1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; providing for early childhood and prekindergarten through 
1.3 	grade 12 education, including general education, education excellence, charter 
1.4 	schools, special education, facilities and technology, and self-sufficiency 
1.5 	and lifelong learning;amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 120A.22, 
1.6 	subdivision 1; 120A.42; 120B.11, subdivisions 1a, 2, 5; 120B.15; 120B.35, 
1.7 	subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4; 120B.36, as amended; 122A.09, subdivision 10; 122A.16; 
1.8 	122A.245, subdivision 8; 122A.31, subdivision 3; 122A.4144; 122A.416; 
1.9 	122A.72, subdivision 5; 123A.24, subdivision 2; 123B.571, subdivision 2; 
1.10 	123B.60, subdivision 1; 123B.71, subdivision 8; 123B.79, subdivisions 5, 8, 9; 
1.11 	124D.15, subdivision 15; 124D.52, subdivisions 1, 2; 125A.091, subdivision 
1.12 	11; 125A.0942, subdivision 4; 126C.40, subdivision 5; 126C.63, subdivision 
1.13 	7; 127A.095; 127A.51; 129C.10, subdivision 1; Minnesota Statutes 2015 
1.14 	Supplement, sections 120B.125; 120B.30, subdivision 1; 122A.30; 122A.414, 
1.15 	subdivisions 1, 2, 2b; 122A.60, subdivision 4; 123B.53, subdivision 1; 123B.595, 
1.16 	subdivisions 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, by adding a subdivision; 124D.231, subdivision 2; 
1.17 	124D.73, subdivision 4; 124E.05, subdivisions 4, 5, 7; 124E.10, subdivisions 
1.18 	1, 5; 124E.16, subdivision 2; 125A.08; 125A.0942, subdivision 3; 125A.63, 
1.19 	subdivision 4; 126C.48, subdivision 8; 127A.05, subdivision 6; Laws 2012, 
1.20 	chapter 263, section 1, as amended; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
1.21 	Statutes, chapters 124D; 127A; 129C; 136F; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2014, 
1.22 	sections 120B.299, subdivision 5; 122A.413, subdivision 3; 122A.74; 123B.60, 
1.23 	subdivision 2; 123B.79, subdivisions 2, 6; Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, 
1.24 	section 122A.413, subdivisions 1, 2.
1.25 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.26 	ARTICLE 1
1.27 	GENERAL EDUCATION

1.28 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123A.24, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.29 		Subd. 2.Cooperative unit defined. For the purposes of this section, a cooperative 
1.30 	unit is:
1.31 	(1) an education district organized under sections 123A.15 to 123A.19;
2.1 	(2) a cooperative vocational center organized under section 123A.22;
2.2 	(3) an intermediate district organized under chapter 136D;
2.3 	(4) a service cooperative organized under section 123A.21; or
2.4 	(5) a regional management information center organized under section 123A.23 or 
2.5 	as a joint powers district according to section 471.59.; or
2.6 	(6) a special education cooperative organized under section 471.59.

2.7 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 127A.51, is amended to read:
2.8 	127A.51 STATEWIDE AVERAGE REVENUE.
2.9 	By October December 1 of each year the commissioner must estimate the statewide 
2.10 	average adjusted general revenue per adjusted pupil unit and the disparity in adjusted 
2.11 	general revenue among pupils and districts by computing the ratio of the 95th percentile 
2.12 	to the fifth percentile of adjusted general revenue. The commissioner must provide that 
2.13 	information to all districts.
2.14 	If the disparity in adjusted general revenue as measured by the ratio of the 95th 
2.15 	percentile to the fifth percentile increases in any year, the commissioner shall recommend 
2.16 	to the legislature options for change in the general education formula that will limit the 
2.17 	disparity in adjusted general revenue to no more than the disparity for the previous 
2.18 	school year. The commissioner must submit the recommended options to the education 
2.19 	committees of the legislature by January 15 February 1.
2.20 	For purposes of this section and section 126C.10, adjusted general revenue means 
2.21 	the sum of basic revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 2; referendum revenue under 
2.22 	section 126C.17; local optional revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 2e; and equity 
2.23 	revenue under section 126C.10, subdivisions 24a and 24b.

2.24 	ARTICLE 2
2.25 	EDUCATION EXCELLENCE

2.26 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120A.22, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.27 		Subdivision 1.Parental responsibility. The parent of a child is primarily 
2.28 	responsible for assuring that the child acquires the knowledge and skills that are essential 
2.29 	for effective citizenship.

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

2.31 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120A.42, is amended to read:
2.32 	120A.42 CONDUCT OF SCHOOL ON CERTAIN HOLIDAYS.
3.1 	(a) The governing body of any district may contract with any of the teachers of the 
3.2 	district for the conduct of schools, and may conduct schools, on either, or any, of the 
3.3 	following holidays, provided that a clause to this effect is inserted in the teacher's contract: 
3.4 	Martin Luther King's birthday, Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays, Columbus Day 
3.5 	and Veterans' Day. On Martin Luther King's birthday, Washington's birthday, Lincoln's 
3.6 	birthday, and Veterans' Day at least one hour of the school program must be devoted to a 
3.7 	patriotic observance of the day.
3.8 	(b) A district may conduct a school program to honor Constitution Day and 
3.9 	Citizenship Day by providing opportunities for students to learn about the principles of 
3.10 	American democracy, the American system of government, American citizens' rights and 
3.11 	responsibilities, American history, and American geography, symbols, and holidays. 
3.12 	Among other activities under this paragraph, districts may administer to students the test 
3.13 	questions United States Citizenship and Immigration Services officers pose to applicants 
3.14 	for naturalization and may formally recognize students who are able to answer 80 or 
3.15 	more of the 100 questions correctly.

3.16 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2016-2017 school year and 
3.17 	later.

3.18 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.11, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
3.19 		Subd. 1a.Performance measures. Measures to determine school district and 
3.20 	school site progress in striving to create the world's best workforce must include at least:
3.21 	(1) student performance on the National Assessment of Education Progress where 
3.22 	applicable;
3.23 	(2)(1) the size of the academic achievement gap, rigorous course taking under 
3.24 	section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), clause (2), and enrichment experiences by 
3.25 	student subgroup;
3.26 	(3) (2) student performance on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments;
3.27 	(4) (3) high school graduation rates; and
3.28 	(5) (4) career and college readiness under section 120B.30, subdivision 1.

3.29 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.11, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
3.30 		Subd. 2.Adopting plans and budgets.  A school board, at a public meeting, shall 
3.31 	adopt a comprehensive, long-term strategic plan to support and improve teaching and 
3.32 	learning that is aligned with creating the world's best workforce and includes:
4.1 	(1) clearly defined district and school site goals and benchmarks for instruction and 
4.2 	student achievement for all student subgroups identified in section 120B.35, subdivision 3, 
4.3 	paragraph (b), clause (2);
4.4 	(2) a process for assessing and evaluating to assess and evaluate each student's 
4.5 	progress toward meeting state and local academic standards, assess and identify students 
4.6 	to participate in gifted and talented programs and accelerate their instruction, and adopt 
4.7 	early-admission procedures consistent with section 120B.15, and identifying the strengths 
4.8 	and weaknesses of instruction in pursuit of student and school success and curriculum 
4.9 	affecting students' progress and growth toward career and college readiness and leading to 
4.10 	the world's best workforce;
4.11 	(3) a system to periodically review and evaluate the effectiveness of all instruction 
4.12 	and curriculum, taking into account strategies and best practices, student outcomes, school 
4.13 	principal evaluations under section 123B.147, subdivision 3, and teacher evaluations 
4.14 	under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5;
4.15 	(4) strategies for improving instruction, curriculum, and student achievement, 
4.16 	including the English and, where practicable, the native language development and the 
4.17 	academic achievement of English learners;
4.18 	(5) a process to examine the equitable distribution of teachers and strategies to 
4.19 	ensure low-income and minority children are not taught at higher rates than other children 
4.20 	by inexperienced, ineffective, or out-of-field teachers;
4.21 	(5) (6) education effectiveness practices that integrate high-quality instruction, 
4.22 	rigorous curriculum, technology, and a collaborative professional culture that develops 
4.23 	and supports teacher quality, performance, and effectiveness; and
4.24 	(6) (7) an annual budget for continuing to implement the district plan.

4.25 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.11, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
4.26 		Subd. 5.Report. Consistent with requirements for school performance reports 
4.27 	under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the school board shall publish a report in the local 
4.28 	newspaper with the largest circulation in the district, by mail, or by electronic means on 
4.29 	the district Web site. The school board shall hold an annual public meeting to review, 
4.30 	and revise where appropriate, student achievement goals, local assessment outcomes, 
4.31 	plans, strategies, and practices for improving curriculum and instruction and cultural 
4.32 	competency, efforts to equitably distribute effective, experienced, and in-field teachers, 
4.33 	and to review district success in realizing the previously adopted student achievement 
4.34 	goals and related benchmarks and the improvement plans leading to the world's best 
5.1 	workforce. The school board must transmit an electronic summary of its report to the 
5.2 	commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner determines.

5.3 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.15, is amended to read:
5.4 	120B.15 GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS PROGRAMS.
5.5 	(a) School districts may identify students, locally develop programs addressing 
5.6 	instructional and affective needs, provide staff development, and evaluate programs to 
5.7 	provide gifted and talented students with challenging and appropriate educational programs.
5.8 	(b) School districts must adopt guidelines for assessing and identifying students for 
5.9 	participation in gifted and talented programs consistent with section 120B.11, subdivision 
5.10 	2, clause (2). The guidelines should include the use of:
5.11 	(1) multiple and objective criteria; and
5.12 	(2) assessments and procedures that are valid and reliable, fair, and based on current 
5.13 	theory and research. Assessments and procedures should be sensitive to underrepresented 
5.14 	groups, including, but not limited to, low-income, minority, twice-exceptional, and 
5.15 	English learners.
5.16 	(c) School districts must adopt procedures for the academic acceleration of gifted 
5.17 	and talented students consistent with section 120B.11, subdivision 2, clause (2). These 
5.18 	procedures must include how the district will:
5.19 	(1) assess a student's readiness and motivation for acceleration; and
5.20 	(2) match the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum to a student to achieve 
5.21 	the best type of academic acceleration for that student.
5.22 	(d) School districts must adopt procedures consistent with section 124D.02, 
5.23 	subdivision 1, for early admission to kindergarten or first grade of gifted and talented 
5.24 	learners consistent with section 120B.11, subdivision 2, clause (2). The procedures must 
5.25 	be sensitive to underrepresented groups.

