Journal of the House - 35th Day - Monday, April 15, 2013 - Top of Page 2355

 

STATE OF MINNESOTA

 

 

EIGHTY-EIGHTH SESSION - 2013

 

_____________________

 

THIRTY-FIFTH DAY

 

Saint Paul, Minnesota, Monday, April 15, 2013

 

 

      The House of Representatives convened at 3:00 p.m. and was called to order by Paul Thissen, Speaker of the House.

 

      Prayer was offered by the Reverend John Hogenson, St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi, Minnesota.

 

      The members of the House gave the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

 

      The roll was called and the following members were present:

 


Abeler

Albright

Allen

Anderson, M.

Anderson, P.

Anderson, S.

Anzelc

Atkins

Barrett

Beard

Benson, J.

Benson, M.

Bernardy

Bly

Brynaert

Carlson

Clark

Cornish

Daudt

Davids

Davnie

Dean, M.

Dehn, R.

Dettmer

Dill

Dorholt

Drazkowski

Erhardt

Erickson, R.

Erickson, S.

Fabian

Falk

Faust

Fischer

FitzSimmons

Franson

Freiberg

Fritz

Garofalo

Green

Gruenhagen

Gunther

Hackbarth

Halverson

Hamilton

Hansen

Hausman

Hertaus

Hilstrom

Holberg

Hoppe

Hornstein

Hortman

Howe

Huntley

Isaacson

Johnson, B.

Johnson, C.

Johnson, S.

Kahn

Kelly

Kieffer

Kiel

Kresha

Laine

Leidiger

Lenczewski

Lesch

Liebling

Lien

Lillie

Loeffler

Lohmer

Loon

Mack

Mahoney

Mariani

Marquart

Masin

McDonald

McNamar

McNamara

Melin

Metsa

Moran

Morgan

Mullery

Murphy, E.

Murphy, M.

Myhra

Nelson

Newberger

Newton

Nornes

Norton

O'Driscoll

O'Neill

Paymar

Pelowski

Peppin

Persell

Petersburg

Poppe

Pugh

Quam

Radinovich

Rosenthal

Runbeck

Sanders

Savick

Sawatzky

Schoen

Schomacker

Scott

Selcer

Simon

Simonson

Slocum

Sundin

Swedzinski

Theis

Torkelson

Uglem

Urdahl

Wagenius

Ward, J.A.

Ward, J.E.

Wills

Winkler

Woodard

Yarusso

Zellers

Zerwas

Spk. Thissen


 

      A quorum was present.

 

      The Chief Clerk proceeded to read the Journal of the preceding day.  There being no objection, further reading of the Journal was dispensed with and the Journal was approved as corrected by the Chief Clerk.


Journal of the House - 35th Day - Monday, April 15, 2013 - Top of Page 2356

REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES AND DIVISIONS

 

 

Murphy, E., from the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 128, A bill for an act relating to solid waste; amending process for cities to implement organized collection of solid waste; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 115A.94, subdivisions 2, 5, by adding subdivisions; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 115A.94, subdivision 4.

 

Reported the same back with the recommendation that the bill pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy.

 

Joint Rule 2.03 has been waived for any subsequent committee action on this bill.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Hausman from the Committee on Capital Investment to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 270, A bill for an act relating to capital investment; appropriating money for Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

 

Section 1.  CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT APPROPRIATIONS. 

 

The sums shown in the column under "Appropriations" are appropriated from the bond proceeds fund, or another named fund, to the state agencies or officials indicated, to be spent for public purposes.  Appropriations of bond proceeds must be spent as authorized by the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, section 5, paragraph (a), to acquire and better public land and buildings and other public improvements of a capital nature, or as authorized by the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, section 5, paragraphs (b) to (j), or article XIV.  Unless otherwise specified, money appropriated in this act for a capital program or project may be used to pay state agency staff costs that are attributed directly to the capital program or project in accordance with accounting policies adopted by the commissioner of management and budget.  Unless otherwise specified, the appropriations in this act are available until the project is completed or abandoned subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642.

 

SUMMARY

 

University of Minnesota

 

$103,167,000

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

 

108,554,000

Education

 

8,491,000

Minnesota State Academies

 

810,000

Natural Resources

 

52,615,000

Board of Water and Soil Resources

 

22,000,000

Zoological Garden

 

5,250,000

Administration

 

110,860,000

Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission

 

8,700,000

Military Affairs

 

1,500,000

Transportation

 

94,220,000


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Metropolitan Council

 

75,000,000

Human Services

 

40,912,000

Veterans Affairs

 

5,335,000

Corrections

 

3,000,000

Employment and Economic Development

 

119,057,000

Public Facilities Authority

 

37,500,000

Housing Finance Agency

 

15,000,000

Minnesota Historical Society

 

10,607,000

Bond Sale Expenses

 

800,000

Cancellations

 

(2,000,000)

 

 

 

TOTAL

 

$821,378,000

 

 

 

Bond Proceeds Fund (General Fund Debt Service)

 

741,509,000

Bond Proceeds Fund (User Financed Debt Service)

 

19,518,000

Maximum Effort School Loan Fund

 

5,491,000

State Transportation Fund

 

55,000,000

General Fund

 

1,860,000

Bond Proceeds Cancellations

 

(2,000,000)

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPROPRIATIONS

 

Sec. 2.  UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

 

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$103,167,000

 

To the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR)

 

 

 

30,000,000

 

To be spent in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 135A.046.

 

Subd. 3.  Eddy Hall Renovation, Minneapolis

 

 

 

9,667,000

 

To design, construct, furnish, and equip the renovation of Eddy Hall on the Minneapolis campus for the international and transfer student admissions programs and to improve space utilization by decommissioning obsolete space.

 

Subd. 4.  Tate Laboratory Renovation, Minneapolis

 

 

 

6,000,000

 

To design the renovation of the Tate Laboratory of Physics on the Minneapolis campus for use by the School of Physics and Astronomy, and the School of Earth Sciences to consolidate programs in geology, geobiology, hydrogeology, geochemistry, and geophysics in the building.


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Subd. 5.  James Ford Bell Natural History Museum and Planetarium, St. Paul

 

 

 

47,500,000

 

To complete the design of and to construct, furnish, and equip a new James Ford Bell Natural History Museum on the St. Paul campus.

 

Subd. 6.  Laboratory Replacement, St. Paul

 

 

 

4,000,000

 

To design a new laboratory on the St. Paul campus with approximately 50,000 to 60,000 square feet of lab space, and to replace obsolete facilities, renovate current facilities, and decommission space not suited for research.

 

Subd. 7.  Research Facility Improvements

 

 

 

6,000,000

 

To replace the Bee Research Facility in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources, and to replace the obsolete greenhouses used by the College of Biological Sciences.

 

Subd. 8.  University Share

 

 

 

 

 

Except for Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) and the Bell Museum, the appropriations in this section are intended to cover approximately two-thirds of the cost of each project.  The remaining costs must be paid from university sources.

 

Subd. 9.  Unspent Appropriations

 

 

 

 

 

Upon substantial completion of the projects authorized in this section and after written notice to the commissioner of management and budget, the Board of Regents must use any money remaining in the appropriation for that project for HEAPR under Minnesota Statutes, section 135A.046.  The Board of Regents must report by February 1 of each even-numbered year to the chairs of the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over capital investments and higher education finance, and to the chairs of the house of representatives Ways and Means Committee and the senate Finance Committee, on how the remaining money has been allocated or spent.

 

Sec. 3.  MINNESOTA STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$108,554,000

 

To the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR)

 

 

 

50,000,000

 

To be spent in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 135A.046.


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Subd. 3.  Central Lakes College, Staples

 

 

 

 

 

Agriculture Reconfiguration and Main Building Renovation

 

 

3,458,000

 

To complete the design of and to renovate, furnish, and equip Staples main campus spaces for science, technology, and math initiatives, agriculture, and energy programs, and to replace HVAC systems.

 

Subd. 4.  Metropolitan State University

 

 

 

 

 

Science Education Center Construction

 

 

 

31,000,000

 

To complete the design of and to construct, furnish, and equip the science education center on the campus of Metropolitan State University.

 

Subd. 5.  Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Moorhead

 

 

 

 

Transportation Center Renovation, Addition, and Demolition

 

 

5,210,000

 

To complete the design of and to renovate, furnish, and equip existing space, and to design, construct, furnish, and equip an addition with new laboratories, to replace HVAC systems, and to demolish an obsolete facilities building.

 

Subd. 6.  Riverland Community College, Albert Lea

 

 

 

3,083,000

 

To complete the design of and to renovate, furnish, and equip the Main Building for multiuse classroom space, demolish the obsolete Gateway Building, and replace HVAC systems.

 

Subd. 7.  Rochester Community and Technical College

 

 

 

 

 

Classroom Renovation Design

 

 

 

900,000

 

To complete the design of the renovation of classrooms, including replacement of the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems.

 

Subd. 8.  Winona State University

 

 

 

5,828,000

 

To modernize and renovate classrooms to introduce advanced teaching techniques to better prepare future teachers and teachers and educational leaders for the needs of future schools.

 

Subd. 9.  Systemwide Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Initiatives

 

 

 

2,700,000

 

To design, renovate, furnish, and equip science laboratories and classrooms at the following campuses:  Century College; Minnesota State University, Moorhead; Northeast Higher Education District, Itasca Community College; and Mesabi Range Community and Technical College, Eveleth.


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Subd. 10.  Systemwide classroom renovations

 

 

 

2,675,000

 

To design, renovate, furnish, and equip space for classrooms to meet workforce training needs.  This appropriation may be used at the following campuses:  Century College; Inver Hills Community College; Northeast Higher Education District, Vermilion Community College; and Saint Paul College.

 

Subd. 11.  Systemwide Energy Renovation and Additions

 

 

3,700,000

 

To design, renovate, demolish, construct, furnish, and equip space for workforce training and programs for energy and sustainable development.  This appropriation may be used at the following campuses:  Anoka Technical College; Century College; Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Canby and Jackson; and Northeast Higher Education District, Itasca Community College.

 

Subd. 12.  Debt Service

 

 

 

 

 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), the board shall pay the debt service on one-third of the principal amount of state bonds sold to finance projects authorized by this section.  After each sale of general obligation bonds, the commissioner of management and budget shall notify the board of the amounts assessed for each year for the life of the bonds.

 

(b) The board need not pay debt service on bonds sold to finance Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR).  Where a nonstate match is required, the debt service is due on a principal amount equal to one-third of the total project cost, less the match committed before the bonds are sold.

 

(c) The commissioner of management and budget shall reduce the board's assessment each year by one-third of the net income from investment of general obligation bond proceeds in proportion to the amount of principal and interest otherwise required to be paid by the board.  The board shall pay its resulting net assessment to the commissioner of management and budget by December 1 each year.  If the board fails to make a payment when due, the commissioner of management and budget shall reduce allotments for appropriations from the general fund otherwise available to the board and apply the amount of the reduction to cover the missed debt service payment.  The commissioner of management and budget shall credit the payments received from the board to the bond debt service account in the state bond fund each December 1 before money is transferred from the general fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.641, subdivision 10.


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Subd. 13.  Unspent Appropriations

 

 

 

 

 

(a) Upon substantial completion of a project authorized in this section and after written notice to the commissioner of management and budget, the board must use any money remaining in the appropriation for that project for Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) under Minnesota Statutes, section 135A.046.  The Board of Trustees must report by February 1 of each even-numbered year to the chairs of the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over capital investment and higher education finance, and to the chairs of the house of representatives Ways and Means Committee and the senate Finance Committee, on how the remaining money has been allocated or spent.

 

(b) The unspent portion of an appropriation for a project in this section that is complete is available for HEAPR under this subdivision, at the same campus as the project for which the original appropriation was made and the debt service requirement under subdivision 20 is reduced accordingly.  Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, applies from the date of the original appropriation to the unspent amount transferred.

 

Sec. 4.  EDUCATION

 

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$8,491,000

 

To the commissioner of education or another named person for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  School Energy Conservation Revolving Loan Program

 

 

 

3,000,000

 

To the commissioner of commerce for the school energy efficiency revolving loan program under new Minnesota Statutes, sections 216C.371 and 216C.372.

 

Subd. 3.  Independent School District No. 38, Red Lake

 

 

5,491,000

 

From the maximum effort school loan fund for a capital loan to Independent School District No. 38, Red Lake, as provided in Minnesota Statutes, sections 126C.60 to 126C.72, to design, construct, furnish, and equip renovation of existing facilities and construction of new facilities.  The project paid for with this appropriation includes a portion of the renovation and construction identified in the review and comment performed by the commissioner of education under the capital loan provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.69.  This portion includes renovation and construction of a single kitchen and cafeteria to serve the high school and middle school, a receiving area and dock and adjacent drives, utilities, and grading.  Before any capital loan contract is approved under this


Journal of the House - 35th Day - Monday, April 15, 2013 - Top of Page 2362

authorization, the district must provide documentation acceptable to the commissioner on how the capital loan will be used.  If any portion of the appropriation remains after completion of the identified project components, the district may, with the commissioner's approval, use the money for other items identified in the review and comment submission.

 

Sec. 5.  MINNESOTA STATE ACADEMIES

 

 

 

$810,000

 

To the commissioner of administration to design a new residence hall on the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf campus, including approximately 60 parking spaces.

 

Sec. 6.  NATURAL RESOURCES

 

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$52,115,000

 

To the commissioner of natural resources for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Natural Resources Asset Preservation

 

 

 

2,000,000

 

For the renovation of state-owned facilities and recreational assets operated by the commissioner of natural resources to be spent in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 84.946.

 

Subd. 3.  Flood Hazard Mitigation

 

 

 

20,000,000

 

For the state share of flood hazard mitigation grants for publicly owned capital improvements to prevent or alleviate flood damage, under Minnesota Statutes, section 103F.161.  Levee projects, to the extent practicable, shall meet the state standard of three feet above the 100-year flood elevation.

 

This appropriation includes money for projects in Ada, Oslo, Montevideo, Moorhead, South St. Paul, and Inver Grove Heights, and other project priorities based on need as determined by the commissioner of natural resources.

 

To the extent that the cost of a project exceeds two percent of the median household income in the municipality multiplied by the number of households in the municipality, this appropriation is also for the local share of the project.

 

Subd. 4.  Dam Renovation

 

 

 

5,400,000

 

(a) $2,400,000 is for a grant to Blue Earth County under Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.511, for capital improvements to repair and renovate the Rapidan Dam.  Notwithstanding the match requirements in section 103G.511, this appropriation does not require a match.


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(b) $3,000,000 is for a grant to the city of Champlin under Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.511, for capital improvements to repair and renovate the Champlin Mill Pond Dam.  Notwithstanding the match requirements in Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.511, this appropriation does not require a match.

 

Subd. 5.  State Trails Development

 

 

 

16,215,000

 

To acquire land for and to construct and renovate state trails under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.015.  This appropriation includes funding:

 

(1) up to $2,000,000 is for the Blazing Star Trail;

 

(2) up to $2,000,000 is for the Camp Ripley/Veterans State Trail;

 

(3) up to $500,000 is for the Casey Jones Trail;

 

(4) up to $2,715,000 is for the Cuyuna Lakes Trail segments from Crosby to Deerwood, Paul Bunyan State Trail to Lum Park, a segment connecting to the Sagamore Unit of the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area; and Paul Bunyan State Trail to Riverton;

 

(5) up to $600,000 is for the Gateway Trail for the segment between Scandia and William O'Brien State Park;

 

(6) up to $200,000 is for the Gitchi-Gami Trail from Grand Marais to the Cascade River;

 

(7) up to $1,500,000 is to acquire and develop a five-mile bituminous extension of the Glacial Lakes State Trail in the city of New London to Sibley State Park, in the County State-Aid Highway 40 corridor, for bicycle and pedestrian use;

 

(8) up to $300,000 is to acquire and develop the segment of the Goodhue Pioneer Trail between White Willow and Goodhue;

 

(9) up to $3,100,000 is for the Heartland Trail extension from Detroit Lakes to Frazee and to begin work on the Moorhead to Buffalo State Park segment;

 

(10) up to $2,500,000 is for paving the Luce Line Trail and developing a parallel horse trail between the cities of Winsted and Cedar Mills.  The trail between the city of Winsted and city of Cedar Mills must be available for multiple uses, including hiking, biking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and inline skating.  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 84.8712, subdivision 1, snowmobiles with metal traction devices may be used on the portion of the Luce Line Trail paved with this appropriation.  The commissioner of natural resources shall ensure that all drainage tile passing under the Luce Line Trail can be maintained and provide for adequate crossing locations for farmers with construction standards that allow for large machinery to cross the trail;


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(11) up to $600,000 for the Mill Towns Trail segment between Lake Byllesby and the Cannon Valley Trail, and for the segment between Dundas and Northfield; and

 

(12) up to $200,000 is for the Minnesota River Trail between Mankato and St. Peter, and connections to the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail and the Red Jacket Trail in Mankato.

 

For any project listed in this subdivision that the commissioner determines is not ready to proceed, the commissioner may reallocate that project's money to another state trail project described in this section or other state trail infrastructure.  The chairs of the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources and legislators from the affected legislative districts must be notified of any changes.

 

Subd. 6.  RIM Critical Habitat Match

 

 

 

3,000,000

 

To provide the state match for the critical habitat private sector matching account under Minnesota Statutes, section 84.943.  This appropriation must be used only to acquire fee title.

 

Subd. 7.  Groundwater Monitoring and Observation Wells

 

 

2,000,000

 

To install groundwater monitoring wells for multiple groundwater quantity and quality monitoring purposes by state agencies, as scientifically and practically appropriate.

 

Subd. 8.  Fountain Lake Restoration

 

 

 

1,500,000

 

For a grant to the Shell Rock River Watershed District for engineering, design, permitting, and land acquisition for sediment removal and cleanup of Fountain Lake.

 

Subd. 9.  Fort Snelling Upper Post

 

 

 

2,000,000

 

For construction of streets, sidewalks, street lighting, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, water main, and other publicly owned infrastructure to accommodate redevelopment of areas of the Fort Snelling Upper Post in Hennepin County.  The commissioner of natural resources may make one or more grants to Hennepin County to undertake part or all of the project.

 

Sec. 7.  BOARD OF WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES

 

 

$22,000,000

 

RIM Conservation Reserve

 

 

 

 

 

(a) To acquire conservation easements from landowners to preserve, restore, create, and enhance wetlands and prairie grasslands and restore and enhance rivers and streams, riparian lands, and associated uplands in order to protect soil and water quality, support


Journal of the House - 35th Day - Monday, April 15, 2013 - Top of Page 2365

fish and wildlife habitat, reduce flood damage, and provide other public benefits.  The provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 103F.515, apply to this program.  Of this appropriation, up to ten percent may be used to implement the program.

 

(b) The board shall give priority to leveraging federal funds by (1) enrolling targeted new lands eligible for the USDA Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), or (2) enrolling lands that have expiring USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts.

 

(c) The board is authorized to enter into new agreements and amend past agreements with landowners as required by Minnesota Statutes, section 103F.515, subdivision 5, to allow for restoration, including overseeding and harvesting of native prairie vegetation for use for energy production in a manner that does not devalue the natural habitat, water quality benefits, or carbon sequestration functions of the area enrolled in the easement.  This shall occur after seed production and shall minimize impacts on wildlife.  Of this appropriation, up to five percent may be used for restoration and enhancement, including overseeding.

 

Sec. 8.  MINNESOTA ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS

 

 

$5,250,000

 

To the Minnesota Zoological Garden Board for capital asset preservation improvements and betterments to infrastructure and exhibits at the Minnesota Zoo, to be spent in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.307.  This appropriation must be used for repairs to existing state-owned zoo buildings and grounds so that they remain functional and safe, and for engineering and architectural design for future enhancements to exhibits, in order to maintain the zoo's status as one of the state's premier cultural institutions.

 

Sec. 9.  ADMINISTRATION

 

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$110,860,000

 

To the commissioner of administration for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Capitol Renovation and Restoration

 

 

 

109,000,000

 

This appropriation may be used for one or more of the following purposes:

 

(1) to complete the design of, and to construct, repair, improve, renovate, restore, furnish, and equip the State Capitol building and grounds; including but not limited to exterior stone repairs and window replacement; asbestos and hazardous materials abatement; mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and security systems replacement; general construction, including but not limited to demolition, site improvements, life safety improvements, accessibility, security and telecommunications; roof replacement; and finish work; and


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(2) to predesign, design, conduct hazardous materials abatement, construct, repair, renovate, remodel, furnish, and equip the State Office Building, Administration Building, Centennial Office Building, 321 Grove Street Building, and other properties located on the Capitol campus as determined by the commissioner of administration to meet temporary and permanent office, storage, parking, and other space needs occasioned by and in furtherance of an efficient restoration of the State Capitol Building and for the efficient and effective function of the tenants currently located in the Capitol Building.

 

Subd. 3.  Relocation Expenses

 

 

 

1,860,000

 

For rent loss and relocation expenses related to the Capitol renovation project.  This appropriation is from the general fund.

 

Sec. 10.  MINNESOTA AMATEUR SPORTS COMMISSION

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$8,700,000

 

To the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Mighty Ducks Grants; Air Handling Systems

 

 

 

1,500,000

 

For grants to local government units under Minnesota Statutes, section 240A.09, paragraph (g) or (k), to install, renovate, or replace heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems in existing indoor ice arenas whose ice resurfacing and ice edging equipment are not powered by electricity in order to improve indoor air quality by reducing concentrations of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.  The new or renovated heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems may include continuous electronic air monitoring devices to automatically activate the ventilation systems when the concentration of carbon monoxide or nitrogen dioxide reaches a predetermined level.

 

Subd. 3.  Southwest Regional Amateur Sports Center

 

 

 

4,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of Marshall to acquire land and prepare a site for, and to design, construct, furnish, and equip the Southwest Regional Amateur Sports Center in Marshall.  This appropriation is not available until the commissioner of management and budget determines that at least an equal amount is committed to the project from nonstate sources.

 

Subd. 4.  National Sports Center Expansion

 

 

 

3,200,000

 

For site development and for the design and construction of parking lots, roads, athletic fields, and other infrastructure necessary for expansion of tournament fields at the National Sports Center in Blaine.


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Sec. 11.  MILITARY AFFAIRS

 

 

 

$1,500,000

 

To the adjutant general for asset preservation improvements and betterments of a capital nature at military affairs facilities statewide, to be spent in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.307.

 

Sec. 12.  TRANSPORTATION

 

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$94,220,000

 

To the commissioner of transportation for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Local Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation

 

 

 

20,000,000

 

This appropriation is from the bond proceeds account in the state transportation fund to match federal money and to replace or rehabilitate local deficient bridges as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 174.50.  To the extent practicable, the commissioner shall expend the funds as provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 174.50, subdivisions 6c and 7, paragraph (c).

 

Political subdivisions may use grants made under this subdivision to construct or reconstruct bridges, including but not limited to:

 

(1) matching federal aid grants to construct or reconstruct key bridges;

 

(2) paying the costs of preliminary engineering and environmental studies authorized under Minnesota Statutes, section 174.50, subdivision 6a;

 

(3) paying the costs to abandon an existing bridge that is deficient and in need of replacement, but where no replacement will be made; and

 

(4) paying the costs to construct a road or street to facilitate the abandonment of an existing bridge determined by the commissioner to be deficient, if the commissioner determines that construction of the road or street is more economical than replacement of the existing bridge.

 

Subd. 3.  Local Road Improvement Fund Grants

 

 

 

35,000,000

 

This appropriation is from the bond proceeds account in the state transportation fund as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 174.50, for construction and reconstruction of local roads with statewide or regional significance under Minnesota Statutes, section 174.52, subdivision 4, or for grants to counties to assist in paying the costs of rural road safety capital improvement projects on county state-aid highways under Minnesota Statutes, section 174.52, subdivision 4a.


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This appropriation includes money for a grant to Anoka County to complete the final design, land acquisition, and construction of the interchange of marked U.S. Highway 10 and Anoka County State-Aid Highway 83 (Armstrong Boulevard) in the city of Ramsey, and for associated improvements.

 

$250,000 of this appropriation is for a grant to Pine Lake Township in Otter Tail County for improvements to Nitche Lake Road between County Road 8 and County Road 53 in Pine Lake Township.

 

Subd. 4.  Greater Minnesota Transit

 

 

 

4,920,000

 

For capital assistance for greater Minnesota transit systems to be used for transit capital facilities under Minnesota Statutes, section 174.24, subdivision 3c.  Money from this appropriation may be used to pay up to 80 percent of the nonfederal share of these facilities.  Of this appropriation:

 

$450,000 is for a grant to the city of Mankato for phase III of the facility improvements;

 

$800,000 is for a grant to the Rainbow Rider Transit Board for bus garages in Elbow Lake, Morris, Wheaton, Lowery, and Alexandria;

 

$2,000,000 is for a grant to the St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission for phase I of the metro bus operations center vehicle storage addition and improvements project; and

 

$550,000 is for a grant to the Kandiyohi Area Transit Joint Powers Board for an additional bus storage garage in Willmar.

