1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; providing grants for innovative adult basic education 
1.3 	(ABE) programs; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. COLLEGE READINESS ACADEMY.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner shall award grants to adult 
1.7 	basic education (ABE) program providers to establish up to four college readiness 
1.8 	academies. A college readiness academy is a partnership between ABE programs, with 
1.9 	support from Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, to prepare ABE students to 
1.10 	successfully enter college and complete credit-bearing courses needed for career-related 
1.11 	credentials. The academies must include academic skill building for college success, 
1.12 	integrated sector-specific academic training when applicable, and intensive navigation and 
1.13 	educational support for the program participants.
1.14 		Subd. 2.Grant awards; report. The commissioner must award one grant to the 
1.15 	International Institute of Minnesota. The remaining grant awards must be based on the 
1.16 	following criteria:
1.17 	(1) program capacity;
1.18 	(2) program need for funding; and
1.19 	(3) geographic balance of programs around the state.
1.20 	The academies receiving the grant must file an annual progress report with the 
1.21 	commissioner by July 1. The report must include a summary of services implemented, the 
1.22 	number of people served, and the outcomes achieved during the year.

1.23 	Sec. 2. CONTEXTUALIZED GED OR ADULT DIPLOMA PROGRAM.
 2.1 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner shall award grants to ABE 
2.2 	program providers that establish a contextualized GED or adult diploma program to 
2.3 	prepare adults for successful GED or adult diploma completion and successful entry into 
2.4 	credentialing programs leading to careers. The programs must:
2.5 	(1) provide program navigation and academic supports;
2.6 	(2) be connected to an ABE consortium and partner with the Department of 
2.7 	Employment and Economic Development;
2.8 	(3) provide instruction in one of the state's six demand sectors identified by the 
2.9 	Department of Employment and Economic Development, serving participants in the 
2.10 	top three ABE levels of ABE intermediate high, adult secondary education (ASE) low, 
2.11 	or ASE high;
2.12 	(4) have a history of success working with the target populations; and
2.13 	(5) demonstrate how a GED or an adult diploma plus the designated postsecondary 
2.14 	credential will lead to a career.
2.15 		Subd. 2.Grant awards; report. The commissioner shall award grants to four 
2.16 	contextualized GED or adult diploma programs based on program capacity, need, 
2.17 	and geographic balance of programs around the state. One grant must be awarded to 
2.18 	Summit Academy OIC. The grant recipients must file an annual progress report with the 
2.19 	commissioner by July 1. The report must include a summary of services implemented, the 
2.20 	number of people served, and the outcomes achieved during the year.

2.21 	Sec. 3. ABE NAVIGATING AND ADVISING SUPPORT SERVICES.
 2.22 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner shall award grants to eight ABE 
2.23 	programs to provide ABE navigating and advising support services.  The programs must 
2.24 	help ABE students:
2.25 	(1) explore careers;
2.26 	(2) develop personalized learning;
2.27 	(3) plan for a postsecondary education and career;
2.28 	(4) attain personal learning goals;
2.29 	(5) complete a standard adult high school diploma under Minnesota Statutes, section 
2.30 	124D.52, subdivisions 8 and 9, or complete a GED;
2.31 	(6) develop time management and study skills;
2.32 	(7) develop critical academic and career-related skills needed to enroll in a 
2.33 	postsecondary program without need for remediation;
2.34 	(8) navigate the registration process for a postsecondary program;
2.35 	(9) understand postsecondary program requirements and instruction expectations; and
3.1 	(10) resolve personal issues related to mental health, domestic abuse, chemical 
3.2 	abuse, homelessness, and other issues that, if left unaddressed, are barriers to enrolling in 
3.3 	and completing a postsecondary program.
3.4 		Subd. 2.Grant awards; report. The commissioner must award ABE navigating 
3.5 	and advising support services grants to eight ABE programs. The commissioner shall 
3.6 	award grants to programs based on program capacity, need, and geographic balance of 
3.7 	programs around the state. The commissioner shall give priority to ABE programs already 
3.8 	providing navigating and advising support services. The commissioner shall allocate the 
3.9 	grant funding based on the number of ABE program participants the program served in the 
3.10 	prior year.  The grant recipients must file an annual progress report with the commissioner 
3.11 	by July 1.  The report must include a summary of services implemented, the number of 
3.12 	people served, and the outcomes achieved during the year.

3.13 	Sec. 4. APPROPRIATIONS.
 3.14 		Subdivision 1.Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are 
3.15 	appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years 
3.16 	designated.
3.17 		Subd. 2.College readiness academy. For grants to ABE providers to establish 
3.18 	college readiness academies:

3.19		$
	1,200,000
	.....
	2017
	
3.20 		Subd. 3.Contextualized GED or adult diploma program. For grants to ABE 
3.21 	providers to establish contextualized GED or adult diploma programs:

3.22		$
	1,200,000
	.....
	2017
	
3.23 		Subd. 4.ABE navigating and advising support services. For grants to ABE 
3.24 	providers to establish ABE navigating and advising support services:

3.25		$
	800,000
	.....
	2017