 	$25,000.
2.8 		Subd. 4.Distribution. Scholarships must be paid to the teacher preparation institution 
2.9 	on behalf of the candidate after the institution has informed the Office of Higher Education 
2.10 	of candidates' names, self-identified racial and ethnic identities, gender, licensure area 
2.11 	sought, and full-time or part-time status.

2.12 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 136A.1275, is amended to read:
2.13 	136A.1275 GRANTS TO STUDENT TEACHERS IN SHORTAGE AREAS.
2.14 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education 
2.15 	must establish a grant program for student teaching stipends for low-income students with 
2.16 	adjusted gross family income of $125,000 or less enrolled in a Board of Teaching-approved 
2.17 	teacher preparation program and who:
2.18 	(1) are interested in teaching in a high needs subject area or region after graduating and 
2.19 	receiving their teaching license; or
2.20 	(2) identify as belonging to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group.
2.21 		Subd. 1a.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, "high needs subject area or region" 
2.22 	means a shortage of teachers teaching in particular subject areas or a shortage of teachers 
2.23 	teaching in particular regions of the state identified in the commissioner of education's 
2.24 	biennial survey of districts under section 127A.05, subdivision 6, or in another Department 
2.25 	of Education survey on teacher shortages.
2.26 	(b) For purposes of this section, "underrepresented racial or ethnic group" means a racial 
2.27 	or ethnic group in which the percentage of Minnesota teachers of that racial or ethnic group 
2.28 	as measured under section 127A.05, subdivision 6, is lower than the percentage of Minnesota 
2.29 	students of that racial or ethnic group as measured under section 120B.35, subdivision 3.
2.30 		Subd. 2.Eligibility. To be eligible for a grant under this section, a teacher candidate 
2.31 	must:
3.1 	(1) be enrolled in a Board of Teaching-approved teacher preparation program that requires 
3.2 	at least 12 weeks of student teaching and results in the teacher candidate receiving in order 
3.3 	to be recommended for a full professional teaching license enabling the licensee to teach 
3.4 	in a high needs subject area or region; and
3.5 	(2) demonstrate financial need based on criteria established by the commissioner under 
3.6 	subdivision 3.; and
3.7 	(3) at least one of the following:
3.8 	(i) be pursuing licensure in a high needs subject area;
3.9 	(ii) identify as being interested in teaching in a high needs region after graduation; or
3.10 	(iii) identify as belonging to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group.
3.11 		Subd. 3.Administration; repayment. (a) The commissioner must establish an 
3.12 	application process and other guidelines for implementing this program, including repayment 
3.13 	responsibilities for candidates who do not complete student teaching and program completers 
3.14 	who leave Minnesota to teach in another state during the first year after student teaching.
3.15 	(b) The commissioner must determine each academic year the stipend amount up to 
3.16 	$7,500 based on the amount of available funding and, the number of eligible applicants, 
3.17 	and the financial need of the applicants.
3.18 	(c) The percentage of the total award reserved for student teachers who identify as 
3.19 	belonging to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group must be equal to or greater than the 
3.20 	total percentage of students of underrepresented racial or ethnic groups as measured under 
3.21 	section 120B.35, subdivision 3. If this percentage cannot be met because of a lack of 
3.22 	qualifying candidates, the remaining amount may be awarded to student teachers in high 
3.23 	needs subject areas or regions.

3.24 	Sec. 3. ONGOING APPROPRIATION.
 3.25 	The appropriation under Laws 2016, chapter 189, article 25, section 62, subdivision 11, 
3.26 	may only be used for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 136A.1275.

3.27 	Sec. 4. APPROPRIATIONS.
 3.28 		Subdivision 1.Teachers of color scholarships. (a) $....... in fiscal year 2018 and $....... 
3.29 	in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of higher 
3.30 	education for teachers of color scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1265.
3.31 	(b) Up to five percent of the appropriation may be used for administration of the program.
4.1 	(c) Any balance in the first year does not cancel, but is available in the second year.
4.2 		Subd. 2.Grants to student teachers. (a) $....... in fiscal year 2018 and $....... in fiscal 
4.3 	year 2019 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of higher education 
4.4 	for grants to student teachers under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1275. This 
4.5 	appropriation is in addition to the money available under Laws 2016, chapter 189, article 
4.6 	25, section 62, subdivision 11.
4.7 	(b) Up to five percent of the appropriation may be used for administration of the program.
4.8 	(c) Any balance in the first year does not cancel, but is available in the second year.