1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; integrating instruction about the contributions of Minnesota 
1.3 	American Indian tribes and communities into student learning and teacher 
1.4 	preparation and licensing requirements; establishing committees on American 
1.5 	Indian education programs;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 
1.6 	120B.021, subdivision 1; 122A.09, subdivision 4; proposing coding for new law 
1.7 	in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124D.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 120B.021, subdivision 1, is amended to 
1.10 	read:
1.11 		Subdivision 1.Required academic standards. (a) The following subject areas 
1.12 	are required for statewide accountability:
1.13 	(1) language arts;
1.14 	(2) mathematics;
1.15 	(3) science;
1.16 	(4) social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government and 
1.17 	citizenship;
1.18 	(5) health and physical education, for which locally developed academic standards 
1.19 	apply; and
1.20 	(6) the arts, for which statewide or locally developed academic standards apply, as 
1.21 	determined by the school district. Public elementary and middle schools must offer at least 
1.22 	three and require at least two of the following four arts areas: dance; music; theater; and 
1.23 	visual arts. Public high schools must offer at least three and require at least one of the 
1.24 	following five arts areas: media arts; dance; music; theater; and visual arts.
2.1 	The commissioner must submit proposed standards in science and social studies to 
2.2 	the legislature by February 1, 2004.
2.3 	For purposes of applicable federal law, the academic standards for language arts, 
2.4 	mathematics, and science apply to all public school students, except the very few students 
2.5 	with extreme cognitive or physical impairments for whom an individualized education 
2.6 	plan team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate. 
2.7 	An individualized education plan team that makes this determination must establish 
2.8 	alternative standards.
2.9 	A school district, no later than the 2007-2008 school year, must adopt graduation 
2.10 	requirements that meet or exceed state graduation requirements established in law or 
2.11 	rule. A school district that incorporates these state graduation requirements before the 
2.12 	2007-2008 school year must provide students who enter the 9th grade in or before 
2.13 	the 2003-2004 school year the opportunity to earn a diploma based on existing locally 
2.14 	established graduation requirements in effect when the students entered the 9th grade. 
2.15 	District efforts to develop, implement, or improve instruction or curriculum as a result 
2.16 	of the provisions of this section must be consistent with sections 120B.10, 120B.11, 
2.17 	and 120B.20. 
2.18 	(b) The commissioner must include the contributions of Minnesota American Indian 
2.19 	tribes and communities as they relate to each of the academic standards during the review 
2.20 	and revision of the required academic standards.

2.21 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2007-2008 school year and 
2.22 	later.

2.23 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 122A.09, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
2.24 		Subd. 4.License and rules. (a) The board must adopt rules to license public school 
2.25 	teachers and interns subject to chapter 14.
2.26 	(b) The board must adopt rules requiring a person to successfully complete a skills 
2.27 	examination in reading, writing, and mathematics as a requirement for initial teacher 
2.28 	licensure. Such rules must require college and universities offering a board-approved 
2.29 	teacher preparation program to provide remedial assistance to persons who did not 
2.30 	achieve a qualifying score on the skills examination, including those for whom English is 
2.31 	a second language.
2.32 	(c) The board must adopt rules to approve teacher preparation programs. The board, 
2.33 	upon the request of a postsecondary student preparing for teacher licensure or a licensed 
2.34 	graduate of a teacher preparation program, shall assist in resolving a dispute between the 
3.1 	person and a postsecondary institution providing a teacher preparation program when the 
3.2 	dispute involves an institution's recommendation for licensure affecting the person or the 
3.3 	person's credentials. At the board's discretion, assistance may include the application 
3.4 	of chapter 14.
3.5 	(d) The board must provide the leadership and shall adopt rules for the redesign of 
3.6 	teacher education programs to implement a research based, results-oriented curriculum 
3.7 	that focuses on the skills teachers need in order to be effective. The board shall implement 
3.8 	new systems of teacher preparation program evaluation to assure program effectiveness 
3.9 	based on proficiency of graduates in demonstrating attainment of program outcomes.
3.10 	The board must require that persons enrolled in a teacher preparation program receive 
3.11 	instruction in historical and cultural competencies related to Minnesota American 
3.12 	Indian tribes and communities and their contributions to Minnesota, consistent with 
3.13 	sections 120B.021, subdivision 1,  and 124D.71 to 124D.82. The competencies related 
3.14 	to Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities must include, among other 
3.15 	components, standards for instructional practices most effective for successfully teaching 
3.16 	elementary and secondary American Indian students.
3.17 	(e) The board must adopt rules requiring successful completion of an examination 
3.18 	of general pedagogical knowledge and examinations of licensure-specific teaching 
3.19 	skills. The rules shall be effective on the dates determined by the board but not later 
3.20 	than September 1, 2001.
3.21 	(f) The board must adopt rules requiring teacher educators to work directly with 
3.22 	elementary or secondary school teachers in elementary or secondary schools to obtain 
3.23 	periodic exposure to the elementary or secondary teaching environment.
3.24 	(g) The board must grant licenses to interns and to candidates for initial licenses.
3.25 	(h) The board must design and implement an assessment system which requires a 
3.26 	candidate for an initial license and first continuing license to demonstrate the abilities 
3.27 	necessary to perform selected, representative teaching tasks at appropriate levels.
3.28 	(i) The board must receive recommendations from local committees as established 
3.29 	by the board for the renewal of teaching licenses.
3.30 	(j) The board must grant life licenses to those who qualify according to requirements 
3.31 	established by the board, and suspend or revoke licenses pursuant to sections 122A.20 and 
3.32 	214.10. The board must not establish any expiration date for application for life licenses. 
3.33 	(k) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing 
3.34 	their continuing license to include in their renewal requirements further preparation in 
3.35 	the areas of using positive behavior interventions and in accommodating, modifying, and 
4.1 	adapting curricula, materials, and strategies to appropriately meet the needs of individual 
4.2 	students and ensure adequate progress toward the state's graduation rule.
4.3 	(l) In adopting rules to license public school teachers who provide health-related 
4.4 	services for disabled children, the board shall adopt rules consistent with license or 
4.5 	registration requirements of the commissioner of health and the health-related boards who 
4.6 	license personnel who perform similar services outside of the school.
4.7 	(m) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing 
4.8 	their continuing license to include in their renewal requirements further reading 
4.9 	preparation, consistent with section 122A.06, subdivision 4. The rules do not take effect 
4.10 	until they are approved by law. Teachers who do not provide direct instruction including, at 
4.11 	least, counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, school social workers, audiovisual 
4.12 	directors and coordinators, and recreation personnel are exempt from this section. 
4.13 	(n) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing 
4.14 	their continuing license to include in their renewal requirements further preparation 
4.15 	in understanding the key warning signs of early-onset mental illness in children and 
4.16 	adolescents.
4.17 	(o) The board must adopt rules to include instruction and other development 
4.18 	activities to improve the understanding and effective instruction of and communication 
4.19 	with Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities, consistent with paragraph (d) 
4.20 	and sections 120B.021, subdivision 1,  and 124D.71 to 124D.82, in the 125 clock hours 
4.21 	of professional development that teachers must complete to renew their professional 
4.22 	teaching license.