5.26 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, is 
5.27 	amended to read:
5.28 		Subdivision 1.Statewide testing.  (a) The commissioner, with advice from experts 
5.29 	with appropriate technical qualifications and experience and stakeholders, consistent with 
5.30 	subdivision 1a, shall include in the comprehensive assessment system, for each grade 
5.31 	level to be tested, state-constructed tests developed as computer-adaptive reading and 
5.32 	mathematics assessments for students that are aligned with the state's required academic 
5.33 	standards under section 120B.021, include multiple choice questions, and are administered 
5.34 	annually to all students in grades 3 through 8. State-developed high school tests aligned 
6.1 	with the state's required academic standards under section 120B.021 and administered 
6.2 	to all high school students in a subject other than writing must include multiple choice 
6.3 	questions. The commissioner shall establish one or more months during which schools 
6.4 	shall administer the tests to students each school year.
6.5 	(1) Students enrolled in grade 8 through the 2009-2010 school year are eligible 
6.6 	to be assessed under (i) the graduation-required assessment for diploma in reading, 
6.7 	mathematics, or writing under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, 
6.8 	paragraphs (c), clauses (1) and (2), and (d), (ii) the WorkKeys job skills assessment, (iii) 
6.9 	the Compass college placement test, (iv) the ACT assessment for college admission, (v) a 
6.10 	nationally recognized armed services vocational aptitude test.
6.11 	(2) Students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2010-2011 or 2011-2012 school year are 
6.12 	eligible to be assessed under (i) the graduation-required assessment for diploma in reading, 
6.13 	mathematics, or writing under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 
6.14 	1, paragraph (c), clauses (1) and (2), (ii) the WorkKeys job skills assessment, (iii) the 
6.15 	Compass college placement test, (iv) the ACT assessment for college admission, (v) a 
6.16 	nationally recognized armed services vocational aptitude test.
6.17 	(3) For students under clause (1) or (2), a school district may substitute a score from 
6.18 	an alternative, equivalent assessment to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph.
6.19 	(b) The state assessment system must be aligned to the most recent revision of 
6.20 	academic standards as described in section 120B.023 in the following manner:
6.21 	(1) mathematics;
6.22 	(i) grades 3 through 8 beginning in the 2010-2011 school year; and
6.23 	(ii) high school level beginning in the 2013-2014 school year;
6.24 	(2) science; grades 5 and 8 and at the high school level beginning in the 2011-2012 
6.25 	school year; and
6.26 	(3) language arts and reading; grades 3 through 8 and high school level beginning in 
6.27 	the 2012-2013 school year.
6.28 	(c) For students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2012-2013 school year and later, students' 
6.29 	state graduation requirements, based on a longitudinal, systematic approach to student 
6.30 	education and career planning, assessment, instructional support, and evaluation, include 
6.31 	the following:
6.32 	(1) an opportunity to participate on a nationally normed college entrance exam, 
6.33 	in grade 11 or grade 12;
6.34 	(2) achievement and career and college readiness in mathematics, reading, and 
6.35 	writing, consistent with paragraph (j) (k) and to the extent available, to monitor students' 
6.36 	continuous development of and growth in requisite knowledge and skills; analyze 
7.1 	students' progress and performance levels, identifying students' academic strengths and 
7.2 	diagnosing areas where students require curriculum or instructional adjustments, targeted 
7.3 	interventions, or remediation; and, based on analysis of students' progress and performance 
7.4 	data, determine students' learning and instructional needs and the instructional tools and 
7.5 	best practices that support academic rigor for the student; and
7.6 	(3) consistent with this paragraph and section 120B.125, age-appropriate exploration 
7.7 	and planning activities and career assessments to encourage students to identify personally 
7.8 	relevant career interests and aptitudes and help students and their families develop a 
7.9 	regularly reexamined transition plan for postsecondary education or employment without 
7.10 	need for postsecondary remediation.
7.11 	Based on appropriate state guidelines, students with an individualized education program 
7.12 	may satisfy state graduation requirements by achieving an individual score on the 
7.13 	state-identified alternative assessments.
7.14 	(d) Expectations of schools, districts, and the state for career or college readiness 
7.15 	under this subdivision must be comparable in rigor, clarity of purpose, and rates of 
7.16 	student completion. 
7.17 	(e) The chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, in consultation 
7.18 	with the commissioner, must identify scores on the Minnesota comprehensive assessments 
7.19 	for high school math and reading, and for writing when available, indicating when students 
7.20 	are prepared to successfully complete credit-bearing coursework at a two-year or four-year 
7.21 	college or university or other credit-bearing postsecondary program, consistent with 
7.22 	paragraph (q). These scores are intended to be used as guidelines to help inform families, 
7.23 	students, and teachers about student preparation. A student under paragraph (c), clause (2), 
7.24 	must receive targeted, relevant, academically rigorous, and resourced instruction, which 
7.25 	may include a targeted instruction and intervention plan focused on improving the student's 
7.26 	knowledge and skills in core subjects so that the student has a reasonable chance to succeed 
7.27 	in a career or college without need for postsecondary remediation. Consistent with sections 
7.28 	120B.13, 124D.09, 124D.091, 124D.49, and related sections, an enrolling school or district 
7.29 	must actively encourage a student in grade 11 or 12 who is identified as academically 
7.30 	ready for a career or college to participate in courses and programs awarding college credit 
7.31 	to high school students. Students are not required to achieve a specified score or level of 
7.32 	proficiency on an assessment under this subdivision to graduate from high school.
7.33 	(e) (f) Though not a high school graduation requirement, students are encouraged to 
7.34 	participate in a nationally recognized college entrance exam. With funding provided by 
7.35 	the state, a district must pay the cost, one time, for an interested student in grade 11 or 12 
7.36 	to take a nationally recognized college entrance exam before graduating. A student must 
8.1 	be able to take the exam under this paragraph at the student's high school during the school 
8.2 	day and at any one of the multiple exam administrations available to students in the district.
8.3 	(f) (g) The commissioner and the chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges 
8.4 	and Universities must collaborate in aligning instruction and assessments for adult 
8.5 	basic education students and English learners to provide the students with diagnostic 
8.6 	information about any targeted interventions, accommodations, modifications, and 
8.7 	supports they need so that assessments and other performance measures are accessible 
8.8 	to them and they may seek postsecondary education or employment without need for 
8.9 	postsecondary remediation. When administering formative or summative assessments 
8.10 	used to measure the academic progress, including the oral academic development, of 
8.11 	English learners and inform their instruction, schools must ensure that the assessments are 
8.12 	accessible to the students and students have the modifications and supports they need to 
8.13 	sufficiently understand the assessments.
8.14 	(g) (h) Districts and schools, on an annual basis, must use career exploration 
8.15 	elements to help students, beginning no later than grade 9, and their families explore and 
8.16 	plan for postsecondary education or careers based on the students' interests, aptitudes, and 
8.17 	aspirations. Districts and schools must use timely regional labor market information and 
8.18 	partnerships, among other resources, to help students and their families successfully 
8.19 	develop, pursue, review, and revise an individualized plan for postsecondary education or a 
8.20 	career. This process must help increase students' engagement in and connection to school, 
8.21 	improve students' knowledge and skills, and deepen students' understanding of career 
8.22 	pathways as a sequence of academic and career courses that lead to an industry-recognized 
8.23 	credential, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree and are available to all students, 
8.24 	whatever their interests and career goals.
8.25 	(h) (i) A student who demonstrates attainment of required state academic standards, 
8.26 	which include career and college readiness benchmarks, on high school assessments 
8.27 	under subdivision 1a is academically ready for a career or college and is encouraged to 
8.28 	participate in courses awarding college credit to high school students. Such courses and 
8.29 	programs may include sequential courses of study within broad career areas and technical 
8.30 	skill assessments that extend beyond course grades.
8.31 	(i) (j) As appropriate, students through grade 12 must continue to participate in 
8.32 	targeted instruction, intervention, or remediation and be encouraged to participate in 
8.33 	courses awarding college credit to high school students.
8.34 	(j) (k) In developing, supporting, and improving students' academic readiness for a 
8.35 	career or college, schools, districts, and the state must have a continuum of empirically 
8.36 	derived, clearly defined benchmarks focused on students' attainment of knowledge and 
9.1 	skills so that students, their parents, and teachers know how well students must perform to 
9.2 	have a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without need for postsecondary 
9.3 	remediation. The commissioner, in consultation with local school officials and educators, 
9.4 	and Minnesota's public postsecondary institutions must ensure that the foundational 
9.5 	knowledge and skills for students' successful performance in postsecondary employment 
9.6 	or education and an articulated series of possible targeted interventions are clearly 
9.7 	identified and satisfy Minnesota's postsecondary admissions requirements.
9.8 	(k) (l) For students in grade 8 in the 2012-2013 school year and later, a school, 
9.9 	district, or charter school must record on the high school transcript a student's progress 
9.10 	toward career and college readiness, and for other students as soon as practicable.
9.11 	(l) (m) The school board granting students their diplomas may formally decide to 
9.12 	include a notation of high achievement on the high school diplomas of those graduating 
9.13 	seniors who, according to established school board criteria, demonstrate exemplary 
9.14 	academic achievement during high school.
9.15 	(m) (n) The 3rd through 8th grade computer-adaptive assessment results and 
9.16 	high school test results shall be available to districts for diagnostic purposes affecting 
9.17 	student learning and district instruction and curriculum, and for establishing educational 
9.18 	accountability. The commissioner must establish empirically derived benchmarks on 
9.19 	adaptive assessments in grades 3 through 8 that reveal a trajectory toward career and 
9.20 	college readiness, consistent with paragraph (e). The commissioner must disseminate to 
9.21 	the public the computer-adaptive assessments and high school test results upon receiving 
9.22 	those results.
9.23 	(n) (o) The grades 3 through 8 computer-adaptive assessments and high school tests 
9.24 	must be aligned with state academic standards. The commissioner shall determine the 
9.25 	testing process and the order of administration. The statewide results shall be aggregated 
9.26 	at the site and district level, consistent with subdivision 1a.
9.27 	(o) (p) The commissioner shall include the following components in the statewide 
9.28 	public reporting system:
9.29 	(1) uniform statewide computer-adaptive assessments of all students in grades 3 
9.30 	through 8 and testing at the high school levels that provides appropriate, technically sound 
9.31 	accommodations or alternate assessments;
9.32 	(2) educational indicators that can be aggregated and compared across school 
9.33 	districts and across time on a statewide basis, including average daily attendance, high 
9.34 	school graduation rates, and high school drop-out rates by age and grade level;
9.35 	(3) state results on the American College Test; and
10.1 	(4) state results from participation in the National Assessment of Educational 
10.2 	Progress so that the state can benchmark its performance against the nation and other 
10.3 	states, and, where possible, against other countries, and contribute to the national effort 
10.4 	to monitor achievement.
10.5 	(p) (q) For purposes of statewide accountability, "career and college ready" means a 
10.6 	high school graduate has the knowledge, skills, and competencies to successfully pursue a 
10.7 	career pathway, including postsecondary credit leading to a degree, diploma, certificate, or 
10.8 	industry-recognized credential and employment. Students who are career and college ready 
10.9 	are able to successfully complete credit-bearing coursework at a two- or four-year college 
10.10 	or university or other credit-bearing postsecondary program without need for remediation.
10.11 	(q) (r) For purposes of statewide accountability, "cultural competence," "cultural 
10.12 	competency," or "culturally competent" means the ability and will to interact effectively 
10.13 	with people of different cultures, native languages, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

10.14 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2016-2017 school year and 
10.15 	later.

10.16 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.35, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
10.17 		Subdivision 1.School and student indicators of growth and achievement.
 10.18 	The commissioner must develop and implement a system for measuring and reporting 
10.19 	academic achievement and individual student growth, consistent with the statewide 
10.20 	educational accountability and reporting system. The system components must measure 
10.21 	and separately report the adequate yearly progress federal expectations of schools and the 
10.22 	growth of individual students: students' current achievement in schools under subdivision 
10.23 	2; and individual students' educational growth over time under subdivision 3. The 
10.24 	system also must include statewide measures of student academic growth that identify 
10.25 	schools with high levels of growth, and also schools with low levels of growth that need 
10.26 	improvement. When determining a school's effect, the data must include both statewide 
10.27 	measures of student achievement and, to the extent annual tests are administered, 
10.28 	indicators of achievement growth that take into account a student's prior achievement. 
10.29 	Indicators of achievement and prior achievement must be based on highly reliable 
10.30 	statewide or districtwide assessments. Indicators that take into account a student's prior 
10.31 	achievement must not be used to disregard a school's low achievement or to exclude a 
10.32 	school from a program to improve low achievement levels.

