Journal of the House - 35th Day - Friday, April 17, 2009

A quorum was present.

Abeler; Anderson, P.; Anzelc; Benson; Gottwalt; Holberg; Howes; Jackson; Johnson; Kelly; Lieder; Marquart; Murdock; Nornes; Pelowski; Persell; Rukavina; Scott; Sertich; Severson; Torkelson and Westrom were excused.

The Chief Clerk proceeded to read the Journal of the preceding day. Smith moved that further reading of the Journal be dispensed with and that the Journal be approved as corrected by the Chief Clerk. The motion prevailed.

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REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES AND DIVISIONS

Carlson from the Committee on Finance to which was referred:

H. F. No. 2, A bill for an act relating to education finance; modifying the school finance system; creating a new education funding framework; amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 123B.53, subdivision 5; 124D.4531; 124D.59, subdivision 2; 124D.65, subdivision 5; 125A.76, subdivision 5; 125A.79, subdivision 7; 126C.01, by adding subdivisions; 126C.05, subdivisions 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 16, 17; 126C.10, subdivisions 1, 2, 2a, 3, 4, 6, 13, 14, 18, by adding subdivisions; 126C.13, subdivisions 4, 5; 126C.17, subdivisions 1, 5, 6; 126C.20; 126C.40, subdivision 1; 127A.51; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 123B; 126C; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 123B.54; 123B.57, subdivisions 3, 4, 5; 123B.591; 125A.76, subdivision 4; 125A.79, subdivision 6; 126C.10, subdivisions 2b, 13a, 13b, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 31a, 31b, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36; 126C.12; 126C.126; 127A.50.

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

"ARTICLE 1

GENERAL EDUCATION

Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 16A.06, subdivision 11, is amended to read:

Subd. 11. Permanent school fund reporting. The commissioner shall biannually report to the Permanent School Fund Advisory Committee and the legislature ~~on the management of the permanent school trust fund that shows how the commissioner~~ the amount of the permanent school fund transfer and information about the investment of the permanent school fund provided by the State Board of Investment. The State Board of Investment shall provide information about how they maximized the long-term economic return of the permanent school ~~trust~~ fund.

Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120A.40, is amended to read:

120A.40 SCHOOL CALENDAR.

(a) Except for learning programs during summer, flexible learning year programs authorized under sections 124D.12 to 124D.127, and learning year programs under section 124D.128, a district must not commence an elementary or secondary school year before Labor Day, except as provided under paragraph (b). Days devoted to teachers' workshops may be held before Labor Day. Districts that enter into cooperative agreements are encouraged to adopt similar school calendars.

(b) A district may begin the school year on any day before Labor Day:

(1) to accommodate a construction or remodeling project of $400,000 or more affecting a district school facility.;

(2) if the district has an agreement under section 123A.30, 123A.32, or 123A.35 with a district that qualifies under clause (1); or

~~A school~~ (3) if the district ~~that~~ agrees to the same schedule with a school district in an adjoining state ~~also may begin the school year before Labor Day as authorized under this paragraph~~.

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Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.60, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a. Effective staff development activities. (a) Staff development activities must:

(1) focus on the school classroom and research-based strategies that improve student learning;

(2) provide opportunities for teachers to practice and improve their instructional skills over time;

(3) provide opportunities for teachers to use student data as part of their daily work to increase student achievement;

(4) enhance teacher content knowledge and instructional skills;

(5) align with state and local academic standards;

(6) provide opportunities to build professional relationships, foster collaboration among principals and staff who provide instruction, and provide opportunities for teacher-to-teacher mentoring; and

(7) align with the plan of the district or site for an alternative teacher professional pay system.

Staff development activities may include curriculum development and curriculum training programs, ~~and~~ activities that provide teachers and other members of site-based teams training to enhance team performance, and basic first aid, focusing on certification for CPR and the use of automatic external defibrillators. The school district also may implement other staff development activities required by law and activities associated with professional teacher compensation models.

(b) Release time provided for teachers to supervise students on field trips and school activities, or independent tasks not associated with enhancing the teacher's knowledge and instructional skills, such as preparing report cards, calculating grades, or organizing classroom materials, may not be counted as staff development time that is financed with staff development reserved revenue under section 122A.61.

Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.61, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Staff development revenue. A district is required to reserve an amount equal to at least two percent of the basic revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 2, for in-service education for programs under section 120B.22, subdivision 2, for staff development plans, including plans for challenging instructional activities and experiences under section 122A.60, and for curriculum development and programs, other in-service education, teachers' workshops, teacher conferences, the cost of substitute teachers staff development purposes, preservice and in-service education for special education professionals and paraprofessionals, and other related costs for staff development efforts. A district may annually waive the requirement to reserve their basic revenue under this section if a majority vote of the licensed teachers in the district and a majority vote of the school board agree to a resolution to waive the requirement. A district in statutory operating debt is exempt from reserving basic revenue according to this section. Districts may expend an additional amount of unreserved revenue for staff development based on their needs. With the exception of amounts reserved for staff development from revenues allocated directly to school sites and any amounts spent for first aid or CPR and automatic external defibrillator training, the board must initially allocate 50 percent of the remaining reserved revenue to each school site in the district on a per teacher basis, which must be retained by the school site until used. The board may retain 25 percent to be used for district wide staff development efforts. The remaining 25 percent of the revenue must be used to make grants to school sites for best practices methods. A grant may be used for any purpose authorized under section 120B.22, subdivision 2, 122A.60, or for the costs of curriculum development and programs, other in-service education, teachers' workshops, teacher conferences, substitute teachers for staff development purposes, and other staff development efforts, and determined by the site professional development team. The site professional development team must demonstrate to the school board the extent to which staff at the site have met the outcomes of the program. The board may withhold a portion of initial allocation of revenue if the staff development outcomes are not being met.

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Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 123B.77, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Statement for comparison and correction. (a) By November 30 of the calendar year of the submission of the unaudited financial data, the district must provide to the commissioner audited financial data for the preceding fiscal year. The audit must be conducted in compliance with generally accepted governmental auditing standards, the federal Single Audit Act, and the Minnesota legal compliance guide issued by the Office of the State Auditor. An audited financial statement prepared in a form which will allow comparison with and correction of material differences in the unaudited financial data shall be submitted to the commissioner and the state auditor by December 31. The audited financial statement must also provide a statement of assurance pertaining to uniform financial accounting and reporting standards compliance and a copy of the management letter submitted to the district by the school district's auditor.

(b) By ~~January~~ February 15 of the calendar year following the submission of the unaudited financial data, the commissioner shall convert the audited financial data required by this subdivision into the consolidated financial statement format required under subdivision 1a and publish the information on the department's Web site.

Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 123B.83, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Failure to limit expenditures. If a district does not limit its expenditures in accordance with this section, the commissioner may so notify the appropriate committees of the legislature by no later than ~~January 1~~ February 15 of the year following the end of that fiscal year.

Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 125A.11, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Nonresident tuition rate; other costs. (a) For fiscal year 2006, when a school district provides instruction and services outside the district of residence, board and lodging, and any tuition to be paid, shall be paid by the district of residence. The tuition rate to be charged for any child with a disability, excluding a pupil for whom tuition is calculated according to section 127A.47, subdivision 7, paragraph (d), must be the sum of (1) the actual cost of providing special instruction and services to the child including a proportionate amount for special transportation and unreimbursed building lease and debt service costs for facilities used primarily for special education, plus (2) the amount of general education revenue and referendum aid attributable to the pupil, minus (3) the amount of special education aid for children with a disability received on behalf of that child, minus (4) if the pupil receives special instruction and services outside the regular classroom for more than 60 percent of the school day, the amount of general education revenue and referendum aid, excluding portions attributable to district and school administration, district support services, operations and maintenance, capital expenditures, and pupil transportation, attributable to that pupil for the portion of time the pupil receives special instruction and services outside of the regular classroom. If the boards involved do not agree upon the tuition rate, either board may apply to the commissioner to fix the rate. Notwithstanding chapter 14, the commissioner must then set a date for a hearing or request a written statement from each board, giving each board at least ten days' notice, and after the hearing or review of the written statements the commissioner must make an order fixing the tuition rate, which is binding on both school districts. General education revenue and referendum equalization aid attributable to a pupil must be calculated using the resident district's average general education revenue and referendum equalization aid per adjusted pupil unit.

(b) For fiscal year 2007 and later, when a school district provides special instruction and services for a pupil with a disability as defined in section 125A.02 outside the district of residence, excluding a pupil for whom an adjustment to special education aid is calculated according to section 127A.47, subdivision 7, paragraph (e), special education aid paid to the resident district must be reduced by an amount equal to (1) the actual cost of providing special instruction and services to the pupil, including a proportionate amount for special transportation and unreimbursed building lease and debt service costs for facilities used primarily for special education, plus (2) the amount of general education revenue and referendum equalization aid attributable to that pupil, calculated using the resident

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district's average general education revenue and referendum equalization aid per adjusted pupil unit excluding basic skills revenue, elementary sparsity revenue and secondary sparsity revenue, minus (3) the amount of special education aid for children with a disability received on behalf of that child, minus (4) if the pupil receives special instruction and services outside the regular classroom for more than 60 percent of the school day, the amount of general education revenue and referendum equalization aid, excluding portions attributable to district and school administration, district support services, operations and maintenance, capital expenditures, and pupil transportation, attributable to that pupil for the portion of time the pupil receives special instruction and services outside of the regular classroom, calculated using the resident district's average general education revenue and referendum equalization aid per adjusted pupil unit excluding basic skills revenue, elementary sparsity revenue and secondary sparsity revenue and the serving district's basic skills revenue, elementary sparsity revenue and secondary sparsity revenue per adjusted pupil unit. Notwithstanding clauses (1) and (4), for pupils served by a cooperative unit without a fiscal agent school district, the general education revenue and referendum equalization aid attributable to a pupil must be calculated using the resident district's average general education revenue and referendum equalization aid excluding compensatory revenue, elementary sparsity revenue, and secondary sparsity revenue. Special education aid paid to the district or cooperative providing special instruction and services for the pupil must be increased by the amount of the reduction in the aid paid to the resident district. Amounts paid to cooperatives under this subdivision and section 127A.47, subdivision 7, shall be recognized and reported as revenues and expenditures on the resident school district's books of account under sections 123B.75 and 123B.76. If the resident district's special education aid is insufficient to make the full adjustment, the remaining adjustment shall be made to other state aid due to the district.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) and section 127A.47, subdivision 7, paragraphs (d) and (e), a charter school where more than 30 percent of enrolled students receive special education and related services, a site approved under section 125A.515, an intermediate district, a special education cooperative, or a school district that served as the applicant agency for a group of school districts for federal special education aids for fiscal year 2006 may apply to the commissioner for authority to charge the resident district an additional amount to recover any remaining unreimbursed costs of serving pupils with a disability. The application must include a description of the costs and the calculations used to determine the unreimbursed portion to be charged to the resident district. Amounts approved by the commissioner under this paragraph must be included in the tuition billings or aid adjustments under paragraph (a) or (b), or section 127A.47, subdivision 7, paragraph (d) or (e), as applicable.

(d) For purposes of this subdivision and section 127A.47, subdivision 7, paragraphs (d) and (e), "general education revenue and referendum equalization aid" means the sum of the general education revenue according to section 126C.10, subdivision 1, excluding alternative teacher compensation revenue, plus the referendum equalization aid according to section 126C.17, subdivision 7, as adjusted according to section 127A.47, subdivision 7, paragraphs (a) to (c).

Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 126C.05, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Foreign exchange pupils. Notwithstanding section 124D.02, subdivision 3, or any other law to the contrary, a foreign exchange pupil enrolled in a district under a cultural exchange program registered with the Office of the Secretary of State under section 5A.02 may be counted as a resident pupil for the purposes of this chapter and chapters 120B, 122A, 123A, 123B, 124D, 125A, and 127A, even if the pupil has graduated from high school or the equivalent.

Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 126C.15, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Building allocation. (a) A district must allocate its compensatory revenue to each school building in the district where the children who have generated the revenue are served unless the school district has received permission under Laws 2005, First Special Session chapter 5, article 1, section 50, to allocate compensatory revenue according to student performance measures developed by the school board.

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(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a district may allocate up to five percent of the amount of compensatory revenue that the district receives to school sites according to a plan adopted by the school board. The money reallocated under this paragraph must be spent for the purposes listed in subdivision 1, but may be spent on students in any grade, including students attending school readiness or other prekindergarten programs.

(c) For the purposes of this section and section 126C.05, subdivision 3, "building" means education site as defined in section 123B.04, subdivision 1.

(d) ~~If the pupil is served at a site other than one owned and operated by the district, the revenue shall be paid to the district and used for services for pupils who generate the revenue~~ Notwithstanding section 123A. 26, subdivision 1, compensatory revenue generated by students served at a cooperative unit shall be paid to the cooperative unit.

(e) A district with school building openings, school building closings, changes in attendance area boundaries, or other changes in programs or student demographics between the prior year and the current year may reallocate compensatory revenue among sites to reflect these changes. A district must report to the department any adjustments it makes according to this paragraph and the department must use the adjusted compensatory revenue allocations in preparing the report required under section 123B.76, subdivision 3, paragraph (c).

Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 126C.15, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Separate accounts. Each district and cooperative unit that receives basic skills revenue shall maintain separate accounts to identify expenditures for salaries and programs related to basic skills revenue.

Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 126C.17, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

Subd. 9. Referendum revenue. (a) The revenue authorized by section 126C.10, subdivision 1, may be increased in the amount approved by the voters of the district at a referendum called for the purpose. The referendum may be called by the board or shall be called by the board upon written petition of qualified voters of the district. The referendum must be conducted one or two calendar years before the increased levy authority, if approved, first becomes payable. Only one election to approve an increase may be held in a calendar year. Unless the referendum is conducted by mail under subdivision 11, paragraph (a), the referendum must be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The ballot must state the maximum amount of the increased revenue per resident marginal cost pupil unit. The ballot may state a schedule, determined by the board, of increased revenue per resident marginal cost pupil unit that differs from year to year over the number of years for which the increased revenue is authorized or may state that the amount shall increase annually by the rate of inflation. For this purpose, the rate of inflation shall be the annual inflationary increase calculated under subdivision 2, paragraph (b). The ballot may state that existing referendum levy authority is expiring. In this case, the ballot may also compare the proposed levy authority to the existing expiring levy authority, and express the proposed increase as the amount, if any, over the expiring referendum levy authority. The ballot must designate the specific number of years, not to exceed ten, for which the referendum authorization applies. The ballot, including a ballot on the question to revoke or reduce the increased revenue amount under paragraph (c), must abbreviate the term "per resident marginal cost pupil unit" as "per pupil." The notice required under section 275.60 may be modified to read, in cases of renewing existing levies at the same amount per pupil as in the previous year:

"BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING TO EXTEND AN EXISTING PROPERTY TAX REFERENDUM THAT IS SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE."

The ballot may contain a textual portion with the information required in this subdivision and a question stating substantially the following:

"Shall the increase in the revenue proposed by (petition to) the board of ........., School District No. .., be approved?"

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If approved, an amount equal to the approved revenue per resident marginal cost pupil unit times the resident marginal cost pupil units for the school year beginning in the year after the levy is certified shall be authorized for certification for the number of years approved, if applicable, or until revoked or reduced by the voters of the district at a subsequent referendum.

(b) The board must prepare and deliver by first class mail at least 15 days but no more than 30 days before the day of the referendum to each taxpayer a notice of the referendum and the proposed revenue increase. The board need not mail more than one notice to any taxpayer. For the purpose of giving mailed notice under this subdivision, owners must be those shown to be owners on the records of the county auditor or, in any county where tax statements are mailed by the county treasurer, on the records of the county treasurer. Every property owner whose name does not appear on the records of the county auditor or the county treasurer is deemed to have waived this mailed notice unless the owner has requested in writing that the county auditor or county treasurer, as the case may be, include the name on the records for this purpose. The notice must project the anticipated amount of tax increase in annual dollars for typical residential homesteads, agricultural homesteads, apartments, and commercial-industrial property within the school district.

The notice for a referendum may state that an existing referendum levy is expiring and project the anticipated amount of increase over the existing referendum levy in the first year, if any, in annual dollars for typical residential homesteads, agricultural homesteads, apartments, and commercial-industrial property within the district.

The notice must include the following statement: "Passage of this referendum will result in an increase in your property taxes." However, in cases of renewing existing levies, the notice may include the following statement: "Passage of this referendum extends an existing operating referendum at the same amount per pupil as in the previous year."

(c) A referendum on the question of revoking or reducing the increased revenue amount authorized pursuant to paragraph (a) may be called by the board and shall be called by the board upon the written petition of qualified voters of the district. A referendum to revoke or reduce the revenue amount must state the amount per resident marginal cost pupil unit by which the authority is to be reduced. Revenue authority approved by the voters of the district pursuant to paragraph (a) must be available to the school district at least once before it is subject to a referendum on its revocation or reduction for subsequent years. Only one revocation or reduction referendum may be held to revoke or reduce referendum revenue for any specific year and for years thereafter.

(d) A petition authorized by paragraph (a) or (c) is effective if signed by a number of qualified voters in excess of 15 30 percent of the registered voters of the district on the day the petition is filed with the board. A referendum invoked by petition must be held on the date specified in paragraph (a).

(e) The approval of 50 percent plus one of those voting on the question is required to pass a referendum authorized by this subdivision.

(f) At least 15 days before the day of the referendum, the district must submit a copy of the notice required under paragraph (b) to the commissioner and to the county auditor of each county in which the district is located. Within 15 days after the results of the referendum have been certified by the board, or in the case of a recount, the certification of the results of the recount by the canvassing board, the district must notify the commissioner of the results of the referendum.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for petitions filed after July 1, 2009.

Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 126C.40, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6. Lease purchase; installment buys. (a) Upon application to, and approval by, the commissioner in accordance with the procedures and limits in subdivision 1, paragraphs (a) and (b), a district, as defined in this subdivision, may:

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(1) purchase real or personal property under an installment contract or may lease real or personal property with an option to purchase under a lease purchase agreement, by which installment contract or lease purchase agreement title is kept by the seller or vendor or assigned to a third party as security for the purchase price, including interest, if any; and

(2) annually levy the amounts necessary to pay the district's obligations under the installment contract or lease purchase agreement.

(b) The obligation created by the installment contract or the lease purchase agreement must not be included in the calculation of net debt for purposes of section 475.53, and does not constitute debt under other law. An election is not required in connection with the execution of the installment contract or the lease purchase agreement.

(c) The proceeds of the levy authorized by this subdivision must not be used to acquire a facility to be primarily used for athletic or school administration purposes.

(d) For the purposes of this subdivision, "district" means:

(1) a school district ~~required to have a comprehensive plan for the elimination of segregation~~ which is eligible for revenue under section 124D.86, subdivision 3, clause (1), (2), or (3), and whose plan has been determined by the commissioner to be in compliance with Department of Education rules relating to equality of educational opportunity and school desegregation and, for a district eligible for revenue under section 124D.86, subdivision 3, clause (4) or (5), where the acquisition of property under this subdivision is determined by the commissioner to contribute to the implementation of the desegregation plan; or

(2) a school district that participates in a joint program for interdistrict desegregation with a district defined in clause (1) if the facility acquired under this subdivision is to be primarily used for the joint program and the commissioner determines that the joint programs are being undertaken to implement the districts' desegregation plan.

(e) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, the prohibition against a levy by a district to lease or rent a district-owned building to itself does not apply to levies otherwise authorized by this subdivision.

(f) For the purposes of this subdivision, any references in subdivision 1 to building or land shall include personal property.

Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 126C.41, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Retired employee health benefits. (a) A district may levy an amount up to the amount the district is required by the collective bargaining agreement in effect on March 30, 1992, to pay for health insurance or unreimbursed medical expenses for licensed and nonlicensed employees who have terminated services in the employing district and withdrawn from active teaching service or other active service, as applicable, before July 1, 1998, if a sunset clause is in effect for the current collective bargaining agreement. The total amount of the levy each year may not exceed $600,000.

(b) In addition to the levy authority granted under paragraph (a), a school district may levy for other postemployment benefits expenses. For purposes of this subdivision "postemployment benefits" means benefits giving rise to a liability under Statement No. 45 of the Government Accounting Standards Board. A district seeking levy authority under this subdivision must:

(1) create or have created an actuarial liability to pay postemployment benefits to employees or officers after their termination of service;

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(2) have a sunset clause in effect for the current collective bargaining agreement as required by paragraph (a); and

(3) apply for the authority in the form and manner required by the commissioner of education.

If the total levy authority requested under this paragraph exceeds the amount established in paragraph (c), the commissioner must proportionately reduce each district's maximum levy authority under this subdivision.

(1) $24,000,000 for taxes payable in 2010;

(2) $50,000,000 for taxes payable in 2011; and

(3) for taxes payable in 2012 and later, the maximum levy authority must not exceed the sum of the previous year's authority and $19,000,000.

Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 126C.44, is amended to read:

126C.44 SAFE SCHOOLS LEVY.

(a) Each district may make a levy on all taxable property located within the district for the purposes specified in this section. The maximum amount which may be levied for all costs under this section shall be equal to $30 multiplied by the district's adjusted marginal cost pupil units for the school year. The proceeds of the levy must be reserved and used for directly funding the following purposes or for reimbursing the cities and counties who contract with the district for the following purposes: (1) to pay the costs incurred for the salaries, benefits, and transportation costs of peace officers and sheriffs for liaison in services in the district's schools; (2) to pay the costs for a drug abuse prevention program as defined in section 609.101, subdivision 3, paragraph (e), in the elementary schools; (3) to pay the costs for a gang resistance education training curriculum in the district's schools; (4) to pay the costs for security in the district's schools and on school property; (5) to pay the costs for other crime prevention, drug abuse, student and staff safety, voluntary opt-in suicide prevention tools, and violence prevention measures taken by the school district; or (6) to pay costs for licensed school counselors, licensed school nurses, licensed school social workers, licensed school psychologists, and licensed alcohol and chemical dependency counselors to help provide early responses to problems. For expenditures under clause (1), the district must initially attempt to contract for services to be provided by peace officers or sheriffs with the police department of each city or the sheriff's department of the county within the district containing the school receiving the services. If a local police department or a county sheriff's department does not wish to provide the necessary services, the district may contract for these services with any other police or sheriff's department located entirely or partially within the school district's boundaries.

(b) A school district that is a member of an intermediate school district may include in its authority under this section the costs associated with safe schools activities authorized under paragraph (a) for intermediate school district programs. This authority must not exceed $10 times the adjusted marginal cost pupil units of the member districts. This authority is in addition to any other authority authorized under this section. Revenue raised under this paragraph must be transferred to the intermediate school district.

(c) A school district must set aside at least $3 per adjusted marginal cost pupil unit of the safe schools levy proceeds for the purposes authorized under paragraph (a), clause (6). The district must annually certify either that: (1) its total spending on services provided by the employees listed in paragraph (a), clause (6), is not less than the sum of its expenditures for these purposes, excluding amounts spent under this section, in the previous year plus the amount spent under this section; or (2) that the district's full-time equivalent number of employees listed in paragraph (a), clause (6), is not less than the number for the previous year.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue for fiscal years 2010 and later.

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Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 127A.47, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7. Alternative attendance programs. The general education aid and special education aid for districts must be adjusted for each pupil attending a nonresident district under sections 123A.05 to 123A.08, 124D.03, 124D.08, and 124D.68. The adjustments must be made according to this subdivision.

(a) General education aid paid to a resident district must be reduced by an amount equal to the referendum equalization aid attributable to the pupil in the resident district.

(b) General education aid paid to a district serving a pupil in programs listed in this subdivision must be increased by an amount equal to the greater of (1) the referendum equalization aid attributable to the pupil in the nonresident district; or (2) the product of the district's open enrollment concentration index, the maximum amount of referendum revenue in the first tier, and the district's net open enrollment pupil units for that year. A district's open enrollment concentration index equals the greater of: (i) zero, or (ii) the lesser of 1.0, or the difference between the district's ratio of open enrollment pupil units served to its resident pupil units for that year and 0.2. This clause does not apply to a school district where more than 50 percent of the open enrollment students are enrolled solely in online learning courses.

(c) If the amount of the reduction to be made from the general education aid of the resident district is greater than the amount of general education aid otherwise due the district, the excess reduction must be made from other state aids due the district.

(d) For fiscal year 2006, the district of residence must pay tuition to a district or an area learning center, operated according to paragraph (f), providing special instruction and services to a pupil with a disability, as defined in section 125A.02, or a pupil, as defined in section 125A.51, who is enrolled in a program listed in this subdivision. The tuition must be equal to (1) the actual cost of providing special instruction and services to the pupil, including a proportionate amount for special transportation and unreimbursed building lease and debt service costs for facilities used primarily for special education, minus (2) if the pupil receives special instruction and services outside the regular classroom for more than 60 percent of the school day, the amount of general education revenue and referendum aid attributable to that pupil for the portion of time the pupil receives special instruction and services outside of the regular classroom, excluding portions attributable to district and school administration, district support services, operations and maintenance, capital expenditures, and pupil transportation, minus (3) special education aid attributable to that pupil, that is received by the district providing special instruction and services. For purposes of this paragraph, general education revenue and referendum equalization aid attributable to a pupil must be calculated using the serving district's average general education revenue and referendum equalization aid per adjusted pupil unit.

(e) For fiscal year 2007 and later, special education aid paid to a resident district must be reduced by an amount equal to (1) the actual cost of providing special instruction and services, including special transportation and unreimbursed building lease and debt service costs for facilities used primarily for special education, for a pupil with a disability, as defined in section 125A.02, or a pupil, as defined in section 125A.51, who is enrolled in a program listed in this subdivision, minus (2) if the pupil receives special instruction and services outside the regular classroom for more than 60 percent of the school day, the amount of general education revenue and referendum equalization aid attributable to that pupil for the portion of time the pupil receives special instruction and services outside of the regular classroom, excluding portions attributable to district and school administration, district support services, operations and maintenance, capital expenditures, and pupil transportation, minus (3) special education aid attributable to that pupil, that is received by the district providing special instruction and services. For purposes of this paragraph, general education revenue and referendum equalization aid attributable to a pupil must be calculated using the serving district's average general education revenue and referendum equalization aid per adjusted pupil unit. Special education aid paid to the district or cooperative providing special instruction and services for the pupil, or to the fiscal agent district for a cooperative, must be increased by the amount of the reduction in the aid paid to the resident district. If the resident district's special education aid is insufficient to make the full adjustment, the remaining adjustment shall be made to other state aids due to the district.

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(f) An area learning center operated by a service cooperative, intermediate district, education district, or a joint powers cooperative may elect through the action of the constituent boards to charge the resident district tuition for pupils rather than to have the general education revenue paid to a fiscal agent school district. Except as provided in paragraph (d) or (e), the district of residence must pay tuition equal to at least 90 percent of the district average general education revenue per pupil unit minus an amount equal to the product of the formula allowance according to section 126C.10, subdivision 2, times .0485, calculated without ~~basic skills~~ compensatory revenue and transportation sparsity revenue, times the number of pupil units for pupils attending the area learning center~~, plus the amount of compensatory revenue generated by pupils attending the area learning center~~.

Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 475.58, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Approval by electors; exceptions. Obligations authorized by law or charter may be issued by any municipality upon obtaining the approval of a majority of the electors voting on the question of issuing the obligations, but an election shall not be required to authorize obligations issued:

(1) to pay any unpaid judgment against the municipality;

(2) for refunding obligations;

(3) for an improvement or improvement program, which obligation is payable wholly or partly from the proceeds of special assessments levied upon property specially benefited by the improvement or by an improvement within the improvement program, or from tax increments, as defined in section 469.174, subdivision 25, including obligations which are the general obligations of the municipality, if the municipality is entitled to reimbursement in whole or in part from the proceeds of such special assessments or tax increments and not less than 20 percent of the cost of the improvement or the improvement program is to be assessed against benefited property or is to be paid from the proceeds of federal grant funds or a combination thereof, or is estimated to be received from tax increments;

(4) payable wholly from the income of revenue producing conveniences;

(5) under the provisions of a home rule charter which permits the issuance of obligations of the municipality without election;

(6) under the provisions of a law which permits the issuance of obligations of a municipality without an election;

(7) to fund pension or retirement fund ~~or postemployment benefit~~ liabilities pursuant to section 475.52, subdivision 6;

(8) under a capital improvement plan under section 373.40; ~~and~~

(9) under sections 469.1813 to 469.1815 (property tax abatement authority bonds), if the proceeds of the bonds are not used for a purpose prohibited under section 469.176, subdivision 4g, paragraph (b); and

(10) postemployment benefit liabilities pursuant to section 475.52, subdivision 6, for municipalities other than school districts.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for obligations sold after August 1, 2009.

Sec. 17. EARLY GRADUATION INCENTIVES PROGRAM WORKING GROUP.

Subdivision 1. Commissioner of education to convene. The commissioner of education must convene a working group to study the effects of an early graduation incentives program for highly motivated high school junior and seniors on Minnesota's K-12 and Higher Education Systems.

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Subd. 2. Membership. The working group's membership consists of the commissioner of education, two representatives chosen by the speaker of the house, two senators named by the Subcommittee on Committees of the senate Committee on Rules and Administration, one superintendent selected by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, one person selected by the Minnesota School Boards Association, two high school teachers selected by Education Minnesota, one representative of higher education chosen by the University of Minnesota, one higher education representative chosen by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities board, two persons selected by the Minnesota Private College Council, one person chosen by the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented, and at least one representative of the business community selected by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

Subd. 3. Duties. The working group must evaluate the benefits of an early graduation incentives program designed to engage highly motivated high school juniors and seniors. The working group must analyze the potential cost savings to the state and the impact on, and the interplay with, the state's postsecondary enrollment options program.

Subd. 4. Compensation. The advisory group is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059.

Subd. 5. Report. The advisory group must report its recommendations to the education policy and finance committees of the legislature by January 15, 2010.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 18. ONETIME GENERAL EDUCATION REVENUE REDUCTION REPLACED WITH FEDERAL FUNDS FROM THE FISCAL STABILIZATION ACCOUNT.

Subdivision 1. General education reduction. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections 126C.13 and 126C.20, the state total general education aid for fiscal year 2010 is reduced by $275,600,000. The aid reduction must be allocated among school districts and charter schools in proportion to the school district or charter school's general education revenue for fiscal year 2008 under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10, or Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.11, subdivisions 1 and 2.

Subd. 2. Allocation of federal fiscal stabilization funds. The commissioner must offset the onetime general education aid reduction for each school district and charter school under subdivision 1 with an equal amount of federal aid from the fiscal stabilization account in the federal fund.

Sec. 19. APPROPRIATIONS; GENERAL FUND.

Subdivision 1. Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years designated.

Subd. 2. General education aid. For general education aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.13, subdivision 4:

$3,916,460,000 . . . . . 2010

$5,563,965,000 . . . . . 2011

The 2010 appropriation includes $555,864,000 for 2009 and $3,360,596,000 for 2010.

The 2011 appropriation includes $1,438,969,000 for 2010 and $4,124,996,000 for 2011.

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Subd. 3. Enrollment options transportation. For transportation of pupils attending postsecondary institutions under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09, or for transportation of pupils attending nonresident districts under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.03:

$48,000 . . . . . 2010

$52,000 . . . . . 2011

Subd. 4. Abatement revenue. For abatement aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 127A.49:

$980,000 . . . . . 2010

$1,056,000 . . . . . 2011

The 2010 appropriation includes $140,000 for 2009 and $840,000 for 2010.

The 2011 appropriation includes $310,000 for 2010 and $746,000 for 2011.

Subd. 5. Consolidation transition. For districts consolidating under Minnesota Statutes, section 123A.485:

$693,000 . . . . . 2010

$931,000 . . . . . 2011

The 2010 appropriation includes $0 for 2009 and $693,000 for 2010.

The 2011 appropriation includes $255,000 for 2010 and $676,000 for 2011.

Subd. 6. Nonpublic pupil education aid. For nonpublic pupil education aid under Minnesota Statutes, sections 123B.87 and 123B.40 to 123B.43:

$14,303,000 . . . . . 2010

$17,785,000 . . . . . 2011

The 2010 appropriation includes $1,647,000 for 2009 and $12,656,000 for 2010.

The 2011 appropriation includes $4,680,000 for 2010 and $13,105,000 for 2011.

Subd. 7. Nonpublic pupil transportation. For nonpublic pupil transportation aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 123B.92, subdivision 9:

$18,366,000 . . . . . 2010

$22,636,000 . . . . . 2011

The 2010 appropriation includes $2,077,000 for 2009 and $16,289,000 for 2010.

The 2011 appropriation includes $6,024,000 for 2010 and $16,612,000 for 2011.

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Subd. 8. One-room schoolhouse. For a grant to Independent School District No. 690, Warroad, to operate the Angle Inlet School:

$65,000 . . . . . 2010

$65,000 . . . . . 2011

Subd. 9. Independent School District No. 239, Rushford-Peterson. For school district flood enrollment impact aid as a result of the floods of August 2007:

$158,000 . . . . . 2010

The base appropriation for later fiscal years is zero.

The district must provide to the commissioner of education documentation of the additional pupil transportation costs and the number of pupils in average daily membership lost as a result of the flood.

Subd. 10. Lancaster. For a grant to Independent School District No. 356, Lancaster, to replace the loss of sparsity revenue:

$100,000 . . . . . 2010

$100,000 . . . . . 2011

The base appropriation for later fiscal years is zero.

Subd. 11. Compensatory revenue pilot project. For grants for participation in the compensatory revenue pilot program under Laws 2005, First Special Session chapter 5, article 1, section 50:

$2,175,000 . . . . . 2010

$2,175,000 . . . . . 2011

Of this amount, $1,500,000 in each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 11, Anoka-Hennepin; $210,000 in each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 279, Osseo; $160,000 in each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 281, Robbinsdale; $75,000 in each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 286, Brooklyn Center; $165,000 in each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 535, Rochester; and $65,000 in each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 833, South Washington.

If a grant to a specific school district is not awarded, the commissioner may increase the aid amounts to any of the remaining participating school districts.

This appropriation is part of the base budget for subsequent fiscal years.

Sec. 20. APPROPRIATIONS; FEDERAL FUND.

Subdivision 1. Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are appropriated from the fiscal stabilization account in the federal fund to the commissioner of education for the fiscal years designated.

Subd. 2. General education offset. To offset the onetime general education revenue reduction under section 18:

$275,600,000 . . . . . 2010

Any balance does not cancel but is available for obligation until September 30, 2011.

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ARTICLE 2

EDUCATION EXCELLENCE

Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 6.74, is amended to read:

6.74 INFORMATION COLLECTED FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

Subdivision 1. Information generally. The state auditor, or a designated agent, shall collect annually from all city, county, and other local units of government, information as to the assessment of property, collection of taxes, receipts from licenses and other sources, the expenditure of public funds for all purposes, borrowing, debts, principal and interest payments on debts, and such other information as may be needful. The data shall be supplied upon forms prescribed by the state auditor, and all public officials so called upon shall fill out properly and return promptly all forms so transmitted. The state auditor or assistants, may examine local records in order to complete or verify the information.

Subd. 2. Examples of good government in procurement and shared services; clearinghouse. The state auditor may seek funds from local units of government and nongovernmental sources to establish an online clearinghouse of examples of good government in procurement and shared services among political subdivisions. If established, the clearinghouse shall be designed to allow political subdivisions to submit examples of good government in procurement and shared services in a form prescribed by the state auditor.

Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.02, is amended to read:

120B.02 EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS FOR MINNESOTA'S STUDENTS.

(a) The legislature is committed to establishing rigorous academic standards for Minnesota's public school students. To that end, the commissioner shall adopt in rule statewide academic standards. The commissioner shall not prescribe in rule or otherwise the delivery system, classroom assessments, or form of instruction that school sites must use. For purposes of this chapter, a school site is a separate facility, or a separate program within a facility that a local school board recognizes as a school site for funding purposes.

(b) All commissioner actions regarding the rule must be premised on the following:

(1) the rule is intended to raise academic expectations for students, teachers, and schools;

(2) any state action regarding the rule must evidence consideration of school district autonomy; and

(3) the Department of Education, with the assistance of school districts, must make available information about all state initiatives related to the rule to students and parents, teachers, and the general public in a timely format that is appropriate, comprehensive, and readily understandable.

(c) When fully implemented, the requirements for high school graduation in Minnesota must require students to satisfactorily complete, as determined by the school district, the course credit requirements under section 120B.024 and all state academic standards or local academic standards where state standards do not apply and:

(1) for students enrolled in grade 8 before the 2005-2006 school year, to pass the basic skills test requirements; and

(2) for students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 school year and later, to pass the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments Second Edition (MCA-IIs).

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(d) The commissioner shall periodically review and report on the state's assessment process.

(e) School districts are not required to adopt specific provisions of the federal School-to-Work programs.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2012, and applies to students entering the 9th grade in the 2012-2013 school year and later.

Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.021, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Required academic standards. The following subject areas are required for statewide accountability:

(1) language arts;

(2) mathematics;

(3) science;

(4) social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government and citizenship;

(5) health and physical education, for which locally developed academic standards apply; and

(6) the arts, for which statewide or locally developed academic standards apply, as determined by the school district. Public elementary and middle schools must offer ~~at least three~~ and require at least two of the following four arts areas: dance; music; theater; and visual arts. Public high schools, consistent with section 120B.024, paragraph (a), clause (5), must offer ~~at least three~~ and require at least one of the following five arts areas: media arts; dance; music; theater; and visual arts.

The commissioner must submit proposed standards in science and social studies to the legislature by February 1, 2004.

For purposes of applicable federal law, the academic standards for language arts, mathematics, and science apply to all public school students, except the very few students with extreme cognitive or physical impairments for whom an individualized education plan team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate. An individualized education plan team that makes this determination must establish alternative standards with appropriate alternate achievement standards based on these academic standards for students with individualized education plans described under federal law.

A school district, no later than the 2007-2008 school year, must adopt graduation requirements that meet or exceed state graduation requirements established in law or rule. A school district that incorporates these state graduation requirements before the 2007-2008 school year must provide students who enter the 9th grade in or before the 2003-2004 school year the opportunity to earn a diploma based on existing locally established graduation requirements in effect when the students entered the 9th grade. District efforts to develop, implement, or improve instruction or curriculum as a result of the provisions of this section must be consistent with sections 120B.10, 120B.11, and 120B.20.

The commissioner must include the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities as they relate to the academic standards during the review and revision of the required academic standards.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2009-2010 school year and later.

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Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.022, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Elective standards. (a) A district must establish its own standards in the following subject areas:

(1) vocational and technical education; and

(2) world languages.

A school district must offer courses in all elective subject areas.

(b) World languages teachers and other school staff should develop and implement world languages programs that acknowledge and reinforce the language proficiency and cultural awareness that non-English language speakers already possess, and encourage students' proficiency in multiple world languages. Programs under this paragraph must encompass indigenous American Indian languages and cultures, among other world languages and cultures. The department shall consult with postsecondary institutions in developing related professional development opportunities.

(c) Any Minnesota public, charter, or nonpublic school may award Minnesota World Language Proficiency Certificates or Minnesota World Language Proficiency High Achievement Certificates, consistent with this subdivision.

The Minnesota World Language Proficiency Certificate recognizes students who demonstrate listening, speaking, reading, and writing language skills at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' Intermediate-Low level on a valid and reliable assessment tool. For languages listed as Category 3 by the United States Foreign Service Institute or Category 4 by the United States Defense Language Institute, the standard is Intermediate-Low for listening and speaking and Novice-High for reading and writing.

The Minnesota World Language Proficiency High Achievement Certificate recognizes students who demonstrate listening, speaking, reading, and writing language skills at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' Pre-Advanced level for K-12 learners on a valid and reliable assessment tool. For languages listed as Category 3 by the United States Foreign Service Institute or Category 4 by the United States Defense Language Institute, the standard is Pre-Advanced for listening and speaking and Intermediate-Mid for reading and writing.

Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.023, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Revisions and reviews required. (a) The commissioner of education must revise and appropriately embed technology and information literacy standards consistent with recommendations from school media specialists into the state's academic standards and graduation requirements and implement a review cycle for state academic standards and related benchmarks, consistent with this subdivision. During each review cycle, the commissioner also must examine the alignment of each required academic standard and related benchmark with the knowledge and skills students need for college readiness and advanced work in the particular subject area.

(b) The commissioner in the 2006-2007 school year must revise and align the state's academic standards and high school graduation requirements in mathematics to require that students satisfactorily complete the revised mathematics standards, beginning in the 2010-2011 school year. Under the revised standards:

(1) students must satisfactorily complete an algebra I credit by the end of eighth grade; and

(2) students scheduled to graduate in the 2014-2015 school year or later must satisfactorily complete an algebra II credit or its equivalent.

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The commissioner also must ensure that the statewide mathematics assessments administered to students in grades 3 through 8 and 11 beginning in the 2010-2011 school year are aligned with the state academic standards in mathematics. The statewide 11th grade mathematics test administered to students under clause (2) beginning in the 2013-2014 school year must include algebra II test items that are aligned with corresponding state academic standards in mathematics. The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in mathematics beginning in the 2015-2016 school year.

(c) The commissioner in the 2007-2008 school year must revise and align the state's academic standards and high school graduation requirements in the arts to require that students satisfactorily complete the revised arts standards beginning in the ~~2010-2011~~ 2011-2012 school year. The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in arts beginning in the ~~2016-2017~~ 2017-2018 school year.

(d) The commissioner in the 2008-2009 school year must revise and align the state's academic standards and high school graduation requirements in science to require that students satisfactorily complete the revised science standards, beginning in the ~~2011-2012~~ 2012-2013 school year. Under the revised standards, students scheduled to graduate in the ~~2014-2015~~ 2015-2016 school year or later must satisfactorily complete a chemistry or physics credit. The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in science beginning in the ~~2017-2018~~ 2018-2019 school year.

(e) The commissioner in the ~~2009-2010~~ 2010-2011 school year must revise and align the state's academic standards and high school graduation requirements in language arts to require that students satisfactorily complete the revised language arts standards beginning in the ~~2012-2013~~ 2013-2014 school year. The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in language arts beginning in the ~~2018-2019~~ 2019-2020 school year.

(f) The commissioner in the ~~2010-2011~~ 2011-2012 school year must revise and align the state's academic standards and high school graduation requirements in social studies to require that students satisfactorily complete the revised social studies standards beginning in the ~~2013-2014~~ 2014-2015 school year. The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in social studies beginning in the ~~2019-2020~~ 2020-2021 school year.

(g) School districts and charter schools must revise and align local academic standards and high school graduation requirements in health, physical education, world languages, and career and technical education to require students to complete the revised standards beginning in a school year determined by the school district or charter school. School districts and charter schools must formally establish a periodic review cycle for the academic standards and related benchmarks in health, physical education, world languages, and career and technical education.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.11, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5. Report. (a) By October 1 of each year, the school board shall use standard statewide reporting procedures the commissioner develops and adopt a report, consistent with section 120B.36, subdivision 1, that includes the following:

(1) student achievement goals for meeting state academic standards;

(2) results of local assessment data, and any additional test data;

(3) the annual school district improvement plans including staff development goals under section 122A.60;

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(4) information about district and learning site progress in realizing previously adopted improvement plans; and

(5) the amount and type of revenue attributed to each education site as defined in section 123B.04.

(b) The school board shall publish the report in the local newspaper with the largest circulation in the district, by mail, or by electronic means such as the district Web site. If electronic means are used, school districts must publish notice of the report in a periodical of general circulation in the district. School districts must make copies of the report available to the public on request. ~~The board shall make a copy of the report available to the public for inspection. The board shall send a copy of the report to the commissioner of education by October 15 of each year.~~

(c) ~~The title of the report shall contain the name and number of the school district and read "Annual Report on Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Achievement."~~ The report must include at least the following information about advisory committee membership:

(1) the name of each committee member and the date when that member's term expires;

(2) the method and criteria the school board uses to select committee members; and

(3) the date by which a community resident must apply to next serve on the committee.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2009-2010 school year and later.

Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.13, is amended to read:

120B.13 ADVANCED PLACEMENT ~~AND~~, INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE, AND CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1. Program structure; training programs for teachers. (a) The advanced placement ~~and~~, international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment programs are well-established academic programs for mature, academically directed high school students. These programs, in addition to providing academic rigor, offer sound curricular design, accountability, comprehensive external assessment, feedback to students and teachers, and the opportunity for high school students to compete academically on a global level. Advanced placement ~~and~~, international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment programs allow students to leave high school with the academic skills and self-confidence to succeed in college and beyond. The advanced placement ~~and~~, international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment programs help provide Minnesota students with world-class educational opportunity.

(b) Critical to schools' educational success is ongoing ~~advanced placement/international baccalaureate-approved teacher~~ training for teachers instructing students in the advanced placement, international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment programs. A secondary teacher assigned by a district to teach an advanced placement or international baccalaureate course or other interested educator may participate in a training program offered by The College Board or International Baccalaureate North America, Inc. A secondary teacher assigned by a district to teach a concurrent enrollment course, or other interested educator, may participate in a training program offered by the eligible public postsecondary institution with which the district has entered into an agreement according to section 124D.09, subdivision 3, paragraph (a). The state may pay a portion of the tuition, room, board, and out-of-state travel costs a teacher or other interested educator incurs in participating in a training program. The commissioner shall determine application procedures and deadlines, select teachers and other interested educators to participate in the training program, and determine the payment process and amount of the subsidy. The procedures determined by the commissioner shall, to the extent possible, ensure that advanced placement ~~and~~, international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment courses become available in all parts of the state and that a variety of course offerings are available in school districts. This subdivision does not prevent teacher or other interested educator participation in training programs offered by The College Board or International Baccalaureate North America, Inc., when tuition is paid by a source other than the state.

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(c) The commissioner may award state-funded competitive grants designed to create advanced placement summer training institutes for secondary teachers. Two-year grants, beginning and ending on October 1, may be awarded to Minnesota institutions of higher education that comply with the training requirements outlined by the College Board. The commissioner shall determine award criteria and the selection process.

Subd. 2. Support programs. The commissioner shall provide support programs during the school year for teachers who attended the training programs and teachers experienced in teaching advanced placement or, international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses. The support programs shall provide teachers with opportunities to share instructional ideas with other teachers. The state may pay the costs of participating in the support programs, including substitute teachers, if necessary, and program affiliation costs.

Subd. 3. Subsidy for examination fees. The state may pay all or part of the fee for advanced placement or international baccalaureate examinations. The commissioner shall pay all examination fees for all public and nonpublic students of low-income families, as defined by the commissioner, and to the limit of the available appropriation, shall also pay a portion or all of the examination fees for other public and nonpublic students sitting for an advanced placement examination, international baccalaureate examination, or both. The commissioner shall determine procedures for state payments of fees.

Subd. 3a. College credit. The colleges and universities of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system must award, and the University of Minnesota and private postsecondary institutions are encouraged to award, college credit to high school students who receive a score of three or higher on an advanced placement or four or higher on the international baccalaureate program examination.

Subd. 4. Information. The commissioner shall submit the following information to the education committees of the legislature each year by February 1:

(1) the number of pupils enrolled in advanced placement ~~and~~, international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment courses in each school district;

(2) the number of teachers in each district attending training programs offered by the college board or International Baccalaureate North America, Inc.;

(3) the number of teachers in each district participating in support programs;

(4) recent trends in the field of advanced placement ~~and~~, international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment programs;

(5) expenditures for each category in this section; and

(6) other recommendations for the state program.

Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.132, is amended to read:

120B.132 RAISED ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT; ADVANCED PLACEMENT ~~AND~~, INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE, AND CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1. Establishment; eligibility. A program is established to raise kindergarten through grade 12 academic achievement through increased student participation in preadvanced placement, advanced placement, ~~and~~ international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment programs, consistent with section 120B.13. Schools and charter schools eligible to participate under this section:

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(1) must have a three-year plan approved by the local school board to establish a new international baccalaureate program leading to international baccalaureate authorization, expand an existing program that leads to international baccalaureate authorization, or expand an existing authorized international baccalaureate program; or

(2) must have a three-year plan approved by the local school board to create a new or expand an existing program to implement the college board advanced placement courses and exams or preadvanced placement initiative; ~~and~~ or

(3) must have a three-year plan approved by the local school board to create a new or expand an existing concurrent enrollment program; and

~~(3)~~ (4) must propose to further raise students' academic achievement by:

(i) increasing the availability of and all students' access to advanced placement or, international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs;

(ii) expanding the breadth of advanced placement or, international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs that are available to students;

(iii) increasing the number and the diversity of the students who participate in advanced placement or, international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs and succeed;

(iv) providing low-income and other disadvantaged students with increased access to advanced placement or, international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses and programs; or

(v) increasing the number of high school students, including low-income and other disadvantaged students, who receive college credit by successfully completing advanced placement or, international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs and achieving satisfactory scores on related exams.

Subd. 2. Application and review process; funding priority. (a) Charter schools and school districts in which eligible schools under subdivision 1 are located may apply to the commissioner, in the form and manner the commissioner determines, for competitive funding to further raise students' academic achievement. The application must detail the specific efforts the applicant intends to undertake in further raising students' academic achievement, consistent with subdivision 1, and a proposed budget detailing the district or charter school's current and proposed expenditures for advanced placement, preadvanced placement, ~~and~~ international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment courses and programs. The proposed budget must demonstrate that the applicant's efforts will support implementation of advanced placement, preadvanced placement, ~~and~~ international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment courses and programs. Expenditures for administration must not exceed five percent of the proposed budget. The commissioner may require an applicant to provide additional information.

(b) When reviewing applications, the commissioner must determine whether the applicant satisfied all the requirements in this subdivision and subdivision 1. The commissioner may give funding priority to an otherwise qualified applicant that demonstrates:

(1) a focus on developing or expanding preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs or increasing students' participation in, access to, or success with the courses or programs, including the participation, access, or success of low-income and other disadvantaged students;

(2) a compelling need for access to preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs;

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(3) an effective ability to actively involve local business and community organizations in student activities that are integral to preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs;

(4) access to additional public or nonpublic funds or in-kind contributions that are available for preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs; or

(5) an intent to implement activities that target low-income and other disadvantaged students.

Subd. 3. Funding; permissible funding uses. (a) The commissioner shall award grants to applicant school districts and charter schools that meet the requirements of subdivisions 1 and 2. The commissioner must award grants on an equitable geographical basis to the extent feasible and consistent with this section. Grant awards must not exceed the lesser of:

(1) $85 times the number of pupils enrolled at the participating sites on October 1 of the previous fiscal year; or

(2) the approved supplemental expenditures based on the budget submitted under subdivision 2. For charter schools in their first year of operation, the maximum funding award must be calculated using the number of pupils enrolled on October 1 of the current fiscal year. The commissioner may adjust the maximum funding award computed using prior year data for changes in enrollment attributable to school closings, school openings, grade level reconfigurations, or school district reorganizations between the prior fiscal year and the current fiscal year.

(b) School districts and charter schools that submit an application and receive funding under this section must use the funding, consistent with the application, to:

(1) provide teacher training and instruction to more effectively serve students, including low-income and other disadvantaged students, who participate in preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs;

(2) further develop preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs;

(3) improve the transition between grade levels to better prepare students, including low-income and other disadvantaged students, for succeeding in preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs;

(4) purchase books and supplies;

(5) pay course or program fees;

(6) increase students' participation in and success with preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs;

(7) expand students' access to preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs through online learning;

(8) hire appropriately licensed personnel to teach additional advanced placement or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs; or

(9) engage in other activity directly related to expanding students' access to, participation in, and success with preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate, or concurrent enrollment courses or programs, including low-income and other disadvantaged students.

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Subd. 4. Annual reports. (a) Each school district and charter school that receives a grant under this section annually must collect demographic and other student data to demonstrate and measure the extent to which the district or charter school raised students' academic achievement under this program and must report the data to the commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner determines. The commissioner annually by February 15 must make summary data about this program available to the education policy and finance committees of the legislature.

(b) Each school district and charter school that receives a grant under this section annually must report to the commissioner, consistent with the Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards, its actual expenditures for advanced placement, preadvanced placement, ~~and~~ international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment courses and programs. The report must demonstrate that the school district or charter school has maintained its effort from other sources for advanced placement, preadvanced placement, ~~and~~ international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment courses and programs compared with the previous fiscal year, and the district or charter school has expended all grant funds, consistent with its approved budget.

Subd. 5. Accreditation of concurrent enrollment programs. (a) To establish a uniform standard by which concurrent enrollment courses and professional development activities may be measured, postsecondary institutions are encouraged to apply for accreditation by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnership.

(b) Beginning in fiscal year 2011, districts offering a concurrent enrollment program according to an agreement under section 124D.09, subdivision 10, are only eligible for aid under this section and section 120B.13, if the college or university concurrent enrollment courses offered by the district are accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnership, in the process of being accredited, or are shown by clear evidence to be of comparable standard to accredited courses.

Sec. 9. [120B.299] DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1. Definitions. The definitions in this section apply to this chapter.

Subd. 2. Growth. "Growth" compares the difference in a student's achievement score at two or more distinct points in time.

Subd. 3. Value added. "Value added" is the amount of achievement a student demonstrates above an established baseline. The difference between the student's score and the baseline defines value added.

Subd. 4. Value-added growth. "Value-added growth" is based on a student's growth score. In a value-added growth system, the student's first test is the baseline, and the difference between the student's first and next test scores within a defined period is the measure of value added. Value-added growth models use student-level data to measure what portion of a student's growth can be explained by inputs related to the educational environment.

Subd. 5. Adequate yearly progress. A school or district makes "adequate yearly progress" if, for every student subgroup under the federal 2001 No Child Left Behind Act in the school or district, its proficiency index or other approved adjustments for performance, based on statewide assessment scores, meets or exceeds federal expectations. To make adequate yearly progress, the school or district also must satisfy applicable federal requirements related to student attendance, graduation, and test participation rates.

Subd. 6. State growth target. (a) "State growth target" is the average year-two assessment scores for students with similar year-one assessment scores.

(b) The state growth targets for each grade and subject are benchmarked as follows until the assessment scale changes:

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(1) beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, the state growth target for grades 3 to 8 is benchmarked to 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school year data;

(2) beginning in the 2008-2009 school year the state growth target for grade 10 is benchmarked to 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 school year data;

(3) for the 2008-2009 school year, the state growth target for grade 11 is benchmarked to 2005-2006 school year data; and

(4) beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, the state growth target for grade 11 is benchmarked to 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 school year data.

(c) Each time before the assessment scale changes, a stakeholder group that includes assessment and evaluation directors and staff and researchers must recommend a new state growth target that the commissioner must consider when revising standards under section 120B.023, subdivision 2.