 

Subd. 5.  Minnesota Valley Regional Railroad Track Rehabilitation

 

 

 

3,800,000

 

For a grant to the Minnesota Valley Regional Rail Authority to rehabilitate and make capital improvements of portions of railroad track between Norwood-Young America and Hanley Falls.  A grant under this section is in addition to any grant, loan, or loan guarantee for this project made by the commissioner under Minnesota Statutes, sections 222.46 to 222.62.

 

Before seeking appropriations in the future, the authority must seek local contributions from the member counties.

 

Subd. 6.  Railroad Warning Devices Replacement

 

 

 

500,000

 

To design, construct, and equip the replacement of active highway railroad grade crossing warning devices that have reached the end of their useful life.


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Subd. 7.  Intercity Passenger Rail Projects

 

 

 

15,000,000

 

To implement capital improvements and betterments for intercity passenger rail projects as identified in the statewide freight and passenger rail plan under Minnesota Statutes, section 174.03, subdivision 1b, which are determined to be eligible for United States Department of Transportation funding.  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a portion or phase of an intercity passenger rail project may be accomplished with one or more state appropriations and an intercity passenger rail project need not be completed with any one appropriation.  Capital improvements and betterments include preliminary engineering, design, engineering, environmental analysis and mitigation, acquisition of land and right-of-way, and construction.

 

Subd. 8.  Safe Routes to School

 

 

 

2,000,000

 

For grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 174.40.

 

Subd. 9.  Range Regional Airport

 

 

 

5,000,000

 

For a grant to the Chisholm-Hibbing Airport Authority to construct, furnish, and equip improvements and betterments of a capital nature at the Range Regional Airport terminal.  The airport authority must use American-made steel for this project, unless the airport authority determines that an exception in Public Law 111-5, section 1605, applies.

 

Subd. 10.  Port Development Assistance

 

 

 

8,000,000

 

For grants under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 457A.  Any improvements made with the proceeds of these grants must be publicly owned.

 

Sec. 13.  METROPOLITAN COUNCIL

 

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$75,000,000

 

To the Metropolitan Council for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Transit Capital Improvement Program

 

 

 

50,000,000

 

(a) To advance transit in the metropolitan area in accordance with the Metropolitan Council's 2030 Transportation Policy Plan and in consultation with the Counties Transit Improvement Board.  This appropriation may be used by the Metropolitan Council or for grants to metropolitan area political subdivisions for preliminary engineering, engineering, environmental assessment, environmental work, design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction for the Lake Street and I-35W transit station in Minneapolis, and in the following transit way corridors:  Bottineau Boulevard, East 7th Street in St. Paul, I-94 Gateway, Nicollet Avenue, Red Rock, Riverview, Robert Street, Rush Line, Snelling Avenue, and Southwest.


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(b) The council shall allocate transit capital development resources so as to achieve geographic balance within the region to the extent possible.

 

Subd. 3.  Metropolitan Regional Parks and Trails Capital Improvements

 

 

 

 

(a) Old Cedar Avenue Bridge, Bloomington

 

 

 

7,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of Bloomington for environmental analysis and review, and to design, renovate, and restore, or to replace, the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge for bicycle commuters and recreational users.  This appropriation is added to the appropriation for the same project made in Laws 2006, chapter 258, section 17, subdivision 8, as amended by Laws 2008, chapter 179, section 64, Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 12, section 30, and this act; Laws 2008, chapter 365, section 4, subdivision 3, as amended by Laws 2010, chapter 189, section 58, Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 12, section 36, and this act; and Laws 2010, chapter 189, section 16, subdivision 4, as amended by Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 12, section 45, and this act.

 

(b) Springbrook Nature Center, Fridley

 

 

 

5,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of Fridley to predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip the redevelopment and expansion of the Springbrook Nature Center.  No nonstate match is required.

 

(c) Heritage Village - Rock Island Swing Bridge, Inver Grove Heights

 

 

 

 

3,500,000

 

For a grant to the city of Inver Grove Heights for public infrastructure improvements and land acquisition in and adjacent to the Heritage Village Park, the Mississippi River Trail, and the Rock Island Swing Bridge.  These improvements will include but are not limited to motor vehicle access, utility service, stormwater treatment, and trail and sidewalk connections.  This appropriation is not available until the commissioner of management and budget has determined that at least an equal amount has been committed to the project from nonstate sources.

 

(d) Fish Creek Trail, Maplewood

 

 

 

500,000

 

For a grant to the city of Maplewood to acquire and develop approximately 70 acres of land along Fish Creek to be included within the Fish Creek Natural Greenway, a park of regional and historical significance located in Ramsey County within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.  This appropriation is not available until an amount sufficient to complete the acquisition is committed to the project from nonstate sources.


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(e) Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

 

 

 

7,000,000

 

For a grant to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to predesign, design, and construct renovation of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, which displays art owned by the Walker Art Center, subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695.  The complete renovation will include improving irrigation, drainage, the parking lot, security, granite substructures, concrete, and fixtures, in order to update them with more ecologically sustainable options that are less expensive to maintain; increasing physical accessibility in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act; transplanting and replacing trees and plant materials; and improving the mechanical plant, piping, and flooring of the Cowles Conservatory to permit its flexible reuse in a way that is more ecologically sustainable and less expensive to maintain.

 

Subd. 4.  Metropolitan Cities Inflow and Infiltration Grants

 

 

2,000,000

 

For grants to cities within the metropolitan area, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 473.121, subdivision 2, for capital improvements in municipal wastewater collection systems to reduce the amount of inflow and infiltration to the Metropolitan Council's metropolitan sanitary sewer disposal system.  Grants from this appropriation are for up to 50 percent of the cost to mitigate inflow and infiltration in the publicly owned municipal wastewater collection systems.  The council must award grants based on applications from cities that identify eligible capital costs and include a timeline for inflow and infiltration mitigation construction, pursuant to guidelines established by the council.

 

Sec. 14.  HUMAN SERVICES

 

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$40,912,000

 

To the commissioner of administration, or another named agency, for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Minnesota Security Hospital - St. Peter, Phase One

 

 

36,317,000

 

To complete the design of and to construct, furnish, and equip the first phase of a two-phase project to remodel existing, and to develop new, residential, program, activity, and ancillary facilities for the Minnesota Security Hospital on the upper campus of the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center.  In addition, phase one includes funding to design phase two of the project.  Upon substantial completion of phase one, any unspent portion of this appropriation is available for phase two.

 

Subd. 3.  Remembering With Dignity

 

 

 

195,000

 

To the commissioner of human services for grave markers or memorial monuments for unmarked graves on public land of deceased residents of state hospitals or regional treatment centers.


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Subd. 4.  Hennepin County; St. David's Center for Child and Family Development

 

 

 

3,750,000

 

To the commissioner of human services for a grant to Hennepin County to acquire land for and to predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip the expansion and renovation of the St. David's Center for Child and Family Development, subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695.  The center must be used to promote the public welfare by providing early childhood education and respite care, children's mental health services, pediatric rehabilitative therapies for children with special needs, support services for persons with disabilities, foster care placement, and other interventions for children who are at risk for poor developmental outcomes or maltreatment.  This appropriation is not available until the commissioner of management and budget has determined that at least an equal amount has been expended or committed to the project from nonstate resources.

 

Subd. 5.  Maplewood; Harriet Tubman Center East

 

 

 

650,000

 

To the commissioner of human services for a grant to the city of Maplewood to design, renovate, and equip the Harriet Tubman Center East to be used as a regional safety service center for a domestic violence shelter, legal services, youth programs, mental and chemical health services, and community education.  This appropriation is added to the appropriation in Laws 2012, chapter 293, section 18, subdivision 3, for the same purposes.

 

Sec. 15.  VETERANS AFFAIRS

 

 

 

$5,335,000

 

To the commissioner of administration for asset preservation improvements and betterments of a capital nature at the veterans homes and the Little Falls veterans cemetery, to be spent in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.307.  Of this appropriation:

 

$275,000 is for the Fergus Falls veterans home;

 

$1,635,000 is for the Hastings veterans home;

 

$770,000 is for the Luverne veterans home;

 

$1,630,000 is for the Minneapolis veterans home;

 

$975,000 is for the Silver Bay veterans home; and

 

$70,000 is for the Little Falls veterans cemetery.


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Sec. 16.  CORRECTIONS

 

 

 

$3,000,000

 

To the commissioner of administration for asset preservation improvements and betterments of a capital nature at Minnesota correctional facilities statewide, including providing additional space for sex offender treatment, to be spent in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.307.

 

Sec. 17.  EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$119,556,000

 

To the commissioner of employment and economic development for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Public Building Accessibility Grants

 

 

 

450,000

 

For grants to political subdivisions under new Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.434.

 

Subd. 3.  Brainerd, Sewer and Water Extension to the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport

 

 

 

5,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of Brainerd to design, engineer, and construct an extension of water and sanitary sewer service to the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport and to replace approximately one mile of existing sewer to accommodate flow from the airport.

 

Subd. 4.  Chatfield, Center for the Arts

 

 

 

7,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of Chatfield economic development authority to predesign, design, renovate, construct, furnish, and equip the Chatfield Center for the Arts in the city of Chatfield.  The center includes the George H.  Potter auditorium, the adjacent 1916 school building, and the land surrounding the structures currently owned by the economic development authority.  Money, land and buildings, and in-kind contributions provided to the center before the enactment of this section are considered to be sufficient local match, and no further local match is required.

 

Subd. 5.  Duluth

 

 

 

 

 

(a) NorShor Theatre

 

 

 

4,950,000

 

For a grant to the Duluth Economic Development Authority to design, construct, furnish, and equip public improvements and to provide public access to the historic NorShor Theatre, including skyway access for connection to nearby public parking, interior circulation, street and utility improvements, handicapped access, and restoration of the theater's lobby, entrance, and marquee as part of the overall restoration of the theater.


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This appropriation is not available until the commissioner of management and budget has determined that at least $2 has been committed from nonstate sources for private renovation and improvement of the interior of the theatre and the surrounding structures for every $1 of state funds, and that sufficient nonstate funds are available to complete both the state bond-financed portion of the project and the balance of the private development.  Funds invested in the project by a person receiving state historic tax credits pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 290.0681, shall be deemed nonstate funds for purposes of this requirement.  The city of Duluth and the Duluth Economic Development Authority may operate a performing arts center and facilities that provide access to the center, and may enter into a lease or management agreement, subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695.  The state bond-financed project subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695, shall consist only of those improvements paid for with state general obligation bond proceeds.  The state bond-financed property may be legally described either as a separately platted real estate parcel under a registered land survey or a condominium unit.  Due to the integrated nature of the overall development, public bidding shall not be required for the state bond-financed project, provided there shall be a separate construction contract for this portion of the project, and any amounts required for this portion of the project, in excess of the bond appropriation, shall be paid by nonstate sources.

 

(b) Wade Stadium

 

 

 

250,000

 

For a grant to the city of Duluth to design improvements to Wade Stadium, including a grandstand and field, with proper drainage, for a ballpark and public outdoor events facility.  This appropriation is not available until the commissioner determines that at least an equal amount is committed to the project from nonstate sources.

 

Subd. 6.  Mankato, Arena and Events Center Auditorium

 

 

14,500,000

 

For a grant to the city of Mankato to design, construct, improve, furnish, and equip the Minnesota State Mankato Arena and to design, expand, furnish, and equip the adjacent Events Center Auditorium.

 

This appropriation is not available until the commissioner of management and budget has determined that at least an equal amount has been committed to the project from nonstate sources.

 

Subd. 7.  Minneapolis

 

 

 

 

 

Masonic Temple at Hennepin Center for the Arts

 

 

 

3,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of Minneapolis for improvements and betterments of a capital nature to renovate the historic Masonic Temple at the Hennepin Center for the Arts, subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695.


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Subd. 8.  Red Wing, River Renaissance

 

 

 

1,583,000

 

For a grant to the city of Red Wing for improvements of a capital nature to the area between Levee Road and the Mississippi River, extending between Bay Point Drive and Broad Street in Red Wing.  This project includes:  reconstruction of Levee Road from Broad Street to Jackson Street; improvements to storm water, sanitary sewer, and drinking water infrastructure; replacement of a harbor retaining wall; parking improvements; lighting improvements; and construction of a segment of the Riverwalk Trail.  This grant is not available until the commissioner of management and budget determines that an amount sufficient to complete the project is committed to it from nonstate sources.

 

Subd. 9.  Rochester, Mayo Civic Center Complex

 

 

 

35,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of Rochester to design, construct, furnish, and equip the renovation and expansion of the Mayo Civic Center complex and related infrastructure, including but not limited to skyway access, lighting, parking, and landscaping.

 

Subd. 10.  St. Cloud, River's Edge Convention Center

 

 

 

10,100,000

 

For a grant to the city of St. Cloud to predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip an expansion of the River's Edge Convention Center, including a parking facility and pedestrian skyway connection.  This appropriation is not available until the commissioner of management and budget determines that at least $10,100,000 has been committed to the project from nonstate sources.  Amounts expended by the city of St. Cloud for project costs since July 1, 2010, shall count toward the matching requirement.

 

Subd. 11.  St. Paul

 

 

 

 

 

(a) Minnesota Children's Museum

 

 

 

14,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of St. Paul to design, construct, furnish, and equip an expansion and renovation of the Minnesota Children's Museum, subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695.  The expansion and exhibit upgrades should incorporate the latest research on early learning, allow for new state-of-the art education facilities, and increase the capacity of visitors to galleries and programming areas.

 

This appropriation is not available until the commissioner of management and budget has determined that at least an equal amount has been committed from nonstate sources.


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(b) Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

 

 

 

5,000,000

 

This appropriation is added to the appropriation in Laws 2010, chapter 189, section 21, subdivision 16, paragraph (b), and is for the same purposes.  This appropriation is not available until the commissioner of management and budget determines that the labor contract dispute between the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the musicians has been settled.

 

(c) Twin Cities Public Television Building Renovation

 

 

 

9,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of St. Paul to construct and renovate the Twin Cities Public Television Building in downtown St. Paul.  This appropriation is not available until at least an equal amount is committed to the project from nonstate sources.

 

(d) University Enterprise Laboratories

 

 

 

500,000

 

For a grant to the St. Paul Port Authority to design phase two of the University Enterprise Laboratories building in St. Paul, subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695.  Amounts expended to complete phase one of the University Enterprise Laboratories building since January 1, 2004, shall count toward the matching requirement.

 

Subd. 12.  Truman, Storm Water Project

 

 

 

1,350,000

 

For a grant to the city of Truman to design, construct, and install new storm water lines to two areas of the city that experience flooding with heavy rain.  This appropriation is not available until the commissioner of management and budget has determined that at least an equal amount has been committed to the project from nonstate sources.

 

Subd. 13.  Virginia, Relocation of Utilities and Trails

 

 

 

 

 

(a) Utilities relocation

 

 

 

1,410,000

 

For a grant to the city of Virginia and the Virginia Public Utilities Commission for engineering and predesign for relocation of gas, electric, water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer utilities made necessary by and in conjunction with the relocation of marked Trunk Highway 53 in Virginia.

 

(b) Mesabi trails relocation

 

 

 

150,000

 

For a grant to the St. Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority for soil testing and preparation for relocation of portions of the Mesabi bicycle, snowmobile, and ATV trails that must be relocated due to the relocation of marked Trunk Highway 53.


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Subd. 14.  Voyageurs National Park Clean Water Joint Powers Board

 

 

 

5,500,000

 

For a grant to the Voyageurs National Park Clean Water Joint Powers Board to acquire land for, and to predesign, design, and construct new sanitary sewer collection systems in Koochiching and St. Louis Counties.  The systems must address the sanitary sewer needs and projects in the communities surrounding Voyageurs National Park.  This appropriation is not available until the commissioner of management and budget determines that at least an equal amount has been committed to the project from nonstate sources.

 

Sec. 18.  PUBLIC FACILITIES AUTHORITY

 

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$37,500,000

 

To the Public Facilities Authority for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  State Match for Federal Grants

 

 

 

8,000,000

 

To match federal grants for the clean water revolving fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 446A.07, and the drinking water revolving fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 446A.081.  This appropriation must be used for qualified capital projects.

 

Subd. 3.  Wastewater Infrastructure Funding Program

 

 

 

25,000,000

 

For grants to eligible municipalities under the wastewater infrastructure funding program under Minnesota Statutes, section 446A.072.  Up to $5,000,000 may be used for eligible costs to implement the wastewater infrastructure funding program.

 

Subd. 4.  Big Lake Area Sanitary District

 

 

 

4,500,000

 

For a grant to the Big Lake Area Sanitary District to construct a pressure sewer system and force main to convey sewage to the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District connection in the city of Cloquet.

 

Sec. 19.  MINNESOTA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

 

 

$15,000,000

 

(a) To the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for transfer to the housing development fund to finance the costs of rehabilitation to preserve public housing under Minnesota Statutes, section 462A.202, subdivision 3a.  For purposes of this section, "public housing" means housing for low-income persons and households financed by the federal government and owned and operated by the public housing authorities and agencies formed by cities and counties.  Public housing authorities receiving a public housing assessment composite score of 80 or above are eligible to receive


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funding.  Priority must be given to proposals that maximize federal or local resources to finance the capital costs.  The priority in Minnesota Statutes, section 462A.202, subdivision 3a, for projects to increase the supply of affordable housing and the restrictions of Minnesota Statutes, section 462A.202, subdivision 7, do not apply to this appropriation.

 

(b) In using proceeds of the housing infrastructure bonds authorized in this section, the agency shall give consideration to projects that will provide supportive housing for homeless youth, and for women and children seeking to escape exploitation and trafficking.

 

Sec. 20.  MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

 

 

 

 

 

Subdivision 1.  Total Appropriation

 

 

 

$10,607,000

 

To the Minnesota Historical Society for the purposes specified in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Historic Sites Asset Preservation

 

 

 

750,000

 

For capital improvements and betterments at state historic sites, buildings, landscaping at historic buildings, exhibits, markers, and monuments, to be spent in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.307.  The society shall determine project priorities as appropriate based on need.

 

Subd. 3.  Oliver H. Kelley Farm Historic Site

 

 

 

9,857,000

 

To complete design and to construct, furnish, and equip the renovation of the Oliver H. Kelley Farm Historic Site, including the site's visitor center and other essential visitor services and site operations facilities.

 

Sec. 21.  BOND SALE EXPENSES

 

 

 

$800,000

 

To the commissioner of management and budget for bond sale expenses under Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.641, subdivision 8.

 

Sec. 22.  BOND SALE SCHEDULE.

 

The commissioner of management and budget shall schedule the sale of state general obligation bonds so that, during the biennium ending June 30, 2015, no more than $1,347,152,000 will need to be transferred from the general fund to the state bond fund to pay principal and interest due and to become due on outstanding state general obligation bonds.  During the biennium, before each sale of state general obligation bonds, the commissioner of management and budget shall calculate the amount of debt service payments needed on bonds previously issued and shall estimate the amount of debt service payments that will be needed on the bonds scheduled to be sold.  The commissioner shall adjust the amount of bonds scheduled to be sold so as to remain within the limit set by this section.  The amount needed to make the debt service payments is appropriated from the general fund as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.641.


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Sec. 23.  BOND SALE AUTHORIZATION.

 

Subdivision 1.  Bond proceeds fund.  To provide the money appropriated in this act from the bond proceeds fund, the commissioner of management and budget shall sell and issue bonds of the state in an amount up to $761,027,000 in the manner, upon the terms, and with the effect prescribed by Minnesota Statutes, sections 16A.631 to 16A.675, and by the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, sections 4 to 7.

 

Subd. 2.  Maximum effort school loan fund.  To provide the money appropriated in this act from the maximum effort school loan fund, the commissioner of management and budget shall sell and issue bonds of the state in an amount up to $5,491,000 in the manner, upon the terms, and with the effect prescribed by Minnesota Statutes, sections 16A.631 to 16A.675, and by the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, sections 4 to 7.  The proceeds of the bonds, except accrued interest and any premium received on the sale of the bonds, must be credited to a bond proceeds account in the maximum effort school loan fund.

 

Subd. 3.  Transportation fund.  To provide the money appropriated in this act from the state transportation fund, the commissioner of management and budget shall sell and issue bonds of the state in an amount up to $55,000,000 in the manner, upon the terms, and with the effect prescribed by Minnesota Statutes, sections 16A.631 to 16A.675, and by the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, sections 4 to 7.  The proceeds of the bonds, except accrued interest and any premium received on the sale of the bonds, must be credited to a bond proceeds account in the state transportation fund.

 

Sec. 24.  CANCELLATIONS; BOND SALE AUTHORIZATION REDUCTIONS.

 

Subdivision 1.  2009 MnDOT aeronautics.  The $2,000,000 appropriation in Laws 2009, chapter 93, article 1, section 11, subdivision 7, for the Alexandria aircraft surveillance facility, is canceled.  The bond sale authorization in Laws 2009, chapter 93, article 1, section 21, subdivision 1, is reduced by $2,000,000.

 

Sec. 25.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16A.641, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4a.  Negotiated sales; temporary authority.  Notwithstanding the public sale requirements of subdivision 4 and section 16A.66, subdivision 2, from June 1, 2009, until June 30, 2013, the commissioner may sell bonds, including refunding bonds, at negotiated sale.

 

Sec. 26.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16B.24, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 5.  Renting out state property.  (a) Authority.  The commissioner may rent out state property, real or personal, that is not needed for public use, if the rental is not otherwise provided for or prohibited by law.  The property may not be rented out for more than five years at a time without the approval of the State Executive Council and may never be rented out for more than 25 years.  A rental agreement may provide that the state will reimburse a tenant for a portion of capital improvements that the tenant makes to state real property if the state does not permit the tenant to renew the lease at the end of the rental agreement.

 

(b) Restrictions.  Paragraph (a) does not apply to state trust fund lands, other state lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources, lands forfeited for delinquent taxes, or lands acquired under section 298.22.

 

(c) Rental of living accommodations.  The commissioner shall establish rental rates for all living accommodations provided by the state for its employees.  Money collected as rent by state agencies pursuant to this paragraph must be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the general fund.

 

(d) Lease of space in certain state buildings to state agencies.  The commissioner may lease portions of the state-owned buildings under the custodial control of the commissioner to state agencies and the court administrator on behalf of the judicial branch of state government and charge rent on the basis of space occupied. 


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Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, all money collected as rent pursuant to the terms of this section shall be deposited in the state treasury.  Money collected as rent to recover the bond interest costs of a building funded from the state bond proceeds fund shall be credited to the general fund.  Money collected as rent to recover the depreciation costs of a building funded from the state bond proceeds fund and money collected as rent to recover capital expenditures from capital asset preservation and replacement appropriations and statewide building access appropriations shall be credited to a segregated asset preservation and replacement account in a special revenue fund.  Fifty percent of the money credited to the account each fiscal year must be transferred to the general fund.  The remaining money in the account is appropriated to the commissioner to be expended for asset preservation projects as determined by the commissioner.  Money collected as rent to recover the depreciation and interest costs of a building built with other state dedicated funds shall be credited to the dedicated fund which funded the original acquisition or construction.  All other money received shall be credited to the general services revolving fund.  The commissioner shall not collect rent to recover bond interest costs or building depreciation costs for any appropriations utilized for the Capitol restoration project, between calendar years 2012 and 2017.

 

(e) Lease of space in Andersen and Freeman buildings.  The commissioner may lease space in the Elmer L. Andersen and Orville L. Freeman buildings to state agencies and charge rent on the basis of space occupied.  Money collected as rent under this paragraph to fund future building repairs must be credited to a segregated account for each building in the special revenue fund and is appropriated to the commissioner to make the repairs.  When the state acquires title to each building, the account for that building must be abolished and any balance remaining in the account must be transferred to the appropriate asset preservation and replacement account created under paragraph (d).

 

Sec. 27.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16C.144, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Guaranteed energy-savings agreement.  The commissioner may enter into a guaranteed energy-savings agreement with a qualified provider if:

 

(1) the qualified provider is selected through a competitive process in accordance with the guaranteed energy-savings program guidelines within the Department of Administration;

 

(2) the qualified provider agrees to submit an engineering report prior to the execution of the guaranteed energy-savings agreement.  The cost of the engineering report may be considered as part of the implementation costs if the commissioner enters into a guaranteed energy-savings agreement with the provider;

 

(3) the term of the guaranteed energy-savings agreement shall not exceed 15 years from the date of final installation;

 

(4) the commissioner finds that the amount it would spend on the utility cost-savings measures recommended in the engineering report will not exceed the amount to be saved in utility operation and maintenance costs over 15 20 years from the date of implementation of utility cost-savings measures;

 

(5) the qualified provider provides a written guarantee that the annual utility, operation, and maintenance cost savings during the term of the guaranteed energy-savings agreement will meet or exceed the annual payments due under a lease purchase agreement.  The qualified provider shall reimburse the state for any shortfall of guaranteed utility, operation, and maintenance cost savings; and

 

(6) the qualified provider gives a sufficient bond in accordance with section 574.26 to the commissioner for the faithful implementation and installation of the utility cost-savings measures.


