1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; establishing a pilot project to examine how school districts 
1.3 	might operate jointly to provide innovative delivery of programs and activities 
1.4 	and share resources.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. SCHOOL DISTRICTS' JOINT OPERATION AND INNOVATIVE 
1.7 	DELIVERY OF EDUCATION; PILOT PROJECT.
 1.8 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; requirements for participation. (a) A four-year 
1.9 	pilot project is established to allow groups of school districts to pursue benefits of operating 
1.10 	jointly to deliver innovative education programs and activities and share resources.
1.11 	(b) To participate in this pilot project, a group of three or more school districts 
1.12 	must form a joint partnership to share elements common to all the partners in providing 
1.13 	innovative delivery of educational programs and activities and sharing resources.
1.14 	(c) A partnership under paragraph (b) interested in participating in this pilot project 
1.15 	must apply to the commissioner of education in the form and manner the commissioner 
1.16 	prescribes, consistent with subdivision 2. When submitting its application, each 
1.17 	participating school district in each partnership also must submit to the commissioner:
1.18 	(1) a formally adopted school board agreement identifying the specific joint use 
1.19 	opportunities the participating district intends to pursue as part of the joint partnership; and
1.20 	(2) a binding and specific four-year plan to provide innovative delivery of 
1.21 	educational programs and activities and to share resources, consistent with this paragraph.
1.22 	A participating district's plan under clause (2) must describe its educational 
1.23 	objectives and processes for seeking advice and collaboration and managing the project; 
1.24 	its budget arrangements that include regular reviews of expenditures; its administrative 
2.1 	structures for implementing and evaluating the plan; and any other applicable conditions, 
2.2 	regulations, responsibilities, duties, provisions, fee schedules, or legal considerations 
2.3 	needed to implement its plan.
2.4 		Subd. 2.Role of the commissioner. The commissioner may select up to six 
2.5 	applicants under subdivision 1, paragraph (b), from throughout the state to participate in 
2.6 	this pilot project. The commissioner may consider and select only those applicants that 
2.7 	the commissioner determines have fully complied with the requirements in subdivision 1. 
2.8 	To the extent needed as demonstrated in district plans, and notwithstanding any law to 
2.9 	the contrary, the commissioner may allow the member districts in a joint partnership to 
2.10 	operate as though they were charter schools under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.10.
2.11 		Subd. 3.Pilot project evaluation. The commissioner must gather and evaluate data 
2.12 	on the measurable success of the joint partnerships in delivering innovative education 
2.13 	programs and activities and sharing resources. The commissioner must use the data to 
2.14 	develop and submit to the education policy and finance committees of the legislature by 
2.15 	February 1, 2016, a report evaluating the success of this pilot project and recommend 
2.16 	whether or not to continue or expand the pilot project. 

2.17 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment 
2.18 	and applies to the 2011-2012 through 2014-2015 school year.