1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; providing remedial education 
  1.3             under certain circumstances; authorizing certain fund 
  1.4             transfers; requiring reports; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 1998, sections 120A.22, subdivision 9; and 
  1.6             123B.80, by adding a subdivision. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 120A.22, 
  1.9   subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 9.  [CURRICULUM.] (a) Instruction must be provided in 
  1.11  at least the following subject areas:  
  1.12     (1) basic communication skills including reading and 
  1.13  writing, literature, and fine arts; 
  1.14     (2) mathematics and science; 
  1.15     (3) social studies including history, geography, and 
  1.16  government; and 
  1.17     (4) health and physical education.  
  1.18     (b) Every student in grades 1 through 6 who receives a 
  1.19  letter "F" or "D" or the equivalent of a letter "F" or "D" in a 
  1.20  reading, mathematics, or writing course must receive remedial 
  1.21  instruction.  Using proven instructional practices, the school 
  1.22  district must provide remedial instruction to all eligible 
  1.23  students in an after-school program or during summer school.  A 
  1.24  teacher must inform the student and the student's parent in a 
  1.25  timely fashion that the student is obligated to receive remedial 
  1.26  instruction.  The student's parent, the student's teachers in 
  2.1   the current school year and, where applicable, one or more 
  2.2   elementary school teachers teaching the student in the next 
  2.3   grade following the grade in which the student is currently 
  2.4   enrolled, must jointly decide on the content of the student's 
  2.5   remedial instruction.  Consistent with the requirements of 
  2.6   chapter 125A, the individual education plan team of a student 
  2.7   with a disability must establish a basis for determining whether 
  2.8   the student requires remedial instruction under this subdivision.
  2.9      (c) Instruction, textbooks, and materials must be in the 
  2.10  English language.  Another language may be used pursuant to 
  2.11  sections 124D.59 to 124D.61. 
  2.12     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 123B.80, is 
  2.13  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.14     Subd. 4.  [APPROVAL STANDARD; REMEDIAL EDUCATION.] The 
  2.15  commissioner may approve a fund transfer from any fund or 
  2.16  account if the district requesting the transfer demonstrates to 
  2.17  the commissioner's satisfaction that the fund or account has a 
  2.18  surplus balance and that the amount transferred will be spent on 
  2.19  remedial education services. 
  2.20     Sec. 3.  [REPORT.] 
  2.21     (a) School districts are encouraged to provide remedial 
  2.22  instruction to students under Minnesota Statutes, section 
  2.23  120A.22, subdivision 9, paragraph (b), during the 1999-2000 and 
  2.24  2000-2001 school years.  School districts that provide such 
  2.25  remedial instruction must report to the commissioner of 
  2.26  children, families, and learning by July 1, 2000, on the number 
  2.27  of students, by grade, that need and receive remedial 
  2.28  instruction and the cost and methods of instruction.  All other 
  2.29  school districts not providing remedial instruction must report 
  2.30  to the commissioner by July 1, 2000, on the number of students, 
  2.31  by grade, who would have required remedial instruction under 
  2.32  Minnesota Statutes, section 120A.22, subdivision 9, paragraph 
  2.33  (b), during the 1999-2000 school year.  The commissioner shall 
  2.34  compile the data in a useful format and report to the education 
  2.35  committees of the legislature by October 1, 2000. 
  2.36     (b) By January 1, 2001, all school districts must identify 
  3.1   and report to the commissioner of children, families, and 
  3.2   learning the number of students who would require remedial 
  3.3   instruction under Minnesota Statutes, section 120A.22, 
  3.4   subdivision 9, based on the students' failure to meet reading, 
  3.5   mathematics, or writing requirements during the 2000-2001 school 
  3.6   year, and the estimated cost for that remediation by grade.  The 
  3.7   commissioner must report the compiled data under this paragraph 
  3.8   to the education committees of the legislature by February 15, 
  3.9   2001, in order for the committees to determine the costs of 
  3.10  providing remedial instruction for the 2001-2002 school year and 
  3.11  later. 
  3.12     Sec. 4.  [CATEGORICAL AID FOR REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION.] 
  3.13     The legislature must consider the desirability of 
  3.14  establishing a categorical aid for remedial instruction in order 
  3.15  to advise the 2001 legislature concerning how best to fund 
  3.16  remedial instruction under section 1. 
  3.17     Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.18     Section 1 is effective for the 2001-2002 school year.  
  3.19  Section 2 is effective July 1, 1999.  Section 3 is effective the 
  3.20  day following final enactment.  Section 4 is effective October 
  3.21  15, 2000.