MN HF247

Establishes a six-year matching grant program administered by the Commissioner of Education to fund new library media specialist positions in school districts, charter schools, and tribal contract schools.

Prioritizes grants to schools without existing library media specialist positions and requires equal distribution of grants between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties.

Metropolitan county schools must match grant funds at 1:1 for years 1-4 and 3:1 for years 5-6; nonmetropolitan county schools must match at 1:3 for year 4, 1:1 for year 5, and 3:1 for year 6.

Schools must submit annual reports by February 1 measuring the position's impact on student reading performance, library usage, technology standards, technical literacy, media literacy, research skills, career and college readiness, and technology plans.

Schools that eliminate funded positions before the six-year grant period ends must return all grant funds; the Commissioner may reallocate returned funds to other eligible recipients.