1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; creating a pilot grant program to encourage and support 
1.3 	girls of color in exploring and pursuing STEM careers; appropriating money; 
1.4 	requiring a report.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. PILOT GRANT PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE GIRLS OF COLOR 
1.7 	TO EXPLORE AND PURSUE STEM CAREERS.
 1.8 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the terms defined in 
1.9 	this subdivision have the meanings given.
1.10 	(b) "Best practices" means an innovative mentorship, internship, apprenticeship, or 
1.11 	other applied or experiential learning opportunity available for girls of color in STEM 
1.12 	occupations or fields.
1.13 	(c) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of education.
1.14 	(d) "Eligible organization" means community-based STEM-affiliated organizations 
1.15 	experienced in serving girls of color, Minnesota public elementary and secondary 
1.16 	schools providing STEM instruction and curricula, and other Minnesota STEM-affiliated 
1.17 	organizations experienced in serving girls of color, consistent with the purposes of this 
1.18 	section.
1.19 	(e) "Girls of color" means females through age 17 who self-identify as American 
1.20 	Indian, Asian, Black, or Hispanic.
1.21 	(f) "STEM" means the subject areas of science, technology, engineering, and 
1.22 	mathematics.
1.23 		Subd. 2.Grants; use of grant funds. (a) The commissioner shall award one grant 
1.24 	to an eligible organization serving girls of color in Ramsey County and one grant to an 
2.1 	eligible organization serving girls of color in one or more counties in greater Minnesota. 
2.2 	The eligible organizations receiving a grant must use grant funds to encourage and support 
2.3 	girls of color in exploring and pursuing STEM careers consistent with paragraph (b).
2.4 	(b) Grant recipients must use grant funds for one of two purposes: (1) for 
2.5 	opportunities for best practices to increase the awareness and interest of girls of color 
2.6 	in STEM occupations and fields, to develop the knowledge and confidence of girls of 
2.7 	color in STEM, and to increase the access of girls of color to secondary, dual credit, and 
2.8 	postsecondary programs leading to STEM occupations; or (2) for financial assistance for 
2.9 	services to help girls of color explore and pursue STEM careers while balancing their 
2.10 	responsibilities for work, job skills training and education, and family caregiving, which 
2.11 	may include financial assistance for child care, transportation, or safe and stable housing.
2.12 		Subd. 3.Outcomes. The Ramsey County grant recipient must develop a model 
2.13 	program to encourage and support girls of color in exploring and pursuing STEM careers 
2.14 	that other Twin Cities metropolitan area counties may replicate and use. The greater 
2.15 	Minnesota grant recipient must develop a model program to encourage and support girls 
2.16 	of color in exploring and pursuing STEM careers that other greater Minnesota counties 
2.17 	may replicate and use.
2.18 		Subd. 4.Report. The commissioner, by January 15, 2019, must submit a written 
2.19 	report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees having 
2.20 	jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education containing information about 
2.21 	the pilot grant program design, activities, expenditures, and outcomes disaggregated 
2.22 	by categories of race, cultural group, family income, age, grade level, school district, 
2.23 	geographical location, migrant, foreign immigrant, home language, English learner status 
2.24 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.59, disability, homelessness, and foster care, to 
2.25 	the extent the information is available and no individual can be personally identified 
2.26 	from that information.

2.27 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2016.

2.28 	Sec. 2. PILOT GRANT PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT 
2.29 	GIRLS OF COLOR IN EXPLORING AND PURSUING STEM CAREERS; 
2.30 	APPROPRIATION.
 2.31 	$....... in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
2.32 	of education for a pilot grant program to encourage and support girls of color in exploring 
2.33 	and pursuing STEM careers under section 1. This is a onetime appropriation and is 
2.34 	available until expended.

3.1 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for fiscal year 2017.