1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; establishing a grant program to help communities promote, 
1.3 	practice, and cultivate positive child and youth development; appropriating 
1.4 	money.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. GRANT PROGRAM TO PROMOTE THE HEALTHY 
1.7 	DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITHIN THEIR 
1.8 	COMMUNITIES.
 1.9 	(a) The commissioner of education must contract with the Search Institute to help 
1.10 	local communities develop, expand, and maintain the tools, training, and resources needed 
1.11 	to foster positive child and youth development and effectively engage young people in 
1.12 	their communities. The Search Institute must educate individuals and community-based 
1.13 	organizations to adequately understand and meet the development needs of their children 
1.14 	and youth, use best practices to promote the healthy development of children and youth, 
1.15 	share best program practices with other interested communities, and create electronic and 
1.16 	other opportunities for communities to share experiences in and resources for promoting 
1.17 	the healthy development of children and youth. 
1.18 	(b) The commissioner of education must provide for an evaluation of the 
1.19 	effectiveness of this program and must recommend to the education policy and finance 
1.20 	committees of the legislature by February 15, 2010, whether or not to make the program 
1.21 	available statewide. The Search Institute annually must report to the commissioner of 
1.22 	education on the services it provided and the grant money it expended under this section.

1.23 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.1 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.2 	$250,000 in fiscal year 2008 and $250,000 in fiscal year 2009 are appropriated from 
2.3 	the general fund to the commissioner of education for contracting with the Search Institute 
2.4 	to promote the healthy development of children and youth within their communities 
2.5 	under section 1. The commissioner may expend up to five percent of the appropriation to 
2.6 	provide for a program evaluation. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2009.

2.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2008.