HF 3402

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/14/2024 12:17pm

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; establishing an academic acceleration pilot program;
requiring a report; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PILOT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Pilot program established. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must establish
a pilot program to increase access to advanced coursework in six school districts or charter
schools during the 2025-2026 to 2027-2028 school years.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
meanings given.
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new text begin (b) "Advanced coursework" means an advanced placement, postsecondary enrollment
options including concurrent enrollment, or honors course.
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new text begin (c) "Participant" means a school district or charter school selected to participate in the
pilot program.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Automatic enrollment. new text end

new text begin (a) A participant must adopt an automatic enrollment
policy that meets the minimum requirements of this subdivision at one or more school sites.
A participant may adopt additional eligibility criteria for students to participate in the
academic acceleration pilot program so long as the criteria does not create inequities among
student groups in the advanced coursework.
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new text begin (b) The policy must require automatic enrollment in advanced coursework in language
arts, mathematics, or science if the student meets eligibility criteria. A student is eligible
for automatic enrollment if the student meets or exceeds the state standard on the applicable
eighth grade or high school statewide assessment, or earns the highest grade attainable in
a course in the applicable subject matter in the preceding school year. The subject matter
of the advanced coursework in which a student is automatically enrolled depends on the
content area or areas of assessment where the student has met or exceeded the state standard.
new text end

new text begin (c) The policy must allow a parent or guardian of a student automatically enrolled in a
course the opportunity to opt the student out of the academic acceleration pilot program
and enroll the student in an alternative course or program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Participation requirements. new text end

new text begin A participant must:
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new text begin (1) prioritize recruiting teachers of color with the training necessary to teach advanced
coursework or graduate credits necessary to teach secondary school courses for postsecondary
credit, or provide teachers of color with opportunities to obtain the necessary training or
graduate credits at no cost;
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new text begin (2) notify a parent or guardian, at least two weeks before the start of the school year,
that a student has been automatically enrolled in advanced coursework for that school term
under the district policy. The notice must include information about the benefits of advanced
coursework, the district's automatic enrollment policy, and the courses available to students
leading to dual credit and advanced placement. The information must be available in the
three most common languages in the district;
new text end

new text begin (3) identify tutoring and other academic supports available to students having difficulty
in advanced coursework; and
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new text begin (4) collect and report to the commissioner, in the form and manner determined by the
commissioner, disaggregated data on the number of students eligible for automatic enrollment
and the number of students who opt out or drop an advanced course, complete an advanced
placement course but do not take the assessment, take an advanced placement assessment
but do not pass, and who pass an advanced placement assessment.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Application process. new text end

new text begin (a) A district applying to participate in the pilot program
must submit an application to the commissioner in the form and manner determined by the
commissioner. The application must identify how the district will use state grant funds to
increase access to advanced coursework.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner must notify participants of their selection by January 1, 2025. At
least one participant must have a high percentage of American Indian students. When
selecting the remaining five participants, the commissioner must, to the extent practicable,
ensure the rollout sites represent urban school districts, suburban school districts, nonurban
school districts, and charter schools. The commissioner may also consider:
new text end

new text begin (1) the availability of advanced coursework to current students;
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new text begin (2) the number of enrolled students currently participating in advanced coursework; and
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new text begin (3) the number of enrolled students eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Grant uses. new text end

new text begin Participants must use grant funds to pay for advanced placement
fees for all students automatically enrolled in an advanced placement course. A district may
use grant funds for the following eligible expenses:
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new text begin (1) training for teachers to teach advanced placement courses or secondary school courses
for postsecondary credit;
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new text begin (2) textbooks and other instructional materials;
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new text begin (3) tutoring for students enrolled in advanced coursework;
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new text begin (4) administrative expenses, including expenses related to data collection and reporting
and family engagement; and
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new text begin (5) notwithstanding any law to the contrary, bonuses for teachers based on the number
of students who pass advanced placement exams.
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new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin State report. new text end

new text begin (a) By January 1, 2029, the commissioner of education must
submit a report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through
grade 12 education on the pilot program.
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new text begin (b) The report must include:
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new text begin (1) the number of students who were eligible for advanced coursework under the pilot
program, and of those students, the number of students that did and did not enroll in or
complete advanced coursework. The data must be disaggregated by race and ethnicity,
eligibility for free or reduced-price meals, and special education status;
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new text begin (2) the number of teachers providing instruction in advanced coursework, including the
number of teachers recruited to teach advanced coursework. The data must be disaggregated
by race and ethnicity;
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new text begin (3) the advanced coursework in which students were automatically enrolled; and
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new text begin (4) feedback provided by participating districts on the implementation of the pilot
program.
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new text begin (c) The report must include recommendations to the legislature on the implementation
of a statewide academic acceleration program.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Department of Education. new text end

new text begin The sum indicated in this section is
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal year
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Academic acceleration pilot program. new text end

new text begin (a) For the academic acceleration pilot
program:
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new text begin $ new text end

new text begin ....... new text end

new text begin ..... new text end

new text begin 2025 new text end

new text begin (b) The department may retain up to 15 percent of the appropriation to create an
application for the pilot program, administer the grant, and report to the legislature on the
pilot program.
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new text begin (c) This appropriation does not cancel but is available until June 30, 2028.
new text end