10.33 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.35, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
11.1 		Subd. 2.Federal expectations for student academic achievement. (a) Each 
11.2 	school year, a school district must determine if the student achievement levels at each 
11.3 	school site meet federal expectations. If student achievement levels at a school site do 
11.4 	not meet federal expectations and the site has not made adequate yearly progress for two 
11.5 	consecutive school years, beginning with the 2001-2002 school year, the district must 
11.6 	work with the school site to adopt a plan to raise student achievement levels to meet 
11.7 	federal expectations. The commissioner of education shall establish student academic 
11.8 	achievement levels to comply with this paragraph.
11.9 	(b) School sites identified as not meeting federal expectations must develop 
11.10 	continuous improvement plans in order to meet federal expectations for student academic 
11.11 	achievement. The department, at a district's request, must assist the district and the school 
11.12 	site in developing a plan to improve student achievement. The plan must include parental 
11.13 	involvement components.
11.14 	(c) The commissioner must:
11.15 	(1) assist school sites and districts identified as not meeting federal expectations; and
11.16 	(2) provide technical assistance to schools that integrate student achievement 
11.17 	measures into the school continuous improvement plan.
11.18 	(d) The commissioner shall establish and maintain a continuous improvement Web 
11.19 	site designed to make data on every school and district available to parents, teachers, 
11.20 	administrators, community members, and the general public.

11.21 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.35, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
11.22 		Subd. 3.State growth target; other state measures. (a) The state's educational 
11.23 	assessment system measuring individual students' educational growth is based on 
11.24 	indicators of achievement growth that show an individual student's prior achievement. 
11.25 	Indicators of achievement and prior achievement must be based on highly reliable 
11.26 	statewide or districtwide assessments.
11.27 	(b) The commissioner, in consultation with a stakeholder group that includes 
11.28 	assessment and evaluation directors, district staff, experts in culturally responsive teaching, 
11.29 	and researchers, must implement a model that uses a value-added growth indicator and 
11.30 	includes criteria for identifying schools and school districts that demonstrate medium and 
11.31 	high growth under section 120B.299, subdivisions 8 and 9, and may recommend other 
11.32 	value-added measures under section 120B.299, subdivision 3. The model may be used 
11.33 	to advance educators' professional development and replicate programs that succeed in 
11.34 	meeting students' diverse learning needs. Data on individual teachers generated under the 
11.35 	model are personnel data under section 13.43. The model must allow users to:
12.1 	(1) report student growth consistent with this paragraph; and
12.2 	(2) for all student categories, report and compare aggregated and disaggregated state 
12.3 	growth data using the nine student categories identified under the federal 2001 No Child 
12.4 	Left Behind Act and two student gender categories of male and female, respectively,
12.5 	Elementary and Secondary Education Act following appropriate reporting practices to 
12.6 	protect nonpublic student data.
12.7 	The commissioner must report measures of student growth, consistent with this 
12.8 	paragraph, including the English language development, academic progress, and oral 
12.9 	academic development of English learners and their native language development if the 
12.10 	native language is used as a language of instruction.
12.11 	(c) When reporting student performance under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the 
12.12 	commissioner annually, beginning July 1, 2011, must report two core measures indicating 
12.13 	the extent to which current high school graduates are being prepared for postsecondary 
12.14 	academic and career opportunities:
12.15 	(1) a preparation measure indicating the number and percentage of high school 
12.16 	graduates in the most recent school year who completed course work important to 
12.17 	preparing them for postsecondary academic and career opportunities, consistent with 
12.18 	the core academic subjects required for admission to Minnesota's public colleges and 
12.19 	universities as determined by the Office of Higher Education under chapter 136A; and
12.20 	(2) a rigorous coursework measure indicating the number and percentage of high 
12.21 	school graduates in the most recent school year who successfully completed one or more 
12.22 	college-level advanced placement, international baccalaureate, postsecondary enrollment 
12.23 	options including concurrent enrollment, other rigorous courses of study under section 
12.24 	120B.021, subdivision 1a, or industry certification courses or programs.
12.25 	When reporting the core measures under clauses (1) and (2), the commissioner must also 
12.26 	analyze and report separate categories of information using the nine student categories 
12.27 	identified under the federal 2001 No Child Left Behind Act and two student gender 
12.28 	categories of male and female, respectively, following appropriate reporting practices to 
12.29 	protect nonpublic student data. Elementary and Secondary Education Act and, in addition 
12.30 	to the Karen community, other student categories as determined by the total Minnesota 
12.31 	population at or above the 1,000-person threshold based on the most recent decennial 
12.32 	census, including ethnicity; race; English language learners under section 124D.59; 
12.33 	disabilities; home language; free or reduced-price lunch; migrant; immigrant; homeless; 
12.34 	and all students enrolled in a Minnesota public school who are currently or were previously 
12.35 	enrolled in foster care, except that such disaggregation and cross tabulation is not required if 
13.1 	the number of students in a category is insufficient to yield statistically reliable information 
13.2 	or the results would reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student.
13.3 	(d) When reporting student performance under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the 
13.4 	commissioner annually, beginning July 1, 2014, must report summary data on school 
13.5 	safety and students' engagement and connection at school. The summary data under this 
13.6 	paragraph are separate from and must not be used for any purpose related to measuring 
13.7 	or evaluating the performance of classroom teachers. The commissioner, in consultation 
13.8 	with qualified experts on student engagement and connection and classroom teachers, 
13.9 	must identify highly reliable variables that generate summary data under this paragraph. 
13.10 	The summary data may be used at school, district, and state levels only. Any data on 
13.11 	individuals received, collected, or created that are used to generate the summary data 
13.12 	under this paragraph are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9.
13.13 	(e) For purposes of statewide educational accountability, the commissioner must 
13.14 	identify and report measures that demonstrate the success of learning year program 
13.15 	providers under sections 123A.05 and 124D.68, among other such providers, in improving 
13.16 	students' graduation outcomes. The commissioner, beginning July 1, 2015, must annually 
13.17 	report summary data on:
13.18 	(1) the four- and six-year graduation rates of students under this paragraph;
13.19 	(2) the percent of students under this paragraph whose progress and performance 
13.20 	levels are meeting career and college readiness benchmarks under section 120B.30, 
13.21 	subdivision 1; and
13.22 	(3) the success that learning year program providers experience in:
13.23 	(i) identifying at-risk and off-track student populations by grade;
13.24 	(ii) providing successful prevention and intervention strategies for at-risk students;
13.25 	(iii) providing successful recuperative and recovery or reenrollment strategies for 
13.26 	off-track students; and
13.27 	(iv) improving the graduation outcomes of at-risk and off-track students.
13.28 	The commissioner may include in the annual report summary data on other education 
13.29 	providers serving a majority of students eligible to participate in a learning year program.
13.30 	(f) The commissioner, in consultation with recognized experts with knowledge and 
13.31 	experience in assessing the language proficiency and academic performance of English 
13.32 	learners, must identify and report appropriate and effective measures to improve current 
13.33 	categories of language difficulty and assessments, and monitor and report data on students' 
13.34 	English proficiency levels, program placement, and academic language development, 
13.35 	including oral academic language.

14.1 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.35, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
14.2 		Subd. 4.Improving schools. Consistent with the requirements of this section, 
14.3 	beginning June 20, 2012, the commissioner of education must annually report to the 
14.4 	public and the legislature best practices implemented in those schools that demonstrate 
14.5 	high growth compared to the state growth target are identified as high performing under 
14.6 	federal expectations.

14.7 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.36, as amended by Laws 2015, First 
14.8 	Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 8, is amended to read:
14.9 	120B.36 SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY; APPEALS PROCESS.
14.10 		Subdivision 1.School performance reports. (a) The commissioner shall report 
14.11 	student academic performance under section 120B.35, subdivision 2; the percentages of 
14.12 	students showing low, medium, and high growth under section 120B.35, subdivision 
14.13 	3, paragraph (b); school safety and student engagement and connection under section 
14.14 	120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (d); rigorous coursework under section 120B.35, 
14.15 	subdivision 3, paragraph (c); the percentage of students under section 120B.35, 
14.16 	subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), whose progress and performance levels are 
14.17 	meeting career and college readiness benchmarks under sections 120B.30, subdivision 1, 
14.18 	and 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (e); longitudinal data on the progress of eligible 
14.19 	districts in reducing disparities in students' academic achievement and realizing racial 
14.20 	and economic integration under section 124D.861; the acquisition of English, and 
14.21 	where practicable, native language academic literacy, including oral academic language, 
14.22 	and the academic progress of English learners under section 124D.59, subdivisions 
14.23 	2 and 2a; two separate student-to-teacher ratios that clearly indicate the definition of 
14.24 	teacher consistent with sections 122A.06 and 122A.15 for purposes of determining these 
14.25 	ratios; staff characteristics excluding salaries; student enrollment demographics; student 
14.26 	homelessness and district mobility; and extracurricular activities. The report also must 
14.27 	indicate a school's adequate yearly progress status under applicable federal law, and must 
14.28 	not set any designations applicable to high- and low-performing schools due solely to 
14.29 	adequate yearly progress status.
14.30 	(b) The commissioner shall develop, annually update, and post on the department 
14.31 	Web site school performance reports.
14.32 	(c) The commissioner must make available performance reports by the beginning 
14.33 	of each school year.
14.34 	(d) A school or district may appeal its adequate yearly progress status in writing 
14.35 	to the commissioner within 30 days of receiving the notice of its status results in a form 
15.1 	and manner determined by the commissioner and consistent with federal law. The 
15.2 	commissioner's decision to uphold or deny an appeal is final.
15.3 	(e) School performance data are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9, 
15.4 	until the commissioner publicly releases the data. The commissioner shall annually post 
15.5 	school performance reports to the department's public Web site no later than September 1, 
15.6 	except that in years when the reports reflect new performance standards, the commissioner 
15.7 	shall post the school performance reports no later than October 1.
15.8 		Subd. 2.Adequate yearly progress Federal expectations and other data. (a) 
15.9 	All data the department receives, collects, or creates under section 120B.11 governing 
15.10 	the world's best workforce or to determine adequate yearly progress status federal 
15.11 	expectations under Public Law 107-110, section 1116 the most recently reauthorized 
15.12 	Elementary and Secondary Education Act, set state growth targets, and determine student 
15.13 	growth are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9, until the commissioner 
15.14 	publicly releases the data.
15.15 	(b) Districts must provide parents sufficiently detailed summary data to permit 
15.16 	parents to appeal under Public Law 107-110, section 1116(b)(2) the most recently 
15.17 	reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The commissioner shall annually 
15.18 	post federal adequate yearly progress data on federal expectations and state student growth 
15.19 	data to the department's public Web site no later than September 1, except that in years 
15.20 	when adequate yearly progress data on federal expectations reflects new performance 
15.21 	standards, the commissioner shall post federal adequate yearly progress data on federal 
15.22 	expectations and state student growth data no later than October 1.

15.23 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.09, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
15.24 		Subd. 10.Variances Permissions. (a) Notwithstanding subdivision 9 and 
15.25 	section 14.05, subdivision 4, the Board of Teaching may grant a variance to its rules 
15.26 	upon application by a school district or a charter school for purposes of implementing 
15.27 	experimental programs in learning or management.
15.28 	(b) To enable a school district or a charter school to meet the needs of students 
15.29 	enrolled in an alternative education program and to enable licensed teachers instructing 
15.30 	those students to satisfy content area licensure requirements, the Board of Teaching 
15.31 	annually may permit a licensed teacher teaching in an alternative education program to 
15.32 	instruct students in a content area for which the teacher is not licensed, consistent with 
15.33 	paragraph (a).
15.34 	(c) A special education license variance issued by the Board of Teaching for a 
15.35 	primary employer's low-incidence region shall be is valid in all low-incidence regions.
16.1 	(d) The Board of Teaching may grant a waiver under paragraph (a) to allow a 
16.2 	person holding a full credential from the American Montessori Society, a diploma from 
16.3 	Association Montessori Internationale, or a certificate of completion from a program 
16.4 	accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education to teach in a 
16.5 	Montessori program operated by a school district or charter school.

