1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to education; modifying after-school community learning programs;
1.3 requiring a report; appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2022,
1.4 section 124D.2211.
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 124D.2211, is amended to read:
1.7 124D.2211 AFTER-SCHOOL COMMUNITY LEARNING PROGRAMS.
1.8 Subdivision 1.Establishment. A competitive statewide after-school community learning
1.9 grant program is established to provide grants to community or nonprofit organizations,
1.10 political subdivisions, for-profit or nonprofit child care centers, or school-based programs
1.11 that serve youth after school or during nonschool hours organizations that offer academic
1.12 and enrichment activities for elementary and secondary school students during nonschool
1.13 hours. Grants must be used to offer a broad array of enrichment activities that promote
1.14 positive after-school activities, including art, music, community engagement, literacy,
1.15 science, technology, engineering, math, health, and recreation programs. The commissioner
1.16 shall must develop criteria for after-school community learning programs. The commissioner
1.17 may award grants under this section to community or nonprofit organizations, Minnesota
1.18 Tribal governments, political subdivisions, public libraries, for-profit or nonprofit child care
1.19 centers, or school-based programs that serve youth after school or during nonschool hours.
1.20 Subd. 2.Program outcomes Objectives. The expected outcomes objectives of the
1.21 after-school community learning programs are to increase:
1.22 (1) school connectedness of participants;
2.1 (2) academic achievement of participating students in one or more core academic areas;
2.2 (3) the capacity of participants to become productive adults; and
2.3 (4) prevent truancy from school and prevent juvenile crime.
2.4 (1) increase access to protective factors that build young people's capacity to become
2.5 productive adults, including through providing connections to caring adults, in order to
2.6 promote healthy behavior, attitudes, and relationships;
2.7 (2) develop skills and behaviors necessary to succeed in postsecondary education or
2.8 career opportunities;
2.9 (3) encourage school attendance and improve academic performance in accordance with
2.10 the state's world's best workforce goals under section 120B.11; and
2.11 (4) expand program access in underserved communities.
2.12 Subd. 3.Grants. (a) An applicant shall must submit an after-school community learning
2.13 program proposal to the commissioner. The submitted plan proposal must include:
2.14 (1) collaboration with and leverage of existing community resources that have
2.15 demonstrated effectiveness;
2.16 (2) outreach to children and youth; and
2.17 (3) involvement of local governments, including park and recreation boards or schools,
2.18 unless no government agency is appropriate.
2.19 Proposals will be reviewed and approved by the commissioner.
2.20 (3) an explanation of how the proposal will support the objectives identified in subdivision
2.21 2; and
2.22 (4) a plan to implement effective after-school practices and provide staff access to
2.23 professional development opportunities.
2.24 (b) The commissioner must review proposals and award grants to programs that:
2.25 (1) primarily serve low-income and underserved students; and
2.26 (2) provide opportunities for academic enrichment and a broad array of additional services
2.27 and activities to meet program objectives.
2.28 (c) To the extent practicable, the commissioner must award grants equitably among the
2.29 geographic areas of Minnesota, including rural, suburban, and urban communities.
3.1 (d) The commissioner must award grants without giving preference to any particular
3.2 grade of students served by an applicant program.
3.3 Subd. 4.Technical assistance and continuous improvement. (a) The commissioner
3.4 must monitor and evaluate the performance of grant recipients to assess the effectiveness
3.5 of after-school community learning programs in meeting the objectives identified in
3.6 subdivision 2.
3.7 (b) The commissioner must contract with a nonprofit organization serving as the statewide
3.8 after-school network to provide capacity building, professional development, and continuous
3.9 program improvement supports to grant recipients, including guidance on effective practices
3.10 for after-school programs.
3.11 EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.
3.12 Sec. 2. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM GRANT; APPROPRIATIONS.
3.13 Subdivision 1.Commissioner of education. The sums indicated in this section are
3.14 appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of education for the fiscal years
3.15 designated.
3.16 Subd. 2.After-school community learning programs. (a) For grants for after-school
3.17 community learning programs in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.2211:
|
3.18
|
|
$
|
13,400,000
|
.....
|
2024
|
|
3.19
|
|
$
|
13,400,000
|
.....
|
2025
|
3.20 (b) The commissioner of education may use up to four percent of the appropriation to
3.21 assess the effectiveness of after-school community learning programs in accordance with
3.22 Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.2211, subdivision 4, paragraph (a). The commissioner of
3.23 education must use three percent of the appropriation to contract with the nonprofit
3.24 organization serving as the statewide after-school network in accordance with Minnesota
3.25 Statutes, section 124D.2211, subdivision 4, paragraph (b).
3.26 EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2023.