Subd. 7. Low growth. "Low growth" is an assessment score one-half standard deviation below the state growth target.

Subd. 8. Medium growth. "Medium growth" is an assessment score within one-half standard deviation above or below the state growth target.

Subd. 9. High growth. "High growth" is an assessment score one-half standard deviation or more above the state growth target.

Subd. 10. Proficiency. "Proficiency" for purposes of reporting growth on school performance report cards under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, means those students who, in the previous school year, scored at or above "meets standards" on the statewide assessments under section 120B.30. Each year, school performance report cards must separately display: (1) the numbers and percentages of students who achieved low growth, medium growth, and high growth and achieved proficiency in the previous school year; and (2) the numbers and percentages of students who achieved low growth, medium growth, and high growth and did not achieve proficiency in the previous school year.

Subd. 11. Growth and progress toward proficiency. The categories of low growth, medium growth, and high growth shall be used to indicate both (1) growth and (2) progress toward grade-level proficiency that is consistent with subdivision 10.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.30, is amended to read:

120B.30 STATEWIDE TESTING AND REPORTING SYSTEM.

Subdivision 1. Statewide testing. (a) The commissioner, with advice from experts with appropriate technical qualifications and experience and stakeholders, consistent with subdivision 1a, shall include in the comprehensive assessment system, for each grade level to be tested, state-constructed tests developed ~~from and~~ to be computer-adaptive reading and mathematics assessments for general education students that are aligned with the state's required academic standards under section 120B.021, include both multiple choice and constructed response questions, and are administered annually to all students in grades 3 through 8 ~~and at the high school level~~. A State-developed ~~test~~ high school tests aligned with the state's required academic standards under section 120B.021 and administered to all high school students in a subject other than writing~~, developed after the 2002-2003 school year,~~

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must include both ~~machine-scoreable~~ multiple choice and constructed response questions. The commissioner shall establish one or more months during which schools shall administer the tests to students each school year. Schools that the commissioner identifies for stand-alone field testing or other national sampling must participate as directed. Superintendents or charter school directors may appeal in writing to the commissioner for an exemption from a field test based on undue hardship. The commissioner's decision regarding the appeal is final. For students enrolled in grade 8 before the 2005-2006 school year, ~~only~~ Minnesota basic skills tests in reading, mathematics, and writing shall fulfill students' basic skills testing requirements for a passing state notation. The passing scores of basic skills tests in reading and mathematics are the equivalent of 75 percent correct for students entering grade 9 ~~in 1997 and thereafter, as~~ based on the first uniform test ~~administration of~~ administered in February 1998. Students who have not successfully passed a Minnesota basic skills test by the end of the 2011-2012 school year must pass the graduation-required assessments for diploma under paragraph (b).

(b) For students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 school year and later, only the following options shall fulfill students' state graduation test requirements:

(1) for reading and mathematics:

(i) obtaining an achievement level equivalent to or greater than proficient as determined through a standard setting process on the Minnesota comprehensive assessments in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics or achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process on the graduation-required assessment for diploma in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics or subsequent retests;

(ii) achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process on the state-identified language proficiency test in reading and the mathematics test for English language learners or the graduation-required assessment for diploma equivalent of those assessments for students designated as English language learners;

(iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment for diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individual education plan or 504 plan;

(iv) obtaining achievement level equivalent to or greater than proficient as determined through a standard setting process on the state-identified alternate assessment or assessments in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics for students with an individual education plan; or

(v) achieving an individual passing score on the state-identified alternate assessment or assessments as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individual education plan; and

(2) for writing:

(i) achieving a passing score on the graduation-required assessment for diploma;

(ii) achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process on the state-identified language proficiency test in writing for students designated as English language learners;

(iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment for diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individual education plan or 504 plan; or

(iv) achieving an individual passing score on the state-identified alternate assessment or assessments as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individual education plan.

(c) Students enrolled in grade 8 in any school year from the 2005-2006 school year to the 2009-2010 school year who do not pass the mathematics graduation-required assessment for diploma under paragraph (b) are eligible to receive a high school diploma with a passing state notation if they:

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(1) complete with a passing score or grade all state and local coursework and credits required for graduation by the school board granting the students their diploma;

(2) participate in district-prescribed academic remediation in mathematics; and

(3) fully participate in at least two retests of the mathematics GRAD test or until they pass the mathematics GRAD test, whichever comes first. A school board issuing a student a high school diploma in any school year from the 2009-2010 school year through the 2013-2014 school year must record on the student's high school transcript the student's score as the total number of test items and the number of test items the student answered correctly on the mathematics graduation-required assessment for diploma under this subdivision.

In addition, the school board granting the students their diplomas may formally decide to include a notation of high achievement on the high school diplomas of those graduating seniors who, according to established school board criteria, demonstrate exemplary academic achievement during high school.

(d) The 3rd through 8th grade computer-adaptive assessments and high school ~~level~~ test results shall be available to districts for diagnostic purposes affecting student learning and district instruction and curriculum, and for establishing educational accountability. The commissioner must disseminate to the public the computer-adaptive assessments and high school test results upon receiving those results.

~~(d) State~~ (e) The 3rd through 8th grade computer-adaptive assessments and high school tests must be ~~constructed and~~ aligned with state academic standards. The commissioner shall determine the testing process and the order of administration ~~shall be determined by the commissioner~~. The statewide results shall be aggregated at the site and district level, consistent with subdivision 1a.

~~(e)~~ (f) In addition to the testing and reporting requirements under this section, the commissioner shall include the following components in the statewide public reporting system:

(1) uniform statewide testing of all students in grades 3 through 8 and at the high school level that provides appropriate, technically sound accommodations, or alternate assessments, or exemptions consistent with applicable federal law, only with parent or guardian approval, for those very few students for whom the student's individual education plan team under sections 125A.05 and 125A.06 determines that the general statewide test is inappropriate for a student, or for a limited English proficiency student under section 124D.59, subdivision 2;

(2) educational indicators that can be aggregated and compared across school districts and across time on a statewide basis, including average daily attendance, high school graduation rates, and high school drop-out rates by age and grade level;

(3) state results on the American College Test; and

(4) state results from participation in the National Assessment of Educational Progress so that the state can benchmark its performance against the nation and other states, and, where possible, against other countries, and contribute to the national effort to monitor achievement.

Subd. 1a. Statewide and local assessments; results. (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions have the meanings given them.

(1) "Computer-adaptive assessments" means fully adaptive assessments or partially adaptive assessments.

(2) "Fully adaptive assessments" include test items that are on-grade level and items that may be above or below a student's grade level.

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(3) "Partially adaptive assessments" include two portions of test items, where one portion is limited to on-grade level test items and a second portion includes test items that are on-grade level or above or below a student's grade level.

(4) "On-grade level" test items contain subject area content that is aligned to state academic standards for the grade level of the student taking the assessment.

(5) "Above-grade level" test items contain subject area content that is above the grade level of the student taking the assessment and are considered aligned with state academic standards to the extent they are aligned with content represented in state academic standards above the grade level of the student taking the assessment. Notwithstanding the student's grade level, administering above-grade level test items to a student does not violate the requirement that state assessments must be aligned with state standards.

(6) "Below-grade level" test items contain subject area content that is below the grade level of the student taking the test and are considered aligned with state academic standards to the extent they are aligned with content represented in state academic standards below the student's current grade level. Notwithstanding the student's grade level, administering below-grade level test items to a student does not violate the requirement that state assessments must be aligned with state standards.

(b) The commissioner must use fully adaptive assessments to the extent no net loss of federal and state funds occurs as a result of using these assessments. If a net loss of federal and state funds were to occur under this subdivision, then the commissioner must use partially adaptive assessments to meet existing federal educational accountability requirements.

(c) For purposes of conforming with existing federal educational accountability requirements, the commissioner must develop and implement computer-adaptive reading, and mathematics~~, and science~~ assessments for grades 3 through 8, state-developed high school reading and mathematics tests aligned with state academic standards, and science assessments under clause (2) that districts and sites must use to monitor student growth toward achieving those standards. The commissioner must not develop statewide assessments for academic standards in social studies, health and physical education, and the arts. The commissioner must require:

(1) annual computer-adaptive reading and mathematics assessments in grades 3 through 8, and ~~at the high school level for the 2005-2006 school year and later~~ high school reading and mathematics tests; and

(2) annual science assessments in one grade in the grades 3 through 5 span, the grades 6 through 9 8 span, and a life sciences assessment in the grades 10 9 through 12 span ~~for the 2007-2008 school year and later~~, and the commissioner must not require students to achieve a passing score on high school science assessments as a condition of receiving a high school diploma.

The commissioner must ensure that for annual computer-adaptive assessments:

(i) individual student performance data and achievement and summary reports are available within three school days of when students take an assessment;

(ii) growth information is available for each student from the student's first assessment to each proximate assessment using a constant measurement scale;

(iii) parents, teachers, and school administrators are able to use elementary and middle school student performance data to project student achievement in high school; and

(iv) useful diagnostic information about areas of students' academic strengths and weaknesses is available to teachers and school administrators for purposes of improving student instruction and indicating the specific skills and concepts that should be introduced and developed for students at given score levels, organized by strands within subject areas, and aligned to state academic standards.

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When contracting for computer-adaptive assessments under this section, the weighting criteria the commissioner uses to evaluate contract proposals must give preference to vendors prepared to provide statewide computer-adaptive assessments and options for locally selected, locally financed, and locally implemented assessments that are independently aligned to state standards and used to inform curriculum and instruction.

~~(b)~~ (d) The commissioner must ensure that all statewide tests administered to elementary and secondary students measure students' academic knowledge and skills and not students' values, attitudes, and beliefs.

~~(c)~~ (e) Reporting of assessment results must:

(1) provide timely, useful, and understandable information on the performance of individual students, schools, school districts, and the state;

(2) include~~, by no later than the 2008-2009 school year,~~ a value-added ~~component that is in addition to a measure for student achievement growth over time~~ growth indicator of student achievement under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b); and

(3)(i) for students enrolled in grade 8 before the 2005-2006 school year, determine whether students have met the state's basic skills requirements; and

(ii) for students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 school year and later, determine whether students have met the state's academic standards.

~~(d)~~ (f) Consistent with applicable federal law and subdivision 1, paragraph (d), clause (1), the commissioner must include appropriate, technically sound accommodations or alternative assessments for the very few students with disabilities for whom statewide assessments are inappropriate and for students with limited English proficiency.

~~(e)~~ (g) A school, school district, and charter school must administer statewide assessments under this section, as the assessments become available, to evaluate student ~~progress in achieving the~~ proficiency in the context of the state's grade level academic standards. If a state assessment is not available, a school, school district, and charter school must determine locally if a student has met the required academic standards. A school, school district, or charter school may use a student's performance on a statewide assessment as one of multiple criteria to determine grade promotion or retention. A school, school district, or charter school may use a high school student's performance on a statewide assessment as a percentage of the student's final grade in a course, or place a student's assessment score on the student's transcript.

(h) For each procurement cycle for computer-adaptive assessments, the commissioner must report to the K-12 education policy and finance committees of the legislature on the costs of implementing computer-adaptive assessments and demonstrate that these assessments both represent the greatest value to the state and local school districts and minimize the need for redundant assessments.

Subd. 2. Department of Education assistance. The Department of Education shall contract for professional and technical services according to competitive bidding procedures under chapter 16C for purposes of this section.

Subd. 3. Reporting. The commissioner shall report test data publicly and to stakeholders, including the performance achievement levels developed from students' unweighted test scores in each tested subject and a listing of demographic factors that strongly correlate with student performance. The commissioner shall also report data that compares performance results among school sites, school districts, Minnesota and other states, and Minnesota and other nations. The commissioner shall disseminate to schools and school districts a more comprehensive report containing testing information that meets local needs for evaluating instruction and curriculum.

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Subd. 4. Access to tests. The commissioner must adopt and publish a policy to provide public and parental access for review of basic skills tests, Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, or any other such statewide test and assessment. Upon receiving a written request, the commissioner must make available to parents or guardians a copy of their student's actual responses to the test questions ~~to be reviewed by the parent~~ for their review.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment. Subdivision 1, paragraph (c), applies to the 2009-2010 through 2013-2014 school years only. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, requirements related to the mathematics graduation-required assessment for diploma under this section are repealed June 30, 2014, and the commissioner of education must not implement any alternative to the mathematics graduation-required assessment for diploma without specific legislative authority. Requirements for using computer-adaptive mathematics assessments for grades 3 through 8 apply in the 2010-2011 school year and later and requirements for using computer-adaptive reading assessments for grades 3 through 8 apply in the 2012-2013 school year and later.

Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.31, is amended to read:

120B.31 SYSTEM ACCOUNTABILITY AND STATISTICAL ADJUSTMENTS.

Subdivision 1. Educational accountability and public reporting. Consistent with the ~~process~~ direction to adopt ~~a results-oriented graduation rule~~ statewide academic standards under section 120B.02, the department, in consultation with education and other system stakeholders, must establish a coordinated and comprehensive system of educational accountability and public reporting that promotes ~~higher~~ greater academic achievement, preparation for higher academic education, preparation for the world of work, citizenship under sections 120B.021, subdivision 1, clause (4), and 120B.024, paragraph (a), clause (4), and the arts.

Subd. 2. Statewide testing. Each school year, all school districts shall give a uniform statewide test to students at specified grades to provide information on the status, needs and performance of Minnesota students.

Subd. 3. Educational accountability. (a) The Independent Office of Educational Accountability, as authorized by Laws 1997, First Special Session chapter 4, article 5, section 28, subdivision 2, is established, and shall be funded through the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota. The office shall advise the education committees of the legislature and the commissioner of education, at least on a biennial basis, on:

(1) the degree to which the statewide educational accountability and reporting system includes a comprehensive assessment framework that measures school accountability for students achieving the goals described in the state's ~~results-oriented~~ high school graduation rule;

(2) the completeness, integrity, and use of the information provided by the statewide educational accountability and reporting system in the context of enabling legislators and other stakeholders to make fully informed education policy decisions consistent with the best and most current academic research available; and

(3) the impact the statewide educational accountability and reporting system has on prekindergarten through grade 12 education policy, effectiveness, resource distribution, and structure.

(b) The office shall determine and annually report to the legislature whether and how effectively:

(1) the statewide system of educational accountability ~~utilizes~~ uses multiple indicators to provide valid and reliable comparative and contextual data on students, schools, districts, and the state, and if not, recommend ways to improve the accountability reporting system;

(2) ~~the commissioner makes statistical adjustments when reporting student data over time, consistent with clause (4);~~

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~~(3) the commissioner uses indicators of student achievement growth~~ a value-added growth indicator of student achievement over time ~~and a value-added assessment model that~~ estimates the effects of the school and school district on student achievement ~~to measure~~ and measures school performance, consistent with section ~~120B.36, subdivision 1~~ 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b);

~~(4) the commissioner makes~~ (3) data are available on students who do not pass one or more of the state's required GRAD tests and do not receive a diploma as a consequence, and ~~categorizes~~ these data are categorized according to gender, race, eligibility for free or reduced lunch, and English language proficiency; and

~~(5) the commissioner fulfills~~ (4) the requirements under section 127A.095, subdivision 2, are met.

~~(b)~~ (c) When the office reviews the statewide educational accountability and reporting system, it shall also consider:

(1) the objectivity and neutrality of the state's educational accountability system; and

(2) the impact of a testing program on school curriculum and student learning.

Subd. 4. Statistical adjustments; student performance data. In developing policies and assessment processes to hold schools and districts accountable for high levels of academic standards under section 120B.021, the commissioner shall aggregate student data over time to report student performance and growth levels measured at the school, school district, ~~regional, or~~ and statewide level. When collecting and reporting the performance data, the commissioner shall: (1) acknowledge the impact of significant demographic factors such as residential instability, the number of single parent families, parents' level of education, and parents' income level on school outcomes; and (2) organize and report the data so that state and local policy makers can understand the educational implications of changes in districts' demographic profiles over time. Any report the commissioner disseminates containing summary data on student performance must integrate student performance and the demographic factors that strongly correlate with that performance.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.35, is amended to read:

120B.35 STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND ~~PROGRESS~~ GROWTH.

Subdivision 1. ~~Adequate yearly progress of schools and students~~ School and student indicators of growth and achievement. The commissioner must develop and implement a system for measuring and reporting academic achievement and individual student ~~progress~~ growth, consistent with the statewide educational accountability and reporting system. The system components ~~of the system~~ must measure and separately report the adequate yearly progress of schools and the growth of individual students: students' current achievement in schools under subdivision 2; and individual students' educational ~~progress~~ growth over time under subdivision 3. The system also must include statewide measures of student academic ~~achievement~~ growth that identify schools with high levels of ~~achievement~~ growth, and also schools with low levels of ~~achievement~~ growth that need improvement. When determining a school's effect, the data must include both statewide measures of student achievement and, to the extent annual tests are administered, indicators of achievement growth that take into account a student's prior achievement. Indicators of achievement and prior achievement must be based on highly reliable statewide or districtwide assessments. Indicators that take into account a student's prior achievement must not be used to disregard a school's low achievement or to exclude a school from a program to improve low achievement levels. The commissioner by January 15, 2002, must submit a plan for integrating these components to the chairs of the legislative committees having policy and budgetary responsibilities for elementary and secondary education.

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Subd. 2. Federal expectations for student academic achievement. (a) Each school year, a school district must determine if the student achievement levels at each school site meet ~~state and local~~ federal expectations. If student achievement levels at a school site do not meet ~~state and local~~ federal expectations and the site has not made adequate yearly progress for two consecutive school years, beginning with the 2001-2002 school year, the district must work with the school site to adopt a plan to raise student achievement levels to meet ~~state and local~~ federal expectations. The commissioner of education shall establish student academic achievement levels to comply with this paragraph.

(b) School sites identified as not meeting federal expectations must develop continuous improvement plans in order to meet ~~state and local~~ federal expectations for student academic achievement. The department, at a district's request, must assist the district and the school site in developing a plan to improve student achievement. The plan must include parental involvement components.

(1) ~~provide assistance to~~ assist school sites and districts identified as not meeting federal expectations; and

(2) provide technical assistance to schools that integrate student ~~progress~~ achievement measures ~~under subdivision 3 in~~ into the school continuous improvement plan.

(d) The commissioner shall establish and maintain a continuous improvement Web site designed to make data on every school and district available to parents, teachers, administrators, community members, and the general public.

Subd. 3. ~~Student progress assessment~~ State growth target; other state measures. (a) The state's educational assessment system ~~component~~ measuring individual students' educational ~~progress must be~~ growth is based~~, to the extent annual tests are administered,~~ on indicators of achievement growth that show an individual student's prior achievement. Indicators of achievement and prior achievement must be based on highly reliable statewide or districtwide assessments.

(b) The commissioner, in consultation with a stakeholder group that includes assessment and evaluation directors and staff and researchers must identify effective models for measuring individual student progress that enable a school district or school site to perform gains-based analysis, including evaluating the effects of the teacher, school, and school district on student achievement over time. At least one model must be a "value-added" assessment model that reliably estimates those effects for classroom settings where a single teacher teaches multiple subjects to the same group of students, for team teaching arrangements, and for other teaching circumstances. implement a model that uses a value-added growth indicator and includes criteria for identifying schools and school districts that demonstrate medium and high growth under section 120B.299, subdivisions 8 and 9, and may recommend other value-added measures under section 120B.299, subdivision 3. The model may be used to advance educators' professional development and replicate programs that succeed in meeting students' diverse learning needs. Data on individual teachers generated under the model are personnel data under section 13.43. The model must allow users to:

(1) report student growth consistent with this paragraph; and

(2) for all student categories, report and compare aggregated and disaggregated state growth data using the nine student categories identified under the federal 2001 No Child Left Behind Act and two student gender categories of male and female, respectively, following appropriate reporting practices to protect nonpublic student data.

The commissioner must report separate measures of student growth and proficiency, consistent with this paragraph.

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(c) If a district has an accountability plan that includes gains-based analysis or "value-added" assessment, the commissioner shall, to the extent practicable, incorporate those measures in determining whether the district or school site meets expectations. The department must coordinate with the district in evaluating school sites and continuous improvement plans, consistent with best practices. When reporting student performance under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the commissioner annually, beginning July 1, 2011, must report two core measures indicating the extent to which current high school graduates are being prepared for postsecondary academic and career opportunities:

(1) a preparation measure indicating the number and percentage of high school graduates in the most recent school year who completed course work important to preparing them for postsecondary academic and career opportunities, consistent with the core academic subjects required for admission to Minnesota's public colleges and universities as determined by the Office of Higher Education under chapter 136A; and

(2) a rigorous coursework measure indicating the number and percentage of high school graduates in the most recent school year who successfully completed one or more college-level advanced placement, international baccalaureate, postsecondary enrollment options including concurrent enrollment, other rigorous courses of study under section 120B.021, subdivision 1a, or industry certification courses or programs.

When reporting the core measures under clauses (1) and (2), the commissioner must also analyze and report separate categories of information using the nine student categories identified under the federal 2001 No Child Left Behind Act and two student gender categories of male and female, respectively following appropriate reporting practices to protect nonpublic student data.

(d) When reporting student performance under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the commissioner annually, beginning July 1, 2013, must report summary data on school safety and students' engagement and connection at school. The summary data under this paragraph are separate from and must not be used for any purpose related to measuring or evaluating the performance of classroom teachers. The commissioner, in consultation with qualified experts on student engagement and connection and classroom teachers, must identify highly reliable variables that generate summary data under this paragraph. The summary data may be used at school, district, and state levels only. Any data on individuals received, collected, or created that are used to generate the summary data under this paragraph are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9.

Subd. 4. Improving schools. Consistent with the requirements of this section, beginning June 20, 2012, the commissioner of education must ~~establish a second achievement benchmark to identify improving schools. The commissioner must recommend to~~ annually report to the public and the legislature by February 15, 2002, indicators in addition to the achievement benchmark for identifying improving schools, including an indicator requiring a school to demonstrate ongoing successful use of best teaching practices the organizational and curricular practices implemented in those schools that demonstrate medium and high growth compared to the state growth target.

Subd. 5. Improving graduation rates for students with emotional or behavioral disorders. (a) A district must develop strategies in conjunction with parents of students with emotional or behavioral disorders and the county board responsible for implementing sections 245.487 to 245.4889 to keep students with emotional or behavioral disorders in school, when the district has a drop-out rate for students with an emotional or behavioral disorder in grades 9 through 12 exceeding 25 percent.

(b) A district must develop a plan in conjunction with parents of students with emotional or behavioral disorders and the local mental health authority to increase the graduation rates of students with emotional or behavioral disorders. A district with a drop-out rate for children with an emotional or behavioral disturbance in grades 9 through 12 that is in the top 25 percent of all districts shall submit a plan for review and oversight to the commissioner.

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EFFECTIVE DATE. Subdivision 3, paragraph (b), applies to students in the 2008-2009 school year and later. Subdivision 3, paragraph (c), applies to students in the 2010-2011 school year and later. Subdivision 3, paragraph (d), applies to data that are collected in the 2010-2011 school year and later and reported annually beginning July 1, 2013, consistent with advice the commissioner receives from recognized and qualified experts on student engagement and connection and classroom teachers. Subdivision 4 applies in the 2011-2012 school year and later.

Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.36, is amended to read:

120B.36 SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY; APPEALS PROCESS.

Subdivision 1. School performance report cards. (a) The commissioner shall ~~use objective criteria based on levels of student performance to~~ report ~~at least~~ student academic performance under section 120B.35, subdivision 2, the percentages of students showing low, medium, and high growth under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), school safety and student engagement and connection under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (d), rigorous coursework under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), two separate student-to-teacher ratios that clearly indicate the definition of teacher consistent with sections 122A.06 and 122A.15 for purposes of determining these ratios, ~~and~~ staff characteristics excluding salaries, ~~with a value-added component added no later than the 2008-2009 school year~~ student enrollment demographics, district mobility, and extracurricular activities. The report also must indicate a school's adequate yearly progress status, and must not set any designations applicable to high- and low-performing schools due solely to adequate yearly progress status.

(b) The commissioner shall develop, annually update, and post on the department Web site school performance report cards.

(c) The commissioner must make available ~~the first~~ performance report cards by ~~November 2003, and during~~ the beginning of each school year ~~thereafter~~.

(d) A school or district may appeal its adequate yearly progress status in writing to the commissioner within 30 days of receiving the notice of its status. The commissioner's decision to uphold or deny an appeal is final.

(e) School performance report ~~cards~~ card data are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9, until not later than ten days after the appeal procedure described in paragraph (d) concludes. The department shall annually post school performance report cards to its public Web site no later than September 1.

Subd. 2. Adequate yearly progress and other data. All data the department receives, collects, or creates ~~for purposes of determining~~ to determine adequate yearly progress ~~designations~~ status under Public Law 107-110, section 1116, set state growth targets, and determine student growth are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9, until not later than ten days after the appeal procedure described in subdivision 1, paragraph (d), concludes. Districts must provide parents sufficiently detailed summary data to permit parents to appeal under Public Law 107-110, section 1116(b)(2). The department shall annually post federal adequate yearly progress data and state student growth data to its public Web site no later than September 1.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 121A.15, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8. Report. The administrator or other person having general control and supervision of the elementary or secondary school shall file a report with the commissioner on all persons enrolled in the school. The superintendent of each district shall file a report with the commissioner for all persons within the district receiving instruction in a home school in compliance with sections 120A.22 and 120A.24. The parent of persons receiving instruction in a

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home school shall submit the statements as required by subdivisions 1, 2, 3, and 4 to the superintendent of the district in which the person resides by October 1 of ~~each school year~~ the first year of their home schooling and the 7th grade year. The school report must be prepared on forms developed jointly by the commissioner of health and the commissioner of education and be distributed to the local districts by the commissioner of health. The school report must state the number of persons attending the school, the number of persons who have not been immunized according to subdivision 1 or 2, and the number of persons who received an exemption under subdivision 3, clause (c) or (d). The school report must be filed with the commissioner of education within 60 days of the commencement of each new school term. Upon request, a district must be given a 60-day extension for filing the school report. The commissioner of education shall forward the report, or a copy thereof, to the commissioner of health who shall provide summary reports to boards of health as defined in section 145A.02, subdivision 2. The administrator or other person having general control and supervision of the child care facility shall file a report with the commissioner of human services on all persons enrolled in the child care facility. The child care facility report must be prepared on forms developed jointly by the commissioner of health and the commissioner of human services and be distributed to child care facilities by the commissioner of health. The child care facility report must state the number of persons enrolled in the facility, the number of persons with no immunizations, the number of persons who received an exemption under subdivision 3, clause (c) or (d), and the number of persons with partial or full immunization histories. The child care facility report must be filed with the commissioner of human services by November 1 of each year. The commissioner of human services shall forward the report, or a copy thereof, to the commissioner of health who shall provide summary reports to boards of health as defined in section 145A.02, subdivision 2. The report required by this subdivision is not required of a family child care or group family child care facility, for prekindergarten children enrolled in any elementary or secondary school provided services according to sections 125A.05 and 125A.06, nor for child care facilities in which at least 75 percent of children in the facility participate on a onetime only or occasional basis to a maximum of 45 hours per child, per month.

Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.07, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Eligibility; board composition. Except for the representatives of higher education and the public, to be eligible for appointment to the Board of Teaching a person must be a teacher currently teaching in a Minnesota school and fully licensed for the position held and have at least five years teaching experience in Minnesota, including the two years immediately preceding nomination and appointment. Each nominee, other than a public nominee, must be selected on the basis of professional experience and knowledge of teacher education, accreditation, and licensure. The board must be composed of:

(1) six teachers who are currently teaching in a Minnesota school or who were teaching at the time of the appointment, at least four of whom must be teaching in a public school;

(2) one higher education representative, who must be a faculty member preparing teachers;

(3) one school administrator; and

(4) three members of the public, two of whom must be present or former members of school boards.

Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.07, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Vacant position. With the exception of a teacher who retires from teaching during the course of completing a board term, the position of a member who leaves Minnesota or whose employment status changes to a category different from that from which appointed is deemed vacant.

Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.18, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Expiration and renewal. (a) Each license the Department of Education issues through its licensing section must bear the date of issue. Licenses must expire and be renewed according to the respective rules the Board of Teaching, the Board of School Administrators, or the commissioner of education adopts. Requirements for renewing a license must include showing satisfactory evidence of successful teaching or administrative experience

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for at least one school year during the period covered by the license in grades or subjects for which the license is valid or completing such additional preparation as the Board of Teaching prescribes. The Board of School Administrators shall establish requirements for renewing the licenses of supervisory personnel except athletic coaches. The State Board of Teaching shall establish requirements for renewing the licenses of athletic coaches.

(b) Relicensure applicants, as a condition of relicensure, must present to their local continuing education and relicensure committee or other local relicensure committee evidence of work that demonstrates professional reflection and growth in best teaching practices. The applicant must include a reflective statement of professional accomplishment and the applicant's own assessment of professional growth showing evidence of:

(1) support for student learning;

(2) use of best practices techniques and their applications to student learning;

(3) collaborative work with colleagues that includes examples of collegiality such as attested-to committee work, collaborative staff development programs, and professional learning community work; or

(4) continual professional development that may include job-embedded or other ongoing formal professional learning during the relicensure period.

The Board of Teaching must ensure that its teacher relicensing requirements also include this paragraph.

~~(b)~~ (c) The Board of Teaching shall offer alternative continuing relicensure options for teachers who are accepted into and complete the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification process, and offer additional continuing relicensure options for teachers who earn National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification. Continuing relicensure requirements for teachers who do not maintain National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification are those the board prescribes, consistent with this section.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to licensees seeking relicensure beginning July 1, 2012.

Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.40, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6. ~~Peer review~~ Mentoring for probationary teachers. A school board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in the district must develop a probationary teacher peer review process through joint agreement. The process may include having trained observers serve as mentors or coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning communities.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2009-2010 school year and later.

Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.40, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8. Peer ~~review~~ coaching for continuing contract teachers. A school board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in the district shall develop a peer review process for continuing contract teachers through joint agreement. The process may include having trained observers serve as peer coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning communities.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2009-2010 school year and later.

Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.41, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. ~~Peer review~~ Mentoring for probationary teachers. A board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in the district must develop a probationary teacher peer review process through joint agreement. The process may include having trained observers serve as mentors or coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning communities.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2009-2010 school year and later.

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Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.41, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5. Peer ~~review~~ coaching for continuing contract teachers. A school board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in the district must develop a peer review process for nonprobationary teachers through joint agreement. The process may include having trained observers serve as peer coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning communities.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2009-2010 school year and later.

Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.413, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Plan components. The educational improvement plan must be approved by the school board and have at least these elements:

(1) assessment and evaluation tools to measure student performance and progress;

(2) performance goals and benchmarks for improvement;

(3) measures of student attendance and completion rates;

(4) a rigorous research and practice-based professional development system, based on national and state standards of effective teaching practice and consistent with section 122A.60, that is aligned with educational improvement, and designed to achieve ongoing and schoolwide progress and growth in teaching ~~quality improvement, and consistent with clearly defined research-based standards~~ practice;

(5) measures of student, family, and community involvement and satisfaction;

(6) a data system about students and their academic progress that provides parents and the public with understandable information;

(7) a teacher induction and mentoring program for probationary teachers that provides continuous learning and sustained teacher support; and

(8) substantial participation by the exclusive representative of the teachers in developing the plan.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to plans developed in the 2009-2010 school year and later.

Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.414, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Alternative teacher professional pay system. (a) To participate in this program, a school district, intermediate school district, school site, or charter school must have an educational improvement plan under section 122A.413 and an alternative teacher professional pay system agreement under paragraph (b). A charter school participant also must comply with subdivision 2a.

(b) The alternative teacher professional pay system agreement must:

(1) describe how teachers can achieve career advancement and additional compensation;

(2) describe how the school district, intermediate school district, school site, or charter school will provide teachers with career advancement options that allow teachers to retain primary roles in student instruction and facilitate site-focused professional development that helps other teachers improve their skills;

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(3) reform the "steps and lanes" salary schedule, prevent any teacher's compensation paid before implementing the pay system from being reduced as a result of participating in this system, and base at least 60 percent of any compensation increase on teacher performance using:

(i) schoolwide student achievement gains under section 120B.35 or locally selected standardized assessment outcomes, or both;

(ii) measures of student achievement; and

(iii) an objective evaluation program and evidence of effective practice that ~~includes~~ include:

(A) individual teacher evaluations aligned with the educational improvement plan under section 122A.413 and the staff development plan under section 122A.60; and

(B) objective evaluations using multiple criteria conducted by a locally selected and periodically trained evaluation team that understands teaching and learning including a professional framework outlined in teacher evaluation best practices, supported by multiple criteria, and conducted in a professional and supportive environment; and

(c) reflection and growth in best teaching practices shown through support for student learning, collaborative work with colleagues, or continual professional learning, consistent with section 122A.18, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), clauses (1) to (3);

(4) provide integrated ongoing site-based professional development activities to improve instructional skills and learning that are aligned with student needs under section 122A.413, consistent with the staff development plan under section 122A.60 and led during the school day by trained teacher leaders such as master or mentor teachers or peer coaches;

(5) allow any teacher in a participating school district, intermediate school district, school site, or charter school that implements an alternative pay system to participate in that system without any quota or other limit; and

(6) encourage collaboration rather than competition among teachers.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to all alternative teacher professional pay system agreements entered into or modified after that date.

Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.414, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:

Subd. 2b. Approval process. (a) Consistent with the requirements of this section and sections 122A.413 and 122A.415, the department must prepare and transmit to interested school districts, intermediate school districts, school sites, and charter schools a standard form for applying to participate in the alternative teacher professional pay system. The commissioner annually must establish three dates as deadlines by which interested applicants must submit an application to the commissioner under this section. An interested school district, intermediate school district, school site, or charter school must submit to the commissioner a completed application executed by the district superintendent and the exclusive bargaining representative of the teachers if the applicant is a school district, intermediate school district, or school site, or executed by the charter school board of directors if the applicant is a charter school. The application must include the proposed alternative teacher professional pay system agreement under subdivision 2. The department must ~~convene a~~ review ~~committee that at least includes teachers and administrators~~ a completed application within 30 days of ~~receiving a completed application to~~ the most recent application deadline and recommend to the commissioner whether to approve or disapprove the application. The commissioner must approve applications on a first-come, first-served basis. The applicant's alternative teacher

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professional pay system agreement must be legally binding on the applicant and the collective bargaining representative before the applicant receives alternative compensation revenue. The commissioner must approve or disapprove an application based on the requirements under subdivisions 2 and 2a.

(b) If the commissioner disapproves an application, the commissioner must give the applicant timely notice of the specific reasons in detail for disapproving the application. The applicant may revise and resubmit its application and related documents to the commissioner within 30 days of receiving notice of the commissioner's disapproval and the commissioner must approve or disapprove the revised application, consistent with this subdivision. Applications that are revised and then approved are considered submitted on the date the applicant initially submitted the application.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to all applications submitted after that date.

Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.60, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Contents of the plan. The plan must include the staff development outcomes under subdivision 3, the means to achieve the outcomes, and procedures for evaluating progress at each school site toward meeting education outcomes., consistent with relicensure requirements under section 122A.18, subdivision 2, paragraph (b). The plan also must:

(1) support stable and productive professional communities achieved through ongoing and schoolwide progress and growth in teaching practice;

(2) emphasize coaching, professional learning communities, classroom action research, and other job-embedded models;

(3) maintain a strong subject matter focus premised on students' learning goals;

(4) ensure specialized preparation and learning about issues related to teaching students with special needs and limited English proficiency; and

(5) reinforce national and state standards of effective teaching practice.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2009-2010 school year and later.

Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 123A.05, is amended to read:

123A.05 ~~AREA LEARNING CENTER~~ STATE-APPROVED ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM ORGANIZATION.

Subdivision 1. Governance. (a) A district may establish an area learning center ~~either by itself or in cooperation with other districts~~, alternative learning program, or contract alternative in accordance with sections 124D.68, subdivision 3, paragraph (d), and 124D.69.

(b) An area learning center is encouraged to cooperate with a service cooperative, an intermediate school district, a local education and employment transitions partnership, public and private secondary and postsecondary institutions, public agencies, businesses, and foundations. Except for a district located in a city of the first class, a an area learning center must be established in cooperation with other districts and must serve the geographic area of at least two districts. An area learning center must provide comprehensive educational services to enrolled secondary students throughout the year, including a daytime school within a school or separate site for both high school and middle school level students.

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(c) An alternative learning program may serve the students of one or more districts, may designate which grades are served, and may make program hours and a calendar optional.

(d) A contract alternative is an alternative learning program operated by a private organization that has contracted with a school district to provide educational services for students under section 124D.68, subdivision 2.

Subd. 2. Reserve revenue. Each district that is a member of an area learning center or alternative learning program must reserve revenue in an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 90 percent of the district average general education revenue per pupil unit minus an amount equal to the product of the formula allowance according to section 126C.10, subdivision 2, times .0485, calculated without basic skills revenue and transportation sparsity revenue, times the number of pupil units attending an area learning center or alternative learning program under this section, plus (2) the amount of basic skills revenue generated by pupils attending the area learning center or alternative learning program. The amount of reserved revenue under this subdivision may only be spent on program costs associated with the area learning center or alternative learning program.

Subd. 3. Access to services. A ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program shall have access to the district's regular education programs, special education programs, technology facilities, and staff. It may contract with individuals or postsecondary institutions. It shall seek the involvement of community education programs, postsecondary institutions, interagency collaboratives, culturally based organizations, mutual assistance associations, and other community resources, businesses, and other federal, state, and local public agencies.

Subd. 4. Nonresident pupils. A pupil who does not reside in the district may attend a ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program without consent of the school board of the district of residence.

Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 123A.06, is amended to read:

123A.06 ~~CENTER~~ STATE-APPROVED ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

Subdivision 1. Program focus. (a) The programs and services of a ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program must focus on academic and learning skills, applied learning opportunities, trade and vocational skills, work-based learning opportunities, work experience, youth service to the community, transition services, and English language and literacy programs for children whose primary language is a language other than English. Applied learning, work-based learning, and service learning may best be developed in collaboration with a local education and transitions partnership, culturally based organizations, mutual assistance associations, or other community resources. In addition to offering programs, the ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program shall coordinate the use of other available educational services, special education services, social services, health services, and postsecondary institutions in the community and services area.

(b) Consistent with the requirements of sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, a school district may provide an alternative education program for a student who is within the compulsory attendance age under section 120A.20, and who is involved in severe or repeated disciplinary action.

Subd. 2. People to be served. A ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program shall provide programs for secondary pupils and adults. A center may also provide programs and services for elementary and secondary pupils who are not attending the ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program to assist them in being successful in school. A center shall use research-based best practices for serving limited English proficient students and their parents. An individual education plan team may identify a ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program as an appropriate placement to the extent a ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program can provide the student with the appropriate special education services described in the student's plan. Pupils eligible to be served are those who qualify under the graduation incentives program in section 124D.68, subdivision 2, those enrolled under section 124D.02, subdivision 2, or those pupils who are eligible to receive special education services under sections 125A.03 to 125A.24, and 125A.65.

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Subd. 3. Hours of instruction exemption. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the area learning center programs must be available throughout the entire year. ~~A center may petition the state board under Minnesota Rules, part 3500.1000, for exemption from other rules.~~

Subd. 4. Granting a diploma. Upon successful completion of the area learning center program, a pupil is entitled to receive a high school diploma. The pupil may elect to receive a diploma from either the district of residence or the district in which the area learning center is located.

Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 123A.08, is amended to read:

123A.08 ~~CENTER~~ STATE-APPROVED ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM FUNDING.

Subdivision 1. Outside sources for resources and services. A ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program may accept:

(1) resources and services from postsecondary institutions serving ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program pupils;

(2) resources from ~~Job Training Partnership~~ Workforce Investment Act programs, including funding for jobs skills training for various groups and the percentage reserved for education;

(3) resources from the Department of Human Services and county welfare funding;

(4) resources from a local education and employment transitions partnership; or

(5) private resources, foundation grants, gifts, corporate contributions, and other grants.

Subd. 2. General education aid. Payment of general education aid for nonresident pupils enrolled in ~~the center~~ area learning centers and alternative learning programs must be made according to section 127A.47, subdivision 7.

Subd. 3. Special education revenue. Payment of special education revenue for nonresident pupils enrolled in the ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program must be made according to section ~~125A.15~~ 127A.47, subdivision 7.

Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 123B.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Background check required. (a) A school hiring authority shall request a criminal history background check from the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on all individuals who are offered employment in a school and on all individuals, except enrolled student volunteers, who are offered the opportunity to provide athletic coaching services or other extracurricular academic coaching services to a school, regardless of whether any compensation is paid. In order for an individual to be eligible for employment or to provide the services, the individual must provide an executed criminal history consent form and a money order or check payable to either the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension or the school hiring authority, at the discretion of the school hiring authority, in an amount equal to the actual cost to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the school district of conducting the criminal history background check. A school hiring authority deciding to receive payment may, at its discretion, accept payment in the form of a negotiable instrument other than a money order or check and shall pay the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension directly to conduct the background check. The superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension shall conduct the background check by retrieving criminal history data maintained in the criminal justice information system computers. A school hiring authority, at its discretion, may decide not to request a criminal history background check on an individual who holds an initial entrance license issued by the State Board of Teaching or the commissioner of education within the 12 months preceding an offer of employment.

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(b) A school hiring authority may use the results of a criminal background check conducted at the request of another school hiring authority if:

(1) the results of the criminal background check are on file with the other school hiring authority or otherwise accessible;

(2) the other school hiring authority conducted a criminal background check within the previous 12 months;

(3) the individual who is the subject of the criminal background check executes a written consent form giving a school hiring authority access to the results of the check; and

(4) there is no reason to believe that the individual has committed an act subsequent to the check that would disqualify the individual for employment.

(c) A school hiring authority may, at its discretion, request a criminal history background check from the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on any individual who seeks to enter a school or its grounds for the purpose of serving as a school volunteer or working as an independent contractor or student employee. In order for an individual to enter a school or its grounds under this paragraph when the school hiring authority decides to request a criminal history background check on the individual, the individual first must provide an executed criminal history consent form and a money order, check, or other negotiable instrument payable to the school district in an amount equal to the actual cost to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the school district of conducting the criminal history background check. ~~Notwithstanding section 299C.62, subdivision 1, the cost of the criminal history background check under this paragraph is the responsibility of the individual~~ A school hiring authority may decide to pay the cost of conducting a background check under this paragraph, in which case the individual who is the subject of the background check need not pay for the background check.

(d) For all nonstate residents who are offered employment in a school, a school hiring authority shall request a criminal history background check on such individuals from the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and from the government agency performing the same function in the resident state or, if no government entity performs the same function in the resident state, from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Such individuals must provide an executed criminal history consent form and a money order, check, or other negotiable instrument payable to the school hiring authority in an amount equal to the actual cost to the government agencies and the school district of conducting the criminal history background check. Notwithstanding section 299C.62, subdivision 1, the cost of the criminal history background check under this paragraph is the responsibility of the individual.

(e) At the beginning of each school year or when a student enrolls, a school hiring authority must notify parents and guardians about the school hiring authority's policy requiring a criminal history background check on employees and other individuals who provide services to the school, and identify those positions subject to a background check and the extent of the hiring authority's discretion in requiring a background check. The school hiring authority may include the notice in the student handbook, a school policy guide, or other similar communication. Nothing in this paragraph affects a school hiring authority's ability to request a criminal history background check on an individual under paragraph (c).

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 123B.03, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a. Investigation of disciplinary actions taken against prospective teachers. (a) At the time a school board or other hiring authority conducts the criminal history background check required under subdivision 1 on an individual offered employment as a teacher, the school board or other hiring authority must contact the Board of

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Teaching to determine whether the board has taken disciplinary action against the teacher based on ~~a board determination that~~ sexual misconduct or attempted sexual misconduct ~~occurred~~ between the teacher and a student or other misconduct resulting in board disciplinary action. If disciplinary action has been taken based on ~~this type of~~ misconduct, the school board or other hiring authority must obtain access to data that are public under section 13.41, subdivision 5, that relate to the substance of the disciplinary action. In addition, the school board or other hiring authority must require the individual to provide information in the employment application regarding all current and previous disciplinary actions in Minnesota and other states taken against the individual's teaching license as a result of sexual misconduct or attempted sexual misconduct with a student or other misconduct and indicate to the applicant that intentionally submitting false or incomplete information is a ground for dismissal.

(b) For purposes of this subdivision, "disciplinary action" does not include an action based on court-ordered child support or maintenance payment arrearages under section 214.101 or delinquent state taxes under section 270C.72.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective May 1, 2009.

Sec. 31. [123B.045] DISTRICT-CREATED SITE-GOVERNED SCHOOLS.

Subdivision 1. Authority. (a) A school board may approve site-governed schools under this section by requesting site-governing school proposals. The request for proposals must include what types of schools or education innovations the board intends to create. A current site may submit a proposal to create a different model for the site if 60 percent or more of the teachers at the site support the proposal. A group of licensed district professionals from one or multiple district sites may submit a proposal. The group submitting the proposal must include parents or other community members in the development of the proposal. A proposal may request approval for a model of a school not included in the request for proposal of the board.

(b) The school board and the applicable bargaining unit representing district employees must enter into memoranda of understanding specifying how applicable sections of current contracts will enable the provisions of subdivision 2, clauses (7) and (8), to be implemented.

(c) Within 60 days of receipt of the application, the school board shall determine whether to approve, deny, or return the application to the applicants for further information or development.

(d) Upon approval of the proposal, an agreement between the district and the site council shall be developed identifying the powers and duties delegated to the site and outlining the details of the proposal including the provisions of subdivisions 2, 3, and 5. Any powers or duties not specifically delegated to the school site in the agreement remains with the school board.

Subd. 2. Roles and responsibilities of site-governed schools. (a) Site-governed schools approved by the school board have the following autonomy and responsibilities at the discretion of the site:

(1) to create the site-governing council of the school. The council shall include teachers, administrators, parents, students if appropriate, community members, and other representatives of the community as determined by the site-governing council. Teachers may comprise a majority of the site-governing council at the option of a majority of the teachers at the site. The number of members on the site-governing council and the composition shall be included in the proposal approved by the school board;

(2) to determine the leadership model for the site including: selecting a principal, operating as a teacher professional practices model with school leadership functions performed by one or more teachers or administrators at the school or other model determined by the site;

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(3) to determine the budget for the site and the allocation and expenditure of the revenue based on provisions of subdivision 3;

(4) to determine the learning model and organization of the school consistent with the application approved by the school board;

(5) to select and develop its curriculum and determine formative and summative assessment practices;

(6) to set policies for the site including student promotion, attendance, discipline, graduation requirements which may exceed the school board standards, and other such rules as approved by the school board consistent with the mission, goals, and learning program of the school site;

(7) to determine the length of the school day and year and employee work rules covered by the terms and conditions of the employment contract;

(8) to select teachers and other staff consistent with current law and collective bargaining agreements and memoranda of understanding provided for in subdivision 1, paragraph (b). At least 70 percent of the teachers must be selected by the site prior to final approval of the agreement. Prior to requesting the district to employ staff not currently employed by the district, the site must first select current district staff including those on requested and unrequested leave as provided for in sections 122A.40 and 122A.41. The school board shall be the legal employer of all staff at the site and all teachers and other staff members of the applicable bargaining units. Teachers and other employees may be required to sign an individual work agreement with the site-governing council committing themselves to the mission and learning program of the school and the requirements of the site-governing council; and

(9) to fulfill other provisions as agreed to by the district and site-governing council.

(b) If a self-governed school created under this section is supervised by a principal, that principal must be licensed, consistent with section 123B.147, subdivision 2.

Subd. 3. Revenue to self-governed school. (a) The revenue that shall be allocated by the site includes the general education revenue generated by the students at the site from state, local, and private sources, referendum revenue, federal revenue from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Carl Perkins Act, and other federal programs as agreed to by the school board and site council.

(b) The district may retain an administrative fee for managing the federal programs, private revenues, and general administrative functions including school board, superintendent, district legal counsel, finance, accountability and self-governed school contract oversight, facilities maintenance, districtwide special education programs, and other such services as agreed to by the site and school board. The administrative fee shall be included in the agreement.

(c) As part of the agreement, the district may provide specific services for the site and may specify the amount to be paid for each service and retain the revenues for that amount. The formula or procedures for determining the amount of revenue to be allocated to the site each year shall be consistent with this subdivision and incorporated in the site budget annually following a timeline and process that is included in the agreement with the school board. The site is responsible for allocating revenue for all staff at the site and for the other provisions of the agreement with the district board.

(d) All unspent revenue shall be carried over to following years for the sole use of the site.

Subd. 4. Exemption from statutes and rules. Except as outlined in this section, site-governed schools established under this section are exempt from and subject to the same laws and rules as are chartered schools under section 124D.10, except that the schools shall be subject to chapters 13, 13D, and 179A, and sections 122A.40, 122A.41, 122A.50, and 122A.51.

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Subd. 5. Performance standards. (a) The school board and the site council shall include in the agreement performance standards and expectations that shall include at least the following:

(1) student achievement targets on multiple indicators including either a growth model or value-added growth model;

(2) the criteria and process to be followed if it is determined that the site failed to comply with district oversight and accountability requirements as outlined in the agreement; and

(3) other performance provisions as agreed to.

(b) All agreements shall be filed with the commissioner. The initial agreement shall be for up to three years, shall be reviewed annually, and may be renewed by the district board for additional terms of up to five years based on the performance of the school.

Subd. 6. Board termination of self-governed school authority. (a) The district board may terminate the agreement for one or more of the following reasons:

(1) failure of the site to meet the provisions specified in the agreement in subdivision 5;

(2) violations of law; or

(3) other good cause shown.

(b) Site-governed schools that are terminated or not renewed for reasons other than cause may request to convert to charter school status as provided for in section 124D.10 and, if chartered by the board, shall become the owner of all materials, supplies, and equipment purchased during the period the school was a site-governed school.

Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 123B.143, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Contract; duties. All districts maintaining a classified secondary school must employ a superintendent who shall be an ex officio nonvoting member of the school board. The authority for selection and employment of a superintendent must be vested in the board in all cases. An individual employed by a board as a superintendent shall have an initial employment contract for a period of time no longer than three years from the date of employment. Any subsequent employment contract must not exceed a period of three years. A board, at its discretion, may or may not renew an employment contract. A board must not, by action or inaction, extend the duration of an existing employment contract. Beginning 365 days prior to the expiration date of an existing employment contract, a board may negotiate and enter into a subsequent employment contract to take effect upon the expiration of the existing contract. A subsequent contract must be contingent upon the employee completing the terms of an existing contract. If a contract between a board and a superintendent is terminated prior to the date specified in the contract, the board may not enter into another superintendent contract with that same individual that has a term that extends beyond the date specified in the terminated contract. A board may terminate a superintendent during the term of an employment contract for any of the grounds specified in section 122A.40, subdivision 9 or 13. A superintendent shall not rely upon an employment contract with a board to assert any other continuing contract rights in the position of superintendent under section 122A.40. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 122A.40, subdivision 10 or 11, 123A.32, 123A.75, or any other law to the contrary, no individual shall have a right to employment as a superintendent based on order of employment in any district. If two or more districts enter into an agreement for the purchase or sharing of the services of a superintendent, the contracting districts have the absolute right to select one of the individuals employed to serve as superintendent in one of the contracting districts and no individual has a right to employment as the superintendent to provide all or part of the services based on order of employment in a contracting district. The superintendent of a district shall perform the following:

(1) visit and supervise the schools in the district, report and make recommendations about their condition when advisable or on request by the board;

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(2) recommend to the board employment and dismissal of teachers;

(3) superintend school grading practices and examinations for promotions;

(4) make reports required by the commissioner; and

(5) by January 10, submit an annual report to the commissioner in a manner prescribed by the commissioner, in consultation with school districts, identifying the expenditures that the district requires to ensure an 80 percent student passage rate on the MCA-IIs taken in the eighth grade, identifying the highest student passage rate the district expects it will be able to attain on the MCA-IIs by grade 12, and the amount of expenditures that the district requires to attain the targeted student passage rate; and

~~(6)~~ perform other duties prescribed by the board.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to the 2009-2010 school year and later.

Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 123B.51, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 5a. Temporary closing. A school district that proposes to temporarily close a schoolhouse or that intends to lease the facility to another entity for use as a schoolhouse for three or fewer years is not subject to subdivision 5 if the school board holds a public meeting and allows public comment on the schoolhouse's future.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.095, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given them.

(a) "Online learning" is an interactive course or program that delivers instruction from a teacher to a student by computer; is combined with other traditional delivery methods that include frequent student assessment and may include actual teacher contact time; and meets or exceeds state academic standards.

(b) "Online learning provider" is a school district, an intermediate school district, an organization of two or more school districts operating under a joint powers agreement, or a charter school located in Minnesota that provides online learning to students.

(c) "Student" is a Minnesota resident enrolled in a school under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, in kindergarten through grade 12.

(d) "Online learning student" is a student enrolled in an online learning course or program delivered by an online provider under paragraph (b).

(e) "Enrolling district" means the school district or charter school in which a student is enrolled under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, for purposes of compulsory attendance.

(f) "Supplemental online learning" means an online course taken in place of a course period during the regular school day at a local district school.

(g) "Full-time online provider" means an enrolling school authorized by the department to deliver comprehensive public education at any or all of the elementary, middle, or high school levels.

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(h) "Online course syllabus" is a written document that an online learning provider makes available to the enrolling district using a format prescribed by the commissioner to identify the state academic standards embedded in an online course, the course content outline, required course assessments, expectations for actual teacher contact time and other student-to-teacher communications, and academic support available to the online learning student.

Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.095, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Authorization; notice; limitations on enrollment. (a) A student may apply for full-time enrollment in an approved online learning program under section 124D.03, 124D.08 or 124D.10~~, or for supplemental online learning~~. Notwithstanding sections 124D.03, 124D.08, and 124D.10, procedures for enrolling in supplemental online learning shall be as provided in this subdivision. A student age 17 or younger must have the written consent of a parent or guardian to apply. No school district or charter school may prohibit a student from applying to enroll in online learning. In order that a student may enroll in online learning, the student and the student's parents must submit an application to the online learning provider and identify the reason for enrolling in online learning. The online learning provider that accepts a student under this section must within ten days notify the student and the enrolling district in writing if the enrolling district is not the online learning provider. The student and family must notify the online learning provider of their intent to enroll in online learning within ten days of acceptance, at which time the student and parent must sign a statement of assurance that they have reviewed the online course or program and understand the expectations of online learning enrollment. The online learning provider must notify the enrolling district of the student's ~~enrollment~~ application to enroll in online learning in writing on a form provided by the department.

