as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 02/11/2020 02:49pm
A bill for an act
relating to education finance; increasing funding and modifying provisions for
gifted and talented programs; amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, sections 120B.11,
subdivision 5; 120B.15; 120B.20; 126C.10, subdivision 2b; proposing coding for
new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 120B.11, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Consistent with requirements for school performance reports under
section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the school board shall publish a report in the local newspaper
with the largest circulation in the district, by mail, or by electronic means on the district
website. The school board shall hold an annual public meeting to review, and revise where
appropriate, student achievement goals, local assessment outcomes, plans, strategies, and
practices for improving curriculum and instruction and cultural competency, and efforts to
equitably distribute diverse, effective, experienced, and in-field teachers, and to review
district success in realizing the previously adopted student achievement goals and related
benchmarks and the improvement plans leading to the world's best workforce. new text begin The school
board must report the number of students assessed and identified for participation in gifted
and talented programs, the number of students who were academically accelerated, and the
number of students granted early admission to kindergarten and first grade under section
124D.02, subdivision 1. new text end The school board must transmit an electronic summary of its report
to the commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner determines.
Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 120B.15, is amended to read:
(a) School districts deleted text begin maydeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end identify students, locally develop programs addressing
instructional and affective needs, provide staff development, and evaluate programs to
provide gifted and talented students with challenging and appropriate educational programs.
(b) School districts must deleted text begin adopt guidelines for assessing and identifyingdeleted text end new text begin assess and identifynew text end
students for participation in gifted and talented programs consistent with section 120B.11,
subdivision 2, clause (2). The guidelines should include the use of:
(1) new text begin universal screening practices that include new text end multiple deleted text begin and objective criteriadeleted text end new text begin
research-supported assessments that are inclusive of different gifts and talentsnew text end ; and
(2) assessments and procedures that are valid and reliable, fair, and based on current
theory and research. Assessments and procedures should be sensitive to underrepresented
groups, including, but not limited to, low-income, minority, twice-exceptional, and English
learnersdeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin , and should be coordinated to allow for optimal identification and services for
those underrepresented students.
new text end
(c) School districts must deleted text begin adopt procedures for the academic acceleration ofdeleted text end new text begin academically
acceleratenew text end gifted and talented students consistent with section 120B.11, subdivision 2, clause
(2). These procedures must include how the district will:
(1) assess a student's readiness and motivation for acceleration; and
(2) match the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum to a student to achieve the
best type of academic acceleration for that student.
(d) deleted text begin School districts must adopt proceduresdeleted text end Consistent with deleted text begin section 124D.02, subdivision
1, for early admission to kindergarten or first grade of gifted and talented learners consistent
with sectiondeleted text end new text begin sectionsnew text end 120B.11, subdivision 2, clause (2)new text begin , and 124D.02, subdivision 1, school
districts must allow early admission for qualified kindergarten or first grade gifted and
talented studentsnew text end . deleted text begin Thedeleted text end new text begin Admissionnew text end procedures must be sensitive to underrepresented groups.
new text begin
(e) School districts must utilize research-supported gifted programming and offer varied
programs that address both cognitive and affective needs for identified gifted students.
new text end
new text begin
(f) School districts must provide ongoing professional development opportunities
grounded in research and best practices on the nature and needs of gifted students that
address critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving, inquiry learning, and
collaborative learning for all professional staff, including administration.
new text end
new text begin
(g) School districts, in collaboration with the department, must evaluate their gifted
programs' effectiveness in terms of the achievement of gifted students versus the general
population and of student, parent, and educator satisfaction.
new text end
new text begin
Gifted and talented children and youth are those students identified with outstanding
abilities at preschool, elementary, and secondary levels. These students are capable of high
performance when compared to others of similar age, experience, and environment and
represent the diverse populations of the community. The potential of gifted students requires
differentiated and challenging educational programs and services beyond those provided
in the general school program. Students capable of high performance include those with
demonstrated achievement or potential ability in any one or more of the following areas:
general intellectual, specific academic subjects, creativity, leadership, and visual and
performing arts. Gifted and talented students are found within all income levels, cultural
and language groups, and abilities or disabilities.
new text end
Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 120B.20, is amended to read:
Each school district shall have a procedure for a parent, guardian, or an adult student,
18 years of age or older, to review the content of the instructional materials to be provided
to a minor child or to an adult student and, if the parent, guardian, or adult student objects
to the content, to make reasonable arrangements with school personnel for alternative
instruction. Alternative instructionnew text begin , including remedial and advanced instruction on topics
related to the school's syllabi for the subjects in question,new text end may be provided by the parent,
guardian, or adult studentnew text begin . Alternative instruction provided by a parent, guardian, or adult
student may occurnew text end if the alternative instruction, if any, offered by the school board does not
meet the concerns of the parent, guardian, or adult student. The school board is not required
to pay for the costs of alternative instruction provided by a parent, guardian, or adult student.
School personnel may not impose an academic or other penalty upon a student merely for
arranging alternative instruction under this section. School personnel may evaluate and
assess the quality of the student's work.
Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 126C.10, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:
new text begin (a) new text end Gifted and talented revenue for each district
equals the district's adjusted pupil units for that school year times deleted text begin $13deleted text end new text begin $39new text end . A school district
must reserve gifted and talented revenue and, consistent with section 120B.15, must spend
the revenue only to:
(1) new text begin assess and new text end identify gifted and talented studentsnew text begin who are diverse by age, culture,
ability or disability, language, and prior readiness opportunitiesnew text end ;
(2) provide education programs for gifted and talented students; or
(3) provide staff development to prepare teachers to best meet the unique needs of gifted
and talented students.
new text begin
(b) Districts must report on specific state-funded gifted and talented services offered to
students. Reports should include data that examine student performance across four quartiles
of student achievement; rate parent, student, and educator satisfaction; and show how money
was spent on each state-funded gifted and talented service, including identification,
programming, professional development, and accountability.
new text end