SF 4041 Summary

• Establishes a grant program for low-income student teacher candidates who are student teaching in one of the ten most severe licensure shortage areas or belong to a racial or ethnic group underrepresented in the Minnesota teacher workforce, with grants up to $7,500 annually.

• Creates a student teacher grant program reserve account and requires that a percentage of total award funds equal to or greater than the percentage of underrepresented K-12 students be reserved for candidates from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups.

• Increases the annual teacher shortage loan forgiveness amount from $1,000 to $2,000, or $3,000 for teachers meeting both licensure shortage area and racial/ethnic underrepresentation criteria, and increases the maximum number of awards from five to ten annually.

• Requires the Office of Higher Education Commissioner to give priority to applicants teaching in the most severe licensure shortage areas and to provide annual reporting on grant and loan forgiveness program details, including demographic data and fund distribution by economic development region.

• Increases administrative allocation for the student teacher grant program from 3 percent to 5 percent and repeals Minnesota Rules part 4830.9130, subparts 2 and 3, effective July 1, 2020.