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Committee lays over bill to clarify DLI advance payments for teacher apprenticeship grants
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Summary
The House committee heard testimony supporting a change to allow the Department of Labor and Industry to issue advance payments to teacher apprenticeship programs, helping newly formed joint apprenticeship training committees cover startup costs; the bill (HF4862) was laid over for further consideration.
The Minnesota House Workforce, Labor, Economic Development, Finance and Policy Committee on April 15 heard from lawmakers and local educators about House File 4862, legislation to clarify how grants for registered teacher apprenticeship programs may be paid.
Representative Reimer, the bill author, told the committee the change was meant to remove confusion after the teacher apprenticeship program launched last year and to ensure new programs have the cash flow needed to start. "What this bill does is allow for DLI to issue advanced payments for this program," Reimer said.
Sarah Paul, superintendent of North Branch Area Public Schools and co-chair of the Minnesota Teachers Joint Apprenticeship Teachers Committee, testified that newly formed joint apprenticeship training committees (JATCs) and partner districts lack the upfront funds to make programs operational. "We were trying to go about all different kinds of solutions but the best solution comes from the Department of Labor and Industry when they say...we will revise the contract in order for those cash advances to happen," Paul said, describing stipends, tuition and administrative costs the grants are intended to cover.
Kate Prusek, deputy commissioner at the Department of Labor and Industry who oversees registered apprenticeship, told the committee that the Department of Administration's Office of Grant Management has a policy permitting case-by-case advance payments. Prusek said the department typically reimburses grantees after costs are incurred but has worked with the JATCs and Minneapolis Public Schools to provide needed advance payments for startup cash flow.
Committee members asked about typical grant recipients (Prusek said the competitive program funded two newly formed JATCs and Minneapolis Public Schools) and whether pre-award risk assessments and Office of Grant Management standards remain intact; nonpartisan staff confirmed HF4862 would authorize advance payments but would not change pre-award requirements.
Representative Reimer closed by thanking the department and committee for their work; Chair Baker announced the committee would lay House File 4862 over for further consideration, giving staff and members time to confirm details and monitor implementation as the programs grow.
