HF 1321

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education; adopting teacher preparation standards for foreign
languages; providing for world languages resources and pilot program grants;
appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 122A.18, by
adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 122A.18, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 2c. new text end

new text begin World languages. new text end

new text begin By the 2010-2011 school year, all colleges and
universities approved by the Board of Teaching to prepare persons for world languages
teacher licensure must implement the foreign languages teacher preparation standards of
the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and the National Council
for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin WORLD LANGUAGES RESOURCES.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of education shall employ a full-time state coordinator for
world languages education within the department by July 1, 2007. The commissioner
shall seek input from the Quality Teaching Network before designating or hiring the
coordinator. The coordinator, at a minimum, shall:
new text end

new text begin (1) assist charter schools and school districts in planning to develop or enhance their
capacity to offer world languages courses and programs;
new text end

new text begin (2) cooperate with Minnesota world languages professionals and charter schools and
school districts in developing all aspects of world languages programs;
new text end

new text begin (3) survey Minnesota charter schools and school districts to (i) determine the types
of existing world languages programs including, among others, those that use information
technology to provide high-quality world languages instruction, (ii) identify exemplary
model world languages programs, and (iii) identify and address staff development needs of
current world languages teachers, preservice teachers, and teacher preparation programs;
new text end

new text begin (4) identify successful world languages programs in other states;
new text end

new text begin (5) develop and implement a grant program for model pilot world languages
programs, consistent with section 3;
new text end

new text begin (6) consult with interested stakeholders to prepare a report for the education
commissioner to submit by February 15, 2008, to the education policy and finance
committees of the legislature assessing the feasibility and structure of a statewide
world languages graduation requirement under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.021,
subdivision 1; and
new text end

new text begin (7) beginning February 1, 2008, and until February 1, 2012, report annually to
the education policy and finance committees of the legislature on the status of world
languages in Minnesota and the needs identified by charter school and school district
surveys, and make recommendations on how to address those needs.
new text end

new text begin (b) After carefully examining existing world languages assessments, including,
among other considerations, the ease or difficulty with which the assessments may be
adapted to world languages not currently assessed, the commissioner, by July 1, 2009,
shall recommend an assessment tool for charter schools and school districts to use in
measuring student progress in acquiring proficiency in world languages.
new text end

new text begin (c) Beginning July 1, 2008, the department shall assist world languages teachers
and other school staff in developing and implementing world languages programs
that acknowledge and reinforce the language proficiency and cultural awareness that
non-English language speakers already possess, and encourage students' proficiency in
multiple world languages. Programs under this paragraph must encompass indigenous
American Indian languages and cultures, among other world languages and cultures. The
department shall consult with postsecondary institutions in developing related teacher
and staff workshops.
new text end

new text begin (d) The commissioner, upon request, must evaluate the plans of charter school and
school districts to develop or enhance their capacity to offer world languages courses
and programs and continue to offer workshops and consultation to assist districts in
developing or enhancing world languages programs. The department shall assist districts
in monitoring local assessment results.
new text end

new text begin (e) By July 1, 2008, the department shall establish an incentive plan to recruit
students into world languages teaching.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin WORLD LANGUAGES PILOT PROGRAM GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin (a) A pilot program awarding 16 world languages grants to interested and qualified
school sites and school districts is established for fiscal year 2009 to develop and
implement sustainable, high-quality model world languages programs at various grade
levels from kindergarten through grade 12 and to enhance existing world languages
programs for students in kindergarten through grade 12. Program participants must
simultaneously support both non-English language learners in maintaining their native
language while mastering English and native English speakers in learning other languages.
new text end

new text begin (b) Interested school sites and school districts must apply to the education
commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner determines. The application
must indicate whether the applicant intends to develop a new world languages program
or expand an existing world languages program and whether the applicant intends to
offer more intensive programs or programs that are readily accessible to larger numbers
of students. Applicants must agree to disseminate information about their programs to
interested school sites and school districts.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner must award grants to qualified applicants that satisfy the
requirements in paragraphs (a) and (b). To the extent there are qualified applicants,
the commissioner must award two grants in each congressional district: one grant to a
qualified applicant that intends to develop a new world languages program; and one grant
to a qualified applicant that intends to expand an existing world languages program. The
commissioner must award at least one-half of all grants to kindergarten through grade 8
sites. Grantees must expend the grant consistent with the content of their application
and this section.
new text end

new text begin (d) The commissioner shall provide for an evaluation of the grantees to identify
exemplary model world languages programs and the staff development needs of world
languages teachers and report the findings of the evaluation to the education policy and
finance committees of the legislature by February 15, 2010.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2007-2008 school year.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Department of Education. new text end

new text begin The sums indicated in this section are
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin World languages teacher recruitment. new text end

new text begin For incentive programs to recruit
students into world languages teaching:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 50,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2008 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 100,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2009 new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Pilot world languages programs. new text end

new text begin For world languages pilot program
grants:
new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 1,400,000 new text end

new text begin ..... new text end

new text begin 2009 new text end

new text begin This appropriation is available until June 30, 2009.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Teacher training. new text end

new text begin To contract to provide summer professional
development programs in fiscal year 2008 and in fiscal year 2009 for 50 world language
teachers to learn to deliver high quality language instruction and for summer and academic
year professional development programs to help teachers learn to differentiate language
instruction so that diverse students can succeed in learning world languages:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 100,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2008 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 100,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2009 new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin School administrators' training. new text end

new text begin For developing and implementing
intensive training sessions for public school district administrators interested in
establishing high-quality, sustainable world language programs:
new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 50,000 new text end

new text begin ..... new text end

new text begin 2008 new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2007.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin MINNESOTA OFFICE OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Minnesota Office of Higher Education. new text end

new text begin The sums indicated in
this section are appropriated from the general fund to the Minnesota Office of Higher
Education for the fiscal years designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Scholarships. new text end

new text begin To the Minnesota Office of Higher Education for 20 college
scholarships of $2,500 in fiscal year 2008 and of $2,500 in fiscal year 2009 to Minnesota
postsecondary students who are interested in pursuing a teaching degree in world
languages and to postsecondary students who are interested in enrolling in a summer
world language program or in study abroad:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 50,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2008 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 50,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2009 new text end