16.6 	EFFECTIVE DATE. Paragraph (d) is effective for the 2016-2017 through 
16.7 	2018-2019 school years.

16.8 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.16, is amended to read:
16.9 	122A.16 HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER DEFINED.
16.10 	(a) A qualified teacher is one holding a valid license, under this chapter, to perform 
16.11 	the particular service for which the teacher is employed in a public school.
16.12 	(b) For the purposes of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, a highly qualified 
16.13 	teacher is one who holds a valid license under this chapter, including under section 
16.14 	122A.245, among other sections and is determined by local administrators as having 
16.15 	highly qualified status according to the approved Minnesota highly qualified plan. 
16.16 	Teachers delivering core content instruction must be deemed highly qualified at the local 
16.17 	level and reported to the state via the staff automated reporting system.

16.18 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.245, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
16.19 		Subd. 8.Highly Qualified teacher. A person holding a valid limited-term license 
16.20 	under this section is a highly qualified teacher and the teacher of record under section 
16.21 	122A.16.

16.22 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.30, is amended to read:
16.23 	122A.30 EXEMPTION FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS.
16.24 	(a) Notwithstanding section 122A.15, subdivision 1, and upon approval of the local 
16.25 	employer school board, a person who teaches in as a part-time vocational or career and 
16.26 	technical education program teacher is exempt from a license requirement. Nothing in 
16.27 	this section shall exclude licensed career and technical educators from the definition of 
16.28 	"teacher" in section 122A.40, 122A.41, or 179A.03.
16.29 	(b) This section expires June 30, 2020.

16.30 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.414, subdivision 1, 
16.31 	is amended to read:
17.1 		Subdivision 1.Restructured pay system. A restructured alternative teacher 
17.2 	professional pay system is established under subdivision 2 to provide incentives to 
17.3 	encourage teachers to improve their knowledge and instructional skills in order to improve 
17.4 	student learning and for school districts, intermediate school districts, cooperative units, 
17.5 	as defined in section 123A.24, subdivision 2, and charter schools to recruit and retain 
17.6 	highly qualified teachers, encourage highly qualified teachers to undertake challenging 
17.7 	assignments, and support teachers' roles in improving students' educational achievement.

17.8 	Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.414, subdivision 2, 
17.9 	is amended to read:
17.10 		Subd. 2.Alternative teacher professional pay system. (a) To participate in this 
17.11 	program, a school district, intermediate school district, school site, or charter school must 
17.12 	have an educational improvement plan under section 122A.413 a world's best workforce 
17.13 	plan under section 120B.11 and an alternative teacher professional pay system agreement 
17.14 	under paragraph (b). A charter school participant also must comply with subdivision 2a.
17.15 	(b) The alternative teacher professional pay system agreement must:
17.16 	(1) describe how teachers can achieve career advancement and additional 
17.17 	compensation;
17.18 	(2) describe how the school district, intermediate school district, school site, or 
17.19 	charter school will provide teachers with career advancement options that allow teachers 
17.20 	to retain primary roles in student instruction and facilitate site-focused professional 
17.21 	development that helps other teachers improve their skills;
17.22 	(3) reform the "steps and lanes" salary schedule, prevent any teacher's compensation 
17.23 	paid before implementing the pay system from being reduced as a result of participating in 
17.24 	this system, base at least 60 percent of any compensation increase on teacher performance 
17.25 	using:
17.26 	(i) schoolwide student achievement gains under section 120B.35 or locally selected 
17.27 	standardized assessment outcomes, or both;
17.28 	(ii) measures of student growth and literacy that may include value-added models 
17.29 	or student learning goals, consistent with section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph 
17.30 	(b), clause (9), or 122A.41, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (9), and other measures 
17.31 	that include the academic literacy, oral academic language, and achievement of English 
17.32 	learners under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph (b), clause (10), or 122A.41, 
17.33 	subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (10); and
17.34 	(iii) an objective evaluation program under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, 
17.35 	paragraph (b), clause (2), or 122A.41, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (2);
18.1 	(4) provide for participation in job-embedded learning opportunities such as 
18.2 	professional learning communities to improve instructional skills and learning that are 
18.3 	aligned with student needs under section 122A.413 120B.11, consistent with the staff 
18.4 	development plan under section 122A.60 and led during the school day by trained teacher 
18.5 	leaders such as master or mentor teachers;
18.6 	(5) allow any teacher in a participating school district, intermediate school district, 
18.7 	school site, or charter school that implements an alternative pay system to participate in 
18.8 	that system without any quota or other limit; and
18.9 	(6) encourage collaboration rather than competition among teachers.
18.10 	(c) The alternative teacher professional pay system may:
18.11 	(1) include a hiring bonus or other added compensation for teachers who are 
18.12 	identified as effective or highly effective under the local teacher professional review 
18.13 	cycle and work in a hard-to-fill position or in a hard-to-staff school such as a school with 
18.14 	a majority of students whose families meet federal poverty guidelines, a geographically 
18.15 	isolated school, or a school identified by the state as eligible for targeted programs or 
18.16 	services for its students; and
18.17 	(2) include incentives for teachers to obtain a master's degree or other advanced 
18.18 	certification in their content field of licensure, pursue the training or education necessary 
18.19 	to obtain an additional licensure in shortage areas identified by the district or charter 
18.20 	school, or help fund a "grow your own" new teacher initiative.

18.21 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.414, subdivision 2b, 
18.22 	is amended to read:
18.23 		Subd. 2b.Approval process. (a) Consistent with the requirements of this section 
18.24 	and sections 122A.413 and section122A.415, the department must prepare and transmit 
18.25 	to interested school districts, intermediate school districts, cooperatives, school sites, 
18.26 	and charter schools a standard form for applying to participate in the alternative teacher 
18.27 	professional pay system. The commissioner annually must establish three dates as 
18.28 	deadlines by which interested applicants must submit an application to the commissioner 
18.29 	under this section. An interested school district, intermediate school district, cooperative, 
18.30 	school site, or charter school must submit to the commissioner a completed application 
18.31 	executed by the district superintendent and the exclusive bargaining representative of the 
18.32 	teachers if the applicant is a school district, intermediate school district, or school site, or 
18.33 	executed by the charter school board of directors if the applicant is a charter school or 
18.34 	executed by the governing board if the applicant is a cooperative unit. The application 
18.35 	must include the proposed alternative teacher professional pay system agreement under 
19.1 	subdivision 2. The department must review a completed application within 30 days of 
19.2 	the most recent application deadline and recommend to the commissioner whether to 
19.3 	approve or disapprove the application. The commissioner must approve applications 
19.4 	on a first-come, first-served basis. The applicant's alternative teacher professional pay 
19.5 	system agreement must be legally binding on the applicant and the collective bargaining 
19.6 	representative before the applicant receives alternative compensation revenue. The 
19.7 	commissioner must approve or disapprove an application based on the requirements 
19.8 	under subdivisions 2 and 2a.
19.9 	(b) If the commissioner disapproves an application, the commissioner must give the 
19.10 	applicant timely notice of the specific reasons in detail for disapproving the application. 
19.11 	The applicant may revise and resubmit its application and related documents to the 
19.12 	commissioner within 30 days of receiving notice of the commissioner's disapproval and 
19.13 	the commissioner must approve or disapprove the revised application, consistent with this 
19.14 	subdivision. Applications that are revised and then approved are considered submitted on 
19.15 	the date the applicant initially submitted the application.

19.16 	Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.4144, is amended to read:
19.17 	122A.4144 SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS; ALTERNATIVE TEACHER 
19.18 	PAY.
19.19 	Notwithstanding section 179A.20 or other law to the contrary, a school board and 
19.20 	the exclusive representative of the teachers may agree to reopen a collective bargaining 
19.21 	agreement for the purpose of entering into an alternative teacher professional pay system 
19.22 	agreement under sections 122A.413,122A.414, and 122A.415. Negotiations for a contract 
19.23 	reopened under this section must be limited to issues related to the alternative teacher 
19.24 	professional pay system.

19.25 	Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.416, is amended to read:
19.26 	122A.416 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER COMPENSATION REVENUE 
19.27 	FOR PERPICH CENTER FOR ARTS EDUCATION AND MULTIDISTRICT 
19.28 	INTEGRATION COLLABORATIVES.
19.29 	Notwithstanding sections 122A.413,122A.414, 122A.415, and 126C.10, 
19.30 	multidistrict integration collaboratives and the Perpich Center for Arts Education are 
19.31 	eligible to receive alternative teacher compensation revenue as if they were intermediate 
19.32 	school districts. To qualify for alternative teacher compensation revenue, a multidistrict 
19.33 	integration collaborative or the Perpich Center for Arts Education must meet all of the 
19.34 	requirements of sections 122A.413,122A.414, and 122A.415 that apply to intermediate 
20.1 	school districts, must report its enrollment as of October 1 of each year to the department, 
20.2 	and must annually report its expenditures for the alternative teacher professional pay 
20.3 	system consistent with the uniform financial accounting and reporting standards to the 
20.4 	department by November 30 of each year.

20.5 	Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.60, subdivision 4, is 
20.6 	amended to read:
20.7 		Subd. 4.Staff development report. (a) By October 15 of each year, The district 
20.8 	and site staff development committees shall write and submit a report of staff development 
20.9 	activities and expenditures for the previous year, in the form and manner determined by 
20.10 	the commissioner. The report, signed by the district superintendent and staff development 
20.11 	chair, must include assessment and evaluation data indicating progress toward district and 
20.12 	site staff development goals based on teaching and learning outcomes, including the 
20.13 	percentage of teachers and other staff involved in instruction who participate in effective 
20.14 	staff development activities under subdivision 3 as part of the district's world's best 
20.15 	workforce report under section 120B.11, subdivision 5.
20.16 	(b) The report must break down expenditures for:
20.17 	(1) curriculum development and curriculum training programs; and
20.18 	(2) staff development training models, workshops, and conferences, and the cost of 
20.19 	releasing teachers or providing substitute teachers for staff development purposes.
20.20 	The report also must indicate whether the expenditures were incurred at the district 
20.21 	level or the school site level, and whether the school site expenditures were made possible 
20.22 	by grants to school sites that demonstrate exemplary use of allocated staff development 
20.23 	revenue. These expenditures must be reported using the uniform financial and accounting 
20.24 	and reporting standards.
20.25 	(c) The commissioner shall report the staff development progress and expenditure 
20.26 	data to the house of representatives and senate committees having jurisdiction over 
20.27 	education by February 15 each year.

20.28 	Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.72, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
20.29 		Subd. 5.Center functions. (a) A teacher center shall perform functions according 
20.30 	to this subdivision. The center shall assist teachers, diagnose learning needs, experiment 
20.31 	with the use of multiple instructional approaches, assess pupil outcomes, assess staff 
20.32 	development needs and plans, and teach school personnel about effective pedagogical 
20.33 	approaches. The center shall develop and produce curricula and curricular materials 
20.34 	designed to meet the educational needs of pupils being served, by applying educational 
21.1 	research and new and improved methods, practices, and techniques. The center shall 
21.2 	provide programs to improve the skills of teachers to meet the special educational needs of 
21.3 	pupils. The center shall provide programs to familiarize teachers with developments in 
21.4 	curriculum formulation and educational research, including how research can be used to 
21.5 	improve teaching skills. The center shall facilitate sharing of resources, ideas, methods, 
21.6 	and approaches directly related to classroom instruction and improve teachers' familiarity 
21.7 	with current teaching materials and products for use in their classrooms. The center shall 
21.8 	provide in-service programs.
21.9 	(b) Each teacher center must provide a professional development program to train 
21.10 	interested and highly qualified elementary, middle, and secondary teachers, selected by the 
21.11 	employing school district, to assist other teachers in that district with mathematics and 
21.12 	science curriculum, standards, and instruction so that all teachers have access to:
21.13 	(1) high quality professional development programs in mathematics and science that 
21.14 	address curriculum, instructional methods, alignment of standards, and performance 
21.15 	measurements, enhance teacher and student learning, and support state mathematics and 
21.16 	science standards; and
21.17 	(2) research-based mathematics and science programs and instructional models 
21.18 	premised on best practices that inspire teachers and students and have practical classroom 
21.19 	application.