(b) Supplemental online learning notification to the enrolling district upon student ~~enrollment in~~ application to the online learning ~~program~~ provider will include the courses or program, credits to be awarded, and the start date of online enrollment~~, and confirmation that the courses will meet the student's graduation plan~~. An online learning provider must provide the enrolling district with an online course syllabus. Within 15 days after the online learning provider makes the supplemental online course syllabus available to the enrolling district, the enrolling district must notify the online provider whether or not the student, parent or guardian, and enrolling district agree that the course meets the enrolling district's graduation requirements. A student may enroll in supplemental online learning courses up to the midpoint of the enrolling district's term. The enrolling district may waive this requirement for special circumstances and upon acceptance by the online provider. An online learning course or program that meets or exceeds a graduation standard or grade progression requirements at the enrolling district as demonstrated on the online provider's syllabus must be considered to meet the corresponding graduation requirements of the student in the enrolling district. If the enrolling district decides that the course does not meet its graduation requirements, then:

(1) the district shall provide a written explanation of its decision upon request by the student, parent or guardian, or online provider;

(2) the district shall allow the online provider the opportunity to respond in writing to the district's written explanation of its decision for the purpose of describing how the course may meet the district's graduation requirement; and

(3) the student, parent or guardian, or online provider may request that the Department of Education review the district's decision to determine whether it is consistent with this section.

(c) An online learning provider must notify the commissioner that it is delivering online learning and report the number of online learning students it is accepting and the online learning courses and programs it is delivering.

(d) An online learning provider may limit enrollment if the provider's school board or board of directors adopts by resolution specific standards for accepting and rejecting students' applications.

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(e) An enrolling district may reduce an online learning student's regular classroom instructional membership in proportion to the student's membership in online learning courses.

(f) The online provider must report or provide access to information on an individual student's progress and accumulated credit to the student, parent or guardian, and enrolling district in a manner specified by the commissioner unless another manner is agreed upon by the enrolling district and the online provider and submitted to the commissioner. The enrolling district must designate a contact person to assist in facilitating and monitoring the student's progress and accumulated credit towards graduation.

Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.095, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Online learning parameters. (a) An online learning student must receive academic credit for completing the requirements of an online learning course or program. Secondary credits granted to an online learning student must be counted toward the graduation and credit requirements of the enrolling district. An online learning provider must make available to the enrolling district the course syllabus, standard alignment, content outline, assessment requirements, and contact information for supplemental online courses taken by students in the enrolling district. The enrolling district must apply the same graduation requirements to all students, including online learning students, and must continue to provide nonacademic services to online learning students. If a student completes an online learning course or program that meets or exceeds a graduation standard or grade progression requirement at the enrolling district, that standard or requirement is met. The enrolling district must use the same criteria for accepting online learning credits or courses as it does for accepting credits or courses for transfer students under section 124D.03, subdivision 9. The enrolling district may reduce the course schedule of an online learning student in proportion to the number of online learning courses the student takes from an online learning provider that is not the enrolling district.

(b) An online learning student may:

(1) enroll in supplemental online learning courses during a single school year to a maximum of 50 percent of the student's full schedule of courses per term. A student may exceed the supplemental online learning registration limit if the enrolling district grants permission for supplemental online learning enrollment above the limit, or if an agreement is made between the enrolling district and the online learning provider for instructional services;

(2) complete course work at a grade level that is different from the student's current grade level; and

(3) enroll in additional courses with the online learning provider under a separate agreement that includes terms for payment of any tuition or course fees.

(c) An online learning student has the same access to the computer hardware and education software available in a school as all other students in the enrolling district. An online learning provider must assist an online learning student whose family qualifies for the education tax credit under section 290.0674 to acquire computer hardware and educational software for online learning purposes.

(d) An enrolling district may offer online learning to its enrolled students. Such online learning does not generate online learning funds under this section. An enrolling district that offers online learning only to its enrolled students is not subject to the reporting requirements or review criteria under subdivision 7, unless the enrolling district is a full-time online provider. A teacher with a Minnesota license must assemble and deliver instruction to enrolled students receiving online learning from an enrolling district. The delivery of instruction occurs when the student interacts with the computer or the teacher and receives ongoing assistance and assessment of learning. The instruction may include curriculum developed by persons other than a teacher with a Minnesota license.

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(e) An Both full-time and supplemental online learning ~~provider that is not the enrolling district is~~ providers are subject to the reporting requirements and review criteria under subdivision 7. A teacher with a Minnesota license must assemble and deliver instruction to online learning students. The delivery of instruction occurs when the student interacts with the computer or the teacher and receives ongoing assistance and assessment of learning. The instruction may include curriculum developed by persons other than a teacher with a Minnesota license. Unless the commissioner grants a waiver, a teacher providing online learning instruction must not instruct more than 40 students in any one online learning course or program.

(f) To enroll in more than 50 percent of the student's full schedule of courses per term in online learning, the student must qualify to exceed the supplemental online learning registration limit under paragraph (b) or apply for enrollment to an approved full-time online learning program following appropriate procedures in subdivision 3, paragraph (a). Full-time online learning students may enroll in classes at a local school per contract for instructional services between the online learning provider and the school district.

Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.095, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7. Department of Education. (a) The department must review and certify online learning providers. The online learning courses and programs must be rigorous, aligned with state academic standards, and contribute to grade progression in a single subject. Online learning providers must demonstrate to the commissioner that online learning courses have equivalent standards or instruction, curriculum, and assessment requirements as other courses offered to enrolled students. The online learning provider must also demonstrate expectations for actual teacher contact time or other student-to-teacher communication The online provider must provide a written statement that: (1) all courses meet state academic standards; and (2) the online learning curriculum, instruction, and assessment, expectations for actual teacher-contact time or other student-to-teacher communication, and academic support meet nationally recognized professional standards and are demonstrated as such in a syllabus provided according to the commissioner's requirements. Once an online learning provider is approved under this paragraph, all of its online learning course offerings are eligible for payment under this section unless a course is successfully challenged by an enrolling district or the department under paragraph (b).

(b) An enrolling district may challenge the validity of a course offered by an online learning provider. The department must review such challenges based on the certification procedures under paragraph (a). The department may initiate its own review of the validity of an online learning course offered by an online learning provider.

(c) The department may collect a fee not to exceed $250 for certifying online learning providers or $50 per course for reviewing a challenge by an enrolling district.

(d) The department must develop, publish, and maintain a list of approved online learning providers and online learning courses and programs that it has reviewed and certified.

Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.095, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

Subd. 10. Online Learning Advisory Council. (a) An Online Learning Advisory Council is established ~~under section 15.059, except that~~. The term for each council member shall be three years. The advisory council is composed of 12 members from throughout the state who have demonstrated experience with or interest in online learning. The members of the council shall be appointed by the commissioner. The advisory council shall bring to the attention of the commissioner any matters related to online learning and provide input to the department in matters related, but not restricted, to:

(1) quality assurance;

(2) teacher qualifications;

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(3) program approval;

(4) special education;

(5) attendance;

(6) program design and requirements; and

(7) fair and equal access to programs.

(b) The Online Learning Advisory Council under this subdivision expires June 30, ~~2008~~ 2013.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.10, is amended to read:

124D.10 CHARTER SCHOOLS.

Subdivision 1. Purposes. (a) The purpose of this section is to:

(1) improve pupil learning and achievement;

(2) increase learning opportunities for pupils;

(3) encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods;

(4) ~~require the measurement of~~ measure learning outcomes ~~and create~~ through the creation and use of different and innovative forms of measuring outcomes;

(5) establish new forms of accountability for schools; or

(6) create new professional opportunities for teachers, including the opportunity to be responsible for the learning program at the school site.

(b) This section does not provide a means to keep open a school that otherwise would be closed. Applicants in these circumstances bear the burden of proving that conversion to a charter school fulfills a purpose specified in this subdivision, independent of the school's closing.

Subd. 2. Applicability. This section applies only to charter schools formed and operated under this section.

~~Subd. 2a.~~ ~~Charter School Advisory Council.~~ (a) A Charter School Advisory Council is established under section 15.059 except that the term for each council member shall be three years. The advisory council is composed of seven members from throughout the state who have demonstrated experience with or interest in charter schools. The members of the council shall be appointed by the commissioner. The advisory council shall bring to the attention of the commissioner any matters related to charter schools that the council deems necessary and shall:

~~(1) encourage school boards to make full use of charter school opportunities;~~

~~(2) encourage the creation of innovative schools;~~

~~(3) provide leadership and support for charter school sponsors to increase the innovation in and the effectiveness, accountability, and fiscal soundness of charter schools;~~

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~~(4) serve an ombudsman function in facilitating the operations of new and existing charter schools;~~

~~(5) promote timely financial management training for newly elected members of a charter school board of directors and ongoing training for other members of a charter school board of directors; and~~

~~(6) facilitate compliance with auditing and other reporting requirements. The advisory council shall refer all its proposals to the commissioner who shall provide time for reports from the council.~~

~~(b) The Charter School Advisory Council under this subdivision expires June 30, 2007.~~

Subd. 3. ~~Sponsor~~ Authorizer. (a) For purposes of this section, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given them.

"Application" to receive approval as an authorizer means the proposal an eligible authorizer submits to the commissioner under paragraph (c) before that authorizer is able to submit any affidavit to charter to a school.

"Application" under subdivision 4 means the charter school business plan a school developer submits to an authorizer for approval to establish a charter school that documents the school developer's mission statement, school purposes, program design, financial plan, governance and management structure, and background and experience, plus any other information the authorizer requests. The application also shall include a "statement of assurances" of legal compliance prescribed by the commissioner.

"Affidavit" means a written statement the authorizer submits to the commissioner for approval to establish a charter school under subdivision 4 attesting to its review and approval process before chartering a school.

(b) The following organizations may authorize one or more charter schools:

(1) a school board; intermediate school district school board; education district organized under sections 123A.15 to 123A.19;

(2) a charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, excluding a nonpublic sectarian or religious institution, any person other than a natural person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the nonpublic sectarian or religious institution, and any other charitable organization under this clause that in the federal IRS Form 1023, Part IV, describes activities indicating a religious purpose, that:

(i) is a member of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits or the Minnesota Council on Foundations,;

(ii) is registered with the attorney general's office~~, and~~;

(iii) reports an end-of-year fund balance of at least $2,000,000; and

(iv) is incorporated in the state of Minnesota;

(3) a Minnesota private college, notwithstanding clause (2), that grants two- or four-year degrees and is registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education under chapter 136A; community college, state university, or technical college, governed by the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; or the University of Minnesota ~~may sponsor one or more charter schools.~~; or

~~(b)~~ (4) a nonprofit corporation subject to chapter 317A, described in section 317A.905, and exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, may ~~sponsor~~ authorize one or more charter schools if the charter school has operated for at least three years under a different ~~sponsor~~ authorizer and if the nonprofit corporation has existed for at least 25 years.

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(c) An eligible authorizer under this subdivision must apply to the commissioner for approval as an authorizer before submitting any affidavit to the commissioner to charter a school. The application for approval as a charter school authorizer must demonstrate the applicant's ability to implement the procedures and satisfy the criteria for chartering a school under this section. The commissioner must approve or disapprove an application within 60 business days of the application deadline. If the commissioner disapproves the application, the commissioner must notify the applicant of the deficiencies and the applicant then has 20 business days to address the deficiencies to the commissioner's satisfaction. Failing to address the deficiencies to the commissioner's satisfaction makes an applicant ineligible to be an authorizer. The commissioner, in establishing criteria for approval, must consider the applicant's:

(1) capacity and infrastructure;

(2) application criteria and process;

(3) contracting process;

(4) ongoing oversight and evaluation processes; and

(5) renewal criteria and processes.

A disapproved applicant under this paragraph may resubmit an application during a future application period.

(d) The authorizer must participate in ongoing department-approved training.

(e) An authorizer that chartered a school before August 1, 2009, must apply by June 30, 2012, to the commissioner for approval under paragraph (c) to continue as an authorizer under this section. For purposes of this paragraph, an authorizer that fails to submit a timely application is ineligible to charter a school.

(f) The commissioner shall review an authorizer's performance at least once every five years in a manner and form determined by the commissioner, and may review an authorizer's performance more frequently at the commissioner's own initiative or at the request of a charter school developer, operator, board member, or other interested party. The commissioner, after completing the review, shall transmit a report with findings to the authorizer. If, consistent with this section, the commissioner finds that an authorizer has not performed satisfactorily, the commissioner may subject the authorizer to corrective action, which may include terminating the contract with the board of a school it chartered. The commissioner must notify the authorizer in writing of any findings that may subject the authorizer to corrective action and the authorizer then has 15 business days to request an informal hearing before the commissioner takes corrective action.

(g) The commissioner may take corrective action against an authorizer, including terminating an authorizer's eligibility to charter a school for:

(1) failing to satisfy the criteria under which the commissioner approved the authorizer;

(2) failing to perform satisfactorily as an approved authorizer; or

(3) violating a term of the chartering contract between the authorizer and charter school board.

Subd. 4. Formation of school. (a) ~~A sponsor~~ An authorizer, after receiving an application from a school developer, may ~~authorize~~ charter a licensed teacher under section 122A.18, subdivision 1, or a group of individuals that includes one or more licensed teachers under section 122A.18, subdivision 1, to operate a ~~charter~~ school subject to the commissioner's approval ~~by the commissioner~~ of the authorizer's affidavit under paragraph (b). ~~A board must~~

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~~vote on charter school application for sponsorship no later than 90 days after receiving the application.~~ The school must be organized and operated as a cooperative under chapter 308A or nonprofit corporation under chapter 317A and the provisions under the applicable chapter shall apply to the school except as provided in this section.

Notwithstanding sections 465.717 and 465.719, a school district, subject to this section and section 124D.11, may create a corporation for the purpose of ~~creating~~ establishing a charter school.

(b) Before the operators may ~~form~~ establish and operate a school, the ~~sponsor~~ authorizer must file an affidavit with the commissioner stating its intent to ~~authorize a~~ charter a school. An authorizer must file a separate affidavit for each school it intends to charter. The affidavit must state the terms and conditions under which the ~~sponsor~~ authorizer would ~~authorize a~~ charter a school and how the ~~sponsor~~ authorizer intends to oversee the fiscal and student performance of the charter school and to comply with the terms of the written contract between the ~~sponsor~~ authorizer and the charter school board of directors under subdivision 6. The commissioner must approve or disapprove the ~~sponsor's proposed authorization~~ authorizer's affidavit within 90 60 business days of receipt of the affidavit. If the commissioner disapproves the affidavit, the commissioner shall notify the authorizer of the deficiencies in the affidavit and the authorizer then has 20 business days to address the deficiencies. If the authorizer does not address deficiencies to the commissioner's satisfaction, the commissioner's disapproval is final. Failure to obtain commissioner approval precludes ~~a sponsor~~ an authorizer from ~~authorizing~~ chartering the ~~charter~~ school that ~~was~~ is the subject of ~~the~~ this affidavit.

(c) The authorizer may prevent an approved charter school from opening for operation if, among other grounds, the charter school violates this section or does not meet the ready-to-open standards that are part of the authorizer's oversight and evaluation process or are stipulated in the charter school contract.

(d) The operators authorized to organize and operate a school, before entering into a contract or other agreement for professional or other services, goods, or facilities, must incorporate as a cooperative under chapter 308A or as a nonprofit corporation under chapter 317A and must establish a board of directors composed of at least five members who are not related parties until a timely election for members of the ongoing charter school board of directors is held according to the school's articles and bylaws under paragraph (f). A charter school board of directors must be composed of at least five members who are not related parties. ~~Any~~ Staff members ~~who are~~ employed at the school, including teachers providing instruction under a contract with a cooperative, and all parents or legal guardians of children enrolled in the school ~~may participate in the election for~~ are the voters eligible to elect the members of the school's board of directors. Licensed teachers employed at the school, including teachers providing instruction under a contract with a cooperative, must be a majority of the members of the board of directors before the school completes its third year of operation, unless the commissioner waives the requirement for a majority of licensed teachers on the board. A charter school must notify eligible voters of the school board election dates at least 30 days before the election. Board of director meetings must comply with chapter 13D.

~~(d)~~ (e) Upon the request of an individual, the charter school must make available in a timely fashion the minutes of meetings of the board of directors, and of members and committees having any board-delegated authority; financial statements showing all operations and transactions affecting income, surplus, and deficit during the school's last annual accounting period; and a balance sheet summarizing assets and liabilities on the closing date of the accounting period. A charter school also must post on its official Web site information identifying its authorizer and indicate how to contact that authorizer and include that same information about its authorizer in other school materials that it makes available to the public.

(f) Every charter school board member shall attend department-approved training on board governance, the board's role and responsibilities, employment policies and practices, and financial management. A board member who does not complete the required training within 12 months of being seated on the board is ineligible to continue to serve as a board member.

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(g) The ongoing board must be elected before the school completes its third year of operation. The board of directors shall be (i) a teacher majority board made up of licensed teachers employed at the school or (ii) a board having at least 20 percent of its members as licensed teachers employed at the school and must include charter school parents or guardians and interested community members. Licensed teachers employed by the school, or those providing instruction under a contract with a cooperative, may be members of the board of directors. The chief financial officer and chief administrator are nonvoting board members. Board bylaws shall outline the internal process and procedures for changing the board's governance model. A board may change between the governance models established in this paragraph only with approval from the authorizer and a voting majority of the board of directors and the licensed teachers employed at the school, including teachers providing instruction under a contract with a cooperative.

(h) The granting or renewal of a charter by ~~a sponsoring entity~~ an authorizer must not be conditioned upon the bargaining unit status of the employees of the school.

~~(e) A sponsor~~ (i) The granting or renewal of a charter school by an authorizer must not be contingent on the charter school being required to contract, lease, or purchase services from the authorizer. Any potential contract, lease, or purchase of service from an authorizer must be disclosed to the commissioner, accepted through an open bidding process, and be a separate contract from the charter contract. The school must document the open bidding process. An authorizer must not enter into a contract to provide management and financial services for a school that it authorizes, unless the school documents that it received at least two competitive bids.

(j) The charter school shall not offer any services or goods of value to students, parents, or guardians as an inducement, term, or condition of enrolling a student in a charter school.

(k) An authorizer may ~~authorize~~ permit the ~~operators~~ board of directors of a charter school to expand the operation of the charter school to additional sites or to add additional grades at the school beyond those described in the ~~sponsor's application~~ authorizer's original affidavit as approved by the commissioner only after submitting a supplemental ~~application~~ affidavit for approval to the commissioner in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. The supplemental ~~application~~ affidavit must ~~provide evidence~~ show that:

(1) the expansion of proposed by the charter school is supported by need and projected enrollment;

(2) the charter school expansion is warranted, at a minimum, by longitudinal data demonstrating students' improved academic performance and growth on statewide assessments under chapter 120B;

~~(2)~~ (3) the charter school is fiscally sound and has the financial capacity to implement the proposed expansion; and

~~(3)~~ (4) the ~~sponsor supports the~~ authorizer finds that the charter school has the management capacity to carry out its expansion~~; and~~.

~~(4) the building of the additional site meets all health and safety requirements to be eligible for lease aid.~~

(f) The commissioner annually must provide timely financial management training to newly elected members of a charter school board of directors and ongoing training to other members of a charter school board of directors. Training must address ways to:

~~(1) proactively assess opportunities for a charter school to maximize all available revenue sources;~~

~~(2) establish and maintain complete, auditable records for the charter school;~~

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~~(3) establish proper filing techniques;~~

~~(4) document formal actions of the charter school, including meetings of the charter school board of directors;~~

~~(5) properly manage and retain charter school and student records;~~

~~(6) comply with state and federal payroll record-keeping requirements; and~~

~~(7) address other similar factors that facilitate establishing and maintaining complete records on the charter school's operations.~~

(l) The commissioner shall have 30 business days to review and comment on the supplemental affidavit. The commissioner shall notify the authorizer of any deficiencies in the supplemental affidavit and the authorizer then has 30 business days to address, to the commissioner's satisfaction, any deficiencies in the supplemental affidavit. The school may not expand grades or add sites until the commissioner has reviewed and commented on the supplemental affidavit. The commissioner's approval or disapproval of a supplemental affidavit is final.

Subd. 4a. Conflict of interest. (a) ~~A member of a charter school board of directors~~ An individual is prohibited from serving as a member of the charter school board of directors ~~or as~~ if the individual, an immediate family member, or the individual's partner is an owner, employee or agent of or a contractor with a for-profit or nonprofit entity with whom the charter school contracts, directly or indirectly, for professional services, goods, or facilities. A violation of this prohibition renders a contract voidable at the option of the commissioner or the charter school board of directors. A member of a charter school board of directors who violates this prohibition ~~shall be~~ is individually liable to the charter school for any damage caused by the violation.

(b) No member of the board of directors, employee, officer, or agent of a charter school shall participate in selecting, awarding, or administering a contract if a conflict of interest exists. A conflict exists when:

(1) the board member, employee, officer, or agent;

(2) the immediate family of the board member, employee, officer, or agent;

(3) the partner of the board member, employee, officer, or agent; or

(4) an organization that employs, or is about to employ any individual in clauses (1) to (3),

has a financial or other interest in the entity with which the charter school is contracting. A violation of this prohibition renders the contract void.

(c) Any employee, agent, or board member of the authorizer who participates in the initial review, approval, ongoing oversight, evaluation, or the charter renewal or nonrenewal process or decision is ineligible to serve on the board of directors of a school chartered by that authorizer.

~~(b)~~ (d) An individual may serve as a member of the board of directors if no conflict of interest under paragraph (a) exists.

(c) A member of a charter school board of directors that serves as a member of the board of directors or as an employee or agent of or a contractor with a nonprofit entity with whom the charter school contracts, directly or indirectly, for professional services, goods, or facilities, must disclose all potential conflicts to the commissioner.

~~(d)~~ (e) The conflict of interest provisions under this subdivision do not apply to compensation paid to a teacher employed by the charter school who also serves as a member of the board of directors.

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~~(e)~~ (f) The conflict of interest provisions under this subdivision do not apply to a teacher who provides services to a charter school through a cooperative formed under chapter 308A when the teacher also serves on the charter school board of directors.

Subd. 5. Conversion of existing schools. A board of an independent or special school district may convert one or more of its existing schools to charter schools under this section if 60 percent of the full-time teachers at the school sign a petition seeking conversion. The conversion must occur at the beginning of an academic year.

Subd. 6. Charter contract. The ~~sponsor's~~ authorization for a charter school must be in the form of a written contract signed by the ~~sponsor~~ authorizer and the board of directors of the charter school. The contract must be completed within 90 45 business days of the commissioner's approval of the ~~sponsor's proposed authorization.~~ authorizer's affidavit. The authorizer shall submit to the commissioner a copy of the signed charter contract within ten business days of its execution. The contract for a charter school must be in writing and contain at least the following:

(1) a ~~description of a program that carries out one or more of the purposes~~ declaration of the purposes in subdivision 1 that the school intends to carry out and how the school will report its implementation of those purposes;

(2) a description of the school program and the specific academic and nonacademic outcomes that pupils ~~are to~~ must achieve ~~under subdivision 10~~;

(3) a statement of admission policies and procedures;

(4) a governance, management, and administration of plan for the school;

(5) signed agreements from charter school board members to comply with all federal and state laws governing organizational, programmatic, and financial requirements ~~and procedures for program and financial audits~~ applicable to charter schools;

(6) ~~how the school will comply with subdivisions 8, 13, 16, and 23~~ the criteria, processes, and procedures that the authorizer will use for ongoing oversight of operational, financial, and academic performance;

(7) ~~assumption of liability by the charter school~~ the performance evaluation that is a prerequisite for reviewing a charter contract under subdivision 15;

(8) types and amounts of insurance liability coverage to be obtained by the charter school;

(9) the term of the contract, which may be up to three years for an initial contract plus an additional preoperational planning year, and up to five years for a renewed contract if warranted by the school's academic, financial, and operational performance;

(10) if how the board of directors or the operators of the charter school will provide special instruction and services for children with a disability under sections 125A.03 to 125A.24, and 125A.65, a description of the financial parameters within which the charter school will operate to provide the special instruction and services to children with a disability; ~~and~~

(11) the process and criteria the ~~sponsor~~ authorizer intends to use to monitor and evaluate the fiscal and student performance of the charter school, consistent with subdivision 15.; and

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(12) the plan for an orderly closing of the school under chapter 308A or 317A, if the closure is a termination for cause, a voluntary termination, or a nonrenewal of the contract, and that includes establishing the responsibilities of the school board of directors and the authorizer and notifying the commissioner, authorizer, school district in which the charter school is located, and parents of enrolled students about the closure, the transfer of student records to students' resident districts, and procedures for closing financial operations.

Subd. 6a. Audit report. (a) The charter school must submit an audit report to the commissioner and its authorizer by December 31 each year. The commissioner may withhold the charter school's state aid if the charter school does not submit an audit by January 31.

(b) The charter school, with the assistance of the auditor conducting the audit, must include with the report a copy of all charter school agreements for corporate management services. If the entity that provides the professional services to the charter school is exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, that entity must file with the commissioner by February 15 a copy of the annual return required under section 6033 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(c) If the commissioner receives ~~as part of the~~ an audit report ~~a management letter~~ indicating that a material weakness exists in the financial reporting systems of a charter school, the charter school must submit a written report to the commissioner explaining how the material weakness will be resolved.

Upon the request of an individual, the charter school must make available in a timely fashion the minutes of meetings of members, the board of directors, and committees having any of the authority of the board of directors, and statements showing the financial result of all operations and transactions affecting income and surplus during the school's last annual accounting period and a balance sheet containing a summary of its assets and liabilities as of the closing date of the accounting period.

Subd. 7. Public status; exemption from statutes and rules. A charter school is a public school and is part of the state's system of public education. Except as provided in this section, a charter school is exempt from all statutes and rules applicable to a school, a board, or a district, although it may elect to comply with one or more provisions of statutes or rules. A charter school is exempt from all statutes and rules applicable to a school, school board, or school district unless a statute or rule is made specifically applicable to a charter school or is included in this section.

Subd. 8. State and local requirements. (a) A charter school shall meet all ~~applicable~~ federal, state, and local health and safety requirements applicable to school districts.

(b) A school must comply with statewide education accountability requirements governing standards and assessments in chapter 120B and must work with the Department of Education to make available to the public valid and highly reliable comparisons of student academic growth and achievement across schools consistent with school performance report card information under section 120B.36.

(c) A school ~~sponsored~~ authorized by a school board may be located in any district, unless the school board of the district of the proposed location disapproves by written resolution.

~~(c)~~ (d) A charter school must be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations. ~~A sponsor~~ An authorizer may not ~~authorize a~~ charter a school ~~or program~~ that is affiliated with a nonpublic sectarian school or a religious institution. A charter school student must be released for religious instruction, consistent with section 120A.22, subdivision 12, clause (3).

~~(d)~~ (e) Charter schools must not be used as a method of providing education or generating revenue for students who are being home-schooled.

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~~(e)~~ (f) The primary focus of a charter school must be to provide a comprehensive program of instruction for at least one grade or age group from five through 18 years of age. Instruction may be provided to people younger than five years and older than 18 years of age.

~~(f)~~ (g) A charter school may not charge tuition to students who reside in Minnesota.

~~(g)~~ (h) A charter school is subject to and must comply with chapter 363A and section 121A.04.

~~(h)~~ (i) A charter school is subject to and must comply with the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, and the Minnesota Public School Fee Law, sections 123B.34 to 123B.39.

