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Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

HF 49

as introduced - 91st Legislature, 2020 2nd Special Session (2020 - 2020) Posted on 07/21/2020 01:25am

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Bill Text Versions

Engrossments
Introduction Posted on 07/13/2020

Current Version - as introduced

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A bill for an act
relating to education; authorizing school boards to implement flexible learning
year programs without approval by the commissioner of education; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2018, sections 120A.41; 124D.12; 124D.121; 124D.122;
124D.126, subdivision 1; 124D.127.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 120A.41, is amended to read:


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

(a) A school board's annual school calendar must include at least 425 hours of instruction
for a kindergarten student without a disability, 935 hours of instruction for a student in
grades 1 through 6, and 1,020 hours of instruction for a student in grades 7 through 12, not
including summer school. The school calendar for all-day kindergarten must include at least
850 hours of instruction for the school year. The school calendar for a prekindergarten
student under section 124D.151, if offered by the district, must include at least 350 hours
of instruction for the school year. 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
has been approved by the deleted text begin commissionerdeleted text end new text begin school boardnew text end under section deleted text begin 124D.126deleted text end new text begin 124D.122new text end .

(b) A school board's annual school calendar may include plans for up to five days of
instruction provided through online instruction due to inclement weather. The inclement
weather plans must be developed according to section 120A.414.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2020-2021 school year and later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.12, is amended to read:


124D.12 PURPOSE OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAMS.

Sections 124D.12 to 124D.127 authorize districts to evaluate, plan and employ the use
of flexible learning year programs. It is anticipated that the open selection of the type of
flexible learning year operation from a variety of alternatives will allow each district seeking
to utilize this concept to suitably fulfill the educational needs of its pupils. These alternatives
must include, but not be limited to, various 45-15 plans, four-quarter plans, quinmester
plans, extended learning year plans, and flexible all-year plans. deleted text begin A school district with an
approved four-day week plan in the 2014-2015 school year may continue under a four-day
week plan through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Future approvals are contingent
upon meeting the school district's performance goals established in the district's plan under
section 120B.11. The commissioner must give a school district one school year's notice
before revoking approval of its flexible learning year program.
deleted text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2020-2021 school year and later.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.121, is amended to read:


124D.121 DEFINITION OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM.

"Flexible learning year program" means any district plan approved by the deleted text begin commissionerdeleted text end new text begin
school board
new text end that utilizes buildings and facilities during the entire year or that provides
forms of optional scheduling of pupils and personnel during the learning year in elementary
and secondary schools or residential facilities for children with a disability.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2020-2021 school year and later.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.122, is amended to read:


124D.122 ESTABLISHMENT OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM.

The board of any district or a consortium of districtsdeleted text begin , with the approval of the
commissioner,
deleted text end 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 deleted text begin application anddeleted text end evaluation process, though results, public hearings, and
board approvals must be obtained for each district as required under appropriate sections.
deleted text begin The commissioner must approve or disapprove of a flexible learning year application within
45 business days of receiving the application. If the commissioner disapproves the
application, the commissioner must give the district or consortium detailed reasons for the
disapproval.
deleted text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2020-2021 school year and later.
new text end

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.126, subdivision 1, is amended to read:


Subdivision 1.

Powers and duties.

The commissioner must:

deleted text begin (1) promulgate rules necessary to the operation of sections 124D.12 to 124D.127;
deleted text end

deleted text begin (2)deleted text end new text begin (1)new text end cooperate with and provide supervision of flexible learning year programs to
determine compliance with the provisions of sections 124D.12 to 124D.127deleted text begin , the
commissioner's standards and qualifications, and the proposed program as submitted and
approved
deleted text end ;

deleted text begin (3)deleted text end new text begin (2)new text end provide any necessary adjustments of (a) attendance and membership computations
and (b) the dates and percentages of apportionment of state aids; and

deleted text begin (4)deleted text end new text begin (3)new text end consistent with the definition of "average daily membership" in section 126C.05,
subdivision 8
, furnish the board of a district implementing a flexible learning year program
with a formula for computing average daily membership. This formula must be computed
so that tax levies to be made by the district, state aids to be received by the district, and any
and all other formulas based upon average daily membership are not affected solely as a
result of adopting this plan of instruction.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2020-2021 school year and later.
new text end

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.127, is amended to read:


124D.127 TERMINATION OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM.

The board of any districtdeleted text begin , with the approval of the commissioner of education,deleted text end may
terminate a flexible learning year program in one or more of the day or residential facilities
for children with a disability within the district. This section shall not be construed to permit
an exception to section 120A.22, 127A.41, subdivision 7, or 127A.43.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2020-2021 school year and later.
new text end

Sec. 7. new text begin FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR; RULE AMENDMENT.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must amend Minnesota Rules, part 3500.1000, to remove
the commissioner's authority over approving or disapproving school district flexible learning
year programs under Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.12 to 124D.127.
new text end