21.20 	Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124D.231, subdivision 2, 
21.21 	is amended to read:
21.22 		Subd. 2.Full-service community school program. (a) The commissioner shall 
21.23 	provide funding to eligible school sites to plan, implement, and improve full-service 
21.24 	community schools. Eligible school sites must meet one of the following criteria:
21.25 	(1) the school is on a development plan for continuous improvement under section 
21.26 	120B.35, subdivision 2; or
21.27 	(2) the school is in a district that has an achievement and integration plan approved 
21.28 	by the commissioner of education under sections 124D.861 and 124D.862.
21.29 	(b) An eligible school site may receive up to $100,000 annually. School sites 
21.30 	receiving funding under this section shall hire or contract with a partner agency to hire a 
21.31 	site coordinator to coordinate services at each covered school site.
21.32 	(c) Implementation funding of up to $20,000 must be available for up to one year for 
21.33 	planning for school sites. At the end of this period, the school must submit a full-service 
21.34 	community school plan, pursuant to paragraph (g).
22.1 	(d) The commissioner shall dispense the funds to schools with significant populations 
22.2 	of students receiving free or reduced-price lunches. Schools with significant homeless and 
22.3 	highly mobile students shall also be a priority. The commissioner must also dispense the 
22.4 	funds in a manner to ensure equity among urban, suburban, and greater Minnesota schools.
22.5 	(e) A school site must establish a school leadership team responsible for developing 
22.6 	school-specific programming goals, assessing program needs, and overseeing the process 
22.7 	of implementing expanded programming at each covered site. The school leadership team 
22.8 	shall have between 12 to 15 members and shall meet the following requirements:
22.9 	(1) at least 30 percent of the members are parents and 30 percent of the members 
22.10 	are teachers at the school site and must include the school principal and representatives 
22.11 	from partner agencies; and
22.12 	(2) the school leadership team must be responsible for overseeing the baseline 
22.13 	analyses under paragraph (f). A school leadership team must have ongoing responsibility 
22.14 	for monitoring the development and implementation of full-service community school 
22.15 	operations and programming at the school site and shall issue recommendations to schools 
22.16 	on a regular basis and summarized in an annual report. These reports shall also be made 
22.17 	available to the public at the school site and on school and district Web sites.
22.18 	(f) School sites must complete a baseline analysis prior to beginning programming 
22.19 	as a full-service community school. The analysis shall include:
22.20 	(1) a baseline analysis of needs at the school site, led by the school leadership team, 
22.21 	which shall include the following elements:
22.22 	(i) identification of challenges facing the school;
22.23 	(ii) analysis of the student body, including:
22.24 	(A) number and percentage of students with disabilities and needs of these students;
22.25 	(B) number and percentage of students who are English learners and the needs of 
22.26 	these students;
22.27 	(C) number of students who are homeless or highly mobile; and
22.28 	(D) number and percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch and the 
22.29 	needs of these students;
22.30 	(iii) analysis of enrollment and retention rates for students with disabilities, 
22.31 	English learners, homeless and highly mobile students, and students receiving free or 
22.32 	reduced-price lunch;
22.33 	(iv) analysis of suspension and expulsion data, including the justification for such 
22.34 	disciplinary actions and the degree to which particular populations, including, but not 
22.35 	limited to, students of color, students with disabilities, students who are English learners, 
23.1 	and students receiving free or reduced-price lunch are represented among students subject 
23.2 	to such actions;
23.3 	(v) analysis of school achievement data disaggregated by major demographic 
23.4 	categories, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, English learner status, disability 
23.5 	status, and free or reduced-price lunch status;
23.6 	(vi) analysis of current parent engagement strategies and their success; and
23.7 	(vii) evaluation of the need for and availability of wraparound services, including, 
23.8 	but not limited to:
23.9 	(A) mechanisms for meeting students' social, emotional, and physical health needs, 
23.10 	which may include coordination of existing services as well as the development of new 
23.11 	services based on student needs; and
23.12 	(B) strategies to create a safe and secure school environment and improve school 
23.13 	climate and discipline, such as implementing a system of positive behavioral supports, and 
23.14 	taking additional steps to eliminate bullying;
23.15 	(2) a baseline analysis of community assets and a strategic plan for utilizing 
23.16 	and aligning identified assets. This analysis should include, but is not limited to, a 
23.17 	documentation of individuals in the community, faith-based organizations, community and 
23.18 	neighborhood associations, colleges, hospitals, libraries, businesses, and social service 
23.19 	agencies who may be able to provide support and resources; and
23.20 	(3) a baseline analysis of needs in the community surrounding the school, led by 
23.21 	the school leadership team, including, but not limited to:
23.22 	(i) the need for high-quality, full-day child care and early childhood education 
23.23 	programs;
23.24 	(ii) the need for physical and mental health care services for children and adults; and
23.25 	(iii) the need for job training and other adult education programming.
23.26 	(g) Each school site receiving funding under this section must establish at least two 
23.27 	of the following types of programming:
23.28 	(1) early childhood:
23.29 	(i) early childhood education; and
23.30 	(ii) child care services;
23.31 	(2) academic:
23.32 	(i) academic support and enrichment activities, including expanded learning time;
23.33 	(ii) summer or after-school enrichment and learning experiences;
23.34 	(iii) job training, internship opportunities, and career counseling services;
23.35 	(iv) programs that provide assistance to students who have been truant, suspended, 
23.36 	or expelled; and
24.1 	(v) specialized instructional support services;
24.2 	(3) parental involvement:
24.3 	(i) programs that promote parental involvement and family literacy, including the 
24.4 	Reading First and Early Reading First programs authorized under part B of title I of the 
24.5 	Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, United States Code, title 20, section 
24.6 	6361, et seq.;
24.7 	(ii) parent leadership development activities; and
24.8 	(iii) parenting education activities;
24.9 	(4) mental and physical health:
24.10 	(i) mentoring and other youth development programs, including peer mentoring and 
24.11 	conflict mediation;
24.12 	(ii) juvenile crime prevention and rehabilitation programs;
24.13 	(iii) home visitation services by teachers and other professionals;
24.14 	(iv) developmentally appropriate physical education;
24.15 	(v) nutrition services;
24.16 	(vi) primary health and dental care; and
24.17 	(vii) mental health counseling services;
24.18 	(5) community involvement:
24.19 	(i) service and service-learning opportunities;
24.20 	(ii) adult education, including instruction in English as a second language; and
24.21 	(iii) homeless prevention services;
24.22 	(6) positive discipline practices; and
24.23 	(7) other programming designed to meet school and community needs identified in 
24.24 	the baseline analysis and reflected in the full-service community school plan.
24.25 	(h) The school leadership team at each school site must develop a full-service 
24.26 	community school plan detailing the steps the school leadership team will take, including:
24.27 	(1) timely establishment and consistent operation of the school leadership team;
24.28 	(2) maintenance of attendance records in all programming components;
24.29 	(3) maintenance of measurable data showing annual participation and the impact 
24.30 	of programming on the participating children and adults;
24.31 	(4) documentation of meaningful and sustained collaboration between the school 
24.32 	and community stakeholders, including local governmental units, civic engagement 
24.33 	organizations, businesses, and social service providers;
24.34 	(5) establishment and maintenance of partnerships with institutions, such as 
24.35 	universities, hospitals, museums, or not-for-profit community organizations to further the 
24.36 	development and implementation of community school programming;
25.1 	(6) ensuring compliance with the district nondiscrimination policy; and
25.2 	(7) plan for school leadership team development.

25.3 	Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124D.73, subdivision 4, is 
25.4 	amended to read:
25.5 		Subd. 4.Participating school; American Indian school. "Participating school" 
25.6 	and "American Indian school" mean a school that:
25.7 	(1) is not operated by a school district; and
25.8 	(2) is eligible for a grant under federal Title VII VI of the Elementary and Secondary 
25.9 	Education Act for the education of American Indian children.

