Section 1. College Readiness Academy.

Subdivision 1. Establishment. Directs the Commissioner of Education to award grants to Adult Basic Education (ABE) program providers to establish college readiness academies.  ABE program providers must partner to prepare students to successfully enter college and complete credit-bearing courses needed for career-related credentials.

Subd. 2. Grant Awards; Report. Directs the Commissioner to award a grant to the International Institute of Minnesota.  Other grant awards must be based on program capacity, need for funding, and geographic balance.  Grant recipients must submit an annual progress report to the Commissioner. 

Section 2.  Contextualized GED or Adult Diploma Program.

Subdivision 1. Establishment. Directs the Commissioner to award grants to ABE providers that establish a contextualized GED or adult diploma program.  The programs must provide program navigation and academic supports; be connected with an ABE consortium and partner with the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED); provide instruction in one of the six demand sectors identified by DEED; have a history of success working with the target populations; and demonstrate how a GED or adult diploma with the postsecondary credential will lead to a career.

Subd. 2. Grant Awards; Report. Directs the Commissioner to award grants to four programs.  One grant must be awarded to Summit Academy OIC.  Directs the grant recipients to submit an annual report to the Commissioner.

Section 3. ABE Navigating and Advising Support Services.

Subdivision 1. Establishment. Directs the Commissioner to award grants to eight ABE programs to provide navigating and advising support services.  Requires the programs to help ABE students do the following:

1. explore careers;
2. develop personalized learning;
3. plan for a postsecondary education and career;
4. attain personal learning goals;
5. complete a standard adult diploma or complete a GED;
6. develop time management and study skills;
7. develop academic and career-related skills need to enroll in a postsecondary programs without need for remediation;
8. navigate the registration process for a postsecondary program;
9. understand postsecondary program requirements and instruction expectations; and
10.  resolve personal issues that, if left unaddressed, are barriers to enrolling in and completing a postsecondary program.

Subd. 2. Grant Awards; Report. Directs the Commissioner to award grants to eight ABE programs.  Priority must be given to ABE programs already providing navigating and advising support services. 

Section 4. Appropriations. Appropriates money from the general fund to the Commissioner of Education for the grant programs.

AMB/syl