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Sec. 28.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16C.144, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Lease purchase agreement.  The commissioner may enter into a lease purchase agreement with any party for the implementation of utility cost-savings measures in accordance with the guaranteed energy-savings agreement.  The implementation costs of the utility cost-savings measures recommended in the engineering report shall not exceed the amount to be saved in utility and operation and maintenance costs over the term of the lease purchase agreement.  The term of the lease purchase agreement shall not exceed 15 20 years from the date of final installation.  The lease is assignable in accordance with terms approved by the commissioner of management and budget.

 

Sec. 29.  [116J.434] PUBLIC BUILDING ACCESSIBILITY GRANT PROGRAM.

 

Subdivision 1.  Creation of account.  A public building accessibility account is created in the bond proceeds fund.  Money in the account is appropriated to the commissioner for grants under this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Definitions.  For the purposes of this section:

 

(1) "accessible" means satisfies the requirements of the State Building Code for accessibility by persons with disabilities;

 

(2) "eligible project" means predesign, design, acquisition of land or an interest in land, construction, renovation, or other improvement or betterment of a capital nature to make a building or facility owned by a local government unit accessible or improve its accessibility;

 

(3) "governing body" means the county board of commissioners, city council, or town board of supervisors; and

 

(4) "local government unit" means a county, statutory or home rule charter city, or town.

 

Subd. 3.  Grant program established.  The commissioner shall make grants to local government units on a first-come, first-served basis for eligible projects.

 

Subd. 4.  Application.  A local government unit seeking a grant under this section must apply to the commissioner in the form and manner determined by the commissioner.  The application must include:

 

(1) a resolution of the governing body requesting the grant and stating that the local government unit has or will have in a timely manner the required nonstate contribution necessary to complete the project;

 

(2) a detailed description of the project and cost estimate, along with necessary supporting evidence; and

 

(3) any other information the commissioner determines is necessary or useful.

 

Subd. 5.  Maximum grant amount; match.  A local unit of government must not be awarded in aggregate more than $150,000, whether for one or more projects in one or more years.  The local government unit awarded a grant under this section must provide at least an equal amount from nonstate sources, which may include contributions made before the grant is awarded.

 

Sec. 30.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 123B.65, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

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

 

(a) "Energy conservation measure" means a training program or facility alteration designed to reduce energy consumption or operating costs and includes:

 

(1) insulation of the building structure and systems within the building;


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(2) storm windows and doors, caulking or weatherstripping, multiglazed windows and doors, heat absorbing or heat reflective glazed and coated window and door systems, additional glazing, reductions in glass area, and other window and door system modifications that reduce energy consumption;

 

(3) automatic energy control systems;

 

(4) heating, ventilating, or air conditioning system modifications or replacements;

 

(5) replacement or modifications of lighting fixtures to increase the energy efficiency of the lighting system without increasing the overall illumination of a facility, unless such increase in illumination is necessary to conform to the applicable state or local building code for the lighting system after the proposed modifications are made;

 

(6) energy recovery systems;

 

(7) cogeneration systems that produce steam or forms of energy such as heat, as well as electricity, for use primarily within a building or complex of buildings;

 

(8) energy conservation measures that provide long-term operating cost reductions.

 

(b) "Guaranteed energy-savings contract" means a contract for the evaluation and recommendations of energy conservation measures, and for one or more energy conservation measures.  The contract must provide that all payments, except obligations on termination of the contract before its expiration, are to be made over time, but not to exceed 15 20 years from the date of final installation, and the savings are guaranteed to the extent necessary to make payments for the systems.

 

(c) "Qualified provider" means a person or business experienced in the design, implementation, and installation of energy conservation measures.  A qualified provider to whom the contract is awarded shall give a sufficient bond to the school district for its faithful performance.

 

(d) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of commerce through the state energy office.

 

Sec. 31.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 123B.65, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  District action.  A district may enter into a guaranteed energy-savings contract with a qualified provider if, after review of the report and the commissioner's evaluation if requested, or if required under section 216C.372, the board finds that the amount it would spend on the energy conservation measures recommended in the report is not likely to exceed the amount to be saved in energy and operation costs over 15 20 years from the date of installation if the recommendations in the report were followed, and the qualified provider provides a written guarantee that the energy or operating cost savings will meet or exceed the costs of the system.  The guaranteed energy-savings contract may provide for payments over a period of time, not to exceed 15 20 years.  Notwithstanding section 123B.79, a district annually may transfer from the general fund to the reserve for operating capital account an amount up to the amount saved in energy and operation costs as a result of guaranteed energy-savings contracts.

 

Sec. 32.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 129C.10, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Powers and duties of board.  (a) The board has the powers necessary for the care, management, and control of the Perpich Center for Arts Education and any other school authorized in this chapter, and all its their real and personal property.  The powers shall include, but are not limited to, those listed in this subdivision.


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(b) The board may employ and discharge necessary employees, and contract for other services to ensure the efficient operation of the Center for Arts Education and any other school authorized in this chapter.

 

(c) The board may receive and award grants.  The board may establish a charitable foundation and accept, in trust or otherwise, any gift, grant, bequest, or devise for educational purposes and hold, manage, invest, and dispose of them and the proceeds and income of them according to the terms and conditions of the gift, grant, bequest, or devise and its acceptance.  The board must adopt internal procedures to administer and monitor aids and grants.

 

(d) The board may establish or coordinate evening, continuing education, extension, and summer programs for teachers and pupils.

 

(e) The board may identify pupils who have artistic talent, either demonstrated or potential, in dance, literary arts, media arts, music, theater, and visual arts, or in more than one art form.

 

(f) The board must educate pupils with artistic talent by providing:

 

(1) an interdisciplinary academic and arts program for pupils in the 11th and 12th grades.  The total number of pupils accepted under this clause and clause (2) shall not exceed 310;

 

(2) additional instruction to pupils for a 13th grade.  Pupils eligible for this instruction are those enrolled in 12th grade who need extra instruction and who apply to the board, or pupils enrolled in the 12th grade who do not meet learner outcomes established by the board;

 

(3) intensive arts seminars for one or two weeks for pupils in grades 9 to 12;

 

(4) summer arts institutes for pupils in grades 9 to 12;

 

(5) artist mentor and extension programs in regional sites; and

 

(6) teacher education programs for indirect curriculum delivery.

 

(g) The board may determine the location for the Perpich Center for Arts Education and any additional facilities related to the center, including the authority to lease a temporary facility.

 

(h) The board must plan for the enrollment of pupils on an equal basis from each congressional district.

 

(i) The board may establish task forces as needed to advise the board on policies and issues.  The task forces expire as provided in section 15.059, subdivision 6.

 

(j) The board may request the commissioner of education for assistance and services.

 

(k) The board may enter into contracts with other public and private agencies and institutions for residential and building maintenance services if it determines that these services could be provided more efficiently and less expensively by a contractor than by the board itself.  The board may also enter into contracts with public or private agencies and institutions, school districts or combinations of school districts, or service cooperatives to provide supplemental educational instruction and services.

 

(l) The board may provide or contract for services and programs by and for the Center for Arts Education, including a store, operating in connection with the center; theatrical events; and other programs and services that, in the determination of the board, serve the purposes of the center.


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(m) The board may provide for transportation of pupils to and from the Center for Arts Education for all or part of the school year, as the board considers advisable and subject to its rules.  Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the board may charge a reasonable fee for transportation of pupils.  Every driver providing transportation of pupils under this paragraph must possess all qualifications required by the commissioner of education.  The board may contract for furnishing authorized transportation under rules established by the commissioner of education and may purchase and furnish gasoline to a contract carrier for use in the performance of a contract with the board for transportation of pupils to and from the Center for Arts Education.  When transportation is provided, scheduling of routes, establishment of the location of bus stops, the manner and method of transportation, the control and discipline of pupils, and any other related matter is within the sole discretion, control, and management of the board.

 

(n) The board may provide room and board for its pupils.  If the board provides room and board, it shall charge a reasonable fee for the room and board.  The fee is not subject to chapter 14 and is not a prohibited fee according to sections 123B.34 to 123B.39.

 

(o) The board may establish and set fees for services and programs.  If the board sets fees not authorized or prohibited by the Minnesota public school fee law, it may do so without complying with the requirements of section 123B.38.

 

(p) The board may apply for all competitive grants administered by agencies of the state and other government or nongovernment sources.

 

Sec. 33.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 129C.10, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 9.  Interdistrict voluntary integration magnet program.  The board may establish and operate an interdistrict integration magnet program according to section 129C.30.

 

Sec. 34.  [129C.30] CROSSWINDS INTEGRATION MAGNET SCHOOL.

 

Subdivision 1.  Definitions.  (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given them.

 

(b) "Board" means the board of directors of the Perpich Center for Arts Education.

 

(c) "Crosswinds school" means the Crosswinds school in Woodbury operated during the 2012-2013 school year by Joint Powers District No. 6067, East Metro Integration District.

 

Subd. 2.  Board to operate Crosswinds school.  The board may operate the Crosswinds school with the powers and duties granted to it under this chapter.

 

Subd. 3.  General education funding.  (a) General education revenue must be paid to the Crosswinds school as though it were a district.  The general education revenue for each adjusted marginal cost pupil unit is the state average general education revenue per pupil unit, plus the referendum equalization aid allowance in the pupil's district of residence, calculated without basic skills revenue, extended time revenue, alternative teacher compensation revenue, transition revenue, and transportation sparsity revenue, plus basic skills revenue, extended time revenue, basic alternative teacher compensation aid according to section 126C.10, subdivision 34, and transition revenue as though the school were a school district.  The general education revenue for each extended time marginal cost pupil unit equals $4,378.

 

(b) General education revenue under paragraph (a) must be reduced by an amount equal to 75 percent of the school's equity revenue for that year.


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Subd. 4.  Special education funding.  Special education aid must be paid to the Crosswinds school according to section 125A.76 as though it were a school district.  The special education aid paid to the Crosswinds school shall be adjusted as follows:

 

(1) if the Crosswinds school does not receive general education revenue on behalf of the student according to subdivision 3, the aid shall be adjusted as provided in section 125A.11; or

 

(2) if the Crosswinds school receives general education revenue on behalf of the student according to subdivision 3, the aid shall be adjusted as provided in section 127A.47, subdivision 7, paragraph (e).

 

Subd. 5.  Pupil transportation.  The board may transport pupils enrolled in the 2012-2013 school year to and from the Crosswinds school in succeeding school years regardless of the student's district of residence.  Pupil transportation expenses under this section are reimbursable under section 124D.87.

 

Subd. 6.  Integration aid.  The Crosswinds school is eligible for integration aid as if it were a school district under section 124D.86 or any successor section.

 

Subd. 7.  Other aids, grants, revenue.  (a) The Crosswinds school is eligible to receive other aids, grants, and revenue according to chapters 120A to 129C as though it were a district.

 

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the Crosswinds school may not receive aid, a grant, or revenue if a levy is required to obtain the money, or if the aid, grant, or revenue replaces levy revenue that is not general education revenue, except as otherwise provided in this section.

 

(c) Federal aid received by the state must be paid to the school if it qualifies for the aid as though it were a school district.

 

(d) In the year-end report to the commissioner of education, the Crosswinds school shall report the total amount of funds received from grants and other outside sources.

 

Subd. 8.  Year-round programming.  The Crosswinds school may operate as a flexible learning year program under sections 124D.12 to 124D.127.

 

Subd. 9.  Data requirements.  The commissioner of education shall require the Crosswinds school to follow the budget and accounting procedures required for school districts, and the Crosswinds school shall report all data to the Department of Education in the form and manner required by the commissioner.

 

Sec. 35.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 216C.10, is amended to read:

 

216C.10 COMMISSIONER POWERS.

 

(a) The commissioner may:

 

(1) adopt rules under chapter 14 as necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 216C.05 to 216C.30;

 

(2) make all contracts under sections 216C.05 to 216C.30 and do all things necessary to cooperate with the United States government, and to qualify for, accept, and disburse any grant intended for the administration of sections 216C.05 to 216C.30;

 

(3) provide on-site technical assistance to units of local government in order to enhance local capabilities for dealing with energy problems;


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(4) administer for the state, energy programs under federal law, regulations, or guidelines, and coordinate the programs and activities with other state agencies, units of local government, and educational institutions;

 

(5) develop a state energy investment plan with yearly energy conservation and alternative energy development goals, investment targets, and marketing strategies;

 

(6) perform market analysis studies relating to conservation, alternative and renewable energy resources, and energy recovery;

 

(7) assist with the preparation of proposals for innovative conservation, renewable, alternative, or energy recovery projects;

 

(8) manage and disburse funds made available for the purpose of research studies or demonstration projects related to energy conservation or other activities deemed appropriate by the commissioner;

 

(9) intervene in certificate of need proceedings before the Public Utilities Commission;

 

(10) collect fees from recipients of loans, grants, or other financial aid from money received from litigation or settlement of alleged violations of federal petroleum-pricing regulations, which fees must be used to pay the department's costs in administering those financial aids; and

 

(11) collect fees from proposers and operators of conservation and other energy-related programs that are reviewed, evaluated, or approved by the department, other than proposers that are political subdivisions or community or nonprofit organizations, to cover the department's cost in making the reviewal, evaluation, or approval and in developing additional programs for others to operate.; and

 

(12) fix, charge, and collect fees from state agencies, units of local government, education institutions, and others that use the department's technical support services during a guaranteed energy savings program contract under sections 16C.144, 123B.65, and 471.345, or during an energy improvement financing program for local governments under section 216C.43, to make those services self-funding.  An energy performance contracting fund is established as a special revenue account in the state treasury.  Fees collected and interest, dividends, and any other earnings arising from fund assets must be credited to the fund.

 

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, the commissioner is designated the state agent to apply for, receive, and accept federal or other funds made available to the state for the purposes of sections 216C.05 to 216C.30.

 

Sec. 36.  [216C.371] DEFINITIONS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Scope.  For the purposes of this section and section 216C.372, the following terms have the meanings given them.

 

Subd. 2.  Capital improvement.  "Capital improvement" means the acquisition or betterment of public land, buildings, and other public improvements of a capital nature, as permitted by the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, section 5, clause (a).  It does not include repair or maintenance.

 

Subd. 3.  Energy audit.  "Energy audit" has the meaning given in section 216C.435, subdivision 4.

 

Subd. 4.  Energy improvement.  "Energy improvement" means a renovation or retrofitting of a school building that is permanently affixed to the property and that results in a net reduction in energy consumption without altering the principal source of energy.


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Subd. 5.  Engineering report.  "Engineering report" has the meaning given in section 16C.144, subdivision 1, paragraph (k).

 

Subd. 6.  School building.  "School building" means a permanent structure owned by and used for school district purposes that has a permanently installed heating or cooling system.

 

Subd. 7.  School district.  "School district" means a public independent, common, special, or intermediate school district or a charter school.

 

Subd. 8.  Statewide greenhouse gas emissions.  "Statewide greenhouse gas emissions" has the meaning given in section 216H.01, subdivision 2.

 

Sec. 37.  [216C.372] SCHOOL ENERGY CONSERVATION REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM.

 

Subdivision 1.  Loan program established.  A school energy conservation revolving loan program account is established in the bond proceeds fund to receive appropriations of state bond proceeds.  Money in the account is appropriated to the commissioner of commerce to make loans to school districts for eligible capital improvement projects as provided in this section and to pay reasonable and actual costs of administering the loan program, not to exceed interest earned on fund assets.  The commissioner of management and budget must credit to the account all investment income on money in the account, and all repayments of principal and interest.  Section 16A.642 does not apply to money in the account or the program.  The commissioner of commerce shall manage and administer the revolving loan program and individual accounts in the revolving loan account.

 

Subd. 2.  Purpose.  The school energy conservation revolving loan program is created to provide financial assistance to school districts to make energy improvements in school buildings that reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions and improve indoor air quality in schools.

 

Subd. 3.  Limitations.  The commissioner of commerce shall make loans on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

Subd. 4.  Applications.  (a) A school district applying for a loan must submit an application to the commissioner of commerce in the manner and on forms prescribed by the commissioner.  An applicant must provide the following information:

 

(1) the name and contact information of the school district and the persons responsible for loan administration and project implementation matters;

 

(2) the estimated total cost of the capital improvement project and the amount of the loan sought;

 

(3) a description of the energy improvements to be made to school buildings as part of the project, and new equipment and materials to be installed;

 

(4) the proposed methods and sources of funds to be used to repay a loan made under this section;

 

(5) the proposed source of matching funds to be used in conjunction with a loan made under this section, as required under subdivision 5, including, where the source of matching funds is a guaranteed energy-savings contract entered into under section 16C.144 or section 123B.54, or a lease purchase agreement entered into under section 16C.144, a copy of the proposed guaranteed energy-savings contract or lease purchase agreement;

 

(6) the results of an energy audit conducted by an independent contractor, or an engineering report prepared by a contractor qualified through section 16C.144 or section 216C.43, estimating the energy savings that will be realized as a result of the project;


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(7) a description of the projected improvements in indoor air quality achieved as a result of the project, if applicable; and

 

(8) any additional information requested by the commissioner of commerce.

 

(b) A school district may, in consultation with the commissioner of commerce, evaluate the use of the guaranteed energy-savings program outlined in section 16C.144 or an energy improvement financing program for local governments outlined in section 216C.43 before making an application for the school energy conservation loan program.

 

Subd. 5.  Loan conditions.  (a) A loan made under this section must:

 

(1) represent no more than one-half of the total cost of the project;

 

(2) have a repayment term no longer than 20 years;

 

(3) bear interest at or below the market rate; and

 

(4) finance no energy improvement whose useful life is less than the loan term.

 

(b) A school district loan recipient may apply towards the school district's share of the total project costs the amount that the school district spent on the energy audit or engineering report, and any amounts it spends to implement energy audit or engineering report recommendations that are part of the overall project but that are not eligible for financing with the loan money.

 

Subd. 6.  Commissioner review.  The commissioner shall review applications filed under this section and shall notify a school district in writing of the decision to approve or disapprove the application.  If the commissioner disapproves an application, the notice shall contain the reasons why the application was disapproved.  If an approved application includes a proposed guaranteed energy-savings contract or lease purchase agreement as a source of matching funds, the notice shall contain the commissioner's comments and recommendations regarding the provisions of the guaranteed energy-savings contract or lease purchase agreement.

 

Subd. 7.  Biennial report.  The commissioner of commerce shall report by February 1 of each even-numbered year to the chairs and ranking minority members of the committees of the house of representatives and senate with jurisdiction over energy policy, education finance, and capital investment.  The report must identify the school districts and school buildings in which projects have been financed through the program, the amount of the loans, the total project costs, the estimated and, if possible, measured energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions reductions, the demand for loans and the availability of loan money, and any other information the commissioner determines would be useful to the legislature.  The commissioner shall also submit the report as required in section 3.195.

 

Sec. 38.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 240A.09, is amended to read:

 

240A.09 PLAN DEVELOPMENT; CRITERIA.

 

The Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission shall develop a plan to promote the development of proposals for new statewide public ice facilities including proposals for ice centers and matching grants based on the criteria in this section.

 

(a) For ice center proposals, the commission will give priority to proposals that come from more than one local government unit.  Institutions of higher education are not eligible to receive a grant.


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(b) In the metropolitan area as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2, the commission is encouraged to give priority to the following proposals:

 

(1) proposals for renovation and indoor air quality improvements at an existing indoor ice arena;

 

(1) (2) proposals for construction of two or more ice sheets in a single new facility;

 

(2) (3) proposals for construction of an additional sheet of ice at an existing ice center;

 

(3) (4) proposals for construction of a new, single sheet of ice as part of a sports complex with multiple sports facilities; and

 

(4) (5) proposals for construction of a new, single sheet of ice that will be expanded to a two-sheet facility in the future.

 

(c) The commission shall administer a site selection process for the ice centers.  The commission shall invite proposals from cities or counties or consortia of cities.  A proposal for an ice center must include matching contributions including in-kind contributions of land, access roadways and access roadway improvements, and necessary utility services, landscaping, and parking.

 

(d) Proposals for ice centers and matching grants must provide for meeting the demand for ice time for female groups by offering up to 50 percent of prime ice time, as needed, to female groups.  For purposes of this section, prime ice time means the hours of 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

 

(e) The location for all proposed facilities must be in areas of maximum demonstrated interest and must maximize accessibility to an arterial highway.

 

(f) To the extent possible, all proposed facilities must be dispersed equitably, must be located to maximize potential for full utilization and profitable operation, and must accommodate noncompetitive family and community skating for all ages.

 

(g) The commission may also use the money to upgrade current facilities, purchase girls' ice time, or conduct amateur women's hockey and other ice sport tournaments.

 

(h) To the extent possible, 50 percent of all grants must be awarded to communities in greater Minnesota.

 

(i) To the extent possible, technical assistance shall be provided to Minnesota communities by the commission on ice arena planning, design, redesign, installation, renovation of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems, and operation, including the marketing of ice time.

 

(j) A grant for new facilities may not exceed $250,000.

 

(k) The commission may make grants for rehabilitation and renovation.  A rehabilitation or renovation grant may not exceed $100,000 $200,000.  Priority must be given to grant applications for indoor air quality improvements, including zero emission ice resurfacing equipment and the upgrading of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems which may include electronic indoor air monitoring devices.

 

(l) Grant money may be used for ice centers designed for sports other than hockey.

 

(m) Grant money may be used to upgrade existing facilities to comply with the bleacher safety requirements of section 326B.112.

 

Sec. 39.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 462A.37, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Definitions.  (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given.

 

(b) "Abandoned property" has the meaning given in section 117.025, subdivision 5.

 

(c) "Community land trust" means an entity that meets the requirements of section 462A.31, subdivisions 1 and 2.

 

(d) "Debt service" means the amount payable in any fiscal year of principal, premium, if any, and interest on housing infrastructure bonds and the fees, charges, and expenses related to the bonds.


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(e) "Foreclosed property" means residential property where foreclosure proceedings have been initiated or have been completed and title transferred or where title is transferred in lieu of foreclosure.

 

(f) "Housing infrastructure bonds" means bonds issued by the agency under this chapter that are qualified 501(c)(3) bonds, within the meaning of Section 145(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, finance qualified residential rental projects within the meaning of Section 142(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, or are tax-exempt bonds that are not private activity bonds, within the meaning of Section 141(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, for the purpose of financing or refinancing affordable housing authorized under this chapter.

 

(g) "Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

(h) "Supportive housing" means housing that is not time-limited and provides or coordinates with linkages to services necessary for residents to maintain housing stability and maximize opportunities for education and employment.

 

Sec. 40.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 462A.37, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 2a.  Additional authorization.  In addition to the amount authorized in subdivision 2, the agency may issue up to $35,000,000 of housing infrastructure bonds in one or more series to which the payments made under this section may be pledged.

 

Sec. 41.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 462A.37, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 5.  Additional appropriation.  (a) The agency must certify annually to the commissioner of management and budget the actual amount of annual debt service on each series of bonds issued under subdivision 2a.

 

(b) Each July 15, beginning in 2014 and through 2033, if any housing infrastructure bonds issued under subdivision 2a remain outstanding, the commissioner of management and budget must transfer to the housing infrastructure bond account established under section 462A.21, subdivision 32, the amount certified under paragraph (a), not to exceed $2,590,000 annually.  The amounts necessary to make the transfers are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of management and budget.

 

(c) The agency may pledge to the payment of the housing infrastructure bonds the payments to be made by the state under this section.

 

Sec. 42.  Laws 2002, chapter 393, section 22, subdivision 6, as amended by Laws 2005, chapter 20, article 1, section 43, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 6.  Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center

 

 

 

3,000,000

 

To design, renovate, construct, furnish, and equip ancillary support and program facilities, including improvements to basic infrastructure to be owned by a public entity, such as sanitary and storm sewer and water lines, public streets, curb, gutter, street lights, or sidewalks, to make improvements for building envelope and structural integrity, for hazardous materials abatement, and for demolition that will facilitate the relocation of the facility's ancillary support, treatment, and residential programs from the Kirkbride buildings and of all or portions of surplus, nonfunctional, or deteriorated facilities and infrastructure or to renovate surplus, nonfunctional, or deteriorated facilities and infrastructure to facilitate the disposition redevelopment


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of the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center campus.  If the property is sold or transferred to a local unit of government, the unspent portion of this appropriation may be granted to the local unit of government that acquires the campus for the purposes stated in this subdivision.

 

Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, the bond authorization and appropriation of bond proceeds in this subdivision are available until December 31, 2016.

 

Sec. 43.  Laws 2005, chapter 20, article 1, section 20, subdivision 3, as amended by Laws 2006, chapter 258, section 47, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Systemwide Redevelopment, Reuse, or Demolition

 

 

17,600,000

 

To demolish or improve surplus, nonfunctional, or deteriorated facilities and infrastructure at Department of Human Services campuses statewide. 