25.10 	Sec. 26. [124D.8957] PREKINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 12 
25.11 	PARENTAL RIGHTS CODED ELSEWHERE.
25.12 		Subdivision 1.Scope. The sections referred to in subdivisions 2 to 30 are 
25.13 	codified outside this section. Those sections govern parental rights related to topics in 
25.14 	prekindergarten through grade 12 education.
25.15 		Subd. 2.Compulsory instruction. Parental rights related to compulsory instruction, 
25.16 	including the right to withdraw a child from school; to receive notice related to transfer of 
25.17 	disciplinary records; to excuse a child from school for illnesses, appointments, or religious 
25.18 	events; and the right of noncustodial parents to access school records and conferences, 
25.19 	among other rights, are governed by section 120A.22.
25.20 		Subd. 3.Longitudinal data. The parental right to annual summary longitudinal 
25.21 	performance and progress data is governed by section 120B.31.
25.22 		Subd. 4.Antibullying. Parental rights related to school district antibullying 
25.23 	policies, including the right to be involved in developing the policies, the right to be 
25.24 	notified of incidents of prohibited conduct, and the right to be informed of data practices 
25.25 	laws, are governed by section 121A.031.
25.26 		Subd. 5.Student discipline policies. The parental right to notice in student 
25.27 	discipline policies of rights under the Safe and Supportive Minnesota Schools Act is 
25.28 	governed by section 121A.0311.
25.29 		Subd. 6.Early childhood development screening. Parental rights to certain notice 
25.30 	requirements related to early childhood development screening and to receive results of 
25.31 	early childhood development screening are governed by section 121A.17. The parental 
25.32 	right to provide consent before individual screening data may be disclosed to a school 
25.33 	district is governed by section 121A.18.
26.1 		Subd. 7.Chemical abuse. The parental right to be informed of a reported case of 
26.2 	chemical abuse by a minor student is governed by section 121A.26.
26.3 		Subd. 8.Pesticides. The parental right to be notified regarding the use of pesticides 
26.4 	at a school is governed by the Janet B. Johnson Parents' Right-to-Know Act under section 
26.5 	121A.30.
26.6 		Subd. 9.Student dismissal. The parental right to notice and a meeting regarding 
26.7 	the removal of a student for more than ten days is governed by section 121A.45.
26.8 		Subd. 10.Exclusion and expulsion. The parental right to be included in exclusion 
26.9 	or expulsion hearing procedures, including access to records, ability to testify and present 
26.10 	evidence, and inclusion in the student's readmission plan, is governed by section 121A.47.
26.11 		Subd. 11.Exclusion and expulsion appeal. The parental right to notice of the right 
26.12 	to appeal an exclusion or expulsion decision is governed by section 121A.49.
26.13 		Subd. 12.Reinstatement after termination of dismissal. The parental right to 
26.14 	notice of a student's right to be reinstated after the termination of dismissal is governed 
26.15 	by section 121A.54.
26.16 		Subd. 13.Interdistrict cooperation. The parental right to notice of an 
26.17 	informational school board meeting relating to discontinuing interdistrict cooperation 
26.18 	is governed by section 123A.32.
26.19 		Subd. 14.Background checks. The parental right to notice of a school's 
26.20 	background check policy for hiring teachers is governed by section 123B.03.
26.21 		Subd. 15.Textbook fees. The parental right to notice of a school board's policy to 
26.22 	charge fees for textbooks lost or destroyed by students is governed by section 123B.37.
26.23 		Subd. 16.Transportation privileges. The parental right to surrender a student's 
26.24 	privilege to receive transportation services from a school district is governed by section 
26.25 	123B.88.
26.26 		Subd. 17.Nonresident district policies. The parental right to receive notice of: a 
26.27 	decision on an application by a student to attend school in a nonresident district; the 
26.28 	transportation policies of the nonresident district; and the right to be reimbursed for costs 
26.29 	of transportation to the nonresident district's border are governed by section 124D.03.
26.30 		Subd. 18.Out-of-state districts. Under section 124D.04, the parental rights related 
26.31 	to a student attending a nonresident district under section 124D.03 apply to a student 
26.32 	attending an out-of-state district.
26.33 		Subd. 19.Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility. The parental right to opt a child 
26.34 	out of disclosing a child's eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch to the Department of 
26.35 	Education and the Department of Human Services is governed by section 124D.1115.
27.1 		Subd. 20.Learning year programs. The parental right to notice of optional 
27.2 	learning year programs is governed by section 124D.128.
27.3 		Subd. 21.English learners programs. Parental rights related to student enrollment 
27.4 	in programs for English learners, including notice, withdrawal, and parental involvement, 
27.5 	are governed by section 124D.60.
27.6 		Subd. 22.Charter school transportation. The parental right to receive notice 
27.7 	of a charter school's transportation policy and the right to be reimbursed for costs of 
27.8 	transportation to the border of the district in which the charter school is located are 
27.9 	governed by section 124E.15.
27.10 		Subd. 23.Services for children with disabilities. The parental right to be included 
27.11 	in determining the appropriate and necessary services for students with disabilities is 
27.12 	governed by section 125A.027.
27.13 		Subd. 24.Data on children with disabilities. The parental right to notice and 
27.14 	involvement regarding online reporting of data related to children with disabilities is 
27.15 	governed by section 125A.085.
27.16 		Subd. 25.Special education alternative dispute resolution. Parental rights 
27.17 	regarding notice, participation, and due process related to special education alternative 
27.18 	dispute resolution procedures are governed by section 125A.091.
27.19 		Subd. 26.Third-party reimbursement for children with disabilities. The 
27.20 	parental right to notice of a school district seeking reimbursement from medical assistance 
27.21 	or MinnesotaCare for services rendered to a student with a disability is governed by 
27.22 	section 125A.21.
27.23 		Subd. 27.Services provided to children with disabilities. Parental rights 
27.24 	related to services provided to students eligible for Part C services under the Individuals 
27.25 	with Disabilities Education Act and the right to receive written materials regarding the 
27.26 	implementation of Part C services are governed by sections 125A.42 and 125A.48. The 
27.27 	parental right to use mediation to resolve disputes under section 125A.42 is governed 
27.28 	by section 125A.43.
27.29 		Subd. 28.Minnesota State Academies discharge. The parental right to notice of a 
27.30 	student's discharge from the Minnesota State Academies is governed by section 125A.68.
27.31 		Subd. 29.Education records for military children. The parental right to education 
27.32 	records under the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children 
27.33 	is governed by section 127A.85.
27.34 		Subd. 30.Appeal adverse school board decision. The parental right to appeal a 
27.35 	school board decision adversely affecting an academic program of an enrolled student is 
27.36 	governed by section 129C.10, subdivision 36.

28.1 	Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 127A.05, subdivision 6, is 
28.2 	amended to read:
28.3 		Subd. 6.Survey of districts. The commissioner of education shall survey the state's 
28.4 	school districts and teacher preparation programs and report to the education committees 
28.5 	of the legislature by February 1 of each odd-numbered year on the status of teacher early 
28.6 	retirement patterns, the access to effective and more diverse teachers who reflect the 
28.7 	students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), enrolled in 
28.8 	a district or school, the teacher shortage, and the substitute teacher shortage, including 
28.9 	patterns and shortages in subject areas and the economic development regions of the state. 
28.10 	The report must also include: aggregate data on teachers' self-reported race and ethnicity; 
28.11 	data on how districts are making progress in hiring teachers and substitutes in the areas 
28.12 	of shortage; and a five-year projection of teacher demand for each district, taking into 
28.13 	account the students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), 
28.14 	expected to enroll in the district during that five-year period.

28.15 	Sec. 28. [127A.053] STATE ADMINISTRATION OF STUDENT SURVEY 
28.16 	INSTRUMENTS GENERALLY PROHIBITED.
28.17 	Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, and with the exception of section 
28.18 	120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (d), the commissioner must not develop, coordinate, 
28.19 	assist with, or use a statewide student survey seeking information about a student's 
28.20 	activities, opinions, behaviors, or experiences related to substance abuse, tobacco use, 
28.21 	connections with family, healthy eating, high school students' gambling and sexual 
28.22 	activities, or out-of-school activities, among other topics.

28.23 	Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 127A.095, is amended to read:
28.24 	127A.095 IMPLEMENTATION OF NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT
28.25 	ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT.
28.26 		Subdivision 1.Continued implementation. The Department of Education shall 
28.27 	continue to implement the federal No Child Left Behind Act, Public Law 107-110, 
28.28 	Elementary and Secondary Education Act without interruption.
28.29 		Subd. 2.No Child Left Behind review. (a) The legislature intends to require 
28.30 	the Department of Education to conduct a comprehensive review of the consolidated 
28.31 	state plan the state submitted to the federal Department of Education to implement the 
28.32 	No Child Left Behind Act. The Minnesota Department of Education shall seek waivers 
28.33 	under paragraph (b). If the Department of Education is unable to obtain waivers under 
29.1 	paragraph (b), it should recommend in its report under paragraph (b) whether the state 
29.2 	should opt out of the No Child Left Behind Act.
29.3 	(b) The commissioner, by January 15, 2008, shall report to the house of 
29.4 	representatives and senate committees having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 
29.5 	12 education policy and finance whether the department has received approval from 
29.6 	the federal Department of Education to:
29.7 	(1) participate in the growth model pilot program;
29.8 	(2) exclude from sanctions schools that have not made adequate yearly progress due 
29.9 	solely to a subgroup of students with disabilities not testing at a proficient level;
29.10 	(3) identify a school as not making adequate yearly progress only after the school has 
29.11 	missed the adequate yearly progress targets in the same subgroup for two consecutive years;
29.12 	(4) determine when to hold schools accountable for including an English learner 
29.13 	in adequate yearly progress calculations;
29.14 	(5) allow a district not making adequate yearly progress to offer supplemental 
29.15 	educational services as an option before offering school choice;
29.16 	(6) allow a district not making adequate yearly progress to also be the supplemental 
29.17 	educational services provider;
29.18 	(7) allow the state to maintain a subgroup size to 40 for the purposes of calculating 
29.19 	adequate yearly progress for subgroups of English learners and subgroups of students 
29.20 	with disabilities; and
29.21 	(8) create flexibility to enable the state to define and identify highly qualified teachers.
29.22 		Subd. 3.Department of Management and Budget certification. If the federal 
29.23 	Department of Education does not transmit to the commissioner of education its approval 
29.24 	of the conditions in subdivision 2, paragraph (b), The commissioner of management and 
29.25 	budget shall certify and report to the legislature annually beginning January 1, 2008, the 
29.26 	amount of federal revenue, if any, that the federal government may withhold as a result 
29.27 	of a potential state decision to discontinue implementation of the No Child Left Behind 
29.28 	Act Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The report shall also specify the intended 
29.29 	purpose of the federal revenue and the amount of revenue that the federal government may 
29.30 	withhold from the state, each school district, and each charter school in each fiscal year.

29.31 	Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 129C.10, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
29.32 		Subdivision 1.Governance. (a) The board of the Perpich Center for Arts Education 
29.33 	shall consist of 15 13 persons, one of whom must have served as a school administrator or 
29.34 	as an elected school board member, one of whom is a locally or regionally recognized 
29.35 	professional artist, and one of whom is a secondary or postsecondary arts educator. The 
30.1 	members of the board shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of 
30.2 	the senate. At least one member must be appointed from each congressional district.
30.3 	(b) A seven-member nominating committee composed of three currently serving 
30.4 	members of the board of the Perpich Center for Arts Education appointed by the board, 
30.5 	one member appointed by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, one 
30.6 	member appointed by the Minnesota State Arts Board, one member appointed by the 
30.7 	Minnesota School Boards Association, and one member appointed by the governor shall 
30.8 	meet at least 60 days before the date on which the next expiring board member's term is set 
30.9 	to expire or within 15 days of receiving notice of a board vacancy occurring at a time other 
30.10 	than at the end of a board member's term to prepare and submit a list of recommended 
30.11 	candidates to the governor for the governor to consider when appointing members of the 
30.12 	Perpich Center for Arts Education Board.
30.13 	(c) All board members must complete board training requirements consistent with 
30.14 	section 127A.19.

30.15 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment 
30.16 	and applies to board member appointments made after that date. The governor shall 
30.17 	determine which board member terms end on the effective date of this section to reduce 
30.18 	the number of board members from 15 to 13.

30.19 	Sec. 31. [129C.12] PUBLIC INFORMATION.
30.20 		Subdivision 1.Board minutes. The board must post the minutes of its meetings on 
30.21 	its official Web site and supplemental board materials, information, and budget documents 
30.22 	consistent with Minnesota Management and Budget financial management and reporting 
30.23 	requirements.
30.24 		Subd. 2.Annual report. Consistent with section 123B.10, requiring school boards 
30.25 	to annually publish financial information on the district's official Web site, the board 
30.26 	must prepare and post on its official Web site an annual report summarizing Perpich 
30.27 	Center finances and, consistent with section 120B.36, subdivision 1, requiring school 
30.28 	and district accountability data, also post on its official Web site longitudinal data on 
30.29 	student enrollment and students' congressional districts of residence, graduation rates, and 
30.30 	postgraduation student placements.
30.31 		Subd. 3.World's best workforce. Consistent with section 120B.11, governing the 
30.32 	world's best workforce, the board must prepare and post a comprehensive, long-term 
30.33 	strategic improvement plan and report plan strategies, activities, practices, and outcomes 
30.34 	on its official Web site.
31.1 		Subd. 4.Audit report. (a) The Perpich Center for Arts Education is subject to an 
31.2 	annual independent audit. The audit must be conducted in compliance with generally 
31.3 	accepted governmental auditing standards and the federal Single Audit Act, if applicable. 
31.4 	The legislative auditor or Department of Education may conduct financial, program, or 
31.5 	compliance audits, and may direct the Perpich Center for Arts Education to include any 
31.6 	additional items in its annual independent audit.
31.7 	(b) Upon approval from the Department of Education, the Perpich Center for Arts 
31.8 	Education may combine this audit with its required annual audit of the Crosswinds school.
31.9 	(c) The Perpich Center for Arts Education must post its most recent audit on its 
31.10 	Web site.

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

31.12 	Sec. 32. [136F.3025] MINNESOTA COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT 
31.13 	COLLEGE-READY SCORE.
31.14 	A state college or university may not require an individual to take a remedial, 
31.15 	noncredit course in a subject area if the individual has received a college-ready Minnesota 
31.16 	Comprehensive Assessment score in that subject area, consistent with section 120B.30, 
31.17 	subdivision 1, paragraph (e).

31.18 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2018-2019 school year and 
31.19 	later.

