1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; requiring school districts to establish teacher mentoring 
1.3 	programs; modifying allowed uses of staff development revenue;amending 
1.4 	Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 122A.61, subdivision 1; 122A.70.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.61, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Staff development revenue. (a) A district is required to reserve an amount 
1.8 	equal to at least two percent of the basic revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 2, for:
1.9 	(1) teacher development and evaluation under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, 
1.10 	subdivision 5;
1.11 	(2) principal development and evaluation under section 123B.147, subdivision 3;
1.12 	(3) professional development under section 122A.60; and
1.13 	(4) in-service education for programs under section 120B.22, subdivision 2.; and
1.14 	(5) teacher mentorship under section 122A.70, subdivision 1.
1.15 	(b) To the extent extra funds remain, staff development revenue may be used for staff 
1.16 	development plans, including plans for challenging instructional activities and experiences 
1.17 	under section 122A.60, and for curriculum development and programs, other in-service 
1.18 	education, teachers' mentoring under section 122A.70 and evaluation, teachers' workshops, 
1.19 	teacher conferences, the cost of substitute teachers for staff development purposes, preservice 
1.20 	and in-service education for special education professionals and paraprofessionals, and 
1.21 	other related costs for staff development efforts.
2.1 	(c) A district may annually waive the requirement to reserve their basic revenue under 
2.2 	this section if a majority vote of the licensed teachers in the district and a majority vote of 
2.3 	the school board agree to a resolution to waive the requirement. A district in statutory 
2.4 	operating debt is exempt from reserving basic revenue according to this section. Districts 
2.5 	may expend an additional amount of unreserved revenue for staff development based on 
2.6 	their needs.

2.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2021.

2.8 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.70, is amended to read:
2.9 	122A.70 TEACHER MENTORSHIP AND RETENTION OF EFFECTIVE 
2.10 	TEACHERS.
2.11 		Subdivision 1.Teacher mentoring, induction, and retention programs. (a) School 
2.12 	districts are encouraged to must develop teacher mentoring programs for teachers new to 
2.13 	the profession or district, including teaching residents, teachers of color, teachers who are 
2.14 	American Indian, teachers in license shortage areas, teachers with special needs, or 
2.15 	experienced teachers in need of peer coaching.
2.16 	(b) Teacher mentoring programs must be included in or aligned with districts' teacher 
2.17 	evaluation and peer review processes under sections 122A.40, subdivision 8, and 122A.41, 
2.18 	subdivision 5. A district may use staff development revenue under section 122A.61, special 
2.19 	grant programs established by the legislature, or another funding source to pay a stipend to 
2.20 	a mentor who may be a current or former teacher who has taught at least three years and is 
2.21 	not on an improvement plan. Other initiatives using such funds or funds available under 
2.22 	sections 124D.861 and 124D.862 may include:
2.23 	(1) additional stipends as incentives to mentors of color or who are American Indian;
2.24 	(2) financial supports for professional learning community affinity groups across schools 
2.25 	within and between districts for teachers from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups to 
2.26 	come together throughout the school year. For purposes of this section, "affinity groups" 
2.27 	are groups of educators who share a common racial or ethnic identity in society as persons 
2.28 	of color or who are American Indian;
2.29 	(3) programs for induction aligned with the district or school mentorship program during 
2.30 	the first three years of teaching, especially for teachers from underrepresented racial and 
2.31 	ethnic groups; or
2.32 	(4) grants supporting licensed and nonlicensed educator participation in professional 
2.33 	development, such as workshops and graduate courses, related to increasing student 
3.1 	achievement for students of color and American Indian students in order to close opportunity 
3.2 	and achievement gaps.
3.3 	(c) A school or district that receives a grant must negotiate additional retention strategies 
3.4 	or protection from unrequested leave of absences in the beginning years of employment for 
3.5 	teachers of color and teachers who are American Indian. Retention strategies may include 
3.6 	providing financial incentives for teachers of color and teachers who are American Indian 
3.7 	to work in the school or district for at least five years and placing American Indian educators 
3.8 	at sites with other American Indian educators and educators of color at sites with other 
3.9 	educators of color to reduce isolation and increase opportunity for collegial support.
3.10 		Subd. 2.Applications Board grants. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards 
3.11 	Board must make grant application forms available to sites interested in developing or 
3.12 	expanding a mentorship program. A school district; a group of school districts; a coalition 
3.13 	of districts, teachers, and teacher education institutions; or a coalition of schools, teachers, 
3.14 	or nonlicensed educators may apply for a program grant. The Professional Educator Licensing 
3.15 	and Standards Board, in consultation with the teacher mentoring task force, must approve 
3.16 	or disapprove the applications. To the extent possible, the approved applications must reflect 
3.17 	effective mentoring, professional development, and retention components, and be 
3.18 	geographically distributed throughout the state. The Professional Educator Licensing and 
3.19 	Standards Board must encourage the selected sites to consider the use of its assessment 
3.20 	procedures.
3.21 		Subd. 3.Criteria for selection. At a minimum, applicants for grants under subdivision 
3.22 	2 must express commitment to:
3.23 	(1) allow staff participation;
3.24 	(2) assess skills of both beginning and mentor teachers;
3.25 	(3) provide appropriate in-service to needs identified in the assessment;
3.26 	(4) provide leadership to the effort;
3.27 	(5) cooperate with higher education institutions;
3.28 	(6) provide facilities and other resources;
3.29 	(7) share findings, materials, and techniques with other school districts; and
3.30 	(8) retain teachers of color and teachers who are American Indian.
4.1 		Subd. 4.Additional funding. Grant applicants are required to must seek additional 
4.2 	funding and assistance from sources such as school districts, postsecondary institutions, 
4.3 	foundations, and the private sector.
4.4 		Subd. 5.Program implementation. New and expanding mentorship sites that are funded
4.5 	receive a board grant under subdivision 2 to design, develop, implement, and evaluate their 
4.6 	program must participate in activities that support program development and implementation. 
4.7 	The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must provide resources and 
4.8 	assistance to support new sites in their program efforts. These activities and services may 
4.9 	include, but are not limited to: planning, planning guides, media, training, conferences, 
4.10 	institutes, and regional and statewide networking meetings. Nonfunded schools or districts 
4.11 	interested in getting started may participate. Fees may be charged for meals, materials, and 
4.12 	the like.
4.13 		Subd. 6.Report. By June 30 of each year after receiving a grant, recipients must submit 
4.14 	a report to the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board on program efforts 
4.15 	that describes mentoring and induction activities and assesses the impact of these programs 
4.16 	on teacher effectiveness and retention.

4.17 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2021.