Summary of Minnesota State Charter School Facility Law  In 1991,
Minnesota passed the first charter school statute in the nation
and started the first charter schools in 1992. In 1996, the
Minnesota Legislature appropriated funds for a charter school
lease aid grant program.  Lease aid grant statute  Minnesota law
(Statute 124D.11, subdivision 4) allows charter schools to apply
to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) for building
lease aid when a charter school has insufficient total operating
capital revenue (as defined under section 126C.10, subdivision
13). The MDE must review and either approve or deny a lease aid
application using the following criteria:    1. the
reasonableness of the price based on current market values;   2.
the extent to which the lease conforms to applicable state laws
and rules; and   3. the appropriateness of the proposed lease in
the context of the space needs and financial circumstances of
the charter school.  The State distributes these lease aid funds
on a per-pupil bas