31.20 	Sec. 33. Laws 2012, chapter 263, section 1, as amended by Laws 2014, chapter 312, 
31.21 	article 15, section 24, is amended to read:
31.22 	Section 1. INNOVATIVE DELIVERY OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL 
31.23 	EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND SHARING OF DISTRICT 
31.24 	RESOURCES; PILOT PROJECT.
 31.25 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; requirements for participation. (a) A pilot project
31.26 	program is established to improve student, career and college readiness, and school 
31.27 	outcomes by allowing groups of school districts to work together in partnership with 
31.28 	local and regional postsecondary institutions and programs, community institutions, 
31.29 	and other private, public, for-profit, and nonprofit workplace partners, to: (1) provide 
31.30 	innovative education programs and activities that integrate core academic and career and 
31.31 	technical subjects in students' programs of study through coordinated secondary and 
31.32 	postsecondary career and technical programs leading to an industry certification or other 
31.33 	credential; (2) provide embedded professional development for program participants; (3) 
32.1 	use performance assessments in authentic settings to measure students' technical skills and 
32.2 	progress toward attaining an industry certification or other credential; and (4) efficiently 
32.3 	share district, institution, and workplace resources. The pilot project may last until June 
32.4 	30, 2018, or for up to five years, whichever is less, except that innovation partnerships 
32.5 	formed during the period of the pilot project may continue past June 30, 2018, with the 
32.6 	agreement of the partnership members.
32.7 	(b) To participate in this pilot project program to improve student, career and college 
32.8 	readiness, and school outcomes, a group of two or more school districts must collaborate 
32.9 	with school staff and project partners and receive formal school board approval to form a 
32.10 	partnership. The partnership must develop a plan to provide challenging programmatic 
32.11 	options for students under paragraph (a), create professional development opportunities 
32.12 	for educators and other program participants, increase student engagement and connection 
32.13 	and challenging learning opportunities for diverse populations of students that are focused 
32.14 	on employability skills and technical, job-specific skills related to a specific career 
32.15 	pathway, or demonstrate efficiencies in delivering financial and other services needed to 
32.16 	realize plan goals and objectives. The plan must establish include:
32.17 	(1) collaborative educational goals and objectives;
32.18 	(2) strategies and processes to implement those goals and objectives, including a 
32.19 	budget process with periodic expenditure reviews;
32.20 	(3) valid and reliable measures including performance assessments in authentic 
32.21 	settings and progress toward attaining an industry certification or other credential, among 
32.22 	other measures, to evaluate progress in realizing the goals and objectives;
32.23 	(4) an implementation timeline; and
32.24 	(5) other applicable conditions, regulations, responsibilities, duties, provisions, fee 
32.25 	schedules, and legal considerations needed to fully implement the plan.
32.26 	A partnership may invite additional districts or other participants under paragraph 
32.27 	(a) to join the partnership during the pilot project term after notifying the commissioner.
32.28 	(c) A partnership of interested districts must apply by February 1 of any year submit 
32.29 	an application to the education commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner 
32.30 	determines, consistent with the requirements of this section. The application must contain 
32.31 	the formal approval adopted by the school board in each district to participate in the plan.
32.32 	(d) Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, a participating school district under 
32.33 	this section continues to: receive revenue and maintain its taxation authority; be organized 
32.34 	and governed by an elected school board with general powers under Minnesota Statutes, 
32.35 	section 123B.02; and be subject to employment agreements under Minnesota Statutes, 
33.1 	chapter 122A, and Minnesota Statutes, section 179A.20; and district employees continue 
33.2 	to remain employees of the employing school district.
33.3 	(e) Participating districts must submit a biennial report by February 1 in each 
33.4 	odd-numbered year to the education committees of the legislature and the education 
33.5 	commissioner that includes performance assessment, high school graduation, and career 
33.6 	and technical certification data to show the success of the partnership in preparing diverse 
33.7 	populations of students for careers and jobs.
33.8 		Subd. 2.Commissioner's role. Interested groups of school districts must submit 
33.9 	a completed application to the commissioner by March 1 of in any year in the form and 
33.10 	manner determined by the commissioner. The education commissioner must convene 
33.11 	an advisory panel composed of a teacher appointed by Education Minnesota, a school 
33.12 	principal appointed by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, a 
33.13 	school board member appointed by the Minnesota School Boards Association, and a 
33.14 	school superintendent appointed by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators
33.15 	to advise the commissioner on applicants' qualifications to participate in this pilot project
33.16 	program. The commissioner may select up to six qualified applicants under subdivision 1 
33.17 	by April 1 of any year to participate in this pilot project, ensuring must ensure an equitable 
33.18 	geographical distribution of project program participants to the extent practicable. The 
33.19 	commissioner must select only those applicants that fully comply with the requirements in 
33.20 	subdivision 1. The commissioner must may terminate a project program participant that 
33.21 	fails to effectively implement the goals and objectives contained in its application and 
33.22 	according to its stated timeline.
33.23 		Subd. 3.Pilot project evaluation. Participating school districts must submit pilot 
33.24 	project data to the commissioner in the form and manner determined by the commissioner. 
33.25 	The education commissioner must analyze participating districts' progress in realizing 
33.26 	their educational goals and objectives to work together in providing innovative education 
33.27 	programs and activities and sharing resources. The commissioner must include the 
33.28 	analysis of best practices in a report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over 
33.29 	kindergarten through grade 12 education finance and policy on the efficacy of this pilot 
33.30 	project. The commissioner shall submit an interim project report by February 1, 2016, and 
33.31 	must submit a final report to the legislature by February 1, 2019, recommending whether 
33.32 	or not to continue or expand the pilot project.

33.33 	EFFECTIVE DATE. (a) This section is effective the day following final enactment 
33.34 	and applies to those applications submitted after that date.
34.1 	(b) Districts already approved for an innovation zone pilot project may continue to 
34.2 	operate under Laws 2012, chapter 263, section 1, as amended by Laws 2014, chapter 
34.3 	312, article 15, section 24.

34.4 	Sec. 34. LEGISLATIVE STUDY GROUP ON EDUCATOR LICENSURE.
 34.5 	(a) A 12-member legislative study group on educator licensure is created to review 
34.6 	the 2016 "Minnesota Teacher Licensure" report prepared by the Office of the Legislative 
34.7 	Auditor on teacher licensing and submit a written report by February 1, 2017, to the 
34.8 	legislature recommending how to restructure Minnesota's teacher licensure system by 
34.9 	consolidating all teacher licensure activities into a single state entity to ensure transparency 
34.10 	and consistency or, at a minimum, by clarifying existing teacher licensure responsibilities 
34.11 	to provide transparency and consistency. In developing its recommendations, the study 
34.12 	group is encouraged to consider the tiered licensure system recommended in the legislative 
34.13 	auditor's report, among other recommendations. The study group is encouraged to begin 
34.14 	its work by consulting with teachers currently teaching in Minnesota school districts, 
34.15 	charter schools, and nonpublic schools and with out-of-state teachers currently licensed or 
34.16 	seeking a license in Minnesota. The study group is encouraged to identify and include in 
34.17 	its report any statutory changes needed to implement the study group recommendations.
34.18 	(b) The legislative study group on educator licensure includes:
34.19 	(1) six duly elected and currently serving members of the house of representatives, 
34.20 	three appointed by the speaker of the house and three appointed by the house minority 
34.21 	leader, and one of whom must be the current chair of the house Education Innovation 
34.22 	Policy Committee; and
34.23 	(2) six duly elected and currently serving senators, three appointed by the senate 
34.24 	majority leader and three appointed by the senate minority leader, and one of whom must 
34.25 	be the current chair of the senate Education Committee.
34.26 	Only duly elected and currently serving members of the house of representatives or senate 
34.27 	may be study group members.
34.28 	(c) The appointments must be made by June 1, 2016, and expire February 2, 2017. 
34.29 	If a vacancy occurs, the leader of the caucus in the house of representatives or senate to 
34.30 	which the vacating study group member belonged must fill the vacancy. The chair of the 
34.31 	house Education Innovation Policy Committee shall convene the first meeting of the study 
34.32 	group. The study group shall elect a chair or cochairs from among the members at that 
34.33 	first meeting. The study group must meet periodically. The Legislative Coordinating 
34.34 	Commission shall provide technical and administrative assistance upon request.
35.1 	(d) In reviewing the legislative auditor's report and developing its recommendations, 
35.2 	the study group must consult with the Board of Teaching, the licensing division at the 
35.3 	Department of Education, the Minnesota Board of School Administrators, and interested 
35.4 	and affected stakeholders.
35.5 	(e) The study group expires on February 2, 2017, unless extended by law.

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

35.7 	Sec. 35. BOARD OF TEACHING REPORT.
 35.8 	The Board of Teaching must prepare and submit a written report to the education 
35.9 	committees of the legislature by February 1, 2017, listing all the statutory and rule 
35.10 	requirements on teacher preparation, examinations, and training applicable to candidates 
35.11 	for teacher licensure, by type of license and all the statutory and rule requirements on 
35.12 	continuing education applicable to teachers seeking to renew a full professional teaching 
35.13 	license.

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

35.15 	Sec. 36. DATA SECURITY PLAN.
 35.16 		Subdivision 1.Plan components. To protect education and related workforce 
35.17 	data on individual students maintained by public schools, school districts, and state 
35.18 	agencies, and consistent with Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13, and sections 116J.401, 
35.19 	120B.11, 120B.12, 120B.30, 120B.31, 120B.35, 120B.36, 124D.49, 124D.52, 124D.861, 
35.20 	125A.085, and 127A.70, subdivision 2, among other student data-related provisions, the 
35.21 	commissioner of education must develop, publish, and oversee a detailed data security 
35.22 	plan combining administrative, physical, and technical safeguards that includes:
35.23 	(1) requirements for:
35.24 	(i) authorizing access to the kindergarten through grade 12 data systems containing 
35.25 	personally identifiable information on students;
35.26 	(ii) authorizing data and system access for other agencies participating in the 
35.27 	Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System and the Early Childhood Longitudinal 
35.28 	Data System;
35.29 	(iii) authenticating authorized access to and the processing of personally identifiable 
35.30 	information on students;
35.31 	(iv) protecting data that describes a student or otherwise identifies a student gathered 
35.32 	by an operator of a Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application 
36.1 	that operates a site, service, or application for kindergarten through grade 12 school 
36.2 	purposes; and
36.3 	(v) sanctions for employees, contractors, grantees, researchers, and vendors who 
36.4 	fail to comply with the guidelines;
36.5 	(2) minimum privacy compliance standards based on reasonable and enforceable 
36.6 	security measures and practices, including background checks, training opportunities 
36.7 	and resources, physical and technical safeguards, and privacy and security agreements 
36.8 	for employees, contractors, grantees, researchers, and vendors with access to personally 
36.9 	identifiable information on students, among other privacy and security measures and 
36.10 	practices;
36.11 	(3) regular privacy and security compliance audits of the Statewide Longitudinal 
36.12 	Education Data System and other data systems; and
36.13 	(4) data retention, storage, disposal, and security policies and protocols that include:
36.14 	(i) safeguards for protecting, managing, accessing, and destroying students' 
36.15 	personally identifiable data; and
36.16 	(ii) plans, notices, and mitigation procedures for responding to data breaches, among 
36.17 	other such policies and protocols.
36.18 		Subd. 2.Plan report. The commissioner of education must submit a report by 
36.19 	January 10, 2017, to the education and data practices committees of the legislature on the 
36.20 	Department of Education's progress in developing the data security plan and include in the 
36.21 	report estimates of the costs for further developing and implementing the plan, including 
36.22 	audit, background check, and training costs, among other costs.
36.23 		Subd. 3.Plan costs. The commissioner of education must proceed in developing the 
36.24 	data security plan under subdivision 1 using existing Department of Education resources.
36.25 		Subd. 4.Plan implementation. The commissioner of education may not proceed to 
36.26 	implement the data security plan under this section until July 1, 2017.

