H.F. No. 4500 Summary

• Makes permanent the Aspiring Minnesota Teachers of Color Scholarship pilot program by removing "pilot" designation and establishing it as an ongoing program in Minnesota Statutes section 136A.1273.

• Increases maximum lifetime scholarship awards from $25,000 to $30,000 per eligible applicant and raises maximum annual awards to $10,000 for baccalaureate/postbaccalaureate programs and $6,000 for associate's degree programs.

• Creates a special revenue fund account for the scholarship program with continuously available appropriated funds that do not cancel, allowing money to carry forward year to year.

• Appropriates $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2025 to the Office of Higher Education for the scholarship program, plus $1,000,000 for collaborative educators of color grants and $5,000,000 for mentoring and retention programs for teachers of color through the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board.

• Expands eligibility to include students pursuing associate's degrees in early childhood education, education, or special education at eligible institutions.