 

(a) Up to $8,600,000 may be used to predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip renovation of existing space or construction of new space for skilled nursing home capacity for forensic treatment programs operated by state-operated services on the campus of St. Peter Regional Treatment Center. 

 

(b) $4,000,000 may be used to prepare and develop a site, including demolition of buildings and infrastructure, to implement the redevelopment and reuse of the Ah-Gwah-Ching Regional Treatment Center campus.  If the property is sold or transferred to a local unit of government, the unspent portion of this appropriation may be granted to the local unit of government that acquires the campus for the purposes stated in this subdivision. 

 

Up to $400,000 may be used for a grant to the city of Walker to connect the water reservoir to the city. 

 

(c) $1,000,000 may be used to renovate one or more buildings for chemical dependency treatment specializing in methamphetamine addiction, and demolish buildings, on the Willmar Regional Treatment Center campus.  If the property is sold or transferred to a local unit of government, the unspent portion of this appropriation may be granted to the local unit of government that acquires the campus for the purposes stated in this subdivision. 

 

(d) Up to $2,210,000 may be spent by the commissioner of finance to retire municipal bonds issued by the city of Fergus Falls and to retire interfund loans incurred by the city of Fergus Falls in connection with the waste incinerator and steam heating facility at the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center.  $447,610 of unexpended nonsalary money from state-operated services may be transferred as a grant to the city of Fergus Falls to retire interfund loans incurred by the city of Fergus Falls in connection with the waste incinerator and steam


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heating facility at the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center.  This money is only available upon satisfactory completion of implementation of the final master plan agreement, as approved by the Department of Administration, the Department of Human Services, and the city of Fergus Falls.

 

(e) Up to $400,000 may be used for a grant to the city of Fergus Falls for hazardous materials abatement, improvements to basic infrastructure to be owned by a public entity, including sanitary and storm sewer and water lines, public streets, curb, gutter, street lights, or sidewalks, to make improvements for building envelope and structural integrity, and to demolish all or portions of surplus, nonfunctional, or deteriorated facilities and infrastructure or to renovate surplus, nonfunctional, or deteriorated facilities and infrastructure to facilitate redevelopment of the city's waste-to-energy incineration plant located on the grounds of the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center campus. 

 

Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, the bond authorization and appropriation of bond proceeds in this paragraph are available until December 31, 2016.

 

(f) The provisions, terms, and conditions of any grant made by the director of the Office of Environmental Assistance under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 115A, to the city of Fergus Falls for the waste incinerator steam heating facility that supports the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center and that may come into effect as a result of the incinerator and facility being closed, are hereby waived.

 

Sec. 44.  Laws 2005, chapter 20, article 1, section 23, subdivision 12, as amended by Laws 2006, chapter 171, section 2, Laws 2006, chapter 258, section 50, and Laws 2010, chapter 189, section 47, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 12.  Bioscience Development

 

 

 

18,500,000

 

For grants to political subdivisions to predesign, design, acquire, construct, furnish, and equip publicly owned infrastructure required to support bioscience development in this state. 

 

$2,500,000 is for a grant to the city of Worthington.  The $313,947.17 remaining from this appropriation, which was reported to the legislature according to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, subdivision 1, on January 2, 2013, is reauthorized and does not cancel under the terms of that subdivision.  The bond sale authorization and appropriation of bond proceeds for this project are available until December 31, 2016, and also may be used to design, construct, furnish, and equip a laboratory and technology training center on the site supported by the infrastructure.

 

$14,000,000 cumulatively is for grants to the counties of Ramsey and Anoka for public improvements to the portion of County Road J located within each county, and for road and bridge improvement


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costs at marked Trunk Highway 36 and Rice Street in Ramsey County in support of bioscience business development.  This amount may be used to repay loans the proceeds of which were used for the public improvement.  The grants to the individual counties shall be in amounts proportionate to the individual counties' costs associated with the public improvements.

 

$2,000,000 is for bioscience business development public infrastructure grants under new Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.435.

 

Sec. 45.  Laws 2006, chapter 258, section 17, subdivision 8, as amended by Laws 2008, chapter 179, section 64, and Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 12, section 30, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 8.  Metropolitan Regional Parks Capital Improvements

 

 

35,362,000

 

For the cost of improvements and betterments of a capital nature and acquisition by the council and local government units of regional recreational open-space lands in accordance with the council's policy plan as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 473.147.  Priority must be given to park rehabilitation and land acquisition projects.

 

$300,000 is for a grant to the city of Bloomington for environmental analysis and review, design, and construction of a multimodal trail connection across or through Long Meadow Lake in the vicinity of the old Cedar Avenue bridge and for development of a segment of the Minnesota Valley State Trail from Fort Snelling State Park to the Long Meadow Lake crossing to serve as a hiking and bicycling trail connection to renovate and restore, or to replace, the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge for bicycle commuters and recreational users.  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, the bond sale authorization and appropriation of bond proceeds for this project are available until December 31, 2017.

 

$6,000,000 is for a grant to the county of Dakota to acquire land for a regional park and wildlife area adjacent to the Vermillion Highlands Research, Recreation, and Wildlife Management Area in Dakota County.

 

$1,800,000 is for a grant to the city of Minneapolis to complete land acquisition for and construction of the Cedar Lake Trail.

 

$3,500,000 is for a grant to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to design, construct, furnish, and equip a new cultural and community center in the East Phillips neighborhood in Minneapolis.

 

$250,000 is for a grant to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to predesign completion of the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway by providing a link between northeast Minneapolis on Stinson Avenue and Southeast Minneapolis at East River Road.


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$2,500,000 is for a grant to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to mitigate flooding at Lake of the Isles in the city of Minneapolis.  The grant must be used for shoreline stabilization and restoration, dredging, wetland replacement, and other infrastructure improvements necessary to deal with the 1997 flood damage and to prevent future flooding.

 

$321,000 is for a grant to Ramsey County to construct a bicycle and pedestrian trail on the north side of Lower Afton Road between Century Avenue and McKnight Road in the city of Maplewood.  This appropriation is not available until the commissioner has determined that at least an equal amount has been committed from nonstate sources.

 

$9,000,000 is for a grant to the city of St. Paul to predesign, design, construct, furnish, equip, and redevelop infrastructure at the Como Zoo.

 

$2,500,000 is for a grant to the city of St. Paul to acquire land for and to predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip river park development and redevelopment infrastructure in National Great River Park along the Mississippi River in St. Paul.

 

$2,000,000 is for a grant to the city of South St. Paul for the closure, capping, and remediation of approximately 80 acres of the Port Crosby construction and demolition debris landfill in South St. Paul, as the fifth phase of converting the land into parkland, and to restore approximately 80 acres of riverfront land along the Mississippi River.

 

$191,000 is for a grant to the city of White Bear Lake to construct the Lake Avenue Regional Trail connecting Highway 96 Regional Trail with Ramsey Beach.

 

Sec. 46.  Laws 2006, chapter 258, section 18, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 6.  Systemwide Redevelopment, Reuse, or Demolition

 

 

5,000,000

 

To abate hazardous materials, design, construct, or improve basic infrastructure to be owned by a public entity, including sanitary and storm sewer and water lines, public streets, curb, gutter, street lights, or sidewalks, to make improvements for building envelope and structural integrity, demolish all or portions of surplus, nonfunctional, or deteriorated facilities and infrastructure or to renovate surplus, nonfunctional, or deteriorated facilities and infrastructure at to facilitate redevelopment of Department of Human Services campuses that the commissioner of administration is authorized to convey to a local unit of government under Laws 2005, chapter 20, article 1, section 46, or other law.  These projects must facilitate the redevelopment or reuse of these campuses and must be implemented


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consistent with the comprehensive redevelopment plans developed and approved under Laws 2003, First Special Session chapter 14, article 6, section 64, subdivision 2, unless expressly provided otherwise.  If a surplus campus is sold or transferred to a local unit of government, unspent portions of this appropriation may be granted to that local unit of government for the purposes stated in this subdivision.  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, the bond authorization and appropriation of bond proceeds in this subdivision are available until December 31, 2016.

 

Sec. 47.  Laws 2008, chapter 179, section 7, subdivision 26, as amended by Laws 2009, chapter 7, section 1, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 26.  Regional and Local Park Grants

 

 

 

1,621,000

 

An appropriation in this subdivision is not available unless a covenant is placed, or has been placed, on the land to keep the land as a public park in perpetuity.

 

$492,000 is for a grant to Stearns County to acquire 23 acres of land adjacent to Warner Lake Park in Stearns County to serve as part of the Central Minnesota Parks and Trails.

 

$500,000 is for a grant to Chisago City to acquire land for the creation of Ojiketa Regional Park in Chisago County.

 

$129,000 is for a grant to the city of Ortonville to construct improvements of a capital nature at the Minnesota River Regional Park in the city of Ortonville.

 

$500,000 is for a grant to the city of Sartell to acquire up to 68 acres of land located along the Sauk River near the confluence of the Mississippi to serve as part of the Central Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails.  This appropriation, which was reported to the legislature according to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, subdivision 1, on January 2, 2013, is reauthorized and does not cancel under the terms of that subdivision.  The bond sale authorization and appropriation of bond proceeds for this project are available until December 31, 2016.

 

Sec. 48.  Laws 2008, chapter 365, section 4, subdivision 3, as amended by Laws 2010, chapter 189, section 58, and Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 12, section 36, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Old Cedar Avenue Bridge

 

 

 

2,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of Bloomington for environmental analysis and review, design, and construction of a multimodal trail connection across or through Long Meadow Lake in the vicinity of the old Cedar Avenue Bridge and for development of a segment of the Minnesota Valley State Trail from Fort Snelling State Park to the Long Meadow Lake crossing to renovate and restore, or to


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replace, the old Cedar Avenue Bridge for bicycle commuters and recreational users.  This appropriation is added to the appropriation in Laws 2006, chapter 258, section 17, subdivision 8, as amended.  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, the bond sale authorization and appropriation of bond proceeds for this project are available until December 31, 2017.

 

Sec. 49.  Laws 2009, chapter 93, article 1, section 22, the effective date, as amended by Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 12, section 38, is amended to read:

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment and expires July 1, 2013.

 

Sec. 50.  Laws 2010, chapter 189, section 16, subdivision 4, as amended by Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 12, section 45, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Metropolitan Regional Parks and Trails Capital Improvements

 

 

 

 

(a) Metropolitan Council Priorities

 

 

 

10,500,000

 

For the cost of improvements and betterments of a capital nature and acquisition by the council and local government units of regional recreational open-space lands in accordance with the council's policy plan as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 473.147.  Priority must be given to park rehabilitation and land acquisition projects.  This appropriation must not be used to purchase easements.

 

(b) Como Zoo

 

 

 

11,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of St. Paul to predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip phase 2 renovation of exhibits at the Como Zoo.

 

(d) Old Cedar Avenue Bridge

 

 

 

1,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of Bloomington for environmental analysis and review, design, and construction of a multimodal trail connection across or through Long Meadow Lake in the vicinity of the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge and for development of a segment of the Minnesota Valley State Trail from Fort Snelling State Park to the Long Meadow Lake crossing to renovate and restore, or to replace, the old Cedar Avenue Bridge for bicycle commuters and recreational users.  The city of Bloomington must consult with the city of Eagan and Dakota County on the renovation project.  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, the bond sale authorization and appropriation of bond proceeds for this project are available until December 31, 2017.

 

This appropriation is added to the appropriation in Laws 2008, chapter 365, section 4, subdivision 3, as amended by this act.


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(f) Rock Island Bridge Park and Trail Development

 

 

 

1,000,000

 

For a grant to the city of Inver Grove Heights for park and trail development on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Dakota County at the site of Mississippi River Bridge JAR 5600, commonly known as the Rock Island Bridge.  Any park or trails developed with this appropriation must connect with any local, regional, or state trails in the vicinity, and the historic Rock Island Bridge.

 

(i) Veterans Memorial Parks

 

 

 

2,000,000

 

For a grant to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to:  (1) design and construct an appropriate monument in Sheridan Veterans Memorial Park on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis to memorialize the war service of Minnesota veterans of all wars; and (2) match money provided by Hennepin County to restore the flagpole monument and plaza, and make other infrastructure improvements of a capital nature for the Veterans of World War I Victory Memorial Parkway, consistent with Hennepin County's planned infrastructure improvements.

 

Sec. 51.  OPTIONS FOR TRANSFER OF CROSSWINDS SCHOOL FACILITIES.

 

Subdivision 1.  Transfer.  Notwithstanding the appropriation of state general obligation bond proceeds in Laws 1998, chapter 404, section 5, subdivision 5; Laws 1999, chapter 240, article 1, section 3; Laws 2000, chapter 492, article 1, section 5, subdivision 2; Laws 2001, First Special Session chapter 12, section 2, subdivision 2; and Laws 2005, chapter 20, article 1, section 5, subdivision 3, to acquire and better the Crosswinds school facilities by the Joint Powers District No. 6067, East Metro Integration District, in Woodbury, the Crosswinds school may be conveyed to the Perpich Center for Arts Education or to Independent School District 833, South Washington County Schools, for use as an east metropolitan area integration magnet school.

 

Subd. 2.  Sale.  If Joint Powers District No. 6067, East Metro Integration District, does not transfer the Crosswinds school facilities under subdivision 1, it may sell the school at public sale for an amount at least equal to the total amount of state general obligation bond proceeds used to acquire and better the school.  The proceeds of the sale must be allocated as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695.  Upon the sale under this subdivision, the school facilities are no longer state bond-financed property and may be used for any purpose.

 

Sec. 52.  CROSSWINDS SCHOOL TRANSITION TO PERPICH CENTER FOR ARTS EDUCATION.

 

Subdivision 1.  Application.  This section applies if the Crosswinds school facilities are transferred to the Perpich Center for Arts Education under section 51, subdivision 1, prior to the 2013-2014 school year.

 

Subd. 2.  Staff transferred; contracts to remain separate.  As soon as practicable, the Perpich Center for Arts Education must notify all licensed and unlicensed employees of the East Metro Integration District assigned to the Crosswinds school as of February 1, 2013, except administrative employees, of open positions for the 2013-2014 school year.  Employees shall notify the Perpich Center for Arts Education within 30 days if they request appointment to a position.  All requests must be granted.  The commissioner of management and budget shall assign these employees to the appropriate job classes in the state civil service.  Terms and conditions of employment for the transferred employees on and after August 1, 2013, shall be determined by the collective bargaining agreement or compensation plan applicable to each job class, provided that:


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(1) a person who becomes a state employee under this section will have seniority with the state as of the date the person became an employee of the East Metro Integration District;

 

(2) if a person took a leave of absence from another school district to become an employee of the East Metro Integration District, the person will have seniority with the state as of the date the person first became an employee of the school district from which the employee took the leave of absence;

 

(3) a separate seniority list shall be maintained for the Crosswinds site of the Perpich Center for Arts Education from the seniority list for the Golden Valley site;

 

(4) the staff member shall receive the greater of:

 

(i) credit on the appointing salary schedule for the Perpich Center for Arts Education for the staff member's years of continuous service under contract with the East Metro Integration District and any member district, if applicable, and for the staff member's educational attainment at the time of appointment; or

 

(ii) the salary that the staff member received in the East Metro Integration District;

 

(5) all staff appointed to the Crosswinds site of the Perpich Center for Arts Education under this subdivision shall be deemed to have completed any applicable probationary period; and

 

(6) all staff appointed to the Crosswinds site of the Perpich Center for Arts Education under this subdivision shall receive credit for accumulations of sick leave, vacation, paid time off, rights to severance benefits, and any other benefits, as if the staff member had been employed by the Perpich Center for Arts Education during the staff member's years of employment by the East Metro Integration District.

 

Subd. 3.  Student enrollment.  Any student enrolled in the Crosswinds school during the 2012-2013 school year may continue to enroll in the Crosswinds school in any subsequent year.  For the 2013-2014 school year and later, a student may apply for enrollment to the school at any time in the method and manner prescribed by the board.

 

Subd. 4.  Compensatory revenue.  For the 2013-2014 school year only, the Department of Education must calculate compensatory revenue for the Crosswinds school based on the fall 2012 enrollment counts at that site.

 

Subd. 5.  Title 1 funding.  To the extent possible, the Department of Education must qualify the Crosswinds school for Title 1 funding as if the program were still operated by Joint Powers District No. 6067, East Metro Integration District.

 

Subd. 6.  Timelines notwithstanding.  Any timelines established by resolution or otherwise by Joint Powers Board No. 6067, East Metro Integration District, to convey the Crosswinds school to another party are waived and are without effect.

 

Sec. 53.  CROSSWINDS TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.  833, SOUTH WASHINGTON COUNTY DISTRICT.

 

Subdivision 1.  Application.  This section applies if the Crosswinds school facilities are transferred to Independent School District No. 833, South Washington County school district, under section 51, subdivision 1, prior to the 2013-2014 school year.

 

Subd. 2.  Student enrollment.  A student enrolled in the Crosswinds school during the 2012-2013 school year may continue to enroll in the Crosswinds school in any subsequent year.  For the 2013-2014 school year and later, other students may apply for enrollment to the school at any time in the method and manner prescribed by the board of Independent School District No. 833, South Washington County.


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Subd. 3.  Compensatory revenue.  For the 2013-2014 school year only, the Department of Education must calculate compensatory revenue for the Crosswinds school based on the fall 2012 enrollment counts.

 

Subd. 4.  Year-round programming.  The Crosswinds school may operate as a flexible learning year program under Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.12 to 124D.127.

 

Subd. 5.  Pupil transportation.  The board may transport pupils enrolled in the 2012-2013 school year to and from the Crosswinds school in succeeding school years regardless of the student's district of residence.  Pupil transportation expenses under this section are reimbursable under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.87.

 

Sec. 54.  HARAMBEE COMMUNITY SCHOOL TRANSITION.

 

Subdivision 1.  Facilities.  Notwithstanding the specified uses of state general obligation bond proceeds appropriated in this act and Laws 1994, chapter 643, section 14, subdivision 7, the real and personal property owned by the Joint Powers District No. 6067, East Metro Integration District, in Roseville, known as the Harambee community school, may be conveyed to Independent School District No. 623, Roseville, for operation of a school facility that serves students in any grade from early education through grade 12.

 

Subd. 2.  Student enrollment.  A student enrolled in the Harambee community school during the 2012-2013 school year may continue to enroll in the Harambee community school in any subsequent year.  For the 2013-2014 school year and later, other students may apply for enrollment to the school at any time in the method and manner prescribed by the board of Independent School District No. 623, Roseville.

 

Subd. 3.  Compensatory revenue.  For the 2013-2014 school year only, the Department of Education must calculate compensatory revenue for the Harambee community school based on the fall 2012 enrollment counts.

 

Subd. 4.  Year-round programming.  Harambee community school may operate as a flexible learning year program under Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.12 to 124D.127.

 

Subd. 5.  Pupil transportation.  The board may transport pupils enrolled in the 2012-2013 school year to and from the Harambee community school in succeeding school years regardless of the student's district of residence.  Pupil transportation expenses under this section are reimbursable under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.87.

 

Sec. 55.  REPEALER.

 

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 116J.433, is repealed.

 

Sec. 56.  EFFECTIVE DATE.

 

This act is effective the day following final enactment."

 

Delete the title and insert:

 

"A bill for an act relating to capital investment; authorizing spending to acquire and better public land and buildings and other improvements of a capital nature with certain conditions; modifying previous appropriations; authorizing the Housing Finance Agency to issue housing infrastructure bonds; establishing new programs and modifying or repealing existing programs; extending the authority to use negotiated sales; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 16A.641, subdivision 4a; 16B.24, subdivision 5; 16C.144, subdivisions 2, 3; 123B.65, subdivisions 1, 7; 129C.10, subdivision 3, by adding a subdivision; 216C.10; 240A.09; 462A.37, subdivision 1, by adding subdivisions; Laws 2002, chapter 393, section 22, subdivision 6, as amended; Laws 2005, chapter 20, article 1, sections 20, subdivision 3, as amended; 23,


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subdivision 12, as amended; Laws 2006, chapter 258, sections 17, subdivision 8, as amended; 18, subdivision 6; Laws 2008, chapter 179, section 7, subdivision 26, as amended; Laws 2008, chapter 365, section 4, subdivision 3, as amended; Laws 2009, chapter 93, article 1, section 22, as amended; Laws 2010, chapter 189, section 16, subdivision 4, as amended; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 116J; 129C; 216C; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 116J.433."

 

 

With the recommendation that when so amended the bill pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Carlson from the Committee on Ways and Means to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 568, A bill for an act relating to employment; modifying use of personal sick leave benefits; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 181.940, subdivision 4; 181.9413.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Page 2, line 3, before "This" insert "(a)"

 

Page 2, line 4, before the period, insert ", except as provided in paragraph (b)"

 

Page 2, after line 4, insert:

 

"(b) The effective date of this section for the state is July 1, 2015, or the effective date of a collective bargaining agreement or compensation plan containing the changes in this section that is approved under section 3.855, whichever is sooner."

 

 

With the recommendation that when so amended the bill pass.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Marquart from the Committee on Education Finance to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 630, A bill for an act relating to education; providing funding for early childhood and family, prekindergarten through grade 12, and adult education, including general education, education excellence, special programs, facilities and technology, nutrition, accounting, libraries, early childhood education, prevention, self-sufficiency and lifelong learning, and state agencies; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 120A.20, subdivision 1; 123A.73, subdivisions 3, 4, 5; 123B.42, subdivision 3; 123B.54; 123B.57, subdivision 4; 123B.59, subdivision 6; 123B.591, subdivisions 2, 3; 123B.75, subdivision 5; 123B.92, subdivisions 1, 9; 124D.02, subdivision 1; 124D.10, subdivisions 15, 17; 124D.11, subdivisions 1, 2, 4, 5; 124D.119; 124D.128, subdivision 2; 124D.4531, subdivision 1; 124D.59, subdivision 2; 124D.65, subdivision 5; 124D.86; 124D.98; 125A.11, subdivision 1; 125A.76, subdivisions 1, 4a, 8, by adding subdivisions; 125A.78, subdivision 2; 125A.79, subdivisions 1, 5, 8; 125B.26, subdivision 4; 126C.05, subdivisions 1, 5, 6; 126C.10, subdivisions 1, 2, 2c, 3, 7, 8, 13, 13a, 17, 18, 24, 27, 29, 31, 32, 35, by adding subdivisions; 126C.12, subdivision 1; 126C.13, subdivisions 4, 5; 126C.15, subdivision 2; 126C.17; 126C.20; 126C.40, subdivisions 1, 6; 126C.44; 127A.441; 127A.45, subdivisions 2, 13; 127A.47, subdivisions 7, 8; 127A.51; Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 11, article 2, section 51; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 121A; 123A; 124D; repealing Minnesota Statutes


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2012, sections 120B.08; 120B.09; 124D.454, subdivisions 3, 10, 11; 124D.86, subdivision 6; 124D.98, subdivision 2; 125A.76, subdivisions 2, 4, 5, 7; 125A.79, subdivisions 6, 7; 126C.10, subdivisions 2a, 2b, 25, 26, 28, 31a, 31b, 31c; 126C.17, subdivision 13; 127A.50, subdivisions 1, 5.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

 

"ARTICLE 1

GENERAL EDUCATION

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120A.20, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Age limitations; pupils.  (a) All schools supported in whole or in part by state funds are public schools.  Admission to a public school is free to any person who:  (1) resides within the district that operates the school; (2) is under 21 years of age or who meets the requirements of paragraph (c); and (3) satisfies the minimum age requirements imposed by this section.  Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary, the conduct of all students under 21 years of age attending a public secondary school is governed by a single set of reasonable rules and regulations promulgated by the school board.

 

(b) A person shall not be admitted to a public school (1) as a kindergarten pupil, unless the pupil is at least five years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year for which the pupil seeks admission commences; or (2) as a 1st grade student, unless the pupil is at least six years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year for which the pupil seeks admission commences or has completed kindergarten; except that any school board may establish a policy for admission of selected pupils at an earlier age under section 124D.02.

 

(c) A pupil who becomes age 21 after enrollment is eligible for continued free public school enrollment until at least one of the following occurs:  (1) the first September 1 after the pupil's 21st birthday; (2) the pupil's completion of the graduation requirements; (3) the pupil's withdrawal with no subsequent enrollment within 21 calendar days; or (4) the end of the school year.

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120A.41, is amended to read:

 

120A.41 LENGTH OF SCHOOL YEAR; HOURS OF INSTRUCTION.

 

A school board's annual school calendar must include at least 850 hours of instruction for a kindergarten student without a disability in an all-day every day kindergarten program, at least 425 hours of instruction for a kindergarten student without a disability in a kindergarten program that is not all-day every day, 935 hours of instruction for a student in grades 1 though 6, and 1,020 hours of instruction for a student in grades 7 though 12, not including summer school.  Nothing in this section permits a school district to adopt A school board's annual calendar must include at least 165 days of instruction for a student in grades 1 through 11 unless a four-day week schedule unless has been approved by the commissioner under section 124D.126.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 123B.41, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Elementary pupils.  "Elementary pupils" means pupils in grades kindergarten through 6; provided, each kindergarten pupil in a half-day program shall be counted as one-half pupil for all computations pursuant to sections 123B.40 to 123B.42, and 123B.44 to 123B.48.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2015 and later.


