1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; creating a grant program for student teachers in rural 
1.3 	areas; appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
1.4 	chapter 136A.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [136A.1274] GRANTS TO STUDENT TEACHERS IN RURAL AREAS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. (a) The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education 
1.8 	must establish a grant program providing student teaching stipends to low-income students 
1.9 	enrolled in a Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved teacher 
1.10 	preparation program who intend to teach in a rural area after graduating and receiving a 
1.11 	teaching license.
1.12 	(b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given:
1.13 	(1) "economic development region" means an area so designated in the governor's 
1.14 	executive order number 83-15, dated March 15, 1983; and
1.15 	(2) "rural area" means an economic development region other than region 11.
1.16 		Subd. 2.Eligibility. To be eligible for a grant under this section, an applicant must:
1.17 	(1) be enrolled as an undergraduate student in a baccalaureate-level Professional Educator 
1.18 	Licensing and Standards Board-approved teacher preparation program that requires at least 
1.19 	12 weeks of student teaching in order to be recommended for any Tier 3 teaching license;
1.20 	(2) demonstrate financial need based on criteria established by the commissioner under 
1.21 	subdivision 3;
2.1 	(3) meet satisfactory academic progress as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 10;
2.2 	(4) not have received a grant award under section 136A.1275;
2.3 	(5) be enrolled in a teacher preparation program located in a rural area; and
2.4 	(6) certify in a written statement that the applicant intends to teach in a rural area after 
2.5 	graduating and receiving a teaching license.
2.6 		Subd. 3.Administration. (a) The commissioner must establish an application process 
2.7 	and other guidelines for implementing the grant program.
2.8 	(b) Each academic year the commissioner must determine the stipend amount up to 
2.9 	$7,500 based on the amount of available funding, the number of eligible applicants, and the 
2.10 	financial need of the applicants.
2.11 	(c) If the commissioner determines that the amount appropriated for the program is 
2.12 	insufficient to award full stipends to eligible applicants, the commissioner may prioritize 
2.13 	applicants based on financial need or intent to teach in a teacher shortage area as defined 
2.14 	in section 136A.1791, subdivision 1, paragraph (e), clause (1).
2.15 	(d) The commissioner shall allocate money appropriated for the program to eligible 
2.16 	postsecondary institutions according to the full-time equivalent enrollment of the teacher 
2.17 	preparation programs at all eligible postsecondary institutions that apply to participate in 
2.18 	the program, and the amount, if any, of the allocation that an institution spent during the 
2.19 	previous academic year. Each institution wishing to participate in the program must submit 
2.20 	an estimate of the amount of funds needed by the institution's teacher preparation program 
2.21 	in accordance with policies and procedures established by the commissioner. Any funds 
2.22 	allocated to an institution that exceed the actual need of the institution shall be reallocated 
2.23 	by the commissioner to other institutions.
2.24 		Subd. 4.Expiration. This section expires June 30, 2023.

2.25 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.26 	$....... in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
2.27 	the Office of Higher Education for grants to student teachers in rural areas under section 
2.28 	136A.1274. This is a onetime appropriation. This appropriation is available until June 30, 
2.29 	2023.