1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; providing for a working group
1.3 	to study and make recommendations for developing a
1.4 	unified, Internet-based, student information and
1.5 	reporting system; requiring a report.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. STATEWIDE INFORMATION AND REPORTING SYSTEM
1.8 	WORKING GROUP; STUDY AND REPORT.
 1.9 	(a) The commissioner of education, in consultation with the
1.10 	commissioner of administration, shall convene a working group
1.11 	composed of representatives of several school districts of
1.12 	diverse size and location, charter schools, area learning
1.13 	centers, the Departments of Education and Administration, and up
1.14 	to three citizens with demonstrated expertise in information
1.15 	technology.
1.16 	(b) The working group must study and make recommendations
1.17 	for developing an efficient, accurate, and cost-effective
1.18 	Internet-based student information and reporting system that:
1.19 	(1) serves all Minnesota school districts, at the election
1.20 	of individual districts, without cost to the districts;
1.21 	(2) meets all MARSS data collection and reporting
1.22 	requirements; and 
1.23 	(3) provides a unified, secure, user-friendly, and
1.24 	Internet-based system able to convert data from various sources.
1.25 	The working group, in order to facilitate transmission of
2.1 	information among and between school districts and the
2.2 	Department of Education under this paragraph, also must
2.3 	determine whether the system it recommends best operates as a
2.4 	centralized system, what the appropriate structure for the
2.5 	system should be, and the criteria for establishing technical
2.6 	standards, state and local data standards, and local system
2.7 	functionality.
2.8 	(c) The transmitting of nonpublic student information via
2.9 	the statewide student information and reporting system is
2.10 	governed by the applicable sections of Minnesota Statutes,
2.11 	chapter 13, and related federal law.
2.12 	(d) The working group must report to the legislature by
2.13 	January 15, 2006.  The written report must include
2.14 	recommendations consistent with paragraph (b).

2.15 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day
2.16 	following final enactment.