Purpose of the Bill

The bill is designed to allocate funds for neighborhood partnership grants aimed at supporting education initiatives throughout Minnesota. These grants are intended to enhance educational outcomes by fostering community collaboration and supporting programs that benefit students, especially those who have been historically underserved.

Main Provisions

• General Fund Appropriations: The bill appropriates money from the general fund to the Minnesota Department of Education for specific fiscal years to support education partnership programs.

• Neighborhood Partnership Grants:

  • Ongoing Grants: A total of $2.6 million is designated yearly for specific projects, with $1.3 million each allocated to the Northside Achievement Zone and the St. Paul Promise Neighborhood. These funds are part of a sustained effort, with allocations set to continue into fiscal year 2028 and beyond.
  • Regional Grants: An allocation of $1.4 million annually supports regional partnership programs in several communities, such as Northfield, Red Wing, St. Cloud, Austin, Rochester, and St. Louis Park.

• One-time Grants: An additional $900,000 per year is provided for one-time allocations to the same regional programs and also includes the Northside Achievement Zone and St. Paul Promise Neighborhood.

• Emerging Partnership Grants: Provides funding for the initial planning and development of new education partnership programs, focusing on communities that have been historically underserved. Grant proposals will be reviewed based on readiness and the potential to add geographic or demographic diversity to the existing partnerships.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill reinforces existing funding mechanisms for education partnership programs with sustained and one-time financial support, ensuring continued investment in community-based educational initiatives. It also broadens the scope of eligible programs by including newly emerging partnerships with strategic focus on diversity and inclusivity.

Relevant Terms

• Education finance
• Neighborhood partnership grants
• Northside Achievement Zone
• St. Paul Promise Neighborhood
• Historically underserved students
• Geographic and demographic diversity
• Minnesota Department of Education