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Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 123B.88, subdivision 22, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 22.  Postsecondary enrollment options pupils.  Districts may provide bus transportation along school bus routes when space is available, for pupils attending programs at a postsecondary institution under the postsecondary enrollment options program.  The transportation is permitted only if it does not increase the district's expenditures for transportation.  Fees collected for this service under section 123B.36, subdivision 1, paragraph (13), shall be subtracted from the authorized cost for nonregular transportation for the purpose of section 123B.92.  A school district may provide transportation for a pupil participating in an articulated program operated under an agreement between the school district and the postsecondary institution.

 

Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 123B.92, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Definitions.  For purposes of this section and section 125A.76, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given to them.

 

(a) "Actual expenditure per pupil transported in the regular and excess transportation categories" means the quotient obtained by dividing:

 

(1) the sum of:

 

(i) all expenditures for transportation in the regular category, as defined in paragraph (b), clause (1), and the excess category, as defined in paragraph (b), clause (2), plus

 

(ii) an amount equal to one year's depreciation on the district's school bus fleet and mobile units computed on a straight line basis at the rate of 15 percent per year for districts operating a program under section 124D.128 for grades 1 to 12 for all students in the district and 12-1/2 percent per year for other districts of the cost of the fleet, plus

 

(iii) an amount equal to one year's depreciation on the district's type III vehicles, as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 71, which must be used a majority of the time for pupil transportation purposes, computed on a straight line basis at the rate of 20 percent per year of the cost of the type three school buses by:

 

(2) the number of pupils eligible for transportation in the regular category, as defined in paragraph (b), clause (1), and the excess category, as defined in paragraph (b), clause (2).

 

(b) "Transportation category" means a category of transportation service provided to pupils as follows:

 

(1) Regular transportation is:

 

(i) transportation to and from school during the regular school year for resident elementary pupils residing one mile or more from the public or nonpublic school they attend, and resident secondary pupils residing two miles or more from the public or nonpublic school they attend, excluding desegregation transportation and noon kindergarten transportation; but with respect to transportation of pupils to and from nonpublic schools, only to the extent permitted by sections 123B.84 to 123B.87;

 

(ii) transportation of resident pupils to and from language immersion programs;

 

(iii) transportation of a pupil who is a custodial parent and that pupil's child between the pupil's home and the child care provider and between the provider and the school, if the home and provider are within the attendance area of the school;


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(iv) transportation to and from or board and lodging in another district, of resident pupils of a district without a secondary school; and

 

(v) transportation to and from school during the regular school year required under subdivision 3 for nonresident elementary pupils when the distance from the attendance area border to the public school is one mile or more, and for nonresident secondary pupils when the distance from the attendance area border to the public school is two miles or more, excluding desegregation transportation and noon kindergarten transportation.

 

For the purposes of this paragraph, a district may designate a licensed day care facility, school day care facility, respite care facility, the residence of a relative, or the residence of a person or other location chosen by the pupil's parent or guardian, or an after-school program for children operated by a political subdivision of the state, as the home of a pupil for part or all of the day, if requested by the pupil's parent or guardian, and if that facility, residence, or program is within the attendance area of the school the pupil attends.

 

(2) Excess transportation is:

 

(i) transportation to and from school during the regular school year for resident secondary pupils residing at least one mile but less than two miles from the public or nonpublic school they attend, and transportation to and from school for resident pupils residing less than one mile from school who are transported because of full-service school zones, extraordinary traffic, drug, or crime hazards; and

 

(ii) transportation to and from school during the regular school year required under subdivision 3 for nonresident secondary pupils when the distance from the attendance area border to the school is at least one mile but less than two miles from the public school they attend, and for nonresident pupils when the distance from the attendance area border to the school is less than one mile from the school and who are transported because of full-service school zones, extraordinary traffic, drug, or crime hazards.

 

(3) Desegregation transportation is transportation within and outside of the district during the regular school year of pupils to and from schools located outside their normal attendance areas under a plan for desegregation mandated by the commissioner or under court order.

 

(4) "Transportation services for pupils with disabilities" is:

 

(i) transportation of pupils with disabilities who cannot be transported on a regular school bus between home or a respite care facility and school;

 

(ii) necessary transportation of pupils with disabilities from home or from school to other buildings, including centers such as developmental achievement centers, hospitals, and treatment centers where special instruction or services required by sections 125A.03 to 125A.24, 125A.26 to 125A.48, and 125A.65 are provided, within or outside the district where services are provided;

 

(iii) necessary transportation for resident pupils with disabilities required by sections 125A.12, and 125A.26 to 125A.48;

 

(iv) board and lodging for pupils with disabilities in a district maintaining special classes;

 

(v) transportation from one educational facility to another within the district for resident pupils enrolled on a shared-time basis in educational programs, and necessary transportation required by sections 125A.18, and 125A.26 to 125A.48, for resident pupils with disabilities who are provided special instruction and services on a shared-time basis or if resident pupils are not transported, the costs of necessary travel between public and private schools or neutral instructional sites by essential personnel employed by the district's program for children with a disability;


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(vi) transportation for resident pupils with disabilities to and from board and lodging facilities when the pupil is boarded and lodged for educational purposes;

 

(vii) transportation of pupils for a curricular field trip activity on a school bus equipped with a power lift when the power lift is required by a student's disability or section 504 plan; and

 

(viii) services described in clauses (i) to (vii), when provided for pupils with disabilities in conjunction with a summer instructional program that relates to the pupil's individualized education program or in conjunction with a learning year program established under section 124D.128.

 

For purposes of computing special education initial aid under section 125A.76, subdivision subdivisions 2 and 2a, the cost of providing transportation for children with disabilities includes (A) the additional cost of transporting a homeless student from a temporary nonshelter home in another district to the school of origin, or a formerly homeless student from a permanent home in another district to the school of origin but only through the end of the academic year; and (B) depreciation on district-owned school buses purchased after July 1, 2005, and used primarily for transportation of pupils with disabilities, calculated according to paragraph (a), clauses (ii) and (iii).  Depreciation costs included in the disabled transportation category must be excluded in calculating the actual expenditure per pupil transported in the regular and excess transportation categories according to paragraph (a).  For purposes of subitem (A), a school district may transport a child who does not have a school of origin to the same school attended by that child's sibling, if the siblings are homeless.

 

(5) "Nonpublic nonregular transportation" is:

 

(i) transportation from one educational facility to another within the district for resident pupils enrolled on a shared-time basis in educational programs, excluding transportation for nonpublic pupils with disabilities under clause (4);

 

(ii) transportation within district boundaries between a nonpublic school and a public school or a neutral site for nonpublic school pupils who are provided pupil support services pursuant to section 123B.44; and

 

(iii) late transportation home from school or between schools within a district for nonpublic school pupils involved in after-school activities.

 

(c) "Mobile unit" means a vehicle or trailer designed to provide facilities for educational programs and services, including diagnostic testing, guidance and counseling services, and health services.  A mobile unit located off nonpublic school premises is a neutral site as defined in section 123B.41, subdivision 13.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective July 1, 2013.

 

Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 123B.92, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 5.  District reports.  (a) Each district must report data to the department as required by the department to account for transportation expenditures.

 

(b) Salaries and fringe benefits of district employees whose primary duties are other than transportation, including central office administrators and staff, building administrators and staff, teachers, social workers, school nurses, and instructional aides, must not be included in a district's transportation expenditures, except that a district may include salaries and benefits according to paragraph (c) for (1) an employee designated as the district transportation director, (2) an employee providing direct support to the transportation director, or (3) an employee providing direct transportation services such as a bus driver or bus aide.


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(c) Salaries and fringe benefits of the district employees listed in paragraph (b), clauses (1), (2), and (3), who work part time in transportation and part time in other areas must not be included in a district's transportation expenditures unless the district maintains documentation of the employee's time spent on pupil transportation matters in the form and manner prescribed by the department.

 

(d) A school district that contracts for transportation service may allocate transportation expense to transportation categories based upon contract rates.  Districts may only allocate transportation expense to transportation categories based upon contract rates if contract rates are reasonably consistent on a cost-per-hour, cost-per-mile, cost-per-route, or cost-per-student basis.  In order to allocate transportation expense based upon contract rates, a school district, if audited, must be able to demonstrate to the auditor that variances in the application of transportation cost basis rates are appropriate. 

 

(e) Pupil transportation expenditures, excluding expenditures for capital outlay, leased buses, student board and lodging, crossing guards, and aides on buses, must be allocated among transportation categories based on cost-per-mile or cost-per-student regardless of whether the transportation services are provided on district-owned or contractor-owned school buses.  Expenditures for school bus driver salaries and fringe benefits may either be directly charged to the appropriate transportation category or may be allocated among transportation categories based on cost-per-mile or cost-per-student.  Expenditures by private contractors or individuals who provide transportation exclusively in one transportation category must be charged directly to the appropriate transportation category.  Transportation services provided by contractor-owned school bus companies incorporated under different names but owned by the same individual or group of individuals must be treated as the same company for cost allocation purposes.

 

(e) Notwithstanding paragraph (d), districts contracting for transportation services are exempt from the standard cost allocation method for authorized and nonauthorized transportation categories if the district:  (1) bids its contracts separately for authorized and nonauthorized transportation categories and for special transportation separate from regular and excess transportation; (2) receives bids or quotes from more than one vendor for these transportation categories; and (3) the district's cost-per-mile does not vary more than ten percent among categories, excluding salaries and fringe benefits of bus aides.  If the costs reported by the district for contractor-owned operations vary by more than ten percent among categories, the department shall require the district to reallocate its transportation costs, excluding salaries and fringe benefits of bus aides, among all categories.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2014 and later.

 

Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.02, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Kindergarten instruction.  The board may establish and maintain one or more kindergartens for the instruction of children and after July 1, 1974, shall provide kindergarten instruction for all eligible children, either in the district or in another district.  All children to be eligible for kindergarten must be at least five years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year commences.  In addition all children selected under an early admissions policy established by the school board may be admitted.  If established, a board-adopted early admissions policy must describe the process and procedures for comprehensive evaluation in cognitive, social, and emotional developmental domains to help determine the child's ability to meet kindergarten grade expectations and progress to first grade in the subsequent year.  The comprehensive evaluation must use valid and reliable instrumentation, be aligned with state kindergarten expectations, and include a parent report and teacher observations of the child's knowledge, skills, and abilities.  The early admissions policy must be made available to parents in an accessible format and is subject to review by the commissioner of education.  The evaluation is subject to section 127A.41.  Nothing in this section shall prohibit a school district from establishing Head Start, prekindergarten, or nursery school classes for children below kindergarten age.  Any school board with evidence that providing kindergarten will cause an extraordinary hardship on the school district may apply to the commissioner of education for an exception.


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Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.128, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Commissioner designation.  (a) A state-approved alternative program designated by the state must be a site.  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 state-approved alternative program; or

 

(2) a charter school located within the geographic boundaries of a district that is served by the 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) (b) To be designated, a district, charter school, or 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) (c) 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. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.4531, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Career and technical levy.  (a) A district with a career and technical program approved under this section for the fiscal year in which the levy is certified may levy an amount equal to 35 percent of approved expenditures in the fiscal year in which the levy is certified for the following:

 

(1) salaries paid to essential, licensed personnel providing direct instructional services to students in that fiscal year, including extended contracts, for services rendered in the district's approved career and technical education programs, excluding salaries reimbursed by another school district under clause (2);

 

(2) amounts paid to another Minnesota school district for salaries of essential, licensed personnel providing direct instructional services to students in that fiscal year for services rendered in the district's approved career and technical education programs;

 

(2) (3) contracted services provided by a public or private agency other than a Minnesota school district or cooperative center under subdivision 7;

 

(3) (4) necessary travel between instructional sites by licensed career and technical education personnel;


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(4) (5) necessary travel by licensed career and technical education personnel for vocational student organization activities held within the state for instructional purposes;

 

(5) (6) curriculum development activities that are part of a five-year plan for improvement based on program assessment;

 

(6) (7) necessary travel by licensed career and technical education personnel for noncollegiate credit-bearing professional development; and

 

(7) (8) specialized vocational instructional supplies.

 

(b) Up to ten percent of a district's career and technical levy may be spent on equipment purchases.  Districts using the career and technical levy for equipment purchases must report to the department on the improved learning opportunities for students that result from the investment in equipment.

 

(c) The district must recognize the full amount of this levy as revenue for the fiscal year in which it is certified.

 

(d) The amount of the levy certified under this subdivision may not exceed $17,850,000 for taxes payable in 2012, $15,520,000 for taxes payable in 2013, and $15,393,000 for taxes payable in 2014.

 

(e) If the estimated levy exceeds the amount in paragraph (d), the commissioner must reduce the percentage in paragraph (a), clause (2), until the estimated levy no longer exceeds the limit in paragraph (d).

 

Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.01, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 3a.  Referendum market value equalizing factor.  The referendum market value equalizing factor equals the quotient derived by dividing the total referendum market value of all school districts in the state for the year before the year the levy is certified by the total number of resident marginal cost pupil units in the state for the current school year.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for taxes payable in 2014 and later.

 

Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Pupil unit.  Pupil units for each Minnesota resident pupil under the age of 21 or who meets the requirements of section 120A.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), in average daily membership enrolled in the district of residence, in another district under sections 123A.05 to 123A.08, 124D.03, 124D.08, or 124D.68; in a charter school under section 124D.10; or for whom the resident district pays tuition under section 123A.18, 123A.22, 123A.30, 123A.32, 123A.44, 123A.488, 123B.88, subdivision 4, 124D.04, 124D.05, 125A.03 to 125A.24, 125A.51, or 125A.65, shall be counted according to this subdivision.

 

(a) A prekindergarten pupil with a disability who is enrolled in a program approved by the commissioner and has an individualized education program is counted as the ratio of the number of hours of assessment and education service to 825 times 1.25 with a minimum average daily membership of 0.28, but not more than 1.25 pupil units.

 

(b) A prekindergarten pupil who is assessed but determined not to be disabled is counted as the ratio of the number of hours of assessment service to 825 times 1.25.

 

(c) A kindergarten pupil with a disability who is enrolled in a program approved by the commissioner is counted as the ratio of the number of hours of assessment and education services required in the fiscal year by the pupil's individualized education program to 875, but not more than one.


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(d) A kindergarten pupil who is not included in paragraph (c) is counted as .612 1.0 pupil units if the pupil is enrolled in a free all-day, every day kindergarten program available to all kindergarten pupils at the pupil's school, or is counted as .612 pupil units, if the pupil is not enrolled in a free all-day, every day kindergarten program available to all kindergarten pupils at the pupil's school.  The annual school calendar for a kindergarten program established by the school board under section 120A.02 must include at least 850 hours of instruction for a kindergarten pupil to be counted as 1.0 pupil units. 

 

(e) A pupil who is in any of grades 1 to 3 is counted as 1.115 pupil units for fiscal year 2000 and thereafter.

 

(f) A pupil who is any of grades 4 to 6 is counted as 1.06 pupil units for fiscal year 1995 and thereafter.

 

(g) A pupil who is in any of grades 7 to 12 is counted as 1.3 pupil units.

 

(h) A pupil who is in the postsecondary enrollment options program is counted as 1.3 pupil units.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2015 and later.

 

Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, 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, 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, more than 850 hours in a school year for a kindergarten student without a disability in a full-day kindergarten program, or more than 425 hours in a school year for a half-day 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; and (iv) the greater of 425 hours or the number of hours required for a half-time kindergarten student without a disability in the district to 425 for a half-day 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 kindergarten or grades 1 through 12 must not be counted as more than 1.2 pupils in average daily membership under this subdivision.

 

(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 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, 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 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 area learning center or alternative learning program.  Basic skills revenue generated according to section 126C.10, subdivision 4, by pupils attending the eligible program must be allocated to the program.


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(ii) General education revenue for a pupil in 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 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, 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 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 area learning center or alternative learning program.  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 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 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.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2015 and later.

 

Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  General education revenue.  The general education revenue for each district equals the sum of the district's basic revenue, extended time revenue, gifted and talented revenue, small schools revenue, basic skills revenue, training and experience revenue, secondary sparsity revenue, elementary sparsity revenue, transportation sparsity revenue, total operating capital revenue, equity revenue, alternative teacher compensation revenue, and transition revenue.

 

Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Basic revenue.  The basic revenue for each district equals the formula allowance times the adjusted marginal cost pupil units for the school year.  The formula allowance for fiscal year 2011 is $5,124.  The formula allowance for fiscal year 2012 is $5,174.  The formula allowance for fiscal year 2013 and subsequent years is $5,224.  The formula allowance for fiscal year 2014 is $5,328.  The formula allowance for fiscal year 2015 and later is $5,433.

 

Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10, subdivision 14, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 14.  Uses of total operating capital revenue.  Total operating capital revenue may be used only for the following purposes:

 

(1) to acquire land for school purposes;

 

(2) to acquire or construct buildings for school purposes;

 

(3) to rent or lease buildings, including the costs of building repair or improvement that are part of a lease agreement;


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(4) to improve and repair school sites and buildings, and equip or reequip school buildings with permanent attached fixtures, including library media centers;

 

(5) for a surplus school building that is used substantially for a public nonschool purpose;

 

(6) to eliminate barriers or increase access to school buildings by individuals with a disability;

 

(7) to bring school buildings into compliance with the State Fire Code adopted according to chapter 299F;

 

(8) to remove asbestos from school buildings, encapsulate asbestos, or make asbestos-related repairs;

 

(9) to clean up and dispose of polychlorinated biphenyls found in school buildings;

 

(10) to clean up, remove, dispose of, and make repairs related to storing heating fuel or transportation fuels such as alcohol, gasoline, fuel oil, and special fuel, as defined in section 296A.01;

 

(11) for energy audits for school buildings and to modify buildings if the audit indicates the cost of the modification can be recovered within ten years;

 

(12) to improve buildings that are leased according to section 123B.51, subdivision 4;

 

(13) to pay special assessments levied against school property but not to pay assessments for service charges;

 

(14) to pay principal and interest on state loans for energy conservation according to section 216C.37 or loans made under the Douglas J. Johnson Economic Protection Trust Fund Act according to sections 298.292 to 298.298;

 

(15) to purchase or lease interactive telecommunications equipment;

 

(16) by board resolution, to transfer money into the debt redemption fund to:  (i) pay the amounts needed to meet, when due, principal and interest payments on certain obligations issued according to chapter 475; or (ii) pay principal and interest on debt service loans or capital loans according to section 126C.70;

 

(17) to pay operating capital-related assessments of any entity formed under a cooperative agreement between two or more districts;

 

(18) to purchase or lease computers and related materials hardware, initial purchase of related software, but not annual licensing fees, copying machines, telecommunications equipment, and other noninstructional equipment;

 

(19) to purchase or lease assistive technology or equipment for instructional programs;

 

(20) to purchase textbooks as defined in section 123B.41, subdivision 2;

 

(21) to purchase new and replacement library media resources or technology;

 

(22) to lease or purchase vehicles;

 

(23) to purchase or lease telecommunications equipment, computers, and related equipment for integrated information management systems for:

 

(i) managing and reporting learner outcome information for all students under a results-oriented graduation rule;


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(ii) managing student assessment, services, and achievement information required for students with individualized education programs; and

 

(iii) other classroom information management needs;

 

(24) to pay personnel costs directly related to the acquisition, operation, and maintenance of telecommunications systems, computers, related equipment, and network and applications software; and

 

(25) to pay the costs directly associated with closing a school facility, including moving and storage costs.

 

Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10, subdivision 24, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 24.  Equity revenue.  (a) A school district qualifies for equity revenue if:

 

(1) the school district's adjusted marginal cost pupil unit amount of basic revenue, transition revenue, and referendum revenue is less than the value of the school district at or immediately above the 95th percentile of school districts in its equity region for those revenue categories; and

 

(2) the school district's administrative offices are not located in a city of the first class on July 1, 1999.

 

(b) Equity revenue for a qualifying district that receives referendum revenue under section 126C.17, subdivision 4, equals the product of (1) the district's adjusted marginal cost pupil units for that year; times (2) the sum of (i) $13, plus (ii) $75, times the school district's equity index computed under subdivision 27.

 

(c) Equity revenue for a qualifying district that does not receive referendum revenue under section 126C.17, subdivision 4, equals the product of the district's adjusted marginal cost pupil units for that year times $13.

 

(d) A school district's equity revenue is increased by the greater of zero or an amount equal to the difference between $300 times the district's resident marginal cost pupil units times the difference between ten percent of the statewide average and the district's amount of referendum revenue per resident marginal cost pupil unit for that year and the district's referendum revenue per resident marginal cost pupil unit.  A school district's revenue under this paragraph must not exceed $100,000 for that year.

 

(e) A school district's equity revenue for a school district located in the metro equity region equals the amount computed in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) multiplied by 1.25.

 

(f) For fiscal year 2007 and later, notwithstanding paragraph (a), clause (2), A school district that has per pupil referendum revenue below the 95th percentile qualifies for district's additional equity revenue equal to equals $46 times its adjusted marginal cost pupil units.

 

(g) A district that does not qualify for revenue under paragraph (f) qualifies for equity revenue equal to $46 times its adjusted marginal cost pupil units.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2014 and later.

 

Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10, subdivision 29, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 29.  Equity levy.  To obtain equity revenue for fiscal year 2005 2015 and later, a district may levy an amount not more than the product of its equity revenue for the fiscal year times the lesser of one or the ratio of its referendum market value per resident marginal cost pupil unit to $476,000 122 percent of the referendum market value equalizing factor.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2015 and later.


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Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10, subdivision 32, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 32.  Transition levy.  To obtain transition revenue for fiscal year 2005 2015 and later, a district may levy an amount not more than the product of its transition revenue for the fiscal year times the lesser of one or the ratio of its referendum market value per resident marginal cost pupil unit to $476,000 122 percent of the referendum market value equalizing factor.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2015 and later.

 

Sec. 19.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Use of revenue.  The basic skills revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 4, must be reserved and used to meet the educational needs of pupils who enroll under-prepared to learn and whose progress toward meeting state or local content or performance standards is below the level that is appropriate for learners of their age.  Basic skills revenue may also be used for programs designed to prepare children and their families for entry into school whether the student first enrolls in kindergarten or first grade.  Any of the following may be provided to meet these learners' needs:

 

(1) direct instructional services under the assurance of mastery program according to section 124D.66;

 

(2) remedial instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, other content areas, or study skills to improve the achievement level of these learners;

 

(3) additional teachers and teacher aides to provide more individualized instruction to these learners through individual tutoring, lower instructor-to-learner ratios, or team teaching;

 

(4) a longer school day or week during the regular school year or through a summer program that may be offered directly by the site or under a performance-based contract with a community-based organization;

 

(5) comprehensive and ongoing staff development consistent with district and site plans according to section 122A.60, for teachers, teacher aides, principals, and other personnel to improve their ability to identify the needs of these learners and provide appropriate remediation, intervention, accommodations, or modifications;

 

(6) instructional materials, digital learning, and technology appropriate for meeting the individual needs of these learners;

 

(7) programs to reduce truancy, encourage completion of high school, enhance self-concept, provide health services, provide nutrition services, provide a safe and secure learning environment, provide coordination for pupils receiving services from other governmental agencies, provide psychological services to determine the level of social, emotional, cognitive, and intellectual development, and provide counseling services, guidance services, and social work services;

 

(8) bilingual programs, bicultural programs, and programs for English learners;

 

(9) all day kindergarten;

 

(10) early education programs, parent-training programs, school readiness programs, kindergarten programs for four-year-olds, voluntary home visits under section 124D.13, subdivision 4, and other outreach efforts designed to prepare children for kindergarten;

 

(11) extended school day and extended school year programs; and


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(11) (12) substantial parent involvement in developing and implementing remedial education or intervention plans for a learner, including learning contracts between the school, the learner, and the parent that establish achievement goals and responsibilities of the learner and the learner's parent or guardian.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2014 and later.

 

Sec. 20.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.15, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Building allocation.  (a) A district or cooperative must allocate its compensatory revenue to each school building in the district or cooperative where the children who have generated the revenue are served unless the school district or cooperative 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.

 

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a district or cooperative 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, and a district or cooperative may allocate up to an additional five percent of its compensatory revenue for activities under subdivision 1, clause (10), 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) 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 or cooperative 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 or cooperative 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).

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2014 and later.

 

Sec. 21.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.17, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Referendum allowance.  (a) For fiscal year 2003 and later, a district's initial referendum revenue allowance equals the sum of the allowance under section 126C.16, subdivision 2, plus any additional allowance per resident marginal cost pupil unit authorized under subdivision 9 before May 1, 2001, for fiscal year 2002 and later, plus the referendum conversion allowance approved under subdivision 13, minus $415.  For districts with more than one referendum authority, the reduction must be computed separately for each authority.  The reduction must be applied first to the referendum conversion allowance and next to the authority with the earliest expiration date.  A district's initial referendum revenue allowance may not be less than zero.