~~(i)~~ (j) A charter school is subject to the same financial audits, audit procedures, and audit requirements as a district. Audits must be conducted in compliance with generally accepted governmental auditing standards, the Federal Single Audit Act, if applicable, and section 6.65. A charter school is subject to and must comply with sections 15.054; 118A.01; 118A.02; 118A.03; 118A.04; 118A.05; 118A.06; ~~123B.52, subdivision 5;~~ 471.38; 471.391; 471.392; and 471.425~~; 471.87; 471.88, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, and 15; 471.881; and 471.89~~. The audit must comply with the requirements of sections 123B.75 to 123B.83, except to the extent deviations are necessary because of the program at the school. Deviations must be approved by the commissioner and authorizer. The Department of Education, state auditor, or legislative auditor, or authorizer may conduct financial, program, or compliance audits. A charter school determined to be in statutory operating debt under sections 123B.81 to 123B.83 must submit a plan under section 123B.81, subdivision 4.

~~(j)~~ (k) A charter school is a district for the purposes of tort liability under chapter 466.

~~(k)~~ (l) A charter school must comply with chapters 13 and 13D; and sections ~~13.32;~~ 120A.22, subdivision 7; 121A.75; and 260B.171, subdivisions 3 and 5.

~~(l)~~ (m) A charter school is subject to the Pledge of Allegiance requirement under section 121A.11, subdivision 3.

(n) A charter school is subject to chapter 181.

(o) A charter school must comply with section 120A.22, subdivision 7, governing the transfer of students' educational records and sections 138.163 and 138.17 governing the management of local records.

Subd. 8a. Aid reduction. The commissioner may reduce a charter school's state aid under section 127A.42 or 127A.43 if the charter school board fails to correct a violation under this section.

Subd. 8b. Aid reduction for violations. The commissioner may reduce a charter school's state aid by an amount not to exceed 60 percent of the charter school's basic revenue for the period of time that a violation of law occurs.

Subd. 9. Admission requirements. A charter school may limit admission to:

(1) pupils within an age group or grade level; or

(2) people who are eligible to participate in the graduation incentives program under section 124D.68~~; or~~.

(3) residents of a specific geographic area where the percentage of the population of non-Caucasian people of that area is greater than the percentage of the non-Caucasian population in the congressional district in which the geographic area is located, and as long as the school reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of the specific area.

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A charter school shall enroll an eligible pupil who submits a timely application, unless the number of applications exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level, or building. In this case, pupils must be accepted by lot. If a charter school is the only school located in a town serving pupils within a particular grade level, then pupils that are residents of the town must be given preference for enrollment before accepting pupils by lot. If a pupil lives within two miles of a charter school and the next closest public school is more than five miles away, the charter school must give those pupils preference for enrollment before accepting other pupils by lot. The charter school must develop and publish a lottery policy and process that it must use when accepting pupils by lot.

A charter school shall give preference for enrollment to a sibling of an enrolled pupil and to a foster child of that pupil's parents and may give preference for enrolling children of the school's employees before accepting other pupils by lot.

A charter school may not limit admission to pupils on the basis of intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, or athletic ability and may not establish any criteria or requirements for admission that are inconsistent with this subdivision.

Subd. 10. Pupil performance. A charter school must design its programs to at least meet the outcomes adopted by the commissioner for public school students. In the absence of the commissioner's requirements, the school must meet the outcomes contained in the contract with the ~~sponsor~~ authorizer. The achievement levels of the outcomes contained in the contract may exceed the achievement levels of any outcomes adopted by the commissioner for public school students.

Subd. 11. Employment and other operating matters. A charter school must employ or contract with necessary teachers, as defined by section 122A.15, subdivision 1, who hold valid licenses to perform the particular service for which they are employed in the school. The charter school's state aid may be reduced under section ~~127A.42~~ 127A.43 if the school employs a teacher who is not appropriately licensed or approved by the board of teaching. The school may employ necessary employees who are not required to hold teaching licenses to perform duties other than teaching and may contract for other services. The school may discharge teachers and nonlicensed employees. The charter school board is subject to section 181.932. When offering employment to a prospective employee, a charter school must give that employee a written description of the terms and conditions of employment and the school's personnel policies. A person, without holding a valid administrator's license, may perform administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership duties.

The board of directors also shall decide matters related to the operation of the school, including budgeting, curriculum and operating procedures.

Subd. 12. Pupils with a disability. A charter school must comply with sections 125A.02, 125A.03 to 125A.24, and 125A.65 and rules relating to the education of pupils with a disability as though it were a district.

Subd. 13. Length of school year. A charter school must provide instruction each year for at least the number of days required by section 120A.41. It may provide instruction throughout the year according to sections 124D.12 to 124D.127 or 124D.128.

Subd. 14. Annual public reports. A charter school must publish an annual report ~~at least annually to its sponsor and the commissioner the information required by the sponsor or the commissioner~~ approved by the charter school board of directors. The annual report must at least include information on school enrollment, governance and management, staffing, finances, academic performance, operational performance, innovative practices and implementation, and future plans. A charter school must distribute the annual report by publication, mail, or electronic means to the commissioner, authorizer, school employees, and parents and legal guardians of students enrolled in the charter school and also must post the report on the charter school's official Web site. The reports are public data under chapter 13.

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Subd. 15. Review and comment. (a) The department must review and comment on the evaluation, by the sponsor, of the performance of a charter school before the charter school's contract is renewed for another contract term. The sponsor must submit to the commissioner timely information for the review and comment. The commissioner must review and comment on the authorizer's performance evaluation process at the time the authorizer submits its application for approval as an authorizer and each time the authorizer undergoes its five-year review under subdivision 3, paragraph (f). Before renewing a charter contract, the authorizer shall provide the commissioner with a formal, written evaluation of the school's performance.

(b) ~~A sponsor~~ An authorizer shall monitor and evaluate the fiscal and student performance of the school, and may for this purpose annually assess a charter school~~: (1)~~ in its first, second, or third year of operation up to $30 per student up to a maximum of $10,000; and (2) in its fourth or a subsequent year of operation up to $10 per student up to a maximum of $3,500 a fee according to paragraph (c).

(c) The minimum fee that each charter school pays to an authorizer is the basic formula allowance for that year. Beginning in fiscal year 2013, the maximum fee is four times the formula allowance for that year. Beginning in fiscal year 2013, each charter school's fee, subject to the minimum and maximum fees, equals the product of .015, the formula allowance for that year, and the charter school's adjusted marginal cost pupil units for that year.

(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (c), the following charter school fees apply, subject to the minimum and maximum fee in paragraph (c):

(1) for fiscal year 2010 only, each charter school's fee equals the product of .01, the formula allowance for that year, and the charter school's adjusted marginal cost pupil units for that year and the maximum fee is two times the basic formula allowance for that year;

(2) for fiscal year 2011 only, each charter school's fee equals the product of .01, the formula allowance for that year, and the charter school's adjusted marginal cost pupil units for that year and the maximum fee is three times the basic formula allowance for that year; and

(3) for fiscal year 2012 only, each charter school's fee equals the product of .013, the formula allowance for that year, and the charter school's adjusted marginal cost pupil units for that year and the maximum fee is four times the basic formula allowance for that year.

(e) For the preoperational planning period, the authorizer may assess a charter school the formula allowance for one pupil unit.

(f) Each year by September 30, an authorizer shall submit to the commissioner a statement of expenditures related to authorizing activities during the previous school year ending on June 30. The authorizer must transmit a copy of the statement to all schools chartered by the authorizer.

Subd. 16. Transportation. (a) A charter school after its first fiscal year of operation by March 1 of each fiscal year and a charter school by July 1 of its first fiscal year of operation must notify the district in which the school is located and the Department of Education if it will provide its own transportation or use the transportation services of the district in which it is located for the fiscal year.

(b) If a charter school elects to provide transportation for pupils, the transportation must be provided by the charter school within the district in which the charter school is located. The state must pay transportation aid to the charter school according to section 124D.11, subdivision 2.

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For pupils who reside outside the district in which the charter school is located, the charter school is not required to provide or pay for transportation between the pupil's residence and the border of the district in which the charter school is located. A parent may be reimbursed by the charter school for costs of transportation from the pupil's residence to the border of the district in which the charter school is located if the pupil is from a family whose income is at or below the poverty level, as determined by the federal government. The reimbursement may not exceed the pupil's actual cost of transportation or 15 cents per mile traveled, whichever is less. Reimbursement may not be paid for more than 250 miles per week.

At the time a pupil enrolls in a charter school, the charter school must provide the parent or guardian with information regarding the transportation.

(c) If a charter school does not elect to provide transportation, transportation for pupils enrolled at the school must be provided by the district in which the school is located, according to sections 123B.88, subdivision 6, and 124D.03, subdivision 8, for a pupil residing in the same district in which the charter school is located. Transportation may be provided by the district in which the school is located, according to sections 123B.88, subdivision 6, and 124D.03, subdivision 8, for a pupil residing in a different district. If the district provides the transportation, the scheduling of routes, manner and method of transportation, control and discipline of the pupils, and any other matter relating to the transportation of pupils under this paragraph shall be within the sole discretion, control, and management of the district.

Subd. 17. Leased space. (a) A charter school may lease space from a an independent or special school board eligible to be ~~a sponsor or~~ an authorizer, other public or organization, private, nonprofit nonsectarian organization, private property owner, or a sectarian organization if the leased space is constructed as a school facility. The department must review and approve or disapprove leases in a timely manner. If a charter school is unable to lease appropriate space from an eligible board or other public or private nonprofit nonsectarian organization, the school may lease space from another nonsectarian organization if the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Administration, approves the lease. If the school is unable to lease appropriate space from public or private nonsectarian organizations, the school may lease space from a sectarian organization if the leased space is constructed as a school facility and the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Administration, approves the lease. The lease aid payments for charter schools that lease a facility from a school district or other government entity is limited to the same level of lease aid as defined in Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.11, subdivision 4.

(b) Upon approval of the authorizer, a charter school that has operated at least five consecutive years may form a separate affiliated nonprofit building company to provide a school facility. The authorizer shall submit a supplemental affidavit to the commissioner stating that the authorizer has reviewed:

(1) the school's feasibility study on facility options;

(2) documents showing the school's need and projected enrollment for such a facility; and

(3) the school's financial plan and financial status.

The school is prohibited from organizing the nonprofit building company until the authorizer files a supplementary affidavit with the commissioner and receives approval from the commissioner.

(c) A charter school that leases a facility from a building company under paragraph (b) must include in its lease agreement a clause that recognizes the reductions in lease aid applicable under section 124D.11, subdivision 4, when the bonds or mortgage to cover the original purchase and renovation or construction of the facility have been retired.

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~~Subd. 18.~~ ~~Authority to raise initial working capital.~~ A sponsor may authorize a charter school before the applicant has secured its space, equipment, facilities, and personnel if the applicant indicates the authority is necessary for it to raise working capital. A sponsor may not authorize a school before the commissioner has approved the authorization.

Subd. 19. Disseminate information. (a) The ~~sponsor~~ authorizer, the operators, and the ~~Department of Education~~ department must disseminate information to the public on how to form and operate a charter school ~~and~~. Charter schools must disseminate information about how to ~~utilize~~ use the offerings of a charter school. ~~Particular~~ Targeted groups ~~to be targeted~~ include low-income families and communities, ~~and~~ students of color, and students who are at risk of academic failure.

(b) Authorizers, operators, and the department also may disseminate information about the successful best practices in teaching and learning demonstrated by charter schools.

Subd. 20. Leave to teach in a charter school. If a teacher employed by a district makes a written request for an extended leave of absence to teach at a charter school, the district must grant the leave. The district must grant a leave not to exceed a total of five years. Any request to extend the leave shall be granted only at the discretion of the school board. The district may require that the request for a leave or extension of leave be made ~~up to 90 days before the teacher would otherwise have to report for duty~~ before February 1 in the school year preceding the school year in which the teacher intends to leave, or February 1 of the calendar year in which the teacher's leave is scheduled to terminate. Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision and except for section 122A.46, subdivision 7, the leave is governed by section 122A.46, including, but not limited to, reinstatement, notice of intention to return, seniority, salary, and insurance.

During a leave, the teacher may continue to aggregate benefits and credits in the Teachers' Retirement Association account by paying both the employer and employee contributions based upon the annual salary of the teacher for the last full pay period before the leave began. The retirement association may impose reasonable requirements to efficiently administer this subdivision under chapters 354 and 354A, consistent with subdivision 22.

Subd. 21. Collective bargaining. Employees of the board of directors of a charter school may, if otherwise eligible, organize under chapter 179A and comply with its provisions. The board of directors of a charter school is a public employer, for the purposes of chapter 179A, upon formation of one or more bargaining units at the school. Bargaining units at the school must be separate from any other units within ~~the sponsoring~~ an authorizing district, except that bargaining units may remain part of the appropriate unit within ~~the sponsoring~~ an authorizing district, if the employees of the school, the board of directors of the school, the exclusive representative of the appropriate unit in the ~~sponsoring~~ authorizing district, and the board of the ~~sponsoring~~ authorizing district agree to include the employees in the appropriate unit of the ~~sponsoring~~ authorizing district.

Subd. 22. Teacher and other employee retirement. (a) Teachers in a charter school must be public school teachers for the purposes of chapters 354 and 354a.

(b) Except for teachers under paragraph (a), employees in a charter school must be public employees for the purposes of chapter 353.

Subd. 23. Causes for nonrenewal or termination of charter school contract. (a) The duration of the contract with a ~~sponsor~~ authorizer must be for the term contained in the contract according to subdivision 6. The ~~sponsor~~ authorizer may or may not renew a contract at the end of the term for any ground listed in paragraph (b). A ~~sponsor~~ authorizer may unilaterally terminate a contract during the term of the contract for any ground listed in paragraph (b). At least 60 days before not renewing or terminating a contract, the ~~sponsor~~ authorizer shall notify the board of directors of the charter school of the proposed action in writing. The notice shall state the grounds for the proposed action in reasonable detail and that the charter school's board of directors may request in writing an informal hearing

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before the ~~sponsor~~ authorizer within 14 15 business days of receiving notice of nonrenewal or termination of the contract. Failure by the board of directors to make a written request for a hearing within the ~~14-day~~ 15-business-day period shall be treated as acquiescence to the proposed action. Upon receiving a timely written request for a hearing, the ~~sponsor~~ authorizer shall give ~~reasonable~~ ten business days' notice to the charter school's board of directors of the hearing date. The ~~sponsor~~ authorizer shall conduct an informal hearing before taking final action. The ~~sponsor~~ authorizer shall take final action to renew or not renew a contract ~~by the last day of classes in the school year. If the sponsor is a local board, the school's board of directors may appeal the sponsor's decision to the commissioner~~ no later than 20 business days before the proposed date for terminating the contract or the end date of the contract.

(b) A contract may be terminated or not renewed upon any of the following grounds:

(1) failure to meet the requirements for pupil performance contained in the contract;

(2) failure to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management;

(3) violations of law; or

(4) other good cause shown.

If a contract is terminated or not renewed under this paragraph, the school must be dissolved according to the applicable provisions of chapter 308A or 317A~~, except when the commissioner approves the decision of a different eligible sponsor to authorize the charter school~~.

(c) If ~~at the end of a contract term, either~~ the ~~sponsor or~~ authorizer and the charter school board of directors ~~wants~~ mutually agree to voluntarily terminate or not renew the contract, a change in ~~sponsors~~ authorizers is allowed if the commissioner approves the ~~decision of~~ transfer to a different ~~eligible sponsor~~ approved authorizer to ~~authorize~~ charter the ~~charter~~ school. ~~The party intending to terminate the contract must notify the other party and the commissioner of its intent at least 90 days before the date on which the contract ends.~~ Both parties jointly must submit their intent in writing to the commissioner to mutually terminate the contract. The ~~sponsor~~ authorizer that is a party to the existing contract ~~at least~~ must inform the approved ~~different eligible sponsor~~ new authorizer about the fiscal and operational status, and student performance of the school. If no ~~different eligible sponsor~~ transfer of authorizer is approved, the school must be dissolved according to applicable law and the terms of the contract.

(d) The commissioner, after providing reasonable notice to the board of directors of a charter school and the existing ~~sponsor~~ authorizer, and after providing an opportunity for a public hearing, may terminate the existing ~~sponsorial relationship~~ contract between the authorizer and the charter school board if the charter school has a history of:

(1) failure to meet pupil performance requirements contained in the contract;

(2) financial mismanagement or failure to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management; or

~~(2)~~ (3) repeated or major violations of the law.

(e) If the commissioner terminates a charter school contract because the authorizer fails to comply with subdivision 3, paragraph (g), the commissioner shall provide the charter school with information about other eligible authorizers.

Subd. 23a. Related party lease costs. (a) A charter school is prohibited from entering a lease of real property with a related party ~~as defined in subdivision 26,~~ unless the lessor is a nonprofit corporation under chapter 317A or a cooperative under chapter 308A, and the lease cost is reasonable under section 124D.11, subdivision 4, clause (1).

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(b) For purposes of this section and section 124D.11:

(1) "related party" means an affiliate or immediate relative of the other party in question, an affiliate of an immediate relative, or an immediate relative of an affiliate;

(2) "affiliate" means a person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another person;

(3) "immediate family" means an individual whose relationship by blood, marriage, adoption, or partnering is no more remote than first cousin;

(4) "person" means an individual or entity of any kind; and

(5) "control" means the ability to affect the management, operations, or policy actions or decisions of a person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

(c) A lease of real property to be used for a charter school, not excluded in paragraph (a), must contain the following statement: "This lease is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.10, subdivision 23a."

~~(c)~~ (d) If a charter school enters into as lessee a lease with a related party and the charter school subsequently closes, the commissioner has the right to recover from the lessor any lease payments in excess of those that are reasonable under section 124D.11, subdivision 4, clause (1).

Subd. 24. Pupil enrollment upon nonrenewal or termination of charter school contract. If a contract is not renewed or is terminated according to subdivision 23, a pupil who attended the school, siblings of the pupil, or another pupil who resides in the same place as the pupil may enroll in the resident district or may submit an application to a nonresident district according to section 124D.03 at any time. Applications and notices required by section 124D.03 must be processed and provided in a prompt manner. The application and notice deadlines in section 124D.03 do not apply under these circumstances. The closed charter school must transfer the student's educational records within ten business days of closure to the student's school district of residence where the records must be retained or transferred under section 120A.22, subdivision 7.

Subd. 25. Extent of specific legal authority. (a) The board of directors of a charter school may sue and be sued.

(b) The board may not levy taxes or issue bonds.

(c) The commissioner, ~~a sponsor~~ an authorizer, members of the board of ~~a sponsor~~ an authorizer in ~~their~~ official capacity, and employees of ~~a sponsor~~ an authorizer are immune from civil or criminal liability with respect to all activities related to a charter school they approve or ~~sponsor~~ authorize. The board of directors shall obtain at least the amount of and types of insurance ~~required by the contract, according to subdivision 6.~~ up to the applicable tort liability limits under chapter 466. The charter school board must submit a copy of the insurance policy to its authorizer before starting operations. The charter school board must submit changes in its insurance carrier or policy to its authorizer within 20 business days of the change.

~~Subd. 26.~~ ~~Definitions.~~ ~~For purposes of this section and section 124D.11:~~

~~(1) A "Related party" is an affiliate or close relative of the other party in question, an affiliate of a close relative, or a close relative of an affiliate.~~

~~(2) "Affiliate" means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another person.~~

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~~(3) "Close relative" means an individual whose relationship by blood, marriage, or adoption to another individual is no more remote than first cousin.~~

~~(4) "Person" means an individual or entity of any kind.~~

(5) "Control" includes the terms "controlling," "controlled by," and "under common control with" and means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management, operations, or policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

EFFECTIVE DATE. (a) This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies beginning August 1, 2009, unless otherwise specified in this effective date.

(b) Subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), applies to an authorizer seeking approval to charter a school after the effective date of this act. The changes in subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), shall not apply to a sponsor under Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.10, that is a party to a charter contract on the effective date of this act except that subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), item (iv), applies to such sponsors beginning July 1, 2012.

Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.11, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Building lease aid. (a) When a charter school finds it economically advantageous to rent or lease a building or land for any instructional purposes and it determines that the total operating capital revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 13, is insufficient for this purpose, it may apply to the commissioner for building lease aid for this purpose. The commissioner 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.

A charter school must not use the building lease aid it receives for custodial, maintenance service, utility, or other operating costs. The amount of building lease aid per pupil unit served for a charter school for any year shall not exceed the lesser of (a) 90 percent of the approved cost or (b) the product of the pupil units served for the current school year times the greater of the charter school's building lease aid per pupil unit served for fiscal year 2003, excluding the adjustment under Laws 2002, chapter 392, article 6, section 4, or $1,200.

(b) A charter school using lease aid to make payments to a building corporation, school district, or other governmental entity for the purpose of retiring the debt on that building is eligible for the amount of lease aid calculated under paragraph (a) until such time as the bonds or mortgage to cover the original purchase and renovation or construction are retired. For each subsequent year, the charter school is eligible for lease aid equal to 50 percent of the maximum lease aid amount in paragraph (a) unless the commissioner approves an expansion of the charter school facility, in which case the charter school is eligible for the full amount of lease aid under paragraph (a) until the additional debt is retired.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies beginning August 1, 2009.

Sec. 41. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.11, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

Subd. 9. Payment of aids to charter schools. (a) Notwithstanding section 127A.45, subdivision 3, aid payments for the current fiscal year to a charter school ~~not in its first year of operation~~ shall be of an equal amount on each of the 23 24 payment dates. ~~A charter school in its first year of operation shall receive, on its first payment~~

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date, ten percent of its cumulative amount guaranteed for the year and 22 payments of an equal amount thereafter the sum of which shall equal the current year aid payment percentage multiplied by the cumulative amount guaranteed.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) and section 127A.45, for a charter school ceasing operation on or prior to the end of a school year, the current year aid payment percentage multiplied by the amount due for the school year may be paid to the school after audit of prior fiscal year and current fiscal year pupil counts. June 30 of a school year, for the payment periods occurring after the school ceases serving students, the commissioner shall withhold the estimated state aid owed the school. The charter school board of directors and authorizer must submit to the commissioner a closure plan under chapter 308A or 317A, and financial information about the school's liabilities and assets. After receiving the closure plan, financial information, an audit of pupil counts, documentation of lease expenditures, and monitoring of special education expenditures, the commissioner may release cash withheld and may continue regular payments up to the current year payment percentages if further amounts are owed. If, based on audits and monitoring, the school received state aid in excess of the amount owed, the commissioner shall retain aid withheld sufficient to eliminate the aid overpayment. For a charter school ceasing operations prior to, or at the end of, a school year, notwithstanding section 127A.45, subdivision 3, preliminary final payments may be made after receiving the closure plan, audit of pupil counts, monitoring of special education expenditures, ~~and~~ documentation of lease expenditures, and school submission of Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS) financial data for the final year of operation. Final payment may be made upon receipt of audited financial statements under section 123B.77, subdivision 3.

(c) If a charter school fails to comply with the commissioner's directive to return, for cause, federal or state funds administered by the department, the commissioner may withhold an amount of state aid sufficient to satisfy the directive.

(d) If, within the timeline under section 471.425, a charter school fails to pay the state of Minnesota, a school district, intermediate school district, or service cooperative after receiving an undisputed invoice for goods and services, the commissioner may withhold an amount of state aid sufficient to satisfy the claim and shall distribute the withheld aid to the interested state agency, school district, intermediate school district, or service cooperative. An interested state agency, school district, intermediate school district, or education cooperative shall notify the commissioner when a charter school fails to pay an undisputed invoice within 75 business days of when it received the original invoice.

(e) Notwithstanding section 127A.45, subdivision 3, and paragraph (a), 80 percent of the start-up cost aid under subdivision 8 shall be paid within 45 days after the first day of student attendance for that school year.

~~(d)~~ (f) In order to receive state aid payments under this subdivision, a charter school in its first three years of operation must submit a school calendar in the form and manner requested by the department and a quarterly report to the Department of Education. The report must list each student by grade, show the student's start and end dates, if any, with the charter school, and for any student participating in a learning year program, the report must list the hours and times of learning year activities. The report must be submitted not more than two weeks after the end of the calendar quarter to the department. The department must develop a Web-based reporting form for charter schools to use when submitting enrollment reports. A charter school in its fourth and subsequent year of operation must submit a school calendar and enrollment information to the department in the form and manner requested by the department.

~~(e)~~ (g) Notwithstanding sections 317A.701 to 317A.791, upon closure of a charter school and satisfaction of creditors, cash and investment balances remaining shall be returned to the state.

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Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.128, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Commissioner designation. (a) ~~An area learning center~~ A state-approved alternative program designated by the state must be a site. ~~An area learning center~~ A state-approved alternative program must provide services to students who meet the criteria in section 124D.68 and who are enrolled in:

(1) a district that is served by the ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program; or

(2) a charter school located within the geographic boundaries of a district that is served by the ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program.

(b) A school district or charter school may be approved biennially by the state to provide additional instructional programming that results in grade level acceleration. The program must be designed so that students make grade progress during the school year and graduate prior to the students' peers.

(c) To be designated, a district, charter school, or ~~center~~ state-approved alternative program must demonstrate to the commissioner that it will:

(1) provide a program of instruction that permits pupils to receive instruction throughout the entire year; and

(2) develop and maintain a separate record system that, for purposes of section 126C.05, permits identification of membership attributable to pupils participating in the program. The record system and identification must ensure that the program will not have the effect of increasing the total average daily membership attributable to an individual pupil as a result of a learning year program. The record system must include the date the pupil originally enrolled in a learning year program, the pupil's grade level, the date of each grade promotion, the average daily membership generated in each grade level, the number of credits or standards earned, and the number needed to graduate.

(d) A student who has not completed a school district's graduation requirements may continue to enroll in courses the student must complete in order to graduate until the student satisfies the district's graduation requirements or the student is 21 years old, whichever comes first.

Sec. 43. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.128, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Student planning. A district, charter school, or ~~area learning center~~ state-approved alternative program must inform all pupils and their parents about the learning year program and that participation in the program is optional. A continual learning plan must be developed at least annually for each pupil with the participation of the pupil, parent or guardian, teachers, and other staff; each participant must sign and date the plan. The plan must specify the learning experiences that must occur during the entire fiscal year and are necessary for grade progression or, for secondary students, graduation. The plan must include:

(1) the pupil's learning objectives and experiences, including courses or credits the pupil plans to complete each year and, for a secondary pupil, the graduation requirements the student must complete;

(2) the assessment measurements used to evaluate a pupil's objectives;

(3) requirements for grade level or other appropriate progression; and

(4) for pupils generating more than one average daily membership in a given grade, an indication of which objectives were unmet.

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The plan may be modified to conform to district schedule changes. The district may not modify the plan if the modification would result in delaying the student's time of graduation.

Sec. 44. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.42, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6. Program training. The commission must, within available resources:

(1) orient each grantee organization in the nature, philosophy, and purpose of the program; and

(2) build an ethic of community service through general community service training~~; and~~.

(3) provide additional training as it determines necessary, which may include training in evaluating early literacy skills and teaching reading to preschool children through the St. Croix River Education District under Laws 2001, First Special Session chapter 6, article 2, section 70, to assist local Head Start organizations in establishing and evaluating Head Start programs for developing children's early literacy skills.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 45. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.42, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 6a. Minnesota reading corps program. (a) A Minnesota reading corps program is established to provide Americorps members with a data-based problem-solving model of literacy instruction to use in helping to train local Head Start program providers, other prekindergarten program providers, and staff in schools with students in kindergarten through grade 3 to evaluate and teach early literacy skills to children age 3 to grade 3.

