1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education finance; authorizing a pilot 
  1.3             project to demonstrate the effectiveness of a care and 
  1.4             treatment facility operating a charter school.  
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [PILOT PROJECT; CARE AND TREATMENT CHARTER 
  1.7   SCHOOL.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [PILOT PROJECT AUTHORIZED.] A pilot project 
  1.9   is created to evaluate the educational effectiveness of 
  1.10  combining a care and treatment program with a charter school. 
  1.11     Subd. 2.  [APPLICATION.] Northwood Children's Services may 
  1.12  apply to the commissioner of children, families, and learning to 
  1.13  form a care and treatment pilot charter school under the 
  1.14  provisions of this section and Minnesota Statutes, section 
  1.15  124D.10.  Before forming the care and treatment pilot charter 
  1.16  school, Northwood Children's Services must file an affidavit 
  1.17  with the commissioner stating its intent to form the pilot 
  1.18  charter school.  The affidavit must state the terms and 
  1.19  conditions under which the care and treatment pilot charter 
  1.20  school would operate.  The commissioner must approve or 
  1.21  disapprove Northwood Children's Services' proposed authorization 
  1.22  within 60 days of receipt of the affidavit.  Northwood 
  1.23  Children's Services must include in its application the items 
  1.24  required in a charter school's contract under Minnesota 
  1.25  Statutes, section 124D.10, subdivision 6, and any other 
  2.1   information the commissioner may request to approve or 
  2.2   disapprove the application. 
  2.3      Subd. 3.  [ENROLLMENT.] Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
  2.4   section 124D.10, subdivision 9, a care and treatment center 
  2.5   pilot charter school shall give preference for enrollment to 
  2.6   participants in the center's care and treatment programs. 
  2.7      Subd. 4.  [PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS; RESPONSIBILITIES FOR 
  2.8   PROVIDING EDUCATION.] Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
  2.9   section 125A.515, subdivision 3, a care and treatment center 
  2.10  operating a charter school may notify the department of 
  2.11  children, families, and learning of its intent to provide 
  2.12  education services, including special education if eligible, to 
  2.13  all students placed in the facility for care and treatment. 
  2.14     Subd. 5.  [REVENUE.] A care and treatment center pilot 
  2.15  charter school is eligible for revenue as if it were a charter 
  2.16  school under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.11, except that it 
  2.17  does not qualify for charter school lease aid under Minnesota 
  2.18  Statutes, section 124D.11, subdivision 4. 
  2.19     Subd. 6.  [FINANCIAL INFORMATION.] A charter school 
  2.20  operating under this section must keep financial records 
  2.21  sufficient to allow audits under Minnesota Statutes, section 
  2.22  124D.10, subdivisions 6a and 8. 
  2.23     Subd. 7.  [REPORT.] Northwood Children's Services must 
  2.24  annually report to the education committees of the legislature 
  2.25  on the charter school's success in integrating educational 
  2.26  services into the students' care and treatment programs. 
  2.27     Subd. 8.  [EXPIRATION.] The authority granted Northwood 
  2.28  Children's Services under this section applies only to the 
  2.29  school's first six years of operation.  This section expires 
  2.30  after the school's sixth year of operation. 
  2.31     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  2.32  following final enactment.