1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; giving school districts 
  1.3             flexibility in the school calendar to accommodate 
  1.4             construction projects; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.5             1998, section 120A.40. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 120A.40, is 
  1.8   amended to read: 
  1.9      120A.40 School calendar. 
  1.10     (a) Except for learning programs during summer, flexible 
  1.11  learning year programs authorized under sections 124D.12 to 
  1.12  124D.127, and learning year programs under section 124D.128, a 
  1.13  district must not commence an elementary or secondary school 
  1.14  year prior to before September 1, except as provided under 
  1.15  paragraph (b).  Days which are devoted to teachers' workshops 
  1.16  may be held before September 1.  Districts that enter into 
  1.17  cooperative agreements are encouraged to adopt similar school 
  1.18  calendars.  
  1.19     (b) A district may begin an elementary or secondary school 
  1.20  year on any day before September 1 to accommodate a construction 
  1.21  or remodeling project of $100,000 or more affecting a district 
  1.22  facility. 
  1.23     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  1.24     Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, section 1 
  1.25  applies to the 1999-2000 school year and thereafter.