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SF3128 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Increase Teachers of Color Act modification; pilot scholarship for aspiring teachers of color permanency establishment; appropriating money

AI Generated Summary

Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to strengthen the "Increase Teachers of Color Act" by making permanent a scholarship pilot program designed for aspiring teachers of color. It establishes a new special revenue fund and includes appropriations for the program.

Main Provisions

  • Grant Program Administration: The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board is authorized to form agreements with the Office of Higher Education to administer a competitive grant process. This is intended to support teacher preparation institutions. Grants are awarded to institutions across various economic regions, without predetermining award limits.

  • Financial Assistance: Institutions can provide direct financial aid to teacher candidates based on financial need. The aid amount is capped at $5,000 per candidate each fiscal year, and institutions may combine overlapping grants with a limit of $10,000 per candidate in a single academic year.

  • Scholarship Pilot Program: The pilot scholarship program supports undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups. Scholarships are available for students enrolled in approved teacher preparation programs or certain two-year programs for early childhood education.

  • Eligibility & Awards: Scholarship applicants must demonstrate financial need, prove they are persons of color or American Indian, and maintain satisfactory academic progress. An individual may receive up to $30,000 in total scholarship awards. Scholarship amounts are determined on a per-credit basis and cannot exceed the student's total cost of attendance.

  • Funding & Appropriations: $10 million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 is allocated to the scholarship program's special revenue fund. Additionally, the Department of Education has $3 million appropriated for its efforts to close educational opportunity gaps.

Significant Changes

  • The scholarship program, originally a pilot, is made permanent.
  • The total individual scholarship cap is increased from $25,000 to $30,000.
  • A permanent special revenue fund is created to support the program financially.

Relevant Terms

Increase Teachers of Color Act, Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, competitive grants, financial assistance, scholarships, aspiring teachers of color, racial or ethnic groups, teacher preparation programs, financial need, underrepresented groups, special revenue fund, appropriations.

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
March 31, 2025SenateFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
March 31, 2025SenateFloorActionReferred toEducation Finance
April 02, 2025SenateFloorActionComm report: To pass and re-referred toHigher Education
April 02, 2025SenateFloorActionAuthor added

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "A new standard allowable dollar range for direct financial assistance is established."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill amends the grant program administration within section 122A.635 subdivision 3 for aspiring teachers of color.",
      "modified": [
        "The calculation of average scholarship amounts is adjusted to determine a new scholarship range."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "122A.635",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 3"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This section provides the definition of satisfactory academic progress, which is a requirement for eligibility in the scholarship pilot program for aspiring teachers of color.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "136A.101",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 10"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Reference to the eligibility for the underrepresented student teacher grant.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "136A.1274",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This section is related to closing education opportunity gaps.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "120B.113",
    "subdivision": ""
  }
]

Sponsors