1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; authorizing a study on the benefits of cocurricular career 
1.3 	and technical student organizations in the postsecondary institution classroom; 
1.4 	appropriating money.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. CAREER AND TECHNICAL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS; STUDY.
 1.7 	(a) The Minnesota Foundation for Student Organizations may contract with an 
1.8 	independent consultant that has extensive experience in education research and evaluation 
1.9 	to evaluate the benefits of cocurricular career and technical student organizations in the 
1.10 	postsecondary institution classroom. The study must examine the following:
1.11 	(1) whether career and technical student organizations (CTSO's) contribute to the 
1.12 	technical skill training of students as measured by the number of CTSO members who 
1.13 	gain employment in their area of study after graduation;
1.14 	(2) whether CTSO's impact academic standards and assessments used in the 
1.15 	classroom as measured by (i) a comparison of courses that use and courses that do not use 
1.16 	CTSO curriculum; and (ii) specific classroom activities related to the competitions held by 
1.17 	CTSO's, what they are, and whether they are stressed more than other noncompetitive 
1.18 	activities;
1.19 	(3) the specific benefits of CTSO's at the campus level as measured qualitatively by 
1.20 	anecdotal interview and survey; and
1.21 	(4) the role of CTSO's in student transition from secondary to postsecondary career 
1.22 	and technical education as measured by (i) the number of CTSO members at the secondary 
1.23 	level who continue their career and technical education at the postsecondary level; and 
1.24 	(ii) a comparison of the number of CTSO members in secondary school who continue 
2.1 	studying in the career and technical area at postsecondary institutions that have CTSO's 
2.2 	and members who continue studying in the career and technical area at postsecondary 
2.3 	institutions that do not have CTSO's.
2.4 	(b) The foundation shall submit a report that describes the study and its findings, 
2.5 	identifies barriers to success for students, and identifies strategies to overcome these 
2.6 	barriers to the house of representatives and senate committees having jurisdiction over 
2.7 	secondary and postsecondary education by October 15, 2009.

2.8 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; MINNESOTA CAREER AND TECHNICAL 
2.9 	ORGANIZATION FOUNDATION.
 2.10 		Subdivision 1.Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section 
2.11 	are appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal 
2.12 	year designated.
2.13 		Subd. 2.Minnesota career and technical organization foundation study. For 
2.14 	the Minnesota career and technical organization foundation postsecondary study under 
2.15 	section 1:

2.16 | | $ | ....... | ..... | 2008
2.17 	This appropriation is available through June 30, 2009.