(b) Literacy programs under this subdivision must comply with the provisions governing literacy program goals and data use under section 119A.50, subdivision 3, paragraph (b).

Sec. 46. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.68, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Eligible pupils. A pupil under the age of 21 or who meets the requirements of section 120A.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), is eligible to participate in the graduation incentives program, if the pupil:

(1) performs substantially below the performance level for pupils of the same age in a locally determined achievement test;

(2) is ~~at least one year~~ behind in satisfactorily completing coursework or obtaining credits for graduation;

(3) is pregnant or is a parent;

(4) has been assessed as chemically dependent;

(5) has been excluded or expelled according to sections 121A.40 to 121A.56;

(6) has been referred by a school district for enrollment in an eligible program or a program pursuant to section 124D.69;

(7) is a victim of physical or sexual abuse;

(8) has experienced mental health problems;

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(9) has experienced homelessness sometime within six months before requesting a transfer to an eligible program;

(10) speaks English as a second language or has limited English proficiency; or

(11) has withdrawn from school or has been chronically truant; or

(12) is being treated in a hospital in the seven-county metropolitan area for cancer or other life threatening illness or is the sibling of an eligible pupil who is being currently treated, and resides with the pupil's family at least 60 miles beyond the outside boundary of the seven-county metropolitan area.

Sec. 47. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.68, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Eligible programs. (a) A pupil who is eligible according to subdivision 2 may enroll in ~~area learning centers~~ a state-approved alternative program under sections 123A.05 to 123A.08.

(b) A pupil who is eligible according to subdivision 2 and who is ~~between the ages of 16 and 21~~ a high school junior or senior may enroll in postsecondary courses under section 124D.09.

(d) A pupil who is eligible under subdivision 2, may enroll in any nonpublic, nonsectarian school that has contracted with the serving school district to provide educational services. However, notwithstanding other provisions of this section, only a pupil who is eligible under subdivision 2, clause (12), may enroll in a contract alternative school that is specifically structured to provide educational services to such a pupil.

(e) A pupil who is between the ages of 16 and 21 may enroll in any adult basic education programs approved under section 124D.52 and operated under the community education program contained in section 124D.19.

Sec. 48. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.68, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Additional eligible program. A pupil who is at least 16 years of age, who is eligible under subdivision 2, ~~clause (a),~~ and who has been enrolled only in a public school, if the pupil has been enrolled in any school, during the year immediately before transferring under this subdivision, may transfer to any nonpublic school that has contracted with the serving school district to provide nonsectarian educational services. The school must enroll every eligible pupil who seeks to transfer to the school under this program subject to available space.

Sec. 49. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.68, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5. Pupil enrollment. (a) Any eligible pupil may apply to enroll in an eligible program. Approval of the resident district is not required for:

(1) an eligible pupil to enroll in any eligible program in a nonresident district under subdivision 3 or 4 or ~~an area learning center~~ a state-approved alternative program established under section 123A.05; or

(2) an eligible pupil under subdivision 2, to enroll in an adult basic education program approved under section 124D.52.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a nonresident district must first approve the enrollment application of any eligible pupil who was expelled under section 121A.45 for a reason stated in section 124D.03, subdivision 1, paragraph (b).

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2009-2010 school year and later.

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Sec. 50. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.83, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Early childhood family education revenue. A school receiving aid under this section ~~is eligible~~ may apply annually to the commissioner to receive an early childhood family education ~~revenue~~ grant to provide early childhood family education programs for parents and children who are enrolled or eligible for enrollment in a federally recognized tribe. ~~The revenue equals 1.5 times the statewide average expenditure per participant under section 124D.135, times the number of children and parents participating full time in the program.~~ The ~~program must~~ grant must be used for programs and services that comply with section 124D.13, except that the school is not required to provide a community education program or establish a community education advisory council. The program must be designed to improve the skills of parents and promote American Indian history, language, and culture. The school must make affirmative efforts to encourage participation by fathers. Admission may not be limited to those enrolled in or eligible for enrollment in a federally recognized tribe.

Sec. 51. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.86, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Use of revenue. (a) An adjoining district that develops a plan under Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0160 and 3535.0170, is not required to implement the plan.

(b) Districts must use integration revenue under this section ~~must be used~~ for programs established under a desegregation plan filed with the Department of Education according to Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180, or under court order. The revenue must be used ~~to create or enhance learning opportunities which are designed to provide opportunities~~ for students to have increased and sustained interracial contacts and improved educational opportunities and outcomes designed to close the academic achievement gap between white students and protected students as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 3535.0110, subpart 4, through classroom experiences, staff initiatives, and other educationally related programs, consistent with subdivision 1b.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2010-2011 school year and later.

Sec. 52. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.86, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a. Budget approval process. Each year before a district receives any revenue under subdivision 3, ~~clause (4), (5), or (6),~~ the district by April 1 must submit to the Department of Education, for its review and approval by April 30 a budget detailing the costs of the desegregation/integration plan filed under Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180. Notwithstanding chapter 14, the department may develop criteria for budget approval, consistent with subdivision 1b. The department shall consult with the Desegregation Advisory Board in developing these criteria. The criteria developed by the department ~~should~~ must address, at a minimum, the following:

(1) budget items cannot be approved unless they are part of any overall desegregation plan approved by the district for isolated sites or by the Multidistrict Collaboration Council and ~~participation~~ participating individual members;

(2) the budget must indicate how revenue expenditures will be used specifically to support increased ~~opportunities for~~ and sustained interracial ~~contact~~ contacts and improved educational opportunities and outcomes designed to close the academic achievement gap between white students and protected students as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 3535.0110, subpart 4, consistent with subdivision 1b;

(3) components of the budget to be considered by the department, including staffing, curriculum, transportation, facilities, materials, and equipment and reasonable planning costs, as determined by the department; and

(4) if plans are proposed to enhance existing programs, the total budget being appropriated to the program must be included, indicating what part is to be funded using integration revenue and what part is to be funded using other revenues.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2010-2011 school year and later.

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Sec. 53. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.86, subdivision 1b, is amended to read:

Subd. 1b. Plan components. Each year a district's board must approve the plans submitted by each district under Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0160 and 3535.0170, ~~must be approved by the district's board each year~~ before integration revenue ~~will be~~ is awarded. If a district is applying for revenue for a plan that is part of a multidistrict council, the individual district shall not receive revenue unless it ratifies the plan adopted by its multidistrict council or approves a modified plan with a written explanation of any modifications. Each plan shall ~~contain~~:

(1) ~~an identification of~~ identify the integration issues at the sites or districts covered by Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180;

(2) ~~a description of~~ describe the community outreach that preceded the integration plan, such that the commissioner can determine whether the membership of the planning councils complied with the requirements of Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180; ~~and~~

(3) ~~the~~ identify specific goals of the integration plan that is premised on valid and reliable measures, effective and efficient use of resources, and continuous adaptation of best practices;

(4) provide for implementing innovative and practical strategies and programs such as magnet schools, transportation, research-based programs to improve the performance of protected students with lower measured achievement on state or local assessments, staff development for teachers in cultural competency, formative assessments, and increased numbers of teachers of color that enable the district to achieve annual progress in realizing the goals in its plan; and

(5) establish valid and reliable longitudinal measures for the district to use in demonstrating to the commissioner the amount of progress it has achieved in realizing the goals in its plan.

By June 30 of the subsequent fiscal year, each district shall report to the commissioner in writing about the extent to which the integration goals identified in the plan were met.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2010-2011 school year and later.

Sec. 54. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 126C.05, subdivision 15, is amended to read:

Subd. 15. Learning year pupil units. (a) When a pupil is enrolled in a learning year program under section 124D.128, an area learning center or an alternative learning program approved by the commissioner under sections 123A.05 and 123A.06, ~~an alternative program approved by the commissioner,~~ or a contract alternative program under section 124D.68, subdivision 3, paragraph (d), or subdivision 3a, for more than 1,020 hours in a school year for a secondary student, more than 935 hours in a school year for an elementary student, or more than 425 hours in a school year for a kindergarten student without a disability, that pupil may be counted as more than one pupil in average daily membership for purposes of section 126C.10, subdivision 2a. The amount in excess of one pupil must be determined by the ratio of the number of hours of instruction provided to that pupil in excess of: (i) the greater of 1,020 hours or the number of hours required for a full-time secondary pupil in the district to 1,020 for a secondary pupil; (ii) the greater of 935 hours or the number of hours required for a full-time elementary pupil in the district to 935 for an elementary pupil in grades 1 through 6; and (iii) the greater of 425 hours or the number of hours required for a full-time kindergarten student without a disability in the district to 425 for a kindergarten student without a disability. Hours that occur after the close of the instructional year in June shall be attributable to the following fiscal year. A kindergarten student must not be counted as more than 1.2 pupils in average daily membership under this subdivision. A student in grades 1 through 12 must not be counted as more than 1.2 pupils in average daily membership under this subdivision.

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(b)(i) To receive general education revenue for a pupil in an area learning center or alternative learning program that has an independent study component, a district must meet the requirements in this paragraph. The district must develop, for the pupil, a continual learning plan consistent with section 124D.128, subdivision 3. Each school district that has ~~a state-approved public~~ an area learning center or alternative learning program must reserve revenue in an amount equal to at least 90 percent of the district average general education revenue per pupil unit ~~less compensatory revenue per pupil unit~~, minus an amount equal to the product of the formula allowance according to section 126C.10, subdivision 2, times .0485, calculated without basic skills and transportation sparsity revenue, times the number of pupil units generated by students attending ~~a state-approved public~~ an area learning center or alternative learning program. The amount of reserved revenue available under this subdivision may only be spent for program costs associated with the ~~state-approved public~~ area learning center or alternative learning program. ~~Compensatory revenue must be allocated according to section 126C.15, subdivision 2.~~ Basic skills revenue generated according to section 126C.10, subdivision 4, by pupils attending the eligible program must be allocated to the program.

(ii) General education revenue for a pupil in ~~an approved~~ a state-approved alternative program without an independent study component must be prorated for a pupil participating for less than a full year, or its equivalent. The district must develop a continual learning plan for the pupil, consistent with section 124D.128, subdivision 3. Each school district that has ~~a state-approved public~~ an area learning center or alternative learning program must reserve revenue in an amount equal to at least 90 percent of the district average general education revenue per pupil unit ~~less compensatory revenue per pupil unit~~, minus an amount equal to the product of the formula allowance according to section 126C.10, subdivision 2, times .0485, calculated without basic skills and transportation sparsity revenue, times the number of pupil units generated by students attending ~~a state-approved public~~ an area learning center or alternative learning program. The amount of reserved revenue available under this subdivision may only be spent for program costs associated with the ~~state-approved public~~ area learning center or alternative learning program. ~~Compensatory revenue must be allocated according to section 126C.15, subdivision 2.~~ Basic skills revenue generated according to section 126C.10, subdivision 4, by pupils attending the eligible program must be allocated to the program.

(iii) General education revenue for a pupil in ~~an approved~~ a state-approved alternative program that has an independent study component must be paid for each hour of teacher contact time and each hour of independent study time completed toward a credit or graduation standards necessary for graduation. Average daily membership for a pupil shall equal the number of hours of teacher contact time and independent study time divided by 1,020.

(iv) For an a state-approved alternative program having an independent study component, the commissioner shall require a description of the courses in the program, the kinds of independent study involved, the expected learning outcomes of the courses, and the means of measuring student performance against the expected outcomes.

Sec. 55. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 126C.05, subdivision 20, is amended to read:

Subd. 20. Project-based average daily membership. (a) Project-based is an instructional program where students complete coursework for credit at an individual pace that is primarily student-led and may be completed on site, in the community, or online. A project-based program may be made available to all or designated students and grades in a school. To receive general education revenue for a pupil enrolled in a public school with a project-based program, a school must meet the requirements in this paragraph. The school must:

(1) ~~register with the commissioner as a project-based program by May 30 of the preceding fiscal year~~ apply and receive approval from the commissioner as a project-based program at least 90 days prior to starting the program;

(2) provide a minimum teacher contact of no less than one hour per week per project-based credit for each pupil;

(3) ensure that the program will not increase the total average daily membership generated by the student and that there will be the expectation that the students will be making typical progression towards high school graduation;

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~~(3)~~ (4) maintain a record system that shows when each credit or portion thereof was reported for membership for each pupil; and

~~(4)~~ (5) report pupil membership consistent with paragraph (b).

(b) The commissioner must develop a formula for reporting pupil membership to compute average daily membership for each ~~registered~~ approved project-based ~~school~~ program. Average daily membership for a pupil in ~~a registered~~ an approved project-based program is the lesser of:

(1) 1.0; or

(2) the ratio of (i) the number of membership hours generated by project-based credits completed during the school year plus membership hours generated by credits completed in a seat-based setting to (ii) the annual required instructional hours at that grade level. Membership hours for a partially completed project-based credit must be prorated. General education revenue for a pupil in a project-based program must be prorated for a pupil participating for less than a full year, or its equivalent.

(c) For a program that has not been approved by the commissioner for project-based learning but an auditor or other site visit deems that any portion or credits awarded by the school are project-based, student membership must be computed according to paragraph (b).

Sec. 56. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 126C.10, subdivision 34, is amended to read:

Subd. 34. Basic alternative teacher compensation aid. (a) For fiscal years 2007 ~~and later~~, 2008, and 2009, the basic alternative teacher compensation aid for a school district with a plan approved under section 122A.414, subdivision 2b, equals 65 73.1 percent of the alternative teacher compensation revenue under section 122A.415, subdivision 1. The basic alternative teacher compensation aid for an intermediate school district or charter school with a plan approved under section 122A.414, subdivisions 2a and 2b, if the recipient is a charter school, equals $260 times the number of pupils enrolled in the school on October 1 of the previous fiscal year, or on October 1 of the current fiscal year for a charter school in the first year of operation, times the ratio of the sum of the alternative teacher compensation aid and alternative teacher compensation levy for all participating school districts to the maximum alternative teacher compensation revenue for those districts under section 122A.415, subdivision 1.

(b) For fiscal years 2010 and later, the basic alternative teacher compensation aid for a school with a plan approved under section 122A.414, subdivision 2b, equals 65 percent of the alternative teacher compensation revenue under section 122A.415, subdivision 1. The basic alternative teacher compensation aid for an intermediate school district or charter school with a plan approved under section 122A.414, subdivisions 2a and 2b, if the recipient is a charter school, equals $260 times the number of pupils enrolled in the school on October 1 of the previous year, or on October 1 of the current year for a charter school in the first year of operation, times the ratio of the sum of the alternative teacher compensation aid and alternative teacher compensation levy for all participating school districts to the maximum alternative teacher compensation revenue for those districts under section 122A.415, subdivision 1.

~~(b)~~ (c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) and section 122A.415, subdivision 1, the state total basic alternative teacher compensation aid entitlement must not exceed $75,636,000 for fiscal year 2007 and later. The commissioner must limit the amount of alternative teacher compensation aid approved under section 122A.415 so as not to exceed these limits.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 57. [127A.70] MINNESOTA P-20 EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP.

Subdivision 1. Establishment; membership. A P-20 education partnership is established to create a seamless system of education that maximizes achievements of all students, from early childhood through elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education, while promoting the efficient use of financial and human resources. The

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partnership shall consist of major statewide educational groups or constituencies or noneducational statewide organizations with a stated interest in P-20 education. The initial membership of the partnership includes the members serving on the Minnesota P-16 Education Partnership and four legislators appointed as follows:

(1) one senator from the majority party and one senator from the minority party, appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on Rules and Administration; and

(2) one member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house and one member appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.

The chair of the P-16 education partnership must convene the first meeting of the P-20 partnership. Prospective members may be nominated by any partnership member and new members will be added with the approval of a two-thirds majority of the partnership. The partnership will also seek input from nonmember organizations whose expertise can help inform the partnership's work.

Partnership members shall be represented by the chief executives, presidents, or other formally designated leaders of their respective organizations, or their designees. The partnership shall meet at least three times during each calendar year.

Subd. 2. Powers and duties; report. The partnership shall develop recommendations to the governor and the legislature designed to maximize the achievement of all P-20 students while promoting the efficient use of state resources, thereby helping the state realize the maximum value for its investment. These recommendations may include, but are not limited to, strategies, policies, or other actions focused on:

(1) improving the quality of and access to education at all points from preschool through graduate education;

(2) improving preparation for, and transitions to, postsecondary education and work; and

(3) ensuring educator quality by creating rigorous standards for teacher recruitment, teacher preparation, induction and mentoring of beginning teachers, and continuous professional development for career teachers.

By January 15 of each year, the partnership shall submit a report to the governor and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over P-20 education policy and finance that summarizes the partnership's progress in meeting its goals and identifies the need for any draft legislation when necessary to further the goals of the partnership to maximize student achievement while promoting efficient use of resources.

Subd. 3. Expiration. Notwithstanding section 15.059, subdivision 5, the partnership is permanent and does not expire.

Sec. 58. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 171.05, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Person less than 18 years of age. (a) Notwithstanding any provision in subdivision 1 to the contrary, the department may issue an instruction permit to an applicant who is 15, 16, or 17 years of age and who:

(1) has completed a course of driver education in another state, has a previously issued valid license from another state, or is enrolled in either:

(i) a public, private, or commercial driver education program that is approved by the commissioner of public safety and that includes classroom and behind-the-wheel training; or

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(ii) an approved behind-the-wheel driver education program when the student is receiving full-time instruction in a home school within the meaning of sections 120A.22 and 120A.24, the student is working toward a homeschool diploma, ~~the student's status as a homeschool student has been certified by the superintendent of the school district in which the student resides, and~~ the student is taking home-classroom driver training with classroom materials approved by the commissioner of public safety, and the student's parent or guardian has certified the student's homeschool and home-classroom driver training status on the form approved by the commissioner;

(2) has completed the classroom phase of instruction in the driver education program;

(3) has passed a test of the applicant's eyesight;

(4) has passed a department-administered test of the applicant's knowledge of traffic laws;

(5) has completed the required application, which must be approved by (i) either parent when both reside in the same household as the minor applicant or, if otherwise, then (ii) the parent or spouse of the parent having custody or, in the event there is no court order for custody, then (iii) the parent or spouse of the parent with whom the minor is living or, if items (i) to (iii) do not apply, then (iv) the guardian having custody of the minor or, in the event a person under the age of 18 has no living father, mother, or guardian, or is married or otherwise legally emancipated, then (v) the applicant's adult spouse, adult close family member, or adult employer; provided, that the approval required by this clause contains a verification of the age of the applicant and the identity of the parent, guardian, adult spouse, adult close family member, or adult employer; and

(6) has paid the fee required in section 171.06, subdivision 2.

(b) For the purposes of determining compliance with the certification of paragraph (a), clause (1), item (ii), the commissioner may request verification of a student's homeschool status from the superintendent of the school district in which the student resides and the superintendent shall provide that verification.

(c) The instruction permit is valid for two years from the date of application and may be renewed upon payment of a fee equal to the fee for issuance of an instruction permit under section 171.06, subdivision 2.

Sec. 59. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 171.17, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Offenses. (a) The department shall immediately revoke the license of a driver upon receiving a record of the driver's conviction of:

(1) manslaughter resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle or criminal vehicular homicide or injury under section 609.21;

(2) a violation of section 169A.20 or 609.487;

(3) a felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle was used;

(4) failure to stop and disclose identity and render aid, as required under section 169.09, in the event of a motor vehicle accident, resulting in the death or personal injury of another;

(5) perjury or the making of a false affidavit or statement to the department under any law relating to the application, ownership or operation of a motor vehicle, including on the certification required under section 171.05, subdivision 2, clause (1), item (ii), to issue an instruction permit to a homeschool student;

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(6) except as this section otherwise provides, three charges of violating within a period of 12 months any of the provisions of chapter 169 or of the rules or municipal ordinances enacted in conformance with chapter 169, for which the accused may be punished upon conviction by imprisonment;

(7) two or more violations, within five years, of the misdemeanor offense described in section 169.444, subdivision 2, paragraph (a);

(8) the gross misdemeanor offense described in section 169.444, subdivision 2, paragraph (b);

(9) an offense in another state that, if committed in this state, would be grounds for revoking the driver's license; or

(10) a violation of an applicable speed limit by a person driving in excess of 100 miles per hour. The person's license must be revoked for six months for a violation of this clause, or for a longer minimum period of time applicable under section 169A.53, 169A.54, or 171.174.

(b) The department shall immediately revoke the school bus endorsement of a driver upon receiving a record of the driver's conviction of the misdemeanor offense described in section 169.443, subdivision 7.

Sec. 60. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 171.22, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Violations. With regard to any driver's license, including a commercial driver's license, it shall be unlawful for any person:

(1) to display, cause or permit to be displayed, or have in possession, any fictitious or fraudulently altered driver's license or Minnesota identification card;

(2) to lend the person's driver's license or Minnesota identification card to any other person or knowingly permit the use thereof by another;

(3) to display or represent as one's own any driver's license or Minnesota identification card not issued to that person;

(4) to use a fictitious name or date of birth to any police officer or in any application for a driver's license or Minnesota identification card, or to knowingly make a false statement, or to knowingly conceal a material fact, or otherwise commit a fraud in any such application;

(5) to alter any driver's license or Minnesota identification card;

(6) to take any part of the driver's license examination for another or to permit another to take the examination for that person;

(7) to make a counterfeit driver's license or Minnesota identification card;

(8) to use the name and date of birth of another person to any police officer for the purpose of falsely identifying oneself to the police officer; or

(9) to display as a valid driver's license any canceled, revoked, or suspended driver's license. A person whose driving privileges have been withdrawn may display a driver's license only for identification purposes; or

(10) to submit a false affidavit or statement to the department on the certification required under section 171.05, subdivision 2, clause (1), item (ii), to issue an instruction permit to a homeschool student.

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Sec. 61. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 181A.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. When issued. Any minor 14 or 15 years of age who wishes to work on school days during school hours shall first secure an employment certificate. The certificate shall be issued only by the school district superintendent, the superintendent's agent, or some other person designated by the Board of Education, or by the person in charge of providing instruction for students enrolled in nonpublic schools as defined in section 120A.22, subdivision 4. The employment certificate shall be issued only for a specific position with a designated employer and shall be issued only in the following circumstances:

(1) if a minor is to be employed in an occupation not prohibited by rules promulgated under section 181A.09 and as evidence thereof presents a signed statement from the prospective employer; and

(2) if the parent or guardian of the minor consents to the employment; and

(3) if the issuing officer believes the minor is physically capable of handling the job in question and further believes the best interests of the minor will be served by permitting the minor to work.

Sec. 62. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 471.975, is amended to read:

471.975 MAY PAY DIFFERENTIAL OF RESERVE ON ACTIVE DUTY.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a statutory or home rule charter city, county, town, or other political subdivision may pay to each eligible member of the National Guard or other reserve component of the armed forces of the United States an amount equal to the difference between the member's ~~basic~~ base active duty military salary and the salary the member would be paid as an active political subdivision employee, including any adjustments the member would have received if not on leave of absence. This payment may be made only to a person whose ~~basic~~ base active duty military salary is less than the salary the person would be paid as an active political subdivision employee. Back pay authorized by this section may be paid in a lump sum. Payment under this section must not extend beyond four years from the date the employee reported for active service, plus any additional time the employee may be legally required to serve.

(b) Subject to the limits under paragraph (g), each school district shall pay to each eligible member of the National Guard or other reserve component of the armed forces of the United States an amount equal to the difference between the member's ~~basic~~ base active duty military salary and the salary the member would be paid as an active school district employee, including any adjustments the member would have received if not on leave of absence. The pay differential must be based on a comparison between the member's daily base rate of active duty pay, calculated by dividing the member's base military monthly salary by the number of paid days in the month, and the member's daily rate of pay for the member's school district salary, calculated by dividing the member's total school district salary by the number of contract days. The member's salary as a school district employee must include the member's basic salary and any additional salary the member earns from the school district for cocurricular and extracurricular activities. The differential payment under this paragraph must be the difference between the daily base rates of military pay times the number of school district contract days the member misses because of military active duty. This payment may be made only to a person whose ~~basic active duty military salary~~ daily base rate of active duty pay is less than the ~~salary the person would be paid~~ person's daily rate of pay as an active school district employee. Payments may be made at the intervals at which the member received pay as a school district employee. Payment under this section must not extend beyond four years from the date the employee reported for active service, plus any additional time the employee may be legally required to serve.

(c) An eligible member of the reserve components of the armed forces of the United States is a reservist or National Guard member who was an employee of a political subdivision at the time the member reported for active service on or after May 29, 2003, or who is on active service on May 29, 2003.

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(d) Except as provided in paragraph (e) and elsewhere in Minnesota Statutes, a statutory or home rule charter city, county, town, or other political subdivision has total discretion regarding employee benefit continuation for a member who reports for active service and the terms and conditions of any benefit.

(e) A school district must continue the employee's enrollment in health and dental coverage, and the employer contribution toward that coverage, until the employee is covered by health and dental coverage provided by the armed forces. If the employee had elected dependent coverage for health or dental coverage as of the time that the employee reported for active service, a school district must offer the employee the option to continue the dependent coverage at the employee's own expense. A school district must permit the employee to continue participating in any pretax account in which the employee participated when the employee reported for active service, to the extent of employee pay available for that purpose.

(f) For purposes of this section, "active service" has the meaning given in section 190.05, subdivision 5, but excludes service performed exclusively for purposes of:

(1) basic combat training, advanced individual training, annual training, and periodic inactive duty training;

(2) special training periodically made available to reserve members; and

(3) service performed in accordance with section 190.08, subdivision 3.

(g) A school district making payments under paragraph (b) shall place a sum equal to any difference between the amount of salary that would have been paid to the employee who is receiving the payments and the amount of salary being paid to substitutes for that employee into a special fund that must be used to pay or partially pay the deployed employee's payments under paragraph (b). A school district is required to pay only this amount to the deployed school district employee.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to members of the National Guard and other reserve components of the United States armed forces serving in active military service on or after that date.

Sec. 63. IMPLEMENTING RIGOROUS COURSEWORK MEASURES RELATED TO STUDENT PERFORMANCE.

To implement the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), clauses (1) and (2), and to help parents and members of the public better understand the reported data, the commissioner of education must convene a group of recognized and qualified experts and interested stakeholders, including parents and teachers among other stakeholders, to develop a model projecting anticipated performance of each high school on preparation and rigorous coursework measures that compares the school with similar schools. The model must use information about entering high school students based on particular background characteristics that are predictive of differing rates of college readiness. These characteristics include grade 8 achievement levels, high school student mobility, high school student attendance, and the size of each entering ninth grade class. The group of experts and stakeholders may examine other characteristics not part of the prediction model including the nine student categories identified under the federal 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, and two student gender categories of male and female, respectively. The commissioner annually must use the predicted level of entering students' performance to provide a context for interpreting graduating students' actual performance. The group convened under this section expires June 30, 2011.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to school report cards beginning July 1, 2011.

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Sec. 64. IMPLEMENTING MEASURES FOR ASSESSING SCHOOL SAFETY AND STUDENTS' ENGAGEMENT AND CONNECTION AT SCHOOL .

(a) To implement the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (d), the commissioner of education, in consultation with interested stakeholders, including parents and teachers among other stakeholders, must convene a group of recognized and qualified experts on student engagement and connection and classroom teachers currently teaching in Minnesota schools to:

(1) identify highly reliable variables of student engagement and connection that may include student attendance, home support for learning, and student participation in out-of-school activities, among other variables; and

(2) determine how to report "safety" in order to comply with federal law.