 

(b) For fiscal year 2003, a district's referendum revenue allowance equals the initial referendum allowance plus any additional allowance per resident marginal cost pupil unit authorized under subdivision 9 between April 30, 2001, and December 30, 2001, for fiscal year 2003 and later.

 

(c) For fiscal year 2004 and later, a district's referendum revenue allowance equals the sum of:


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(1) the product of (i) the ratio of the resident marginal cost pupil units the district would have counted for fiscal year 2004 under Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 126C.05, to the district's resident marginal cost pupil units for fiscal year 2004, times (ii) the initial referendum allowance plus any additional allowance per resident marginal cost pupil unit authorized under subdivision 9 between April 30, 2001, and May 30, 2003, for fiscal year 2003 and later, plus

 

(2) any additional allowance per resident marginal cost pupil unit authorized under subdivision 9 after May 30, 2003, for fiscal year 2005 and later.

 

(a) A district's initial referendum allowance for fiscal year 2015 equals the result of the following calculations:

 

(1) multiply the referendum allowance the district would have received for fiscal year 2015 under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.17, subdivision 1, based on elections held before July 1, 2013, by the resident marginal cost pupil units the district would have counted for fiscal year 2015 under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.05;

 

(2) divide the result of clause (1) by the district's residential marginal cost pupil units for fiscal year 2015; and

 

(3) if the result of clause (2) is less than zero, set the allowance to zero.

 

(b) A district's referendum allowance equals the sum of the district's initial referendum allowance for fiscal year 2015, plus any additional referendum allowance per resident marginal cost pupil unit authorized after June 30, 2013, minus any allowances expiring in fiscal year 2016 or later.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for fiscal year 2015 and later.

 

Sec. 22.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.17, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 5.  Referendum equalization revenue.  (a) For fiscal year 2003 and later, A district's referendum equalization revenue equals the sum of the first tier referendum equalization revenue and the second tier referendum equalization revenue.

 

(b) A district's first tier referendum equalization revenue equals the district's first tier referendum equalization allowance times the district's resident marginal cost pupil units for that year.

 

(c) For fiscal year 2006, a district's first tier referendum equalization allowance equals the lesser of the district's referendum allowance under subdivision 1 or $500.  For fiscal year 2007, a district's first tier referendum equalization allowance equals the lesser of the district's referendum allowance under subdivision 1 or $600.

 

For fiscal year 2008 and later, A district's first tier referendum equalization allowance equals the lesser of the district's referendum allowance under subdivision 1 or $700.

 

(d) A district's second tier referendum equalization revenue equals the district's second tier referendum equalization allowance times the district's resident marginal cost pupil units for that year.

 

(e) For fiscal year 2006, a district's second tier referendum equalization allowance equals the lesser of the district's referendum allowance under subdivision 1 or 18.6 percent of the formula allowance, minus the district's first tier referendum equalization allowance.  For fiscal year 2007 and later, A district's second tier referendum equalization allowance equals the lesser of the district's referendum allowance under subdivision 1 or 26 percent of the formula allowance, minus the district's first tier referendum equalization allowance.

 

(f) Notwithstanding paragraph (e), the second tier referendum allowance for a district qualifying for secondary sparsity revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 7, or elementary sparsity revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 8, equals the district's referendum allowance under subdivision 1 minus the district's first tier referendum equalization allowance.


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Sec. 23.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.17, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 6.  Referendum equalization levy.  (a) For fiscal year 2003 and later, A district's referendum equalization levy equals the sum of the first tier referendum equalization levy and the second tier referendum equalization levy.

 

(b) A district's first tier referendum equalization levy equals the district's first tier referendum equalization revenue times the lesser of one or the ratio of the district's referendum market value per resident marginal cost pupil unit to $476,000 122 percent of the referendum market value equalizing factor.

 

(c) A district's second tier referendum equalization levy equals the district's second tier referendum equalization revenue times the lesser of one or the ratio of the district's referendum market value per resident marginal cost pupil unit to $270,000 66 percent of the referendum market value equalizing factor.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for fiscal year 2015 and later.

 

Sec. 24.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, 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:

 

(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 which is eligible for revenue under section 124D.86, subdivision 3, clause (1), (2), or (3), and whose Special School District No. 1, Minneapolis; Independent School District No. 625, St. Paul; Independent School District No. 709, Duluth; or Independent School District No. 535, Rochester, if the district's desegregation 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) other districts eligible for revenue under section 124D.862 if the facility acquired under this subdivision is to be primarily used for the a joint program for interdistrict desegregation and the commissioner determines that the joint programs are being undertaken to implement the districts' desegregation plan.


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(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. 25.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, 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 $35 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;

 

(7) to pay for facility security enhancements including laminated glass, public announcement systems, emergency communications devices, and equipment and facility modifications related to violence prevention and facility security;

 

(8) to pay for costs associated with improving the school climate; or

 

(9) to pay costs associated with mental health services.

 

(b) For expenditures under paragraph (a), 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) (c) 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.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2015 and later.


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Sec. 26.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.48, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 8.  Taconite payment and other reductions.  (1) Reductions in levies pursuant to subdivision 1 must be made prior to the reductions in clause (2).

 

(2) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, districts that have revenue pursuant to sections 298.018; 298.225; 298.24 to 298.28, except an amount distributed under sections 298.26; 298.28, subdivision 4, paragraphs (c), clause (ii), and (d); 298.34 to 298.39; 298.391 to 298.396; 298.405; 477A.15; and any law imposing a tax upon severed mineral values must reduce the levies authorized by this chapter and chapters 120B, 122A, 123A, 123B, 124A, 124D, 125A, and 127A by 95 percent of the sum of the previous year's revenue specified under this clause and the amount attributable to the same production year distributed to the cities and townships within the school district under section 298.28, subdivision 2, paragraph (c).

 

(3) The amount of any voter approved referendum, facilities down payment, and debt levies shall not be reduced by more than 50 percent under this subdivision.  In administering this paragraph, the commissioner shall first reduce the nonvoter approved levies of a district; then, if any payments, severed mineral value tax revenue or recognized revenue under paragraph (2) remains, the commissioner shall reduce any voter approved referendum levies authorized under section 126C.17; then, if any payments, severed mineral value tax revenue or recognized revenue under paragraph (2) remains, the commissioner shall reduce any voter approved facilities down payment levies authorized under section 123B.63 and then, if any payments, severed mineral value tax revenue or recognized revenue under paragraph (2) remains, the commissioner shall reduce any voter approved debt levies.

 

(4) Before computing the reduction pursuant to this subdivision of the health and safety levy authorized by sections 123B.57 and 126C.40, subdivision 5, the commissioner shall ascertain from each affected school district the amount it proposes to levy under each section or subdivision.  The reduction shall be computed on the basis of the amount so ascertained.

 

(5) To the extent the levy reduction calculated under paragraph (2) exceeds the limitation in paragraph (3), an amount equal to the excess must be distributed from the school district's distribution under sections 298.225, 298.28, and 477A.15 in the following year to the cities and townships within the school district in the proportion that their taxable net tax capacity within the school district bears to the taxable net tax capacity of the school district for property taxes payable in the year prior to distribution.  No city or township shall receive a distribution greater than its levy for taxes payable in the year prior to distribution.  The commissioner of revenue shall certify the distributions of cities and towns under this paragraph to the county auditor by September 30 of the year preceding distribution.  The county auditor shall reduce the proposed and final levies of cities and towns receiving distributions by the amount of their distribution.  Distributions to the cities and towns shall be made at the times provided under section 298.27.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for levies certified in 2014 and later.

 

Sec. 27.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 127A.47, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Alternative attendance programs.  (a) 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) (b) 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) (c) 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


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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) (d) 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 For purposes of this subdivision, the "unreimbursed cost of providing special education and services" means the difference between:  (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 under section 125A.76 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. 

 

(f) For fiscal year 2015 and later, special education aid paid to a resident district must be reduced by an amount equal to 90 percent of the unreimbursed cost of providing special education and services.

 

(g) Notwithstanding paragraph (f), special education aid paid to a resident district must be reduced by an amount equal to 100 percent of the unreimbursed cost of special education and services provided to students at an intermediate district, cooperative, or charter school where the percent of students eligible for special education services is at least 70 percent of the charter school's total enrollment.

 

(h) 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 under paragraphs (f) and (g).  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) (i) 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) (f) or (g), 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 compensatory revenue and transportation sparsity revenue, times the number of pupil units for pupils attending the area learning center.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2015 and later.

 

Sec. 28.  EQUITY AID; FISCAL YEAR 2014.

 

For fiscal year 2014 only, the commissioner must calculate and pay to school districts in state aid the difference between the equity revenue actually received under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10, and the amount the district would have received under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.10.

 

Sec. 29.  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.  General education aid.  For general education aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.13, subdivision 4:

 

 

 

$6,092,415,000

. . . . .

2014

 

 

$6,440,890,000

. . . . .

2015

 

The 2014 appropriation includes $781,842,000 for 2013 and $5,310,573,000 for 2014.

 

The 2015 appropriation includes $808,460,000 for 2014 and $5,632,430,000 for 2015.

 

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:

 

 

 

$44,000

. . . . .

2014

 

 

$48,000

. . . . .

2015

 

 

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

 

 

 

$2,747,000

. . . . .

2014

 

 

$3,136,000

. . . . .

2015

 

The 2014 appropriation includes $301,000 for 2013 and $2,446,000 for 2014.

 

The 2015 appropriation includes $385,000 for 2014 and $2,751,000 for 2015.


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

 

 

 

$472,000

. . . . .

2014

 

 

$480,000

. . . . .

2015

 

The 2014 appropriation includes $40,000 for 2013 and $432,000 for 2014.

 

The 2015 appropriation includes $68,000 for 2014 and $412,000 for 2015.

 

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

 

 

 

$15,660,000

. . . . .

2014

 

 

$16,324,000

. . . . .

2015

 

The 2014 appropriation includes $2,099,000 for 2013 and $13,561,000 for 2014.

 

The 2015 appropriation includes $2,121,000 for 2014 and $14,203,000 for 2015.

 

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

 

 

 

$18,656,000

. . . . .

2014

 

 

$19,127,000

. . . . .

2015

 

The 2014 appropriation includes $2,668,000 for 2013 and $15,988,000 for 2014.

 

The 2015 appropriation includes $2,501,000 for 2014 and $16,626,000 for 2015.

 

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

 

 

 

$65,000

. . . . .

2014

 

 

$65,000

. . . . .

2015

 

 

Subd. 9.  Compensatory revenue pilot program.  For grants for participation in the compensatory revenue pilot program under Laws 2005, First Special Session chapter 5, article 1, section 50:

 

 

 

$2,325,000

. . . . .

2014

 

 

$2,325,000

. . . . .

2015

 

Of this amount, $1,500,000 each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 11, Anoka-Hennepin; $75,000 each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 286, Brooklyn Center; $210,000 each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 279, Osseo; $160,000 each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 281, Robbinsdale; $165,000 each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 535, Rochester; $65,000 each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 833, South Washington County; and $150,000 each year is for a grant to Independent School District No. 241, Albert Lea.

 

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.


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

 

Sec. 30.  REPEALER.

 

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 126C.17, subdivision 13, is repealed July 1, 2013.

 

ARTICLE 2

STUDENT ACCOUNTABILITY

 

Section 1.  [120B.018] DEFINITIONS.

 

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

 

Subd. 2.  Academic standard.  "Academic standard" means a summary description of student learning in a required content area under section 120B.021 or elective content area under section 120B.022.

 

Subd. 3.  Career and college ready benchmark.  "Career and college ready benchmark" means specific knowledge or skill that a student must attain to complete part of an academic standard.

 

Subd. 4.  Credit.  "Credit" means the determination by the local school district that a student successfully completed an academic year of study or demonstrated attainment of applicable subject matter.

 

Subd. 5.  Elective standard.  "Elective standard" means a locally adopted expectation for student learning in career and technical education or world languages.

 

Subd. 6.  Required standard.  "Required standard" means (1) a statewide adopted expectation for student learning in the content areas of language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, and the arts or (2) a locally adopted expectation for student learning in health or the arts.

 

Subd. 7.  School site.  "School site" means a separate facility, or a separate program within a facility that a local school board recognizes as a school site for funding purposes.

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.02, is amended to read:

 

120B.02 EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR MINNESOTA'S STUDENTS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Educational expectations.  (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


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(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, all state academic standards or local academic standards where state standards do not apply, and successfully pass graduation examinations as required under section 120B.30.

 

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

 

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

 

Subd. 2.  Graduation requirements.  To graduate from high school, students must demonstrate to their enrolling school district or school their satisfactory completion of the credit requirements under section 120B.024 and their attainment of academic standards and career and college readiness benchmarks on a nationally normed college entrance exam under section 120B.30.  A school district must adopt graduation requirements that meet or exceed state graduation requirements established in law or rule.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2013, and applies to students entering grade 8 in the 2013-2014 school year and later.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.021, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Required academic standards.  (a) 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) physical education;

 

(6) health, for which locally developed academic standards apply; and

 

(7) 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 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.

 

(b) 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 program team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate.  An individualized education program team that makes this determination must establish alternative standards.


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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.  (c) 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.

 

Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.023, is amended to read:

 

120B.023 BENCHMARKS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Benchmarks implement, supplement statewide academic standards.  (a) The commissioner must supplement required state academic standards with grade-level benchmarks.  High school career and college ready benchmarks may cover more than one grade.  The benchmarks must implement statewide academic standards by specifying the academic knowledge and skills that Schools must offer and students must achieve all benchmarks for an academic standard to satisfactorily complete a that state standard.  The commissioner must publish benchmarks to inform and guide parents, teachers, school districts, and other interested persons and to use in developing tests consistent with the benchmarks.

 

(b) The commissioner shall publish benchmarks in the State Register and transmit the benchmarks in any other manner that informs and guides parents, teachers, school districts, and other interested persons and makes them accessible to the general public.  The commissioner must use benchmarks in developing career and college readiness assessments under section 120B.30.  The commissioner may charge a reasonable fee for publications.

 

(c) Once established, the commissioner may change the benchmarks only with specific legislative authorization and after completing a review under subdivision 2.

 

(d) The commissioner must develop and implement a system for reviewing each of the required academic standards and related benchmarks and elective standards on a periodic cycle, consistent with subdivision 2.

 

(e) (d) The benchmarks are not subject to chapter 14 and section 14.386 does not apply.

 

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 six-year cycle for to review and revise state academic standards and related benchmarks, consistent with this subdivision.  During each six-year review and revision cycle, the commissioner also must examine the alignment of each required academic standard and related benchmark with the knowledge and skills students need for career and college readiness and advanced work in the particular subject area.  The commissioner must include the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities as related to the academic standards during the review and revision of the required academic standards.

 

(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


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

 

(b) The commissioner also must ensure that the statewide mathematics assessments administered to students in grades 3 through 8 and 11 are aligned with the state academic standards in mathematics, consistent with section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (b).  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 school year.  The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in arts beginning in the 2016-2017 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 school year.  Under the revised standards, students scheduled to graduate in the 2014-2015 school year or later must satisfactorily complete a chemistry or physics credit or a career and technical education credit that meets standards underlying the chemistry, physics, or biology credit or a combination of those standards approved by the district.  The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in science beginning in the 2017-2018 school year.

 

(e) The commissioner in the 2009-2010 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 school year.  The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in language arts beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.

 

(f) The commissioner in the 2010-2011 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 school year.  The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in social studies beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.

 

(g) School districts and charter schools must revise and align local academic standards and high school graduation requirements in health, 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, world languages, and career and technical education.

 

Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.024, is amended to read:

 

120B.024 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS; COURSE CREDITS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Graduation requirements.  (a) Students beginning 9th grade in the 2011-2012 school year and later must successfully complete the following high school level course credits for graduation:

 

(1) four credits of language arts sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in English language arts;

 

(2) three credits of mathematics, encompassing at least algebra, geometry, statistics, and probability including an algebra II credit or its equivalent, sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standard standards in mathematics;

 

(3) an algebra I credit by the end of grade 8 sufficient to satisfy all of the grade 8 standards in mathematics;


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(3) (4) three credits of science, including at least:  (i) one credit in biology; and (ii) one chemistry or physics credit or a career and technical education credit that meets standards underlying the chemistry, physics, or biology credit or a combination of those standards approved by the district, but meeting biology standards under this item does not meet the biology requirement under item (i);

 

(4) (5) three and one-half credits of social studies, encompassing at least United States history, geography, government and citizenship, world history, and economics or three credits of social studies encompassing at least United States history, geography, government and citizenship, and world history, and one-half credit of economics taught in a school's social studies, agriculture education, or business department sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in social studies;

 

(5) (6) one credit in of the arts sufficient to satisfy all of the state or local academic standards in the arts; and

 

(6) (7) a minimum of seven elective course credits.

 

A course credit is equivalent to a student successfully completing an academic year of study or a student mastering the applicable subject matter, as determined by the local school district.

 

Subd. 2.  Credit equivalencies.  (a) A one-half credit of economics taught in a school's agriculture education or business department may fulfill a one-half credit in social studies under subdivision 1, clause (5), if the credit is sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in economics.

 

(b) An agriculture science course may fulfill a science credit requirement other than the specified science credit in biology under paragraph (a) subdivision 1, clause (3) (4), item (i).

 

(c) A career and technical education course may fulfill a mathematics or arts credit requirement or a science credit requirement other than the specified science credit in biology under paragraph (a) subdivision 1, clause (2), (3), or (5) (4), or (6).

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2013.

 

Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.125, is amended to read:

 

120B.125 PLANNING FOR STUDENTS' SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT; INVOLUNTARY CAREER TRACKING PROHIBITED.

 

(a) Consistent with sections 120B.128, 120B.13, 120B.131, 120B.132, 120B.14, 120B.15, 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), 125A.08, and other related sections, school districts are strongly encouraged to, beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, must assist all students by no later than grade 9 to explore their college and career interests and aspirations and develop a plan for a smooth and successful transition to postsecondary education or employment.  All students' plans must be designed to:

 

(1) provide a comprehensive academic plan for completing a college and career-ready curriculum premised on meeting state and local academic standards and developing 21st century skills such as team work, collaboration, and good work habits;

 

(2) emphasize academic rigor and high expectations;

 

(3) help students identify personal learning styles that may affect their postsecondary education and employment choices;


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(4) help students succeed at gaining gain access to postsecondary education and career options;

 

(5) integrate strong academic content into career-focused courses and integrate relevant career-focused courses into strong academic content;

 

(6) help students and families identify and gain access to appropriate counseling and other supports and assistance that enable students to complete required coursework, prepare for postsecondary education and careers, and obtain information about postsecondary education costs and eligibility for financial aid and scholarship;

 

(7) help students and families identify collaborative partnerships of kindergarten through grade 12 schools, postsecondary institutions, economic development agencies, and employers that support students' transition to postsecondary education and employment and provide students with experiential learning opportunities; and

 

(8) be reviewed and revised at least annually by the student, the student's parent or guardian, and the school or district to ensure that the student's course-taking schedule keeps the student "on track" making adequate progress to meet state and local high school graduation requirements and with a reasonable chance to succeed with employment or postsecondary education without the need to first complete remedial course work.

 

(b) A school district may develop grade-level curricula or provide instruction that introduces students to various careers, but must not require any curriculum, instruction, or employment-related activity that obligates an elementary or secondary student to involuntarily select a career, career interest, employment goals, or related job training.

 

(c) School districts are encouraged to seek and use revenue and in-kind contributions from nonstate sources and to seek administrative cost savings through innovative local funding arrangements, such as the Collaboration Among Rochester Educators (CARE) model for funding postsecondary enrollment options, among other sources, for purposes of implementing this section.

 

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

 

Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.128, is amended to read:

 

120B.128 EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT SYSTEM (EPAS) PROGRAM.

 

(a) School districts and charter schools may elect to participate in the Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS) program offered by ACT, Inc. to provide a longitudinal, systematic approach to student educational and career planning, assessment, instructional support, and evaluation.  The EPAS achievement tests include English, reading, mathematics, science, and components on planning for high school and postsecondary education, interest inventory, needs assessments, and student education plans.  These tests are linked to the ACT assessment for college admission and allow students, parents, teachers, and schools to determine the student's college readiness before grades 11 and 12.

 

(b) The commissioner of education shall provide ACT Explore tests for students in grade 8 and the ACT Plan test for students in grade 10 to assess individual student academic strengths and weaknesses, academic achievement and progress, higher order thinking skills, and college readiness.

 

(c) Students enrolled in grade 8 through the 2012-2013 school year who have not yet demonstrated proficiency on the Minnesota comprehensive assessments, the graduation-required assessments for diploma, or the basic skills testing requirements prior to high school graduation may satisfy state high school graduation requirements for assessments in reading, mathematics, and writing by taking the graduation-required assessment for diploma in reading, mathematics, or writing under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clauses (1) and (2), the WorkKeys job skills assessment, the Compass computer-adaptive college placement test, or the ACT assessment for college admission.


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(d) The state shall pay the test costs for school districts and charter schools that choose to participate in the EPAS program public school students to participate in the assessments under this section.  The commissioner shall establish an application procedure and a process for state payment of costs.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies through the 2013-2014 school year.

 

Sec. 8.  [120B.21] MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION.

 

School districts and charter schools are encouraged to provide mental health instruction for students in grades 6 through 12 aligned with local health standards and integrated into existing programs, curriculum, or the general school environment of a district or charter school.  The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of human services and mental health organizations, is encouraged to provide districts and charter schools with:

 

(1) age-appropriate model learning activities for grades 6 through 12 that encompass the mental health components of the National Health Education Standards and the benchmarks developed by the department's quality teaching network in health and best practices in mental health education; and

 

(2) a directory of resources for planning and implementing age-appropriate mental health curriculum and instruction in grades 6 through 12.

 

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

 

Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

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 as computer-adaptive reading and mathematics assessments for students that are aligned with the state's required academic standards under section 120B.021, include multiple choice questions, and be are administered annually to all students in grades 3 through 8 7.  State-developed 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 must include multiple choice questions.  The commissioner shall establish one or more months during which schools shall administer the tests to students each school year.  For students enrolled in grade 8 before the 2005-2006 school year, 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 based on the first uniform test 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 (c), except that for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years only, these students may satisfy the state's graduation test requirement for math by complying with paragraph (d), clauses (1) and (3) For students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 through 2012-2013 school years, students' state graduation requirements include the requirements under:  (i) section 120B.128, paragraph (c); (ii) paragraph (c); or (iii) Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clauses (1) and (2).

 

(b) The state assessment system must be aligned to the most recent revision of academic standards as described in section 120B.023 in the following manner:

 

(1) mathematics;

 

(i) grades 3 through 8 beginning in the 2010-2011 school year; and


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(ii) high school level beginning in the 2013-2014 school year;

 

(2) science; grades 5 and 8 and at the high school level beginning in the 2011-2012 school year; and

 

(3) language arts and reading; grades 3 through 8 and high school level beginning in the 2012-2013 school year.

 

(c) For students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 2013-2014 school year and later, only the following options shall fulfill students' state graduation test requirements, based on a longitudinal, systematic approach to student education and career planning, assessment, instructional support, and evaluation, include the following:

 

(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 learners or the graduation-required assessment for diploma equivalent of those assessments for students designated as English learners;

 

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

 

(iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment for diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individualized education program 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 individualized education program.

 

(1) attainment of required academic standards and career and college readiness benchmarks under section 120B.023 as demonstrated on a nationally normed college entrance exam, or taking a nationally recognized armed services vocational aptitude test at the election of the student;

 

(2) achievement and career and college readiness tests in mathematics, reading, and writing, consistent with paragraph (e) and, to the extent available, to monitor students' continuous development of and growth in requisite knowledge and skills; analyze students' progress and performance levels, identifying students' academic strengths


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and diagnosing areas where students require curriculum or instructional adjustments, targeted interventions, or remediation; and, based on analysis of students' progress and performance data, determine students' learning and instructional needs and the instructional tools and best practices that support academic rigor for the student; and

 

(3) consistent with this paragraph and section 120B.125, age-appropriate exploration and planning activities and career assessments to encourage students to identify personally relevant career interests and aptitudes and help students and their families develop a regularly reexamined transition plan for postsecondary education or employment without need for postsecondary remediation.

 

Based on appropriate state guidelines, students with an individualized education program may satisfy state graduation requirements by achieving an individual score on the state-identified alternative assessments.

