MN HF3359

Create a service-learning specialist position at the Department of Education to coordinate and provide technical assistance for incorporating evidence-based service-learning into school district curricula and programming.

Establish a five-year innovative service-learning grant program for school years 2015-2016 through 2019-2020 to expand service-learning opportunities for students in early childhood through grade 12.

Award up to 32 grants of $50,000 each to eligible partnerships (schools, districts, and community-based organizations) equitably distributed by congressional district, with recipients required to provide one-to-one matching funds or in-kind contributions.

Require grantees to allocate 50 percent of grant funds to community-based organization partners and evaluate programs based on student academic outcomes, school attendance, course completion, graduation rates, and community impact.

Appropriate $300,000 for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 for the service-learning specialist position and $800,000 for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 for innovative service-learning grants, with unspent funds carrying forward.