1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education finance; authorizing the establishment of a continuing 
1.3 	education program; appropriating money; requiring a report.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Definition. "Northwest Regional Partnership" means a voluntary 
1.7 	association of the Lakes Country Service Cooperative, the Northwest Service Cooperative, 
1.8 	and Minnesota State University-Moorhead that works together to provide coordinated 
1.9 	higher learning opportunities for teachers.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Establishment. Lakes Country Service Cooperative, in consultation with 
1.11 	Northwest Service Cooperative, may develop a continuing education program to allow 
1.12 	eligible teachers to attain the requisite graduate credits necessary to be qualified to teach 
1.13 	secondary school courses for postsecondary credit.
1.14 		Subd. 3.Curriculum development. Minnesota State University-Moorhead may 
1.15 	develop an online education curriculum to allow eligible secondary school teachers to 
1.16 	attain graduate credit at a reduced credit rate.
1.17 		Subd. 4.Funding for course development; scholarships; stipends. Lakes 
1.18 	Country Service Cooperative, in consultation with the other members of the Northwest 
1.19 	Regional Partnership, shall:
1.20 	(1) provide funding for course development for up to 18 credits in applicable 
1.21 	postsecondary subject areas;
1.22 	(2) provide scholarships for eligible teachers to enroll in the continuing education 
1.23 	program; and
2.1 	(3) develop criteria for awarding educator stipends on a per-credit basis to 
2.2 	incentivize participation in the continuing education program.
2.3 		Subd. 5.Participant eligibility. Participation in the continuing education program 
2.4 	is reserved for teachers of secondary school courses for postsecondary credit. Priority must 
2.5 	be given to teachers employed by a school district that is a member of the Lakes Country 
2.6 	Service Cooperative or Northwest Service Cooperative. Teachers employed by a school 
2.7 	district that is not a member of the Lakes Country Service Cooperative or Northwest 
2.8 	Service Cooperative may participate in the continuing education program as space allows.
2.9 		Subd. 6.Private funding. The partnership may receive private resources to 
2.10 	supplement the available public money. All money received shall be administered by 
2.11 	the Lakes Country Service Cooperative.
2.12 		Subd. 7.Report required. Northwest Regional Partnership must submit an annual 
2.13 	report by January 15 of each year on the progress of its activities to the legislature, 
2.14 	commissioner of education, and Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and 
2.15 	Universities. The annual report shall contain a financial report for the preceding year. The 
2.16 	first report is due no later than January 15, 2018.

2.17 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.18 		Subdivision 1.Minnesota Department of Education. The sums indicated in 
2.19 	this section are appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for 
2.20 	the fiscal year designated.
2.21 		Subd. 2.Continuing education program. For a grant to the Lakes Country Service 
2.22 	Cooperative to operate a continuing education program:

2.23		$
	3,000,000
	.....
	2017
	
2.24 	This is a onetime appropriation. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2021. 
2.25 	The base for fiscal year 2022 and later is zero.