HF 1994

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 04/06/2021 12:58pm

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; increasing funding and modifying provisions for
gifted and talented programs; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 120B.11,
subdivision 2; 120B.15; 126C.10, subdivision 2b.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.11, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Adopting plans and budgets.

A school board, at a public meeting, shall adopt
a comprehensive, long-term strategic plan to support and improve teaching and learning
that is aligned with creating the world's best workforce and includes:

(1) clearly defined district and school site goals and benchmarks for instruction and
student achievement for all student subgroups identified in section 120B.35, subdivision 3,
paragraph (b), clause (2);

(2) a process to assess and evaluate each student's progress toward meeting state and
local academic standards, assess and identify students to participate in gifted and talented
programs and accelerate their instruction, and adopt early-admission procedures consistent
with section 120B.15, deleted text begin and identifying deleted text end new text begin including:
new text end

new text begin (i) a process to assess and identify students for participation in gifted and talented
programs, along with the number of students assessed and identified;
new text end

new text begin (ii) procedures for the academic acceleration of gifted and talented students, along with
the number of students accelerated;
new text end

new text begin (iii) procedures for early admission to kindergarten and first grade, consistent with
section 124D.02, subdivision 1, along with the number of students admitted early; and
new text end

new text begin (iv) new text end the strengths and weaknesses of instruction in pursuit of student and school success
and curriculum affecting students' progress and growth toward career and college readiness
and leading to the world's best workforce;

(3) a system to periodically review and evaluate the effectiveness of all instruction and
curriculum, taking into account strategies and best practices, student outcomes, school
principal evaluations under section 123B.147, subdivision 3, students' access to effective
teachers who are members of populations underrepresented among the licensed teachers in
the district or school and who reflect the diversity of enrolled students under section 120B.35,
subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), and teacher evaluations under section 122A.40,
subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5;

(4) strategies for improving instruction, curriculum, and student achievement, including
the English and, where practicable, the native language development and the academic
achievement of English learners;

(5) a process to examine the equitable distribution of teachers and strategies to ensure
low-income and minority children are not taught at higher rates than other children by
inexperienced, ineffective, or out-of-field teachers;

(6) education effectiveness practices that integrate high-quality instruction, rigorous
curriculum, technology, and a collaborative professional culture that develops and supports
teacher quality, performance, and effectiveness; and

(7) an annual budget for continuing to implement the district plan.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.15, is amended to read:

120B.15 GIFTED AND TALENTED deleted text begin STUDENTS deleted text end new text begin STUDENT new text end PROGRAMS.

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definition. new text end

new text begin (a) Gifted and talented children and youth are those students
with outstanding abilities, identified at preschool, elementary, and secondary levels. These
students are capable of high performance when compared to others of similar age, experience,
and environment, and represent the diverse population of our communities. The potential
of gifted students requires differentiated and challenging educational programs and services
beyond those provided in the general school program. Students capable of high performance
include those with demonstrated achievement or potential ability in any one or more of the
following areas: general intellectual ability, specific academic subjects, creativity, leadership,
and visual and performing arts. Gifted and talented students are found within all income
levels, cultural and language groups, and abilities or disabilities.
new text end

deleted text begin (a) deleted text end new text begin (b) new text end School districts deleted text begin may deleted text end new text begin must new text end identify students, locally develop programs addressing
instructional and affective needs, provide staff development, and evaluate programs to
provide gifted and talented students with challenging and appropriate educational programs.

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Identification. new text end

deleted text begin (b) deleted text end new text begin (a) new text end School districts must adopt guidelines for assessing and
identifying students for participation in gifted and talented programs consistent with section
120B.11, subdivision 2, clause (2). The guidelines should include the use of:

(1) deleted text begin multiple and objective criteria deleted text end new text begin universal screening practices that include multiple
research-supported assessments that are inclusive of different gifts and talents new text end ; and

(2) assessments and procedures that are valid and reliable, fair, and based on current
theory and research. Assessments and procedures should be sensitive to underrepresented
groups, including, but not limited to, low-income, deleted text begin minority deleted text end new text begin culturally diverse new text end ,
twice-exceptional, deleted text begin and deleted text end English new text begin language new text end learners new text begin , and should be coordinated to allow for
optimal identification and services for underrepresented gifted students new text end .

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Programming. new text end

new text begin (a) School districts must utilize research-supported gifted
programming and offer varied programs that address both cognitive and affective needs for
identified gifted students.
new text end

deleted text begin (c) deleted text end new text begin (b) new text end School districts must deleted text begin adopt procedures for the academic acceleration of deleted text end new text begin
academically accelerate new text end gifted and talented students consistent with section 120B.11,
subdivision 2, clause (2). These procedures must include how the district will:

(1) assess a student's readiness and motivation for acceleration; and

(2) match the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum to a student to achieve the
best type of academic acceleration for that student.

deleted text begin (d) School districts must adopt procedures consistent with section 124D.02, subdivision
1, for early admission to kindergarten or first grade of gifted and talented learners consistent
with section 120B.11, subdivision 2, clause (2). The procedures must be sensitive to
underrepresented groups.
deleted text end

new text begin (c) Consistent with section 120B.11, subdivision 2, clause (2), and section 124D.02,
subdivision 1, school districts must allow early admission for qualified kindergarten or first
grade gifted and talented learners. Admission procedures must be sensitive to
underrepresented groups.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Professional development. new text end

new text begin School districts must provide for all professional
staff, including administration, ongoing professional development opportunities that address
critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving, inquiry learning, and collaborative
learning grounded in research and best practices, and on the nature and needs of gifted
students.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Accountability and quality assurance. new text end

new text begin (a) School districts, in collaboration
with the Department of Education, must evaluate their gifted programming effectiveness
in terms of achievement in both the gifted and general population, and in terms of student,
parent, and educator satisfaction.
new text end

new text begin (b) Districts must report on specific state-funded gifted and talented services offered to
students. Reports must include data that examine kindergarten through grade 12 student
performance including:
new text end

new text begin (1) parent, student, and educator satisfaction; and
new text end

new text begin (2) how state-issued funding was allocated to each area of service including identification,
programming, professional development, and accountability.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 126C.10, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:

Subd. 2b.

Gifted and talented revenue.

Gifted and talented revenue for each district
equals the district's adjusted pupil units for that school year times deleted text begin $13 deleted text end new text begin $39 new text end . A school district
must reserve gifted and talented revenue and, consistent with section 120B.15, must spend
the revenue only to:

(1) identify gifted and talented students new text begin who are diverse by age, culture, ability or
disability, language, and readiness new text end ;

(2) provide education programs for gifted and talented students; deleted text begin or
deleted text end

(3) provide staff development to prepare teachers to best meet the unique needs of gifted
and talented students deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (4) provide all kindergarten through grade 12 teachers professional development and
training in inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, creative thinking, collaborative work,
and problem-based learning, and other 21st century skills as determined by the school
district.
new text end