1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; providing for a state
1.3 	coordinator for school world languages programs;
1.4 	providing for grants to model extended world languages
1.5 	programs; appropriating money; proposing coding for
1.6 	new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 127A.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. [127A.21] STATE COORDINATOR FOR WORLD
1.9 	LANGUAGES.
1.10 	(a) The commissioner of education shall designate a
1.11 	full-time state coordinator for world languages education within
1.12 	the Department of Education by July 1, 2005.  The commissioner
1.13 	shall seek input from within the department before designating
1.14 	or hiring the coordinator who must have classroom experience
1.15 	teaching world languages.  The coordinator, at a minimum, shall:
1.16 	(1) survey school districts in the state to:
1.17 	(i) identify the types of existing world language programs
1.18 	and exemplary model extended world languages programs; and 
1.19 	(ii) in consultation with Minnesota postsecondary
1.20 	institutions, identify and address staff development needs of
1.21 	current world language teachers and preservice teachers;
1.22 	(2) identify successful extended world language programs
1.23 	from other states;
1.24 	(3) award grants for model extended world languages
1.25 	programs under section 2;
1.26 	(4) establish guidelines for a variety of model extended
2.1 	world languages programs;
2.2 	(5) research and recommend the funding necessary to
2.3 	implement various models of extended world languages programs in
2.4 	different languages; and 
2.5 	(6) support and monitor, using the most recent information
2.6 	available, current world language programs.
2.7 	(b) For the purposes of this section, "extended world
2.8 	languages program" means a world languages program with a
2.9 	sequence of consecutive years in any of kindergarten through
2.10 	grade 12, including for example sequences of kindergarten
2.11 	through grade 12, grades 5 through 12, and grades 7 through 12.

2.12 	Sec. 2. MODEL EXTENDED WORLD LANGUAGE PROGRAM GRANTS.
 2.13 	(a) The commissioner of education shall award six
2.14 	three-year grants to school districts and charter schools to
2.15 	develop model extended world languages programs including at
2.16 	least model plans for implementing world languages to close the
2.17 	achievement gap between groups of students.  The commissioner
2.18 	shall award grants only for the 2006-2007 through 2008-2009
2.19 	school years.  The commissioner should award grants for a
2.20 	variety of language programs, if possible.
2.21 	(b) The commissioner shall award grants to four school
2.22 	districts or charter schools in the seven-county metropolitan,
2.23 	Rochester, and Duluth areas, including two urban and two
2.24 	suburban school districts or charter schools, and two school
2.25 	districts or charter schools outside the seven-county
2.26 	metropolitan, Rochester, and Duluth areas, to:
2.27 	(1) develop a model extended world languages program; or 
2.28 	(2) extend an existing world language program to a model
2.29 	extended program.
2.30 	(c) A school district and charter school shall apply for a
2.31 	grant in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner.  A
2.32 	school district and charter school must use the grant money to
2.33 	develop and implement or to extend existing world languages
2.34 	programs according to the terms of the grant application and the
2.35 	criteria under paragraph (a).
2.36 	(d) For the purposes of this section, "extended world
3.1 	languages program" means a world languages program:  (1) with a
3.2 	sequence of consecutive years in any of kindergarten through
3.3 	grade 12, including for example sequences of kindergarten
3.4 	through grade 12, grades 5 through 12, and grades 7 through 12;
3.5 	and (2) based on professionally recognized proficiency
3.6 	guidelines that incorporate the current best practices for world
3.7 	language programs.

3.8 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; MODEL EXTENDED WORLD LANGUAGES
3.9 	PROGRAMS.
 3.10 	The sums indicated in this section are appropriated from
3.11 	the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal
3.12 	years designated for grants for model extended world languages
3.13 	programs under section 2:
3.14 	$.,...,........2006 
3.15 	$.,...,........2007 
3.16 	These appropriations do not cancel but are available until
3.17 	expended.