HF 3332

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/07/2016 04:32pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing a pilot project to help struggling students in
grades 3 to 5 read at grade level; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin PILOT PROJECT TO HELP STRUGGLING STUDENTS READ AT
GRADE LEVEL.
new text end

new text begin (a) A pilot project for fiscal year 2017 is established to help struggling,
underperforming students in grades 3 to 5 read at grade level and close the academic
achievement gap. Under this pilot project, the commissioner of education shall make a
grant to a qualified and experienced nonprofit organization to provide three Minnesota
public schools with: a research-based intervention software program demonstrated to
effectively use singing to improve students' reading ability; technical training and staff to
install project software; on-site professional development and instructional monitoring
and support for school staff and students; preproject and postproject online reading
assessments developed by the University of Minnesota; and other project management
services. A participating school must identify a trained supervisor and other school staff
to work with students using the software in the computer lab and coordinate and review
students' weekly lab use.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner, in consultation with the nonprofit organization receiving the
grant, must select three public elementary schools, located in an urban, suburban, and
greater Minnesota school district, respectively, to participate in the project based on:
new text end

new text begin (1) the number and percent of enrolled students in grades 3 to 5 whose proficiency
on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment in reading is below grade level and who are
eligible for a free or reduced-price meal;
new text end

new text begin (2) the interest of the school principal, teachers, and other school staff in
participating in the project; and
new text end

new text begin (3) the availability of a computer lab for the project and its software.
new text end

new text begin (c) The nonprofit organization receiving the grant must submit a
commissioner-reviewed report to the committees of the legislature with jurisdiction over
kindergarten through grade 12 education by February 1, 2017, using summary data to
compare and evaluate the reading gains of the third to fifth grade students in the three
schools that participated in the project and third to fifth grade students in schools that did
not participate and recommend whether to continue or expand the project.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2016.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin PILOT PROJECT APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $105,000 in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of education for a grant to a qualified nonprofit organization to provide
three Minnesota public elementary schools with a research-based intervention software
program described under section 1 that effectively uses singing to improve students'
reading ability. $5,000 of this appropriation is for costs the commissioner incurs in
administering this pilot program.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2016.
new text end