as introduced - 83rd Legislature (2003 - 2004) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
A bill for an act relating to education; forming two separate school districts from the area currently within Independent School District No. 728, Elk River. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. [DISTRICT BOUNDARIES; ASSIGNMENT OF AREA.] Subdivision 1. [SHERBURNE, ANOKA, AND ISANTI COUNTY.] As of July 1, 2007, the commissioner of education shall issue an order detaching and classifying all of the area of the current Independent School District No. 728, Elk River, that is located in Sherburne, Anoka, or Isanti County as a new independent school district and assign the district an identification number. Subd. 2. [HENNEPIN AND WRIGHT COUNTY.] As of July 1, 2007, the commissioner of education shall issue an order detaching and classifying all of the area of the current Independent School District No. 728, Elk River, that is located in Hennepin or Wright County as a new independent school district and assign the district an identification number. Subd. 3. [COMMISSIONER'S RECORDS.] Upon the effective date of this section, the commissioner of education shall modify the records and any plats, petitions, and proceedings involving the former school district and the newly created school districts to conform to the conditions of this act. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2006. Sec. 2. [GOVERNANCE.] Subdivision 1. [SCHOOL BOARD SIZE.] Each of the new school districts created by section 1 initially shall be governed by a board of directors consisting of seven members. Subd. 2. [SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS AND TERMS.] The board of directors for each new school district described in section 1 shall be elected according to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 205A, at an election held for that purpose at the November 2006 general election. Four of the initial board members must be elected for a term of four years and three of the initial members shall be elected to a term of two years. Subd. 3. [START OF TERM.] The terms of the newly elected board members must begin on the first Monday in January 2007, and until a successor qualifies. Subd. 4. [SUBSEQUENT TERMS.] After the initial election required under subdivision 2, the terms of all members shall be governed under Minnesota Statutes, section 123B.09. Subd. 5. [SERVING ON TWO BOARDS.] Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, an individual may serve on both the school board of Independent School District No. 728, Elk River, and on the board of one of the newly created school districts. Subd. 6. [END OF TERMS.] Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the terms of the board members of Independent School District No. 728, Elk River, extend until July 1, 2007, at which point they are dissolved. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2006. Sec. 3. [TRANSITION ACTIVITIES.] Subdivision 1. [EXISTING BOARD.] The care, management, and control of Independent School District No. 728, Elk River, remains with its board until July 1, 2007. Subd. 2. [NEW BOARD ACTIVITIES.] The newly elected boards under section 2 may begin meeting after the first Monday in January 2007. The boards may plan for operation of their districts beginning July 1, 2007. The boards may issue letters of intent to hire employees beginning July 1, 2007. Upon specific written authority of the board of Independent School District No. 728, Elk River, each board may separately join with the board of Independent School District No. 728, Elk River, and jointly enter into contracts for the operation of the newly formed school district prior to July 1, 2007. Sec. 4. [DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.] Subdivision 1. [ORDER OF THE COMMISSIONER.] Under the detachments authorized in section 1, the commissioner of education shall issue an order for the distribution of all assets and liabilities, real and personal, and the legally valid and enforceable claims and contract obligations of the former Independent School District No. 728, Elk River, that are necessary for the new school districts to operate. Subd. 2. [REAL PROPERTY.] The commissioner shall determine the value of all real property. The commissioner's order must transfer the interests in all real property to the newly created school districts. The real property must be assigned based upon the borders of the newly created school districts. If the commissioner determines that the value of the real property substantially favors one district or the other, the commissioner may include a dollar amount as a claim against the district receiving the property, and the claim shall be paid and enforced in the manner provided by law for the payment of judgments against a district. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2004. Sec. 5. [TAX LIABILITY FOR EXISTING BONDED DEBT.] All taxable property in the areas so detached remains taxable for payment of any school purpose obligations already authorized by or outstanding on July 1, 2007. The commissioner's order does not relieve the taxable property from the obligation of any bonded debt already incurred to which it was subject prior to the order. All taxable property in the areas included in the newly created districts is taxable for payment of any district obligations of its new district authorized on or subsequent to July 1, 2007. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2007. Sec. 6. [EMPLOYEES.] Subdivision 1. [LICENSED EMPLOYEES.] The obligations of the newly created school districts created in section 1 to licensed employees are governed by Minnesota Statutes, section 123A.75, except that the commissioner of education shall assign each teacher employed by Independent School District No. 728, Elk River, to the newly created districts based upon the location of the building where the teacher was employed during the 2005-2006 school year. Any licensed employee who was not assigned to a building during the 2005-2006 school year must be assigned according to section 123A.75. Subd. 2. [NONLICENSED EMPLOYEES.] All other employees not included in subdivision 1 may apply for employment to either of the newly created school boards by February 15, 2007. Employees who have not received a letter of intent to hire from either of the boards of the newly created districts by April 15, 2007, may place their names on a roster maintained by the commissioner of education. On June 15, 2007, the commissioner shall assign all of the employees on the roster to unfilled positions in the newly created school districts in order of seniority. All of the rights and obligations of the nonlicensed employees must continue in the same manner as before July 1, 2007. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2006. Sec. 7. [ENROLLMENT OPTIONS.] Regardless of the new districts' borders, a student who is enrolled in Independent School District No. 728, Elk River, during the 2005-2006 school year may continue to attend the school in which that student was enrolled until the student completes the last grade offered by that school. Funding for a student under this section is governed by Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.03. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2007.