MN SF2977

Creates a service-learning specialist position within the Department of Education to coordinate technical assistance and help school districts incorporate evidence-based service-learning into curriculum and educational programming.

Establishes a five-year grant program (2015-2020 school years) awarding up to 32 grants of $50,000 each to eligible school district and community-based organization partnerships for innovative service-learning opportunities.

Grant partnerships must include students, school district employees, and community-based organizations, with service-learning activities aligned to state academic standards and designed to increase student academic achievement and close achievement gaps.

Requires grantee partnerships to provide one-to-one matching funds or in-kind contributions and allocate 50 percent of grant funds to community-based organization partners implementing the program.

Appropriates $300,000 annually for fiscal years 2016-2017 for the service-learning specialist position and $800,000 annually for the same period for innovative service-learning grant awards, with unexpended funds carrying forward between fiscal years.