1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; modifying the state's 
  1.3             educational policy; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, 
  1.4             section 124D.10, subdivision 1. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 124D.10, 
  1.7   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSES.] (a) The purpose of this section 
  1.9   is to: 
  1.10     (1) improve pupil learning; 
  1.11     (2) increase learning opportunities for pupils; 
  1.12     (3) encourage the use of different and innovative teaching 
  1.13  methods; 
  1.14     (4) require the measurement of learning outcomes and create 
  1.15  different and innovative forms of measuring outcomes; 
  1.16     (5) establish new forms of accountability for schools; or 
  1.17     (6) create new professional opportunities for teachers, 
  1.18  including the opportunity to be responsible for the learning 
  1.19  program at the school site; 
  1.20     (7) test new and more accountable, results-based forms of 
  1.21  oversight and accountability for schools; 
  1.22     (8) focus state oversight on the role of sponsors of 
  1.23  charter schools; or 
  1.24     (9) encourage school boards to make full use of the 
  1.25  opportunities provided by this section. 
  2.1      (b) This section does not provide a means to keep open a 
  2.2   school that otherwise would be closed.  Applicants in these 
  2.3   circumstances bear the burden of proving that conversion to a 
  2.4   charter school fulfills a purpose specified in this subdivision, 
  2.5   independent of the school's closing.