1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education finance; establishing an extracurricular activities grant 
1.3 	program; requiring a report; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES GRANT PROGRAM.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Grant program purpose. The Department of Education must administer 
1.7 	a grant program to provide high school students with opportunities to participate in 
1.8 	after-school activities in order to improve student mental health, increase student engagement, 
1.9 	and reduce alcohol and substance misuse.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Grant recipients. (a) The department must award grants to school districts or 
1.11 	charter schools to fund extracurricular activities at:
1.12 	(1) two high schools in the seven-county metropolitan area with an average enrollment 
1.13 	of 250 to 300 students per grade level;
1.14 	(2) two high schools outside the seven-county metropolitan area with an average 
1.15 	enrollment of 250 to 300 students per grade level;
1.16 	(3) two high schools in the seven-county metropolitan area with an average enrollment 
1.17 	of 50 to 100 students per grade level; and
1.18 	(4) two high schools outside the seven-county metropolitan area with an average 
1.19 	enrollment of 50 to 100 students per grade level.
1.20 	(b) The department must prioritize funding for schools with a demonstrated culture of 
1.21 	student leadership. Administrators of a school that receives a grant must involve students 
2.1 	in developing and implementing a plan to use the grant funds to improve student mental 
2.2 	health and well-being.
2.3 		Subd. 3.Grant awards. (a) The department must award grant amounts in proportion 
2.4 	to the number of students enrolled in a recipient high school. The department must award 
2.5 	grant amounts over a period of five years to each recipient school, with equal amounts 
2.6 	disbursed each year.
2.7 	(b) Grant funds must be used according to a plan developed by school administrators 
2.8 	and student leaders. Grant funds may be used to pay the costs of students participating in 
2.9 	extracurricular activities, including meals and transportation, student participation in plan 
2.10 	development and implementation, and research necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of 
2.11 	the plan in improving student mental health.
2.12 	(c) A grant recipient must administer the Minnesota Student Survey in 2025 and 2028. 
2.13 	Survey responses must be used to evaluate the impact of the grant funds.
2.14 		Subd. 4.Report. The Department of Education must report to the legislative committees 
2.15 	with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education on the schools that receive 
2.16 	grant funds and a summary of trends in student survey responses among grant recipients. 
2.17 	The department must submit one report by January 1, 2026, and a second report by January 
2.18 	1, 2029.

2.19 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES GRANTS.
 2.20 		Subdivision 1.Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are 
2.21 	appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal years 
2.22 	designated.
2.23 		Subd. 2.After-school activities grants. (a) For grants to eight school districts or charter 
2.24 	schools in accordance with section 1:

2.25		$
	19,440,000
	.....
	2024
	
2.26		$
	0
	.....
	2025
	
2.27 	(b) Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
2.28 	(c) The base for fiscal year 2026 is $19,440,000 and for fiscal year 2027 is $9,720,000.