(b) The commissioner must submit a written report and all the group's working papers to the education committees of the house of representatives and senate by February 15, 2010, presenting the group's responses to paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2). The commissioner must submit a second, related report to the education committees of the legislature by February 15, 2013, indicating the content and analysis of and the format for reporting the data collected in the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (d). The group convened under this section expires December 31, 2013.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to school report cards beginning July 1, 2013.

Sec. 65. EXAMINING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND IMPACT OF HIGH STAKES MATH AND SCIENCE TESTS IN THE CONTEXT OF AWARDING HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS.

(a) To carefully and responsibly determine the state policy of administering high stakes math and science tests in the context of awarding high school diplomas, the Independent Office of Educational Accountability under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.31, subdivision 3, must convene and facilitate an advisory group that includes measurement experts selected by the State Council on Measurement in Education, three regionally diverse school district research and evaluation directors selected by the Minnesota Assessment Group, one school superintendent selected by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, one high school principal selected by the Minnesota Board of School Administrators, one University of Minnesota faculty member selected by the dean of the College of Education and Human Development, one licensed math teacher and one licensed science teacher selected by Education Minnesota, the director of evaluation and testing at the Minnesota Department of Education, two parents of currently enrolled high school students selected by the Minnesota Parent Teacher Association, one representative of the business community selected by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, one representative of the business community selected by the Minnesota Business Partnership, one representative of Minnesota's two-year postsecondary institutions selected by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, one representative of Minnesota's four-year postsecondary institutions selected by the University of Minnesota, an interested member of the public, and mathematicians, scientists, and workforce development experts that the Office of Educational Accountability selects to consider and recommend how best to motivate students and improve students' academic achievement in the context of high stakes math and science exams required for high school graduation. The advisory group at least must evaluate and make recommendations on:

(1) particular kinds of math and science exams that Minnesota might use as high stakes exams to award or deny students a high school diploma;

(2) appropriate levels of high school math and science proficiency and the educational support to help students achieve those proficiency levels;

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(3) the relationship between math and science proficiency levels and state definitions of college and career readiness;

(4) the interrelationship between requiring students to demonstrate math and science proficiency and college or career readiness, and awarding or denying students a high school diploma;

(5) the interrelationship between high stakes testing and other coursework and credits required for graduation or college and career readiness; and

(6) appropriate accommodations for students with individualized education plans and students with limited English proficiency in some circumstances.

(b) The advisory group under paragraph (a) is not subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059. The Office of Educational Accountability must present the advisory group's evaluation and recommendations under paragraph (a) to the education policy and finance committees of the legislature by February 15, 2010. The advisory group expires on June 1, 2010.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 66. LEGISLATIVE REPORT ON DISTRICTS' USE OF AND NEED FOR INTEGRATION REVENUE.

The commissioner must analyze the substance of school district integration plans under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.86, subdivision 1b, to identify the elements of and trends in district strategies and programs, the amount of success districts achieved in realizing the specific goals contained in their plans, and the estimated funds districts need to fully implement those plans. The commissioner must include in the analysis the impact of demographic changes experienced at school sites and school districts involving students of color, students with limited English proficiency, and students who are homeless or highly mobile, as well as changes in immigration patterns and housing patterns experienced by schools and districts, and the availability of and districts' participation in interdistrict integration opportunities. The commissioner must submit a report on the substance of the analysis and any resulting recommendations to the K-12 education policy and finance committees of the legislature by February 1, 2011.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 67. APPROPRIATIONS.

Subdivision 1. Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years designated.

Subd. 2. Charter school building lease aid. For building lease aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.11, subdivision 4:

$33,512,000 . . . . . 2010

$44,030,000 . . . . . 2011

The 2010 appropriation includes $3,704,000 for 2009 and $29,808,000 for 2010.

The 2011 appropriation includes $11,024,000 for 2010 and $33,006,000 for 2011.

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Subd. 3. Charter school startup aid. For charter school startup cost aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.11:

$1,245,000 . . . . . 2010

$1,133,000 . . . . . 2011

The 2010 appropriation includes $202,000 for 2009 and $1,043,000 for 2010.

The 2011 appropriation includes $385,000 for 2010 and $748,000 for 2011.

Subd. 4. Integration aid. For integration aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.86, subdivision 5:

$54,167,000 . . . . . 2010

$65,549,000 . . . . . 2011

The 2010 appropriation includes $6,110,000 for 2009 and $48,057,000 for 2010.

The 2011 appropriation includes $17,774,000 for 2010 and $47,775,000 for 2011.

Subd. 5. Magnet school grants. For magnet school and program grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.88:

$750,000 . . . . . 2010

$750,000 . . . . . 2011

Subd. 6. Interdistrict desegregation or integration transportation grants. For interdistrict desegregation or integration transportation grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.87:

$14,468,000 . . . . . 2010

$17,582,000 . . . . . 2011

Subd. 7. Success for the future. For American Indian success for the future grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.81:

$1,774,000 . . . . . 2010

$2,137,000 . . . . . 2011

The 2010 appropriation includes $213,000 for 2009 and $1,561,000 for 2010.

The 2011 appropriation includes $576,000 for 2010 and $1,561,000 for 2011.

Subd. 8. American Indian teacher preparation grants. For joint grants to assist American Indian people to become teachers under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.63:

$190,000 . . . . . 2010

$190,000 . . . . . 2011

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Subd. 9. Tribal contract schools. For tribal contract school aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.83:

$1,683,000 . . . . . 2010

$2,179,000 . . . . . 2011

The 2010 appropriation includes $191,000 for 2009 and $1,492,000 for 2010.

The 2011 appropriation includes $551,000 for 2010 and $1,628,000 for 2011.

Subd. 10. Early childhood programs at tribal schools. For early childhood family education programs at tribal contract schools under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.83, subdivision 4:

$68,000 . . . . . 2010

$68,000 . . . . . 2011

Subd. 11. Statewide testing and reporting system. For the statewide testing and reporting system under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.30:

$15,150,000 . . . . . 2010

$15,150,000 . . . . . 2011

$1,150,000 each year is for the value-added index assessment model.

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

Subd. 12. Examination fees; teacher training and support programs. (a) For students' advanced placement and international baccalaureate examination fees under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.13, subdivision 3, and the training and related costs for teachers and other interested educators under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.13, subdivision 1:

$4,500,000 . . . . . 2010

$4,500,000 . . . . . 2011

(b) The advanced placement program shall receive 75 percent of the appropriation each year and the international baccalaureate program shall receive 25 percent of the appropriation each year. The department, in consultation with representatives of the advanced placement and international baccalaureate programs selected by the Advanced Placement Advisory Council and IBMN, respectively, shall determine the amounts of the expenditures each year for examination fees and training and support programs for each program.

(c) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.13, subdivision 1, at least $500,000 each year is for teachers to attend subject matter summer training programs and follow-up support workshops approved by the advanced placement or international baccalaureate programs. The commissioner shall determine the payment process and the amount of the subsidy.

(d) The commissioner shall pay all examination fees for all students of low-income families under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.13, subdivision 3, and to the extent of available appropriations shall also pay examination fees for students sitting for an advanced placement examination, international baccalaureate examination, or both.

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

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Subd. 13. Concurrent enrollment programs. For concurrent enrollment programs under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.132, and concurrent enrollment teacher training under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.13, subdivision 1:

$2,000,000 . . . . . 2010

$2,000,000 . . . . . 2011

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

Subd. 14. Collaborative urban educator. For the collaborative urban educator grant program:

$528,000 . . . . . 2010

$528,000 . . . . . 2011

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

Subd. 15. Youth works program. For funding youth works programs under Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.37 to 124D.45:

$900,000 . . . . . 2010

$900,000 . . . . . 2011

A grantee organization may provide health and child care coverage to the dependents of each participant enrolled in a full-time youth works program to the extent such coverage is not otherwise available.

Subd. 16. Student organizations. For student organizations:

$725,000 . . . . . 2010

$725,000 . . . . . 2011

$40,000 each year is for student organizations serving health occupations.

$38,000 each year is for student organizations serving service occupations.

$88,000 each year is for student organizations serving trade and industry occupations.

$84,000 each year is for student organizations serving business occupations.

$131,000 each year is for student organizations serving agriculture occupations.

$125,000 each year is for student organizations serving family and consumer science occupations.

$95,000 each year is for student organizations serving marketing occupations.

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

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Subd. 17. Education Planning and Assessment System (EPAS) program. For the Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS) program under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.128:

$829,000 . . . . . 2010

$829,000 . . . . . 2011

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

Subd. 18. Early childhood literacy programs. For early childhood literacy programs under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.42:

$1,000,000 . . . . . 2010

$1,000,000 . . . . . 2011

$1,000,000 each year is for leveraging federal and private funding to support AmeriCorps members serving in the Minnesota Reading Corps program established by Serve Minnesota, including costs associated with the training and teaching of early literacy skills to children age three to grade 3 and the evaluation of the impact of the program under Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.38, subdivision 2, and 124D.42.

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

Sec. 68. REPEALER.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 120B.362; 120B.39; 122A.628; 122A.75; and 124D.091, are repealed.

ARTICLE 3

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 121A.41, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7. Pupil. (a) "Pupil" means any student:

(1) without a disability under 21 years ~~of age~~ old; or

(2) with a disability ~~until September 1 after the child with a disability becomes 22 years of age~~ under 21 years old who has not received a regular high school diploma or for a child with a disability who becomes 21 years old during the school year but has not received a regular high school diploma, until the end of that school year;

(3) and who remains eligible to attend a public elementary or secondary school.

(b) A "student with a disability" or a "pupil with a disability" has the same meaning as a "child with a disability" under section 125A.02.

Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 121A.41, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

Subd. 10. Suspension. "Suspension" means an action by the school administration, under rules promulgated by the school board, prohibiting a pupil from attending school for a period of no more than ten school days. If a suspension is longer than five days, the suspending administrator must provide the superintendent with a reason for

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the longer suspension. This definition does not apply to dismissal from school for one school day or less, except as provided in federal law for a student with a disability. Each suspension action may include a readmission plan. The readmission plan shall include, where appropriate, a provision for implementing alternative educational services upon readmission and may not be used to extend the current suspension. Consistent with section 125A.091, subdivision 5, the readmission plan must not obligate a parent to provide a sympathomimetic medication for the parent's child as a condition of readmission. The school administration may not impose consecutive suspensions against the same pupil for the same course of conduct, or incident of misconduct, except where the pupil will create an immediate and substantial danger to self or to surrounding persons or property, or where the district is in the process of initiating an expulsion, in which case the school administration may extend the suspension to a total of 15 school days. In the case of a student with a disability, the student's individual education plan team must meet immediately but not more than ten school days after the date on which the decision to remove the student from the student's current education placement is made. The individual education plan team and other qualified personnel shall at that meeting: conduct a review of the relationship between the child's disability and the behavior subject to disciplinary action; and determine the appropriateness of the child's education plan.

~~The requirements of the individual education plan team meeting apply when:~~

~~(1) the parent requests a meeting;~~

~~(2) the student is removed from the student's current placement for five or more consecutive days; or~~

(3) the student's total days of removal from the student's placement during the school year exceed ten cumulative days in a school year. The school administration shall implement alternative educational services when the suspension exceeds five days. A separate administrative conference is required for each period of suspension.

Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 121A.43, is amended to read:

121A.43 EXCLUSION AND EXPULSION OF PUPILS WITH A DISABILITY.

(a) Consistent with federal law governing days of removal and section 121A.46, school personnel may suspend a child with a disability. When a child with a disability has been suspended for more than five consecutive school days or ten cumulative school days in the same school year, and that suspension does not involve a recommendation for expulsion or exclusion or other change of placement under federal law, relevant members of the child's individualized education program team, including at least one of the child's teachers, shall meet and determine the extent the child needs services in order to continue to participate in the general education curriculum, although in another setting, and to progress toward meeting the goals in the child's individualized education program. That meeting must occur as soon as possible, but no more than ten days after the sixth consecutive day of suspension or the tenth cumulative day of suspension has elapsed.

(b) A dismissal for one school day or less is a day of suspension if the child with a disability does not receive regular or special education instruction during that dismissal period. The notice requirements under section 121A.46 do not apply to a dismissal of one day or less.

(c) A child with a disability shall be provided alternative educational services to the extent a suspension exceeds five consecutive school days.

(d) Before initiating an expulsion or exclusion under sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, the district, relevant members of the child's individualized education program team, and the child's parent shall, consistent with federal law, determine whether the child's behavior was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the child's disability and whether the child's conduct was a direct result of a failure to implement the child's individualized education program. When a ~~pupil~~ child with a disability who has an ~~individual~~ individualized education ~~plan~~

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program is excluded or expelled under sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 for misbehavior that is not a manifestation of the ~~pupil's~~ child's disability, the district shall continue to provide special education and related services after a period of suspension, if suspension is imposed. The district shall initiate a review of the pupil's individual education plan and conduct a review of the relationship between the pupil's disability and the behavior subject to disciplinary action and determine the appropriateness of the pupil's education plan before commencing an expulsion or exclusion during the exclusion or expulsion.

Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.31, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Reimbursement. (a) For purposes of revenue under section ~~125A.78~~ 125A.76, the Department of Education must only reimburse school districts for the services of those interpreters/transliterators who satisfy the standards of competency under this section.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a district shall be reimbursed for the services of interpreters with a nonrenewable provisional certificate, interpreters/transliterators employed to mentor the provisional certified interpreters, and persons for whom a time-limited extension has been granted under subdivision 1, paragraph (d), or subdivision 2, paragraph (c).

Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 125A.02, is amended to read:

125A.02 CHILD WITH A DISABILITY DEFINED.

Subdivision 1. Child with a disability. ~~Every child who has~~ "Child with a disability" means a child identified under federal and state special education law as having a hearing impairment, blindness, visual disability, speech or language impairment, physical disability, other health impairment, mental disability, emotional/behavioral disorder, specific learning disability, autism, traumatic brain injury, multiple disabilities, or deaf/blind disability ~~and~~ who needs special ~~instruction and~~ education and related services, as determined by the ~~standards~~ rules of the commissioner, is a child with a disability. A licensed physician, an advanced practice nurse, or a licensed psychologist is qualified to make a diagnosis and determination of attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder for purposes of identifying a child with a disability.

Subd. 1a. Children ages three through seven experiencing developmental delays. In addition, every child under age three, and at local district discretion from age three to age seven, who needs special instruction and services, as determined by the ~~standards~~ rules of the commissioner, because the child has a substantial delay or has an identifiable physical or mental condition known to hinder normal development is a child with a disability.

Subd. 2. Not a child with a disability. A child with a short-term or temporary physical or emotional illness or disability, as determined by the ~~standards~~ rules of the commissioner, is not a child with a disability.

Sec. 6. [125A.031] GENERAL SCHOOL DISTRICT OBLIGATIONS TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.

(a) Except as specifically provided in other law, the following requirements governing school district obligations to children with disabilities apply.

(b) A resident school district must identify, locate, and evaluate every child with a disability who is in need of special education and related services, including a child from birth to age 3.

(1) a child with a disability under 21 years old who has not received a regular high school diploma; and

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(2) for the duration of the school year, a child with a disability who becomes 21 years old during that school year but has not received a regular high school diploma.

(d) The resident school district must ensure that a child with a disability who is enrolled in a nonpublic school or facility receives special education and related services, consistent with the child's individualized education program, at no cost to the child's parent if the district places the child in the nonpublic school or facility to meet the requirements of this section or applicable federal law.

(e) Consistent with the number of children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in a nonpublic school or facility located within a district, the district in which the nonpublic school or facility is located must ensure that those children have an opportunity to participate in special education and related services and that the amount the district spends to provide such services must be at least equal to the proportionate amount of federal funds made available under this chapter.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 125A.07, is amended to read:

125A.07 ~~RULES OF COMMISSIONER~~ RULEMAKING.

(a) ~~As defined in~~ Consistent with this ~~paragraph~~ section, the commissioner ~~must~~ shall adopt new rules and amend existing rules relative to qualifications of essential personnel, courses of study, methods of instruction, pupil eligibility, size of classes, rooms, equipment, supervision, parent consultation, and other necessary rules for instruction of children with a disability. These rules must provide standards and procedures appropriate for the implementation of and within the limitations of sections 125A.08 and 125A.091. These rules must also provide standards for the discipline, control, management, and protection of children with a disability. The commissioner must not adopt rules for pupils served primarily in the regular classroom establishing either case loads or the maximum number of pupils that may be assigned to special education teachers. The commissioner, in consultation with the Departments of Health and Human Services, must adopt permanent rules for instruction and services for children under age five and their families. These rules are binding on state and local education, health, and human services agencies. The commissioner must adopt rules to determine eligibility for special education services. The rules must include procedures and standards by which to grant variances for experimental eligibility criteria. The commissioner must, according to section 14.05, subdivision 4, notify a district applying for a variance from the rules within 45 calendar days of receiving the request whether the request for the variance has been granted or denied. If a request is denied, the commissioner must specify the program standards used to evaluate the request and the reasons for denying the request related to children with disabilities only under specific authority and consistent with the requirements of chapter 14 and paragraph (c).

(b) As provided in this paragraph, the state's regulatory scheme should support schools by assuring that all state special education rules adopted by the commissioner result in one or more of the following outcomes:

(1) increased time available to teachers and, where appropriate, to support staff including school nurses for educating students through direct and indirect instruction;

(2) consistent and uniform access to effective education programs for students with disabilities throughout the state;

(3) reduced inequalities and conflict, appropriate due process hearing procedures and reduced court actions related to the delivery of special education instruction and services for students with disabilities;

(4) clear expectations for service providers and for students with disabilities;

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(5) increased accountability for all individuals and agencies that provide instruction and other services to students with disabilities;

(6) greater focus for the state and local resources dedicated to educating students with disabilities; and

(7) clearer standards for evaluating the effectiveness of education and support services for students with disabilities.

(c) Subject to chapter 14, the commissioner may adopt, amend, or rescind a rule related to children with disabilities if such action is specifically required by federal law.

Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 125A.08, is amended to read:

125A.08 ~~SCHOOL DISTRICT OBLIGATIONS~~ INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

(a) At the beginning of each school year, each school district shall have in effect, for each child with a disability, an individualized education program.

(b) As defined in this section, every district must ensure the following:

(1) all students with disabilities are provided the special instruction and services which are appropriate to their needs. Where the individual education plan team has determined appropriate goals and objectives based on the student's needs, including the extent to which the student can be included in the least restrictive environment, and where there are essentially equivalent and effective instruction, related services, or assistive technology devices available to meet the student's needs, cost to the district may be among the factors considered by the team in choosing how to provide the appropriate services, instruction, or devices that are to be made part of the student's individual education plan. The individual education plan team shall consider and may authorize services covered by medical assistance according to section 256B.0625, subdivision 26. The student's needs and the special education instruction and services to be provided must be agreed upon through the development of an individual education plan. The plan must address the student's need to develop skills to live and work as independently as possible within the community. The individual education plan team must consider positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports that address behavior for children with attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. By During grade 9 ~~or age 14~~, the plan must address the student's needs for transition from secondary services to postsecondary education and training, employment, community participation, recreation, and leisure and home living. In developing the plan, districts must inform parents of the full range of transitional goals and related services that should be considered. The plan must include a statement of the needed transition services, including a statement of the interagency responsibilities or linkages or both before secondary services are concluded;

(2) children with a disability under age five and their families are provided special instruction and services appropriate to the child's level of functioning and needs;

(3) children with a disability and their parents or guardians are guaranteed procedural safeguards and the right to participate in decisions involving identification, assessment including assistive technology assessment, and educational placement of children with a disability;

(4) eligibility and needs of children with a disability are determined by an initial assessment or reassessment, which may be completed using existing data under United States Code, title 20, section 33, et seq.;

(5) to the maximum extent appropriate, children with a disability, including those in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with a disability from the regular educational environment occurs only when and to the extent that the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary services cannot be achieved satisfactorily;

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(6) in accordance with recognized professional standards, testing and evaluation materials, and procedures used for the purposes of classification and placement of children with a disability are selected and administered so as not to be racially or culturally discriminatory; and

(7) the rights of the child are protected when the parents or guardians are not known or not available, or the child is a ward of the state.

~~(b)~~ (c) For paraprofessionals employed to work in programs for students with disabilities, the school board in each district shall ensure that:

(1) before or immediately upon employment, each paraprofessional develops sufficient knowledge and skills in emergency procedures, building orientation, roles and responsibilities, confidentiality, vulnerability, and reportability, among other things, to begin meeting the needs of the students with whom the paraprofessional works;

(2) annual training opportunities are available to enable the paraprofessional to continue to further develop the knowledge and skills that are specific to the students with whom the paraprofessional works, including understanding disabilities, following lesson plans, and implementing follow-up instructional procedures and activities; and

(3) a districtwide process obligates each paraprofessional to work under the ongoing direction of a licensed teacher and, where appropriate and possible, the supervision of a school nurse.

Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 125A.091, is amended to read:

125A.091 ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND DUE PROCESS HEARINGS.

~~Subdivision 1.~~ ~~District obligation.~~ A school district must use the procedures in federal law and state law and rule to reach decisions about the identification, evaluation, educational placement, manifestation determination, interim alternative educational placement, or the provision of a free appropriate public education to a child with a disability.

~~Subd. 2.~~ ~~Prior written notice.~~ A parent must receive prior written notice a reasonable time before the district proposes or refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of a free appropriate public education to a child with a disability.

~~Subd. 3.~~ ~~Content of notice.~~ ~~The notice under subdivision 2 must:~~

~~(1) describe the action the district proposes or refuses;~~

~~(2) explain why the district proposes or refuses to take the action;~~

~~(3) describe any other option the district considered and the reason why it rejected the option;~~

~~(4) describe each evaluation procedure, test, record, or report the district used as a basis for the proposed or refused action;~~

~~(5) describe any other factor affecting the proposal or refusal of the district to take the action;~~

(6) state that the parent of a child with a disability is protected by procedural safeguards and, if this notice is not an initial referral for evaluation, how a parent can get a description of the procedural safeguards; and

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~~(7) identify where a parent can get help in understanding this law.~~

Subd. 3a. Additional requirements for prior written notice. In addition to federal law requirements, a prior written notice shall:

(1) inform the parent that except for the initial placement of a child in special education, the school district will proceed with its proposal for the child's placement or for providing special education services unless the child's parent notifies the district of an objection within 14 days of when the district sends the prior written notice to the parent; and

(2) state that a parent who objects to a proposal or refusal in the prior written notice may request a conciliation conference under subdivision 7 or another alternative dispute resolution procedure under subdivision 8 or 9.

~~Subd. 4.~~ ~~Understandable notice.~~ (a) The written notice under subdivision 2 must be understandable to the general public and available in the parent's native language or by another communication form, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so.

~~(b) If the parent's native language or other communication form is not written, the district must take steps to ensure that:~~

~~(1) the notice is translated orally or by other means to the parent in the parent's native language or other communication form;~~

~~(2) the parent understands the notice; and~~

~~(3) written evidence indicates the requirements in subdivision 2 are met.~~

Subd. 5. Initial action; parent consent. (a) The district must not proceed with the initial evaluation of a child, the initial placement of a child in a special education program, or the initial provision of special education services for a child without the prior written consent of the child's parent. A district may not override the written refusal of a parent to consent to an initial evaluation or reevaluation.

(b) A parent, after consulting with health care, education, or other professional providers, may agree or disagree to provide the parent's child with sympathomimetic medications unless section 144.344 applies.

Subd. 6. Dispute resolution processes; generally. Parties are encouraged to resolve disputes over the identification, evaluation, educational placement, manifestation determination, interim alternative educational placement, or the provision of a free appropriate public education to a child with a disability through conciliation, mediation, facilitated team meetings, or other alternative process. All dispute resolution options are voluntary on the part of the parent and must not be used to deny or delay the right to a due process hearing. All dispute resolution processes under this section are provided at no cost to the parent.

Subd. 7. Conciliation conference. A parent must have an opportunity to meet with appropriate district staff in at least one conciliation conference if the parent objects to any proposal of which the parent receives notice under subdivision 2 3a. ~~If the parent refuses district efforts to conciliate the dispute, the conciliation requirement is satisfied. Following a conciliation conference~~ A district must hold a conciliation conference within ten calendar days from the date the district receives a parent's objection to a proposal or refusal in the prior written notice. Except as provided in this section, all discussions held during a conciliation conference are confidential and are not admissible in a due process hearing. Within five school days after the final conciliation conference, the district must prepare and provide to the parent a conciliation conference memorandum that describes the district's final proposed offer of service. This memorandum is admissible in evidence in any subsequent proceeding.

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Subd. 8. Voluntary dispute resolution options. In addition to offering at least one conciliation conference, a district must inform a parent of other dispute resolution processes, including at least mediation and facilitated team meetings. The fact that an alternative dispute resolution process was used is admissible in evidence at any subsequent proceeding. State-provided mediators and team meeting facilitators shall not be subpoenaed to testify at a due process hearing or civil action under federal special education law nor are any records of mediators or state-provided team meeting facilitators accessible to the parties.

Subd. 9. Mediation. Mediation is a dispute resolution process that involves a neutral party provided by the state to assist a parent and a district in resolving disputes over the identification, evaluation, educational placement, manifestation determination, interim alternative educational placement, or the provision of a free appropriate public education to a child with a disability. A mediation process is available as an informal alternative to a due process hearing but must not be used to deny or postpone the opportunity of a parent or district to obtain a due process hearing. Mediation is voluntary for all parties. All mediation discussions are confidential and inadmissible in evidence in any subsequent proceeding, unless the:

(1) parties expressly agree otherwise;

(2) evidence is otherwise available; or

(3) evidence is offered to prove bias or prejudice of a witness.

Subd. 10. Mediated agreements. Mediated agreements are not admissible unless the parties agree otherwise or a party to the agreement believes the agreement is not being implemented, in which case the aggrieved party may enter the agreement into evidence at a due process hearing. The parties may request another mediation to resolve a dispute over implementing the mediated agreement. After a due process hearing is requested, a party may request mediation and the commissioner must provide a mediator who conducts a mediation session no later than the third business day after the mediation request is made to the commissioner. If the parties resolve all or a portion of the dispute, or agree to use another procedure to resolve the dispute, the mediator shall ensure that the resolution or agreement is in writing and signed by the parties and each party is given a copy of the document. The written resolution or agreement shall state that all discussions that occurred during mediation are confidential and may not be used as evidence in any hearing or civil proceeding. The resolution or agreement is legally binding upon the parties and is enforceable in the state or federal district court. A party may request another mediation to resolve a dispute over implementing the mediated agreement.

Subd. 11. Facilitated team meeting. A facilitated team meeting is an IEP, IFSP, or IIIP team meeting led by an impartial state-provided facilitator to promote effective communication and assist a team in developing an individualized education plan.

Subd. 12. Impartial due process hearing. ~~(a)~~ A parent or a district is entitled to an impartial due process hearing conducted by the state when a dispute arises over the identification, evaluation, educational placement, manifestation determination, interim alternative educational placement, or the provision of a free appropriate public education to a child with a disability. The hearing must be held in the district responsible for ensuring that a free appropriate public education is provided according to state and federal law. The proceedings must be recorded and preserved, at state expense, pending ultimate disposition of the action. The parent and the district shall receive, at state expense, a copy of the hearing transcript or recording and the hearing officer's findings of fact, conclusion of law, and decisions.

~~(b) The due process hearing must be conducted according to the rules of the~~