 

Expectations of schools, districts, and the state for career or college readiness under this subdivision must be comparable in rigor, clarity of purpose, and rates of student completion.  A student under clause (2) must receive targeted, relevant, academically rigorous, and resourced instruction, which may include a targeted instruction and intervention plan focused on improving the student's knowledge and skills in core subjects so that the student has a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without need for postsecondary remediation.  Consistent with sections 120B.13, 124D.09, 124D.091, 124D.49, and related sections, an enrolling school or district must actively encourage a student in grade 11 or 12 who is identified as academically ready for a career or college to participate in courses and programs awarding college credit to high school students.  Students are not required to achieve a specified score or level of proficiency on an assessment under this subdivision to graduate from high school.

 

(d) 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 (c) are eligible to receive a high school diploma if they:

 

(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.  To improve the secondary and postsecondary outcomes of all students, the alignment between secondary and postsecondary education programs and Minnesota's workforce needs, and the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of secondary and postsecondary programs, the commissioner, after consulting with the chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and using a request for proposal process, shall contract for a series of assessments that are consistent with this subdivision, aligned with state academic standards, and include career and college readiness benchmarks.  Mathematics, reading, and writing assessments for students in grades 8 and 10 must be predictive of and aligned with a nationally normed assessment for career and college readiness.  This nationally recognized assessment must be a college entrance exam and given to students in grade 11 or 12.  This series of assessments must include a college placement diagnostic exam and contain career exploration elements.  Students in grade 11 or 12 may choose to take a nationally recognized armed services vocational aptitude test as an alternative to the college and career readiness entrance exam under this paragraph.  The commissioner and the chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities must collaborate in aligning instruction and assessments for adult basic education students to provide the students with diagnostic information about any targeted interventions they need so that they may seek postsecondary education or employment without need for postsecondary remediation.

 

(1) Districts and schools, on an annual basis, must use the career exploration elements in these assessments to help students, beginning no later than grade 9, and their families explore and plan for postsecondary education or careers based on the students' interests, aptitudes, and aspirations.  Districts and schools must use timely regional


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labor market information and partnerships, among other resources, to help students and their families successfully develop, pursue, review, and revise an individualized plan for postsecondary education or a career.  This process must help increase students' engagement in and connection to school, improve students' knowledge and skills, and deepen students' understanding of career pathways as a sequence of academic and career courses that lead to an industry-recognized credential, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree and are available to all students, whatever their interests and career goals.

 

(2) Students who, based on their growth in academic achievement between grades 8 and 10, show adequate progress toward meeting state career and college readiness must be given the college entrance exam part of these assessments in grade 11 or a nationally recognized armed services vocational aptitude test.  A student under this clause who demonstrates attainment of required state academic standards, which include career and college readiness benchmarks, on these assessments is academically ready for a career or college and is encouraged to participate in courses and programs awarding college credit to high school students.  Such courses and programs may include sequential courses of study within broad career areas and technical skill assessments that extend beyond course grades.

 

(3) All students in grade 11 not subject to clause (2) must be given the college placement diagnostic exam so that the students, their families, the school, and the district can use the results to diagnose areas for targeted instruction, intervention, or remediation and improve students' knowledge and skills in core subjects sufficient for the student to graduate and have a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without remediation.  These students must be given the college entrance exam part of these assessments in grade 12 or a nationally recognized armed services vocational aptitude test.

 

(4) A student in clause (3) who demonstrates:  (i) attainment of required state academic standards, which include career and college readiness benchmarks, on these assessments; (ii) attainment of career and college readiness benchmarks on the college placement diagnostic part of these assessments; and, where applicable, (iii) successfully completes targeted instruction, intervention, or remediation approved by the commissioner and the chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities after consulting with local school officials and educators, is academically ready for a career or college and is encouraged to participate in courses and programs awarding college credit to high school students.  Such courses and programs may include sequential courses of study within broad career areas and technical skill assessments that extend beyond course grades.

 

(5) A study to determine the alignment between these assessments and state academic standards under this chapter must be conducted.  Where alignment exists, the commissioner must seek federal approval to, and immediately upon receiving approval, replace the federally required assessments referenced under subdivision 1a and section 120B.35, subdivision 2, with assessments under this paragraph.

 

(e) In developing, supporting, and improving students' academic readiness for a career or college, schools, districts, and the state must have a continuum of empirically derived, clearly defined benchmarks focused on students' attainment of knowledge and skills so that students, their parents, and teachers know how well students must perform to have a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without need for postsecondary remediation.  The commissioner and Minnesota's public postsecondary institutions must ensure that the foundational knowledge and skills for students' successful performance in postsecondary employment or education and an articulated series of possible targeted interventions are clearly identified and satisfy Minnesota's postsecondary admissions requirements.

 

(f) A school, district, or charter school must place record on the high school transcript a student's current pass status for each subject that has a required graduation assessment progress toward career and college readiness.

 

In addition, (g) 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.


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(e) (h) The 3rd through 8th 7th grade computer-adaptive assessment results and high school 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 establish empirically derived benchmarks on adaptive assessments in grades 3 through 7 that reveal a trajectory toward career and college readiness.  The commissioner must disseminate to the public the computer-adaptive assessments and high school test results upon receiving those results.

 

(f) (i) The 3rd through 8th grade grades 3 through 7 computer-adaptive assessments and high school tests must be aligned with state academic standards.  The commissioner shall determine the testing process and the order of administration.  The statewide results shall be aggregated at the site and district level, consistent with subdivision 1a.

 

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

 

(1) uniform statewide testing computer-adaptive assessments of all students in grades 3 through 8 7 and testing at the high school level that provides appropriate, technically sound accommodations or alternate assessments;

 

(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.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to the 2013-2014 school year and later, except that paragraph (a) applies the day following final enactment and the requirements for using computer-adaptive mathematics and reading assessments for grades 3 through 7 apply in the 2015-2016 school year and later.

 

Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

 

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.

 

(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.

 

(3) "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.

 

(4) "Above-grade level" test items contain subject area content that is above the grade level of the student taking the assessment and is considered aligned with state academic standards to the extent it is 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.


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(5) "Below-grade level" test items contain subject area content that is below the grade level of the student taking the test and is considered aligned with state academic standards to the extent it is 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 mathematics and reading assessments for grades 3 through 7 beginning in the 2015-2016 school year and later.

 

(c) For purposes of conforming with existing federal educational accountability requirements, the commissioner must develop and implement computer-adaptive reading and mathematics assessments for grades 3 through 8 7, 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 7, and 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 8 span, and a life sciences assessment in the grades 9 through 12 span, 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.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(3) parents, teachers, and school administrators are able to use elementary and middle school student performance data to project students' secondary and postsecondary achievement; and

 

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

 

(b) (e) 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) (f) 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 a value-added growth indicator of student achievement under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b); and


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(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) (g) 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 English learners.

 

(e) (h) A school, school district, and charter school must administer statewide assessments under this section, as the assessments become available, to evaluate student proficiency progress toward career and college readiness 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.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for the 2013-2014 school year and later except the requirements for using computer-adaptive mathematics and reading assessments for grades 3 through 7 apply in the 2015-2016 school year and later.

 

Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.31, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Educational accountability and public reporting.  Consistent with the direction to adopt 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 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.

 

Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.35, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  State growth target; other state measures.  (a) The state's educational assessment system measuring individual students' educational growth is based 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 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


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(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.

 

(c) 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, 2014, 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.

 

(e) For purposes of statewide educational accountability, the commissioner must identify and report measures that demonstrate the success of school districts, school sites, charter schools, and alternative program providers in improving the graduation outcomes of students under this paragraph.  When reporting student performance under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the commissioner, beginning July 1, 2015, must annually report summary data on:

 

(1) the four- and six-year graduation rates of students throughout the state who are identified as at risk of not graduating or off track to graduate, including students who are eligible to participate in a program under section 123A.05 or 124D.68, among other students; and

 

(2) the success that school districts, school sites, charter schools, and alternative program providers experience in:

 

(i) identifying at-risk and off-track student populations by grade;

 

(ii) providing successful prevention and intervention strategies for at-risk students;

 

(iii) providing successful recuperative and recovery or reenrollment strategies for off-track students; and


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(iv) improving the graduation outcomes of at-risk and off-track students.

 

For purposes of this paragraph, a student who is at risk of not graduating is a student in eighth or ninth grade who meets one or more of the following criteria:  first enrolled in an English language learners program in eighth or ninth grade and may be older than other students enrolled in the same grade; as an eighth grader, is absent from school for at least 20 percent of the days of instruction during the school year, is two or more years older than other students enrolled in the same grade, or fails multiple core academic courses; or as a ninth grader, fails multiple ninth grade core academic courses in English language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies.

 

For purposes of this paragraph, a student who is off track to graduate is a student who meets one or more of the following criteria:  first enrolled in an English language learners program in high school and is older than other students enrolled in the same grade; is a returning dropout; is 16 or 17 years old and two or more academic years off track to graduate; is 18 years or older and two or more academic years off track to graduate; or is 18 years or older and may graduate within one school year.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  Paragraph (e) applies to data that are collected in the 2014-2015 school year and later and reported annually beginning July 1, 2015, consistent with the recommendations the commissioner receives from recognized and qualified experts on improving differentiated graduation rates and establishing alternative routes to a standard high school diploma for at-risk and off-track students.

 

Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  School performance report cards reports.  (a) The commissioner shall report 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); the percentage of students whose progress and performance levels are meeting career and college readiness benchmarks under section 120B.30, subdivision 1; longitudinal data on district and school progress in reducing disparities in students' academic achievement under section 124D.861, subdivision 3; 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; staff characteristics excluding salaries; student enrollment demographics; district mobility; and extracurricular activities.  The report also must indicate a school's adequate yearly progress status under applicable federal law, 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 reports.

 

(c) The commissioner must make available performance report cards reports by the beginning of each school year.

 

(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 card data are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9, until the commissioner publicly releases the data.  The commissioner shall annually post school performance report cards reports to the department's public Web site no later than September 1, except that in years when the report card reflects reports reflect new performance standards, the commissioner shall post the school performance report cards reports no later than October 1.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for the 2013-2014 school year and later.


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Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.52, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 8.  Standard high school diploma for adults.  (a) The commissioner shall adopt rules for providing a standard high school diploma to adults who:

 

(1) are not eligible for kindergarten through grade 12 services;

 

(2) do not have a high school diploma; and

 

(3) successfully complete an adult basic education program of instruction approved by the commissioner necessary to earn an adult high school diploma.

 

(b) Persons participating in an approved adult basic education program of instruction must demonstrate proficiency in a standard set of competencies that reflect the knowledge and skills sufficient to ensure that postsecondary programs and institutions and potential employers regard persons with a standard high school diploma and persons with a standard high school diploma for adults as equally well prepared and qualified graduates.  Approved adult basic education programs of instruction under this subdivision must issue a standard high school diploma for adults who successfully demonstrate the competencies, knowledge, and skills required by the program.

 

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

 

Sec. 15.  [126C.101] MINNESOTA'S WORLD'S BEST WORKFORCE.

 

Subdivision 1.  Goals for the world's best workforce.  To create the world's best workforce by 2027, Minnesota must strive to:  close entirely the academic achievement gap among all racial and ethnic groups of students and between students living in poverty and students not living in poverty; achieve a 100 percent high school graduation rate; achieve 100 percent grade-level literacy for students in third grade; and have 100 percent of students attain career and college readiness before graduating from high school.

 

Subd. 2.  Strategic plans for attaining the world's best workforce.  (a) A school board must formally develop, implement, and periodically review and, where appropriate, revise a comprehensive, long-term strategic education and budget plan for student achievement premised on research-based strategies and efforts required for a district and school to make progress toward realizing the goals in subdivision 1.  The strategic plan for student achievement must identify the state, regional, and local structures and systems, interdistrict, intradistrict, and in-school strategies, inclusive best education practices, and collaborative partnerships with regional centers under subdivision 4, postsecondary institutions, and local and regional business and industry to work effectively and efficiently toward making all students part of the world's best workforce by 2027.

 

(b) The components of a board's plan may include:  innovative and integrated prekindergarten through grade 12 learning environments that include school enrollment options; family engagement initiatives that involve families in their students' academic life and career success; professional development opportunities for teachers, school administrators, and other licensed school professionals focused on improving all students' academic achievement and career and college readiness; increased programmatic opportunities for all students, including historically underserved students, focused on rigor in learning and career and college readiness, and recruitment and retention of teachers and school administrators of diverse backgrounds.  Plans must include at least formative assessment practices, consistent with chapter 120B, and other instructional best practices that inform cost-effective, research-based interventions, improve student achievement, reduce disparities in students' academic performance, and foster students' career and college readiness without need for postsecondary remediation.

 

(c) A regional center of excellence, upon request, must assist a school board with developing, implementing, reviewing, or revising its education and budget plan.


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Subd. 3.  Budgeting process.  (a) Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, a school board must hold at least one formal hearing by March 1 each year to report to the public its progress in realizing the goals contained in its strategic plan for student achievement, to review the plan components, and to revise the plan where appropriate.  At the hearing, the board must provide the public with longitudinal data from at least the three immediately preceding school years demonstrating district and school progress in realizing its student achievement goals, consistent with the measures for demonstrating progress in paragraph (b).  At least 30 days before the hearing, the board must post on the district Web site, in an understandable, readily accessible format, up-to-date longitudinal data on district and school progress.  The district, by March 1, must submit to the commissioner and its regional center of excellence in an electronic format the district's annual budget for continuing to implement its strategic plan for student achievement.

 

(b) The longitudinal data required under paragraph (a) at least must be based on one or more of the following measures and must report outcomes for all students and specific groups of students identified under section 120B.35, subdivision 3:  third grade at-grade-level literacy rates; reductions in the disparity in academic achievement among all racial and ethnic student groups and between students living in poverty and students not living in poverty; high school graduation rates; rates for completing rigorous coursework; rates for attaining career and college readiness; rates for receiving postsecondary credit while enrolled in high school; students' engagement and connection in school; and rates for awarding world language proficiency or high achievement certificates under section 120B.022, subdivision 1, paragraphs (b) and (c).

 

(c) For the 2013-2014 school year only, a board, after providing a 30-day notice on the district Web site, must hold a formal hearing before March 1, 2014, to inform the public about the content of its proposed strategic plan for student achievement under this section.  The board also must submit its proposed plan by March 1, 2014, to the commissioner and its regional center of excellence in an electronic format.

 

Subd. 4.  Regional support.  (a) Regional centers of excellence are established to assist and support school boards, districts, and schools in implementing this section.  The centers must collaborate with local and regional service cooperatives, postsecondary institutions, integrated school districts, the department, children's mental health providers, and other interested entities to equitably support school boards, districts, and schools throughout the region.  Center support may include assisting districts and schools with common principles of effective practice, defining measurable education goals, implementing evidence-based practices, engaging in data-driven decision making, reducing the use of seclusion and restraints, providing multilayered levels of support, supporting culturally responsive teaching and learning, aligning state and local academic standards and career and college readiness benchmarks, and engaging parents, families, youth, and the local community in district and school programs and activities.

 

(b) The department must help the regional centers of excellence meet staff, facilities, and technical needs, provide the centers with programmatic support, and work with the centers to establish a coherent statewide system of regional support, including consulting, training, and technical support, to help school boards, districts, and schools effectively and efficiently implement state and federal initiatives.

 

Subd. 5.  Evaluation.  (a) The commissioner and each regional center of excellence must collaborate in evaluating the success of districts and schools in working effectively and efficiently toward creating the world's best workforce by 2027.  Where districts and schools demonstrate effective use of resources and adequate progress toward realizing plan goals, the commissioner and the regional centers of excellence must promote and disseminate successful strategies to other districts and schools throughout the state.

 

(b) If the commissioner, in consultation with the affected regional center of excellence, determines a district or charter school is not making adequate progress in realizing its student achievement goals under this section, the department may reduce the district's basic general education revenue by up to four percent per fiscal year, and transfer that amount to the affected regional center of excellence for the center to use to assist the district to effectively and efficiently realize its student achievement goals.


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(c) If, after a district receives assistance under paragraph (b) for at least three consecutive school years, the commissioner, in consultation with the affected regional center of excellence and the affected district, identifies a school as persistently failing to make adequate progress toward realizing the student achievement goals contained in the strategic plan, the commissioner may require the school to implement a turnaround strategy to improve the school's ability to effectively and efficiently realize those goals.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for fiscal year 2014 and later.

 

Sec. 16.  STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY; TRANSITION.

 

Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 through 2012-2013 school years are eligible to be assessed under the amended provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, to the extent such assessments are available, under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.128, paragraph (c), or under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clauses (1) and (2).  Other measures of statewide accountability, including student performance, preparation, rigorous course taking, engagement and connection, and transition into postsecondary education or the workforce remain in effect.

 

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

 

Sec. 17.  CAREER PATHWAYS AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ADVISORY TASK FORCE.

 

Subdivision 1.  Recommendations.  (a) A career pathways and technical education advisory task force is established to recommend to the Minnesota legislature, consistent with Minnesota Statutes, sections 120B.30, subdivision 1, and 120B.35, subdivision 3, how to structurally redesign secondary and postsecondary education to:

 

(1) improve secondary and postsecondary outcomes for students and adult learners;

 

(2) align secondary and postsecondary education programs serving students and adult learners;

 

(3) align secondary and postsecondary education programs and Minnesota's workforce needs; and

 

(4) measure and evaluate the combined efficacy of Minnesota's public kindergarten through grade 12 and postsecondary education programs.

 

(b) Advisory task force members, in preparing these recommendations, must seek the advice of education providers, employers, policy makers, and other interested stakeholders and must at least consider how to:

 

(1) better inform students about career options, occupational trends, and educational paths leading to viable and rewarding careers and reduce the gap between the demand for and preparation of a skilled Minnesota workforce;

 

(2) in consultation with a student's family, develop and periodically adapt, as needed, an education and work plan for each student aligned with the student's personal and professional interests, abilities, skills, and aspirations;

 

(3) improve monitoring of high school students' progress with targeted interventions and support and remove the need for remedial instruction;

 

(4) increase and accelerate opportunities for secondary school students to earn postsecondary credits leading to a certificate, industry license, or degree;

 

(5) better align high school courses and expectations and postsecondary credit-bearing courses;


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(6) better align high school standards and assessments, postsecondary readiness measures and entrance requirements, and the expectations of Minnesota employers;

 

(7) increase the rates at which students complete a postsecondary certificate, industry license, or degree; and

 

(8) provide graduates of two-year and four-year postsecondary institutions with the foundational skills needed for civic engagement, ongoing employment, and continuous learning.

 

Subd. 2.  Task force membership and operation.  (a) Advisory task force members must include representatives of the following organizations from throughout the state:  the Minnesota Association of Career and Technical Administrators; the Minnesota Association for Career and Technical Education; University of Minnesota, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and secondary and other postsecondary faculty working to develop career and technical educators in Minnesota; the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education; the Department of Education; the Department of Employment and Economic Development; the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce; the Minnesota Business Partnership; the Minnesota Board of Teaching; the Minnesota Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; Minnesota State Colleges and Universities foundational skills and general education faculty; Minnesota Secondary School Principals Association; Minnesota Association of School Administrators; Minnesota School Counselors Association; Minnesota Association of Charter Schools; and any other representatives selected by the task force members.  The education commissioner or the commissioner's designee must convene the task force.

 

(b) The commissioner, upon request, must provide technical assistance to the task force.

 

(c) The task force must submit its written recommendations under this section to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education by February 15, 2014.

 

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

 

Sec. 18.  STANDARD ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA ADVISORY TASK FORCE.

 

(a) The commissioner of education shall appoint a nine-member advisory task force to recommend programmatic requirements for adult basic education programs of instruction leading to a standard adult high school diploma under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.52, subdivision 8. 

 

(b) The commissioner of education must appoint representatives from the following organizations to the task force by July 1, 2013:

 

(1) one employee of the Department of Education with expertise in adult basic education;

 

(2) five adult basic education administrators and teachers from local adult basic education programs located in rural, suburban, and urban areas of the state, at least one of whom represents the Literacy Action network;

 

(3) one employee of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities with expertise in adult basic education;

 

(4) one employee of the Department of Employment and Economic Development with expertise in adult basic education and employment; and

 

(5) one member of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce familiar with adult basic education programs under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.52.


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(c) The commissioner of education must convene the task force.  Task force members are not eligible for compensation or reimbursement for expenses related to task force activities.  The commissioner, upon request, must provide technical assistance to task force members.

 

(d) By February 1, 2014, the task force must submit its recommendations to the commissioner of education for providing a standard adult high school diploma to persons who are not eligible for kindergarten through grade 12 services, who do not have a high school diploma, and who successfully complete an approved adult basic education program of instruction necessary to earn an adult high school diploma.  The commissioner must consider these recommendations when adopting rules under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.52, subdivision 8.

 

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

 

Sec. 19.  IMPLEMENTING DIFFERENTIATED GRADUATION RATE MEASURES AND EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE ROUTES TO A STANDARD DIPLOMA FOR AT-RISK AND OFF-TRACK STUDENTS.

 

(a) To implement the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (e), the commissioner of education must consult with recognized and qualified experts and the stakeholders listed in paragraph (b) on improving differentiated graduation rates and establishing alternative routes to a standard high school diploma for at-risk and off-track students throughout the state.  The commissioner must consider and recommend to the legislature:

 

(1) research-based measures that demonstrate the relative success of school districts, school sites, charter schools, and alternative program providers in improving the graduation outcomes of at-risk and off-track students; and

 

(2) state options for establishing alternative routes to a standard diploma consistent with the educational accountability system under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.

 

When proposing alternative routes to a standard diploma, the commissioner also must identify highly reliable variables that generate summary data to comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (e), including:  who initiates the request for an alternative route; who approves the request for an alternative route; the parameters of the alternative route process, including whether a student first must fail a regular, state-mandated exam; and the comparability of the academic and achievement criteria reflected in the alternative route and the standard route for a standard diploma.  The commissioner is also encouraged to identify the data, timelines, and methods needed to evaluate and report on the alternative routes to a standard diploma once they are implemented and the student outcomes that result from those routes.

 

(b) Stakeholders to be consulted include persons from:  state-approved alternative programs; online programs; charter schools; school boards; teachers; metropolitan school districts; rural educators; university and college faculty with expertise in serving and assessing at-risk and off-track students; superintendents; high school principals; and the public.  The commissioner may seek input from other interested stakeholders and organizations with expertise to help inform the commissioner.

 

(c) The commissioner, by February 15, 2014, must develop and submit to the education policy and finance committees of the legislature recommendations and legislation, consistent with this section and Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (e), for:

 

(1) measuring and reporting differentiated graduation rates for at-risk and off-track students throughout the state and the success and costs that school districts, school sites, charter schools, and alternative program providers experience in identifying and serving at-risk or off-track student populations; and

 

(2) establishing alternative routes to a standard diploma.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to school reports beginning July 1, 2015.


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Sec. 20.  APPROPRIATIONS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Minnesota 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.  Statewide testing and reporting system.  For the statewide testing and reporting system under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.30:

 

 

 

$17,550,000

. . . . .

2014

 

 

$20,079,000

. . . . .

2015

 

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

 

Subd. 3.  Educational planning and assessment system (EPAS) program.  For the educational planning and assessment system program under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.128:

 

 

 

$829,000

. . . . .

2014

 

 

$0

. . . . .

2015

 

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

 

Sec. 21.  REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION.

 

The revisor of statutes shall renumber Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.023, subdivision 2, as Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.021, subdivision 4.  The revisor shall make necessary cross-reference changes consistent with the renumbering.

 

Sec. 22.  REPEALER.

 

(a) Minnesota Rules, parts 3501.0505; 3501.0510; 3501.0515; 3501.0520; 3501.0525; 3501.0530; 3501.0535; 3501.0540; 3501.0545; and 3501.0550, are repealed.

 

(b) Minnesota Rules, parts 3501.0010; 3501.0020; 3501.0030, subparts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16; 3501.0040; 3501.0050; 3501.0060; 3501.0090; 3501.0100; 3501.0110; 3501.0120; 3501.0130; 3501.0140; 3501.0150; 3501.0160; 3501.0170; 3501.0180; 3501.0200; 3501.0210; 3501.0220; 3501.0230; 3501.0240; 3501.0250; 3501.0270; 3501.0280, subparts 1 and 2; 3501.0290; 3501.1000; 3501.1020; 3501.1030; 3501.1040; 3501.1050; 3501.1110; 3501.1120; 3501.1130; 3501.1140; 3501.1150; 3501.1160; 3501.1170; 3501.1180; and 3501.1190, are repealed.

 

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

 

ARTICLE 3

EDUCATION EXCELLENCE

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, 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 may commence an elementary or secondary school year before Labor Day, except as provided under paragraph (b) it shall not hold a


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school day on the Thursday and Friday immediately preceding Labor Day.  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

 

(3) if the district agrees to the same schedule with a school district in an adjoining state.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for the 2013-2014 school year and later.

 

Sec. 2.  [121A.07] SCHOOL CLIMATE COUNCIL.

 

Subdivision 1.  Establishment and membership.  (a) A multiagency leadership council is established to improve school climate and school safety so that all prekindergarten through grade 12 schools and higher education institutions have safe and welcoming learning environments in which to maximize their students' learning potential.

