Bill Text: MN SF2719 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educator loan forgiveness program establishment, revenue and appropriation
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-27 - Author added Dziedzic [SF2719 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-SF2719-Introduced.html
1.2relating to education; establishing programs to increase STEM competitiveness;
1.3appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10, by
1.4adding a subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 126C.10,
1.5subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 122A.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. [122A.76] STEM EDUCATOR LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.
1.8 Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the terms in this
1.9subdivision have the meanings given them.
1.10(b) "Qualified educational loan" means a government, commercial, or foundation
1.11loan for actual costs paid for tuition, reasonable education expenses, and reasonable living
1.12expenses related to the graduate or undergraduate education of a qualified teacher.
1.13(c) "Qualified teacher" means a licensed teacher who:
1.14(1) has a license under Minnesota Rules, part 8710.3200, 8710.3320, 8710.3340,
1.158710.4050, 8710.4500, 8710.4525, 8710.4600, 8710.4750, 8710.4770, or 8710.4850;
1.16(2) is teaching science, technology, engineering, or mathematics during the current
1.17school year; and
1.18(3) has completed a graduate level course in science, engineering, or mathematics
1.19with a 3.0 or higher grade point average.
1.20 Subd. 2. Creation of account. (a) A STEM educator loan forgiveness program
1.21account is established. The commissioner of education shall use money from the account
1.22to establish a loan forgiveness program.
1.23 (b) Appropriations made to the account do not cancel and are available until
1.24expended, except that at the end of each biennium, any remaining balance in the account
2.1that is not committed by contract and not needed to fulfill existing commitments shall
2.2cancel to the fund.
2.3 Subd. 3. Eligibility. To be eligible to participate in the loan forgiveness program,
2.4an individual must be a qualified teacher and submit an application to the commissioner
2.5of education.
2.6 Subd. 4. Loan forgiveness. The commissioner of education may select applicants
2.7each year for participation in the loan forgiveness program, within the limits of available
2.8funding. Applicants are responsible for securing their own qualified educational loans.
2.9The commissioner shall select participants, giving preference to qualified teachers in
2.10school districts with below average state mathematics test scores. For each year that
2.11the qualified teacher under subdivision 1 is a participant, up to a maximum of four
2.12years, the commissioner shall make annual disbursements directly to the participant up
2.13to $2,500 per year. Before receiving loan repayment disbursements and as requested,
2.14the participant must complete and return to the commissioner a form provided by the
2.15commissioner verifying that the participant is teaching science, technology, engineering,
2.16or mathematics as required under subdivision 1. The participant must provide the
2.17commissioner with verification that the full amount of loan repayment disbursement
2.18received by the participant has been applied toward the designated loans. After each
2.19disbursement, verification must be received by the commissioner and approved before the
2.20next loan repayment disbursement is made.
2.21 Subd. 5. Rules. The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this section.
2.22EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2014.
2.23 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 126C.10, subdivision 1, is
2.24amended to read:
2.25 Subdivision 1. General education revenue. (a) For fiscal years 2013 and 2014, the
2.26general education revenue for each district equals the sum of the district's basic revenue,
2.27extended time revenue, gifted and talented revenue, small schools revenue, basic skills
2.28revenue, secondary sparsity revenue, elementary sparsity revenue, transportation sparsity
2.29revenue, total operating capital revenue, equity revenue, alternative teacher compensation
2.30revenue, and transition revenue.
2.31(b) For fiscal year 2015 and later, the general education revenue for each district
2.32equals the sum of the district's basic revenue, extended time revenue, gifted and
2.33talented revenue, declining enrollment revenue, location equity revenue, small schools
2.34revenue, basic skills revenue, secondary sparsity revenue, elementary sparsity revenue,
3.1transportation sparsity revenue, total operating capital revenue, equity revenue, pension
3.2adjustment revenue, advanced STEM curriculum revenue, and transition revenue.
3.3EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2016
3.4and later.
3.5 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10, is amended by adding a subdivision
3.6to read:
3.7 Subd. 38. Advanced STEM curriculum revenue. Advanced STEM curriculum
3.8revenue for a school district in which:
3.9(1) 60 percent or greater of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price
3.10lunches; and
3.11(2) the district has implemented an advanced STEM curriculum to the standards
3.12of the Department of Education;
3.13equals $16 times the district's adjusted pupil units.
3.14EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2016
3.15and later.
3.16 Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION.
