MN SF1540

Establishes Quality Achievement Grants to Minnesota Schools program to help school districts participate in the Performance Excellence Network's organizational assessment and improvement process.

Authorizes diligence grants of up to $20,000 per school district with a statewide cap of $300,000 per legislative year; districts must wait one year between grant applications.

Authorizes role model grants of up to $500,000 for the first year for districts achieving "Achievement" or "Excellence" level recognition, with subsequent annual grants up to $100,000 for "Excellence" level districts to share successful practices.

Appropriates $1,300,000 for fiscal year 2014 and $1,800,000 for fiscal year 2015 from the general fund to the commissioner of education, with a budget base of $1,800,000 for fiscal year 2016 and later.

Allows unawarded grant money to carry forward to future years for additional eligible grant awards.