 

(b) The council shall consist of:

 

(1) the commissioners or their designees from the Departments of Education, Health, Human Rights, Human Services, Public Safety, and Corrections and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education;

 

(2) one representative each from the Board of Teaching, Board of School Administrators, Minnesota School Boards Association, Elementary School Principals Association, Association of Secondary School Principals, and Education Minnesota as selected by each organization;

 

(3) two representatives each for student support personnel, parents, and students as selected by the commissioner of education;

 

(4) two representatives of local law enforcement as selected by the commissioner of public safety; and

 

(5) two representatives of the judicial branch as selected by the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.

 

Subd. 2.  Duties.  The council must:

 

(1) establish norms and standards to prevent, intervene, and provide support to help schools address bullying, harassment, and intimidation;

 

(2) advance evidence-based policy and best practices to improve the school climate and promote school safety; and

 

(3) develop and provide resources and training for schools and communities to address bullying, harassment, intimidation, and other school safety issues.

 

Sec. 3.  [121A.08] SCHOOL CLIMATE CENTER.

 

A school climate center within the department is established to help schools, parents, students, and communities create and sustain safe learning environments for students.  The center shall:

 

(1) provide policy guidance to schools on improving learning environments to ensure students' safety and support;


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(2) disseminate information and provide technical assistance to schools on restorative practices and teaching strategies that decrease social-emotional impediments to learning and support student success, including information on exemplary Minnesota school models;

 

(3) provide site-specific, culturally appropriate technical assistance and coaching to schools and school districts to assist in improving school climate;

 

(4) serve as a contact point for schools, parents, and students seeking assistance and guidance on information, research, laws, regulations, and state and local resources regarding bullying, harassment, and intimidation;

 

(5) develop and disseminate Web-based training for staff development in schools;

 

(6) collect, interpret, and disseminate quantitative and qualitative data on school climate and student engagement; and

 

(7) sponsor a biennial statewide conference on school climate and safety issues.

 

Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 121A.22, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Exclusions.  In addition, this section does not apply to drugs or medicine that are:

 

(1) purchased without a prescription;

 

(2) used by a pupil who is 18 years old or older;

 

(3) used in connection with services for which a minor may give effective consent, including section 144.343, subdivision 1, and any other law;

 

(4) used in situations in which, in the judgment of the school personnel who are present or available, the risk to the pupil's life or health is of such a nature that drugs or medicine should be given without delay;

 

(5) used off the school grounds;

 

(6) used in connection with athletics or extra curricular activities;

 

(7) used in connection with activities that occur before or after the regular school day;

 

(8) provided or administered by a public health agency to prevent or control an illness or a disease outbreak as provided for in sections 144.05 and 144.12;

 

(9) prescription asthma or reactive airway disease medications self-administered by a pupil with an asthma inhaler if the district has received a written authorization from the pupil's parent permitting the pupil to self-administer the medication, the inhaler is properly labeled for that student, and the parent has not requested school personnel to administer the medication to the pupil.  The parent must submit written authorization for the pupil to self-administer the medication each school year; or

 

(10) prescription nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors, consistent with section 121A.2205, if the parent and prescribing medical professional annually inform the pupil's school in writing that (i) the pupil may possess the epinephrine or (ii) the pupil is unable to possess the epinephrine and requires immediate access to nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors that the parent provides properly labeled to the school for the pupil as needed.


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Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 121A.2205, is amended to read:

 

121A.2205 POSSESSION AND USE OF NONSYRINGE INJECTORS OF EPINEPHRINE AUTO-INJECTORS; MODEL POLICY.

 

Subdivision 1.  Definitions.  As used in this section:

 

(1) "administer" means the direct application of an epinephrine auto-injector to the body of an individual;

 

(2) "epinephrine auto-injector" means a device that automatically injects a premeasured dose of epinephrine; and

 

(3) "school" means a public school under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, or a nonpublic school, excluding a home school, under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, that is subject to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

Subd. 2.  Plan for use of epinephrine auto-injectors.  (a) At the start of each school year or at the time a student enrolls in school, whichever is first, a student's parent, school staff, including those responsible for student health care, and the prescribing medical professional must develop and implement an individualized written health plan for a student who is prescribed nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors that enables the student to:

 

(1) possess nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors; or

 

(2) if the parent and prescribing medical professional determine the student is unable to possess the epinephrine, have immediate access to nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors in close proximity to the student at all times during the instructional day.

 

The plan must designate the school staff responsible for implementing the student's health plan, including recognizing anaphylaxis and administering nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors when required, consistent with section 121A.22, subdivision 2, clause (10).  This health plan may be included in a student's 504 plan.

 

(b) A school under this section is a public school under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, or a nonpublic school, excluding a home school, under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, that is subject to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.  Other nonpublic schools are encouraged to develop and implement an individualized written health plan for students requiring nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors, consistent with this section and section 121A.22, subdivision 2, clause (10).

 

(c) A school district and its agents and employees are immune from liability for any act or failure to act, made in good faith, in implementing this section and section 121A.2207.

 

(d) The education commissioner may develop and transmit to interested schools a model policy and individualized health plan form consistent with this section and federal 504 plan requirements.  The policy and form may:

 

(1) assess a student's ability to safely possess nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors;

 

(2) identify staff training needs related to recognizing anaphylaxis and administering epinephrine when needed;

 

(3) accommodate a student's need to possess or have immediate access to nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors in close proximity to the student at all times during the instructional day; and

 

(4) ensure that the student's parent provides properly labeled nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors to the school for the student as needed.


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(e) Additional nonsyringe injectors of epinephrine auto-injectors may be available in school first aid kits.

 

(f) The school board of the school district must define instructional day for the purposes of this section.

 

Sec. 6.  [121A.2207] LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGIES IN SCHOOLS; STOCK SUPPLY OF EPINEPHRINE AUTO-INJECTORS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Districts and schools permitted to maintain supply.  Notwithstanding section 151.37, districts and schools may obtain and possess epinephrine auto-injectors to be maintained and administered by school personnel to a student or other individual if, in good faith, it is determined that person is experiencing anaphylaxis regardless of whether the student or other individual has a prescription for an epinephrine auto-injector.  The administration of an epinephrine auto-injector in accordance with this section is not the practice of medicine. 

 

Subd. 2.  Arrangements with manufacturers.  A district or school may enter into arrangements with manufacturers of epinephrine auto-injectors to obtain epinephrine auto-injectors at fair-market, free, or reduced prices.  A third party, other than a manufacturer or supplier, may pay for a school's supply of epinephrine auto-injectors.

 

Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 122A.09, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  License and rules.  (a) The board must adopt rules to license public school teachers and interns subject to chapter 14.

 

(b) The board must adopt rules requiring a person to pass a skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics as a requirement for initial teacher licensure, except that the board may issue up to three additional temporary, one-year teaching licenses to an otherwise qualified candidate who has not passed the skills exam at the time the candidate successfully completes an approved teacher preparation program.  Such rules must require college and universities offering a board-approved teacher preparation program to provide remedial assistance to persons who did not achieve a qualifying score on the skills examination, including those for whom English is a second language.

 

(c) The board must adopt rules to approve teacher preparation programs.  The board, upon the request of a postsecondary student preparing for teacher licensure or a licensed graduate of a teacher preparation program, shall assist in resolving a dispute between the person and a postsecondary institution providing a teacher preparation program when the dispute involves an institution's recommendation for licensure affecting the person or the person's credentials.  At the board's discretion, assistance may include the application of chapter 14.

 

(d) The board must provide the leadership and adopt rules for the redesign of teacher education programs to implement a research based, results-oriented curriculum that focuses on the skills teachers need in order to be effective.  The board shall implement new systems of teacher preparation program evaluation to assure program effectiveness based on proficiency of graduates in demonstrating attainment of program outcomes.  Teacher preparation programs including alternative teacher preparation programs under section 122A.245, among other programs, must include a content-specific, board-approved, performance-based assessment that measures teacher candidates in three areas:  planning for instruction and assessment; engaging students and supporting learning; and assessing student learning.

 

(e) The board must adopt rules requiring candidates for initial licenses to pass an examination of general pedagogical knowledge and examinations of licensure-specific teaching skills.  The rules shall be effective by September 1, 2001.  The rules under this paragraph also must require candidates for initial licenses to teach prekindergarten or elementary students to pass, as part of the examination of licensure-specific teaching skills, test items assessing the candidates' knowledge, skill, and ability in comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction under section 122A.06, subdivision 4, and their knowledge and understanding of the foundations of reading development, the development of reading comprehension, and reading assessment and instruction, and their ability to integrate that knowledge and understanding.


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(f) The board must adopt rules requiring teacher educators to work directly with elementary or secondary school teachers in elementary or secondary schools to obtain periodic exposure to the elementary or secondary teaching environment.

 

(g) The board must grant licenses to interns and to candidates for initial licenses based on appropriate professional competencies that are aligned with the board's licensing system and students' diverse learning needs.  The board must include these licenses in a statewide differentiated licensing system that creates new leadership roles for successful experienced teachers premised on a collaborative professional culture dedicated to meeting students' diverse learning needs in the 21st century and formalizes mentoring and induction for newly licensed teachers that is provided through a teacher support framework.

 

(h) The board must design and implement an assessment system which requires a candidate for an initial license and first continuing license to demonstrate the abilities necessary to perform selected, representative teaching tasks at appropriate levels.

 

(i) The board must receive recommendations from local committees as established by the board for the renewal of teaching licenses.

 

(j) The board must grant life licenses to those who qualify according to requirements established by the board, and suspend or revoke licenses pursuant to sections 122A.20 and 214.10.  The board must not establish any expiration date for application for life licenses.

 

(k) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing their continuing license to include in their renewal requirements further preparation in the areas of using positive behavior interventions and in accommodating, modifying, and adapting curricula, materials, and strategies to appropriately meet the needs of individual students and ensure adequate progress toward the state's graduation rule.

 

(l) In adopting rules to license public school teachers who provide health-related services for disabled children, the board shall adopt rules consistent with license or registration requirements of the commissioner of health and the health-related boards who license personnel who perform similar services outside of the school.

 

(m) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing their continuing license to include in their renewal requirements further reading preparation, consistent with section 122A.06, subdivision 4.  The rules do not take effect until they are approved by law.  Teachers who do not provide direct instruction including, at least, counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, school social workers, audiovisual directors and coordinators, and recreation personnel are exempt from this section.

 

(n) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing their continuing license to include in their renewal requirements further preparation, first, in understanding the key warning signs of early-onset mental illness in children and adolescents and then, during subsequent licensure renewal periods, preparation may include providing a more in-depth understanding of students' mental illness trauma, accommodations for students' mental illness, parents' role in addressing students' mental illness, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, autism, the requirements of section 125A.0942 governing restrictive procedures, and de-escalation methods, among other similar topics.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  Paragraph (b) is effective the day following final enactment.  Paragraph (n) is effective August 1, 2014.


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Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 122A.18, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Teacher and support personnel qualifications.  (a) The Board of Teaching must issue licenses under its jurisdiction to persons the board finds to be qualified and competent for their respective positions.

 

(b) The board must require a person to pass an examination of skills in reading, writing, and mathematics before being granted an initial teaching license to provide direct instruction to pupils in prekindergarten, elementary, secondary, or special education programs, except that the board may issue up to three additional temporary, one-year teaching licenses to an otherwise qualified candidate who has not passed the skills exam at the time the candidate successfully completes an approved teacher preparation program.  The board must require colleges and universities offering a board approved teacher preparation program to provide make available upon request remedial assistance that includes a formal diagnostic component to persons enrolled in their institution who did not achieve a qualifying score on the skills examination, including those for whom English is a second language.  The colleges and universities must provide make available assistance in the specific academic areas of deficiency in which the person did not achieve a qualifying score.  School districts may make available upon request similar, appropriate, and timely remedial assistance that includes a formal diagnostic component to those persons employed by the district who completed their teacher education program, who did not achieve a qualifying score on the skills examination, including those persons for whom English is a second language and persons under section 122A.23, subdivision 2, paragraph (h), who completed their teacher's education program outside the state of Minnesota, and who received a temporary license to teach in Minnesota.  The Board of Teaching shall report annually to the education committees of the legislature on the total number of teacher candidates during the most recent school year taking the skills examination, the number who achieve a qualifying score on the examination, the number who do not achieve a qualifying score on the examination, the distribution of all candidates' scores, the number of candidates who have taken the examination at least once before, and the number of candidates who have taken the examination at least once before and achieve a qualifying score.

 

(c) A person who has completed an approved teacher preparation program and has been issued three temporary, one-year teaching licenses, but has not passed the skills exam, may have the board renew the temporary license if the school district employing the licensee requests that the licensee continue to teach for that district under a temporary license.

 

(d) The Board of Teaching must grant continuing licenses only to those persons who have met board criteria for granting a continuing license, which includes passing the skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics.

 

(d) (e) All colleges and universities approved by the board of teaching to prepare persons for teacher licensure must include in their teacher preparation programs a common core of teaching knowledge and skills to be acquired by all persons recommended for teacher licensure.  This common core shall meet the standards developed by the interstate new teacher assessment and support consortium in its 1992 "model standards for beginning teacher licensing and development."  Amendments to standards adopted under this paragraph are covered by chapter 14.  The board of teaching shall report annually to the education committees of the legislature on the performance of teacher candidates on common core assessments of knowledge and skills under this paragraph during the most recent school year.

 

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

 

Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 122A.23, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Applicants licensed in other states.  (a) Subject to the requirements of sections 122A.18, subdivision 8, and 123B.03, the Board of Teaching must issue a teaching license or a temporary teaching license under paragraphs (b) to (e) to an applicant who holds at least a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and holds or held a similar out-of-state teaching license that requires the applicant to successfully complete a teacher preparation program approved by the issuing state, which includes field-specific teaching methods and student teaching or essentially equivalent experience.


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(b) The Board of Teaching must issue a teaching license to an applicant who:

 

(1) successfully completed all exams and human relations preparation components required by the Board of Teaching; and

 

(2) holds or held an out-of-state teaching license to teach the same content field and grade levels if the scope of the out-of-state license is no more than one grade level less than a similar Minnesota license.

 

(c) The Board of Teaching, consistent with board rules and paragraph (h), must issue up to three one-year temporary teaching licenses to an applicant who holds or held an out-of-state teaching license to teach the same content field and grade levels, where the scope of the out-of-state license is no more than one grade level less than a similar Minnesota license, but has not successfully completed all exams and human relations preparation components required by the Board of Teaching.

 

(d) The Board of Teaching, consistent with board rules, must issue up to three one-year temporary teaching licenses to an applicant who:

 

(1) successfully completed all exams and human relations preparation components required by the Board of Teaching; and

 

(2) holds or held an out-of-state teaching license to teach the same content field and grade levels, where the scope of the out-of-state license is no more than one grade level less than a similar Minnesota license, but has not completed field-specific teaching methods or student teaching or equivalent experience.

 

The applicant may complete field-specific teaching methods and student teaching or equivalent experience by successfully participating in a one-year school district mentorship program consistent with board-adopted standards of effective practice and Minnesota graduation requirements.

 

(e) The Board of Teaching must issue a temporary teaching license for a term of up to three years only in the content field or grade levels specified in the out-of-state license to an applicant who:

 

(1) successfully completed all exams and human relations preparation components required by the Board of Teaching; and

 

(2) holds or held an out-of-state teaching license where the out-of-state license is more limited in the content field or grade levels than a similar Minnesota license.

 

(f) The Board of Teaching must not issue to an applicant more than three one-year temporary teaching licenses under this subdivision.

 

(g) The Board of Teaching must not issue a license under this subdivision if the applicant has not attained the additional degrees, credentials, or licenses required in a particular licensure field.

 

(h) The Board of Teaching must require an applicant for a teaching license or a temporary teaching license under this subdivision to pass a skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics before the board issues the license.  Consistent with section 122A.18, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), and notwithstanding other provisions of this subdivision, the board may issue up to three additional temporary, one-year teaching licenses to an otherwise qualified applicant who has not passed the skills exam and the board may renew this temporary license if the school district employing the applicant requests that the applicant continue to teach for that district under a temporary license. 

 

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


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Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 122A.28, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  K-12 license to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students; relicensure.  (a) The Board of Teaching must review and determine appropriate licensure requirements for a candidate for a license or an applicant for a continuing license to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students in prekindergarten through grade 12.  In addition to other requirements, a candidate must demonstrate the minimum level of proficiency in American sign language as determined by the board.

 

(b) Among other relicensure requirements, each teacher under this section must complete 30 continuing education clock hours on hearing loss topics, including American Sign Language, American Sign Language linguistics, or deaf culture, in each licensure renewal period.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2013.

 

Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 122A.33, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Notice of nonrenewal; opportunity to respond.  A school board that declines to renew the coaching contract of a licensed or nonlicensed head varsity coach must notify the coach within 14 days of that decision.  If the coach requests reasons for not renewing the coaching contract, the board must give the coach its reasons in writing within ten days of receiving the request.  The existence of parent complaints must not be the sole reason for a board not to renew a coaching contract.  Upon request, the board must provide the coach with a reasonable opportunity to respond to the reasons at a board meeting.  The hearing may be opened or closed at the election of the coach unless the board closes the meeting under section 13D.05, subdivision 2, to discuss private data.

 

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

 

Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, 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' evaluation, 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.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective July 1, 2013.

 

Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.095, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 10.  Online and Digital Learning Advisory Council.  (a) An Online and Digital Learning Advisory Council is established.  The term for each council member shall be three years.  The advisory council is composed of 12 15 members from throughout the state who have demonstrated experience with or interest in online learning.  Two members of the council must represent technology business.  The remaining membership must represent the following interests:

 

(1) superintendents;


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(2) special education specialists;

 

(3) technology directors;

 

(4) teachers;

 

(5) rural, urban, and suburban school districts;

 

(6) supplemental programs;

 

(7) full-time programs;

 

(8) consortia;

 

(9) charter schools;

 

(10) Board of Teaching-approved teacher preparation programs; and

 

(11) parents.

 

The members of the council shall be appointed by the commissioner. 

 

(b) The advisory council shall bring to the attention of the commissioner and the legislature any matters related to online and digital learning and.  The advisory council shall provide input to the department and the legislature in online learning matters related, but not restricted, to:

 

(1) quality assurance;

 

(2) teacher qualifications;

 

(3) program approval;

 

(4) special education;

 

(5) attendance;

 

(6) program design and requirements; and

 

(7) fair and equal access to programs.

 

(b) By June 30, 2013, (c) The Online Learning advisory council with the support of the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Learning Commons shall:

 

(1) oversee the development and maintenance of a catalog of publicly available digital learning content currently aligned to Minnesota academic standards to include:

 

(i) indexing of Minnesota academic standards with which curriculum is aligned;

 

(ii) a method for student and teacher users to provide evaluative feedback; and

 

(iii) a plan for ongoing maintenance; and


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(2) recommend methods for including student performance data on the digital learning content within the catalog.

 

(d) The advisory council shall also consider and provide input to the department and legislature on digital learning matters including, but not limited to:

 

(1) methods to maximize the effectiveness of technology and related instructional strategies in teaching and learning to improve student outcomes and identify methods for measuring the impact of using various forms of digital learning in and outside of the classroom;

 

(2) the effective use of technology to advance a student's ability to learn 21st century skills and knowledge and to involve parents in an education system that is more transparent in terms of outcomes and processes by providing toolkits to help parents, students, and schools make good decisions in the environment of choice;

 

(3) the use of technology for schools to personalize or differentiate learning to the needs, abilities, and learning styles of each student and guide students towards greater ownership of their learning, so that all students are digital learners and have access to high-quality digital curriculum in every class and level;

 

(4) methods to prepare current and future educators, education leaders, and staff to provide professional development and collaboration around best practices to use and to evaluate the effectiveness of digital tools and instructional strategies to personalize or differentiate education and focus on competency-based learning and advancement, so that all teachers have a digital presence and use high-quality digital curriculum;

 

(5) methods to support collaborative efforts to leverage resources among districts or at regional levels to provide digital resources, content, and curriculum;

 

(6) the barriers to improving the use of technology in the classroom, and methods to ensure that each student has access to a digital device and high-speed Internet at school and at home; and

 

(7) the current disparities in digital education across the state.

 

(e) The advisory council shall make policy recommendations to the commissioner and committees of the legislature having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education annually by December 15 of each year, including implementation plans based on recommendations from previous councils and task forces related to online and digital learning.

 

(c) (f) The Online and Digital Learning Advisory Council under this subdivision expires June 30, 2013 2016.

 

Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.122, is amended to read:

 

124D.122 ESTABLISHMENT OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM.

 

The board of any district or a consortium of districts, with the approval of the commissioner, may establish and operate a flexible learning year program in one or more of the day or residential facilities for children with a disability within the district.  Consortiums may use a single application and evaluation process, though results, public hearings, and board approvals must be obtained for each district as required under appropriate sections.

 

Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.42, is amended to read:

 

124D.42 READING AND MATH CORPS.

 

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

 

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


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

 

(3) provide guidance on integrating programmatic-based measurement into program models.

 

Subd. 8.  Minnesota reading corps program.  (a) A Minnesota reading corps program is established to provide ServeMinnesota Innovation 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, including comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction under section 122A.06, subdivision 4, 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).

 

(c) The commission must submit a biennial report to the committees of the legislature with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education that records and evaluates program data to determine the efficacy of the programs under this subdivision.

 

Subd. 9.  Minnesota math corps program.  (a) A Minnesota math corps program is established to give ServeMinnesota AmeriCorps members a data-based problem-solving model of mathematics instruction useful for providing elementary and middle school students and their teachers with instructional support to meet state academic standards in mathematics.

 

(b) The commission must submit a biennial report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education that records and evaluates program data to determine the efficacy of the programs under this subdivision.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective July 1, 2013.

 

Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.59, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  English learner.  (a) "English learner" means a pupil in kindergarten through grade 12 who meets the following requirements:

 

(1) the pupil, as declared by a parent or guardian first learned a language other than English, comes from a home where the language usually spoken is other than English, or usually speaks a language other than English; and

 

(2) the pupil is determined by developmentally appropriate measures, which might include observations, teacher judgment, parent recommendations, or developmentally appropriate assessment instruments that measure the pupil's emerging academic English and are aligned to state standards for English language development defined in rule, to lack the necessary English skills to participate fully in classes taught in English.

 

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a pupil in grades 4 through 12 who was enrolled in a Minnesota public school on the dates during the previous school year when a commissioner provided assessment that measures the pupil's emerging academic English was administered, shall not be counted as an English learner in calculating English learner pupil units under section 126C.05, subdivision 17, and shall not generate state English learner aid under section 124D.65, subdivision 5, unless the pupil scored below the state cutoff score or is otherwise counted as a nonproficient participant on an assessment measuring emerging academic English provided by the commissioner during the previous school year.


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(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b), a pupil in kindergarten through grade 12 shall not be counted as an English learner in calculating English learner pupil units under section 126C.05, subdivision 17, and shall not generate state English learner aid under section 124D.65, subdivision 5, if:

 

(1) the pupil is not enrolled during the current fiscal year in an educational program for English learners in accordance with sections 124D.58 to 124D.64; or

 

(2) the pupil has generated five or more years of average daily membership in Minnesota public schools since July 1, 1996.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2014 and later.

 

Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.61, is amended to read:

 

124D.61 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAMS.

 

A district that enrolls one or more English learners must implement an educational program that includes at a minimum the following requirements:

 

(1) identification, program entrance, and reclassification criteria for English learners and program entrance and exit criteria for English learners must be documented by the district, applied uniformly to English learners, and made available to parents and other stakeholders upon request;

 

(2) a written plan of services that describes programming by English proficiency level made available to parents upon request.  The plan must articulate the amount and scope of service offered to English learners through an educational program for English learners;

 

(3) professional development opportunities for ESL, bilingual education, mainstream, and all staff working with English learners which are:  (i) coordinated with the district's professional development activities; (ii) related to the needs of English learners; and (iii) ongoing;

 

(4) to the extent possible, avoid isolating English learners for a substantial part of the school day; and

 

(5) in predominantly nonverbal subjects, such as art, music, and physical education, permit English learners to participate fully and on an equal basis with their contemporaries in public school classes provided for these subjects.  To the extent possible, the district must assure to pupils enrolled in a program for English learners an equal and meaningful opportunity to participate fully with other pupils in all extracurricular activities.

 

The exit criteria under clause (1) must be equivalent to the emerging academic English measures on state assessments for English language development.

 

Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.79, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Community involvement.  The commissioner must provide for the maximum involvement of the state committees on American Indian education, parents of American Indian children, secondary students eligible to be served, American Indian language and culture education teachers, American Indian teachers, teachers' aides, representatives of community groups, and persons knowledgeable in the field of American Indian education, in the formulation of policy and procedures relating to the administration of sections 124D.71 to 124D.82.  The commissioner must annually hold a field hearing on American Indian education to gather input from American Indian educators, parents, and students on the state of American Indian education in Minnesota.  Results of the hearing must be made available to all 11 tribal nations for review and comment.