4.23 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2007-2008 school year and 
4.24 	later. 

4.25 	Sec. 3. [124D.805] COMMITTEES ON AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION 
4.26 	PROGRAMS.
4.27 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner of education shall create one or 
4.28 	more American Indian education committees. Members must include representatives of 
4.29 	tribal bodies, community groups, parents of children eligible to be served by the programs, 
4.30 	American Indian administrators and teachers, persons experienced in the training of 
4.31 	teachers for American Indian education programs, persons involved in programs for 
4.32 	American Indian children in American Indian schools, and persons knowledgeable in the 
4.33 	field of American Indian education. Members shall be appointed so as to be representative 
4.34 	of significant segments of the population of American Indians.
5.1 		Subd. 2.Committee to advise commissioner. Each committee on American 
5.2 	Indian education programs shall advise the commissioner in the administration of the 
5.3 	commissioner's duties under sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 and other programs for the 
5.4 	education of American Indian people as determined by the commissioner.
5.5 		Subd. 3.Expenses. Each committee must be reimbursed for expenses according to 
5.6 	section 15.059, subdivision 6. The commissioner must determine the membership terms 
5.7 	and the duration of each committee, which expire no later than June 30, 2020.

5.8 	Sec. 4. ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON MINNESOTA AMERICAN INDIAN 
5.9 	TRIBES AND COMMUNITIES AND K-12 STANDARDS-BASED REFORM.
 5.10 	(a) An advisory task force on Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities 
5.11 	and K-12 standards-based reform is established to examine the impact of state and federal 
5.12 	standards-based reform on Minnesota's K-12 students, including American Indian students 
5.13 	and to recommend to the legislature changes to the state's performance standards, content 
5.14 	requirements, assessments measures, and teacher preparation programs to most effectively 
5.15 	meet the educational needs of all students, including American Indian students enrolled 
5.16 	in Minnesota schools. The task force, in consultation with American Indian educators, 
5.17 	parents, and others who advocate for American Indian children, at least must determine 
5.18 	if: (1) state education standards and assessments are appropriate for American Indian 
5.19 	students; (2) American Indian students are fairly compared; (3) American Indian students 
5.20 	receive the assistance they need to achieve the state standards; and (4) schools  receive 
5.21 	financial and technical assistance sufficient to meet the educational needs of American 
5.22 	Indian students.
5.23 	(b) The commissioner of education shall appoint an advisory task force on 
5.24 	Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities and kindergarten through grade 12 
5.25 	standards-based reform that is composed of the following representatives: Department 
5.26 	of Education staff experienced in working with American Indian students and programs; 
5.27 	Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities; Minnesota School Board 
5.28 	Association; school administrators; Education Minnesota; the state Board of Teaching; a 
5.29 	minority member and majority member both from the Minnesota house of representatives 
5.30 	and from the Minnesota senate; the Minnesota Council on Indian Affairs; postsecondary 
5.31 	faculty who serve as instructors in teacher preparation programs; local community service 
5.32 	providers who work with Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities; and other 
5.33 	representatives recommended by task force members.  Task force members' terms and 
5.34 	other task force matters are subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059 subject to 
5.35 	the limits of available appropriations. The task force must submit a written report to 
6.1 	the education policy and finance committees of the legislature by February 15, 2008, 
6.2 	that includes any recommended changes to the state's performance standards, content 
6.3 	requirements, assessments measures, and teacher preparation programs to most effectively 
6.4 	meet the educational needs of American Indian students enrolled in Minnesota schools.
6.5 	(c) Upon request, the commissioner of education must provide the task force with 
6.6 	technical, fiscal, and other support.
6.7 	(d) The task force expires on February 16, 2008.

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