H.F. 253 Summary

• Creates a service-learning specialist position in the Minnesota Department of Education to expand evidence-based service learning and provide technical assistance to school districts, charter schools, and community-based partners.

• Establishes a five-year Innovative Incubator Service-Learning Grants program awarding up to 32 grants of $50,000 annually to eligible school-community partnerships for student-designed, student-led service-learning projects aligned with state academic standards.

• Requires grant recipients to include at least two students, two school employees, and one community-based organization or agency; grants must be equitably distributed across congressional districts.

• Mandates partnerships provide a 50 percent match in funds or in-kind contributions (waivable for high-poverty applicants) and convey 50 percent of grant funds to community partners for direct implementation costs.

• Appropriates $250,000 annually for fiscal years 2022-2023 for the specialist position and $800,000 annually for fiscal years 2022-2023 for service-learning grants, with fiscal year 2024 base amounts of $250,000 and $800,000 respectively.