3.17$....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2015 from the general fund to the commissioner
3.18of education to establish the STEM educator loan forgiveness program under Minnesota
3.19Statutes, section 122A.76.
1.3appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10, by
1.4adding a subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 126C.10,
1.5subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 122A.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. [122A.76] STEM EDUCATOR LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.
1.8 Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the terms in this
1.9subdivision have the meanings given them.
1.10(b) "Qualified educational loan" means a government, commercial, or foundation
1.11loan for actual costs paid for tuition, reasonable education expenses, and reasonable living
1.12expenses related to the graduate or undergraduate education of a qualified teacher.
1.13(c) "Qualified teacher" means a licensed teacher who:
1.14(1) has a license under Minnesota Rules, part 8710.3200, 8710.3320, 8710.3340,
1.158710.4050, 8710.4500, 8710.4525, 8710.4600, 8710.4750, 8710.4770, or 8710.4850;
1.16(2) is teaching science, technology, engineering, or mathematics during the current
1.17school year; and
1.18(3) has completed a graduate level course in science, engineering, or mathematics
1.19with a 3.0 or higher grade point average.
1.20 Subd. 2. Creation of account. (a) A STEM educator loan forgiveness program
1.21account is established. The commissioner of education shall use money from the account
1.22to establish a loan forgiveness program.
1.23 (b) Appropriations made to the account do not cancel and are available until
1.24expended, except that at the end of each biennium, any remaining balance in the account
2.1that is not committed by contract and not needed to fulfill existing commitments shall
2.2cancel to the fund.
2.3 Subd. 3. Eligibility. To be eligible to participate in the loan forgiveness program,
2.4an individual must be a qualified teacher and submit an application to the commissioner
2.5of education.
2.6 Subd. 4. Loan forgiveness. The commissioner of education may select applicants
2.7each year for participation in the loan forgiveness program, within the limits of available
2.8funding. Applicants are responsible for securing their own qualified educational loans.
2.9The commissioner shall select participants, giving preference to qualified teachers in
2.10school districts with below average state mathematics test scores. For each year that
2.11the qualified teacher under subdivision 1 is a participant, up to a maximum of four
2.12years, the commissioner shall make annual disbursements directly to the participant up
2.13to $2,500 per year. Before receiving loan repayment disbursements and as requested,
2.14the participant must complete and return to the commissioner a form provided by the
2.15commissioner verifying that the participant is teaching science, technology, engineering,
2.16or mathematics as required under subdivision 1. The participant must provide the
2.17commissioner with verification that the full amount of loan repayment disbursement
2.18received by the participant has been applied toward the designated loans. After each
2.19disbursement, verification must be received by the commissioner and approved before the
2.20next loan repayment disbursement is made.
2.21 Subd. 5. Rules. The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this section.
2.22EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2014.
2.23 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 126C.10, subdivision 1, is
2.24amended to read:
2.25 Subdivision 1. General education revenue. (a) For fiscal years 2013 and 2014, the
2.26general education revenue for each district equals the sum of the district's basic revenue,
2.27extended time revenue, gifted and talented revenue, small schools revenue, basic skills
2.28revenue, secondary sparsity revenue, elementary sparsity revenue, transportation sparsity
2.29revenue, total operating capital revenue, equity revenue, alternative teacher compensation
2.30revenue, and transition revenue.
2.31(b) For fiscal year 2015 and later, the general education revenue for each district
2.32equals the sum of the district's basic revenue, extended time revenue, gifted and
2.33talented revenue, declining enrollment revenue, location equity revenue, small schools
2.34revenue, basic skills revenue, secondary sparsity revenue, elementary sparsity revenue,
3.1transportation sparsity revenue, total operating capital revenue, equity revenue, pension
3.2adjustment revenue, advanced STEM curriculum revenue, and transition revenue.
3.3EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2016
3.4and later.
3.5 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10, is amended by adding a subdivision
3.6to read:
3.7 Subd. 38. Advanced STEM curriculum revenue. Advanced STEM curriculum
3.8revenue for a school district in which:
3.9(1) 60 percent or greater of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price
3.10lunches; and
3.11(2) the district has implemented an advanced STEM curriculum to the standards
3.12of the Department of Education;
3.13equals $16 times the district's adjusted pupil units.
3.14EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2016
3.15and later.
3.16 Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION.
3.17$....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2015 from the general fund to the commissioner
3.18of education to establish the STEM educator loan forgiveness program under Minnesota
3.19Statutes, section 122A.76.