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

36.28 	Sec. 37. LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR.
 36.29 	The legislative auditor is requested to perform a financial audit of the Perpich Center 
36.30 	for Arts Education in calendar year 2016, and at least every four calendar years thereafter.

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

36.32 	Sec. 38. REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION.
 37.1 	In the next and subsequent editions of Minnesota Statutes, the revisor of statutes 
37.2 	shall renumber section 29 as Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.339.

37.3 	Sec. 39.  REPEALER.
 37.4 	(a) Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 120B.299, subdivision 5; 122A.413, 
37.5 	subdivision 3; and 122A.74, are repealed.
37.6 	(b) Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.413, subdivisions 1 and 
37.7 	2, are repealed.

37.8 	ARTICLE 3
37.9 	CHARTER SCHOOLS

37.10 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.05, subdivision 4, is 
37.11 	amended to read:
37.12 		Subd. 4.Application content. (a) An applicant must include in its application to 
37.13 	the commissioner to be an approved authorizer at least the following:
37.14 	(1) how chartering schools is a way for the organization to carry out its mission;
37.15 	(2) a description of the capacity of the organization to serve as an authorizer, 
37.16 	including the personnel who will perform the authorizing duties, their qualifications, the 
37.17 	amount of time they will be assigned to this responsibility, and the financial resources 
37.18 	allocated by the organization to this responsibility;
37.19 	(2) a description of the capacity of the organization to serve as an authorizer, 
37.20 	including the positions allocated to authorizing duties, the qualifications for those 
37.21 	positions, the full-time equivalencies of those positions, and the financial resources 
37.22 	available to fund the positions. The commissioner may use information about specific 
37.23 	individuals expected to perform the authorizing duties in deciding whether to approve 
37.24 	or disapprove an organization's application to be approved as an authorizer. The 
37.25 	commissioner may not use information about specific individuals performing the 
37.26 	authorizing duties in reviewing an approved authorizer's performance;
37.27 	(3) a description of the application and review process the authorizer will use to 
37.28 	make decisions regarding the granting of charters;
37.29 	(4) a description of the type of contract it will arrange with the schools it charters 
37.30 	that meets the provisions of section 124E.10;
37.31 	(5) the process to be used for providing ongoing oversight of the school consistent 
37.32 	with the contract expectations specified in clause (4) that assures that the schools chartered 
37.33 	are complying with both the provisions of applicable law and rules, and with the contract;
38.1 	(6) a description of the criteria and process the authorizer will use to grant expanded 
38.2 	applications under section 124E.06, subdivision 5;
38.3 	(7) the process for making decisions regarding the renewal or termination of 
38.4 	the school's charter based on evidence that demonstrates the academic, organizational, 
38.5 	and financial competency of the school, including its success in increasing student 
38.6 	achievement and meeting the goals of the charter school agreement; and
38.7 	(8) an assurance specifying that the organization is committed to serving as an 
38.8 	authorizer for the full five-year term.
38.9 	(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), an authorizer that is a school district may satisfy 
38.10 	the requirements of paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), and any requirement governing a 
38.11 	conflict of interest between an authorizer and its charter schools or ongoing evaluation and 
38.12 	continuing education of an administrator or other professional support staff by submitting 
38.13 	to the commissioner a written promise to comply with the requirements.

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

38.15 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.05, subdivision 5, is 
38.16 	amended to read:
38.17 		Subd. 5.Review by commissioner. (a) The commissioner shall review an 
38.18 	authorizer's performance every five years in a manner and form determined by the 
38.19 	commissioner, subject to paragraphs (b) and (c), and may review an authorizer's 
38.20 	performance more frequently at the commissioner's own initiative or at the request of a 
38.21 	charter school operator, charter school board member, or other interested party. The 
38.22 	commissioner, after completing the review, shall transmit a report with findings to the 
38.23 	authorizer.
38.24 	(b) Consistent with this subdivision, the commissioner must:
38.25 	(1) use criteria appropriate to the authorizer and the schools it charters to review 
38.26 	the authorizer's performance; and
38.27 	(2) consult with authorizers, charter school operators, and other charter school 
38.28 	stakeholders in developing review criteria under this paragraph.
38.29 	(c) The commissioner's form must use existing department data on the authorizer to 
38.30 	minimize duplicate reporting to the extent practicable. When reviewing an authorizer's 
38.31 	performance under this subdivision, the commissioner must not:
38.32 	(1) fail to credit;
38.33 	(2) withhold points; or
38.34 	(3) otherwise penalize an authorizer for failing to charter additional schools or for 
38.35 	the absence of complaints against the authorizer's current portfolio of charter schools.

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

39.2 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.05, subdivision 7, is 
39.3 	amended to read:
39.4 		Subd. 7.Withdrawal. If the governing board of an approved authorizer votes to 
39.5 	withdraw as an approved authorizer for a reason unrelated to any cause under section 
39.6 	124E.10, subdivision 4, the authorizer must notify all its chartered schools and the 
39.7 	commissioner in writing by July 15 of its intent to withdraw as an authorizer on June 30 
39.8 	in the next calendar year, regardless of when the authorizer's five-year term of approval 
39.9 	ends. The commissioner may approve the transfer of a charter school to a new authorizer 
39.10 	under this subdivision after the new authorizer submits an affidavit to the commissioner
39.11 	section 124E.10, subdivision 5.

39.12 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.10, subdivision 1, is 
39.13 	amended to read:
39.14 		Subdivision 1.Contents. (a) The authorization for a charter school must be in the 
39.15 	form of a written contract signed by the authorizer and the board of directors of the charter 
39.16 	school. The contract must be completed within 45 business days of the commissioner's 
39.17 	approval of the authorizer's affidavit. The authorizer shall submit to the commissioner a 
39.18 	copy of the signed charter contract within ten business days of its execution. The contract 
39.19 	for a charter school must be in writing and contain at least the following:
39.20 	(1) a declaration that the charter school will carry out the primary purpose in section 
39.21 	124E.01, subdivision 1, and how the school will report its implementation of the primary 
39.22 	purpose;
39.23 	(2) a declaration of the additional purpose or purposes in section 124E.01, 
39.24 	subdivision 1, that the school intends to carry out and how the school will report its 
39.25 	implementation of those purposes;
39.26 	(3) a description of the school program and the specific academic and nonacademic 
39.27 	outcomes that pupils must achieve;
39.28 	(4) a statement of admission policies and procedures;
39.29 	(5) a governance, management, and administration plan for the school;
39.30 	(6) signed agreements from charter school board members to comply with all 
39.31 	federal and state laws governing organizational, programmatic, and financial requirements 
39.32 	applicable to charter schools;
40.1 	(7) the criteria, processes, and procedures that the authorizer will use to monitor and 
40.2 	evaluate the fiscal, operational, and academic performance consistent with subdivision 
40.3 	3, paragraphs (a) and (b);
40.4 	(8) for contract renewal, the formal written performance evaluation of the school 
40.5 	that is a prerequisite for reviewing a charter contract under subdivision 3;
40.6 	(9) types and amounts of insurance liability coverage to be obtained by the charter 
40.7 	school, consistent with section 124E.03, subdivision 2, paragraph (d);
40.8 	(10) consistent with section 124E.09, paragraph (d), a provision to indemnify and 
40.9 	hold harmless the authorizer and its officers, agents, and employees from any suit, claim, 
40.10 	or liability arising from any operation of the charter school, and the commissioner and 
40.11 	department officers, agents, and employees notwithstanding section 3.736;
40.12 	(11) the term of the initial contract, which may be up to five years plus an additional 
40.13 	a preoperational planning year period, and up to five years for a renewed contract or a 
40.14 	contract with a new authorizer after a transfer of authorizers, if warranted by the school's 
40.15 	academic, financial, and operational performance;
40.16 	(12) how the board of directors or the operators of the charter school will provide 
40.17 	special instruction and services for children with a disability under sections 125A.03 
40.18 	to 125A.24, and 125A.65, a description of the financial parameters within which the 
40.19 	charter school will operate to provide the special instruction and services to children 
40.20 	with a disability;
40.21 	(13) the specific conditions for contract renewal that identify performance of all 
40.22 	students under the primary purpose of section 124E.01, subdivision 1, as the most 
40.23 	important factor in determining contract renewal;
40.24 	(14) the additional purposes under section 124E.01, subdivision 1, and related 
40.25 	performance obligations under clause (7) contained in the charter contract as additional 
40.26 	factors in determining contract renewal; and
40.27 	(15) the plan for an orderly closing of the school under chapter 317A, whether 
40.28 	the closure is a termination for cause, a voluntary termination, or a nonrenewal of the 
40.29 	contract, that includes establishing the responsibilities of the school board of directors 
40.30 	and the authorizer and notifying the commissioner, authorizer, school district in which the 
40.31 	charter school is located, and parents of enrolled students about the closure, information 
40.32 	and assistance sufficient to enable the student to re-enroll in another school, the transfer 
40.33 	of student records under section 124E.03, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), and procedures 
40.34 	for closing financial operations.
40.35 	(b) A charter school must design its programs to at least meet the outcomes adopted 
40.36 	by the commissioner for public school students, including world's best workforce goals 
41.1 	under section 120B.11, subdivision 1. In the absence of the commissioner's requirements, 
41.2 	the school must meet the outcomes contained in the contract with the authorizer. The 
41.3 	achievement levels of the outcomes contained in the contract may exceed the achievement 
41.4 	levels of any outcomes adopted by the commissioner for public school students.

41.5 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.10, subdivision 5, is 
41.6 	amended to read:
41.7 		Subd. 5.Mutual nonrenewal. If the authorizer and the charter school board of 
41.8 	directors mutually agree not to renew the contract, or if the governing board of an approved 
41.9 	authorizer votes to withdraw as an approved authorizer for a reason unrelated to any cause 
41.10 	under subdivision 4, a change in authorizers is allowed. The authorizer and the school 
41.11 	board must jointly submit a written and signed letter of their intent to the commissioner to 
41.12 	mutually not renew the contract. The authorizer that is a party to the existing contract must 
41.13 	inform the proposed authorizer about the fiscal, operational, and student performance status 
41.14 	of the school, as well as any including unmet contract outcomes and other outstanding 
41.15 	contractual obligations that exist. The charter contract between the proposed authorizer 
41.16 	and the school must identify and provide a plan to address any outstanding obligations from 
41.17 	the previous contract. The proposed contract must be submitted at least 105 business days 
41.18 	before the end of the existing charter contract. The commissioner shall have 30 business 
41.19 	days to review and make a determination. The proposed authorizer and the school shall 
41.20 	have 15 business days to respond to the determination and address any issues identified by 
41.21 	the commissioner. A final determination by the commissioner shall be made no later than 
41.22 	45 business days before the end of the current charter contract. If no change in authorizer 
41.23 	is approved, the school and the current authorizer may withdraw their letter of nonrenewal 
41.24 	and enter into a new contract. If the transfer of authorizers is not approved and the current 
41.25 	authorizer and the school do not withdraw their letter and enter into a new contract, the 
41.26 	school must be dissolved according to applicable law and the terms of the contract.

41.27 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.16, subdivision 2, is 
41.28 	amended to read:
41.29 		Subd. 2.Annual public reports. (a) A charter school must publish an annual report 
41.30 	approved by the board of directors. The annual report must at least include information 
41.31 	on school enrollment, student attrition, governance and management, staffing, finances, 
41.32 	academic performance, innovative practices and implementation, and future plans. A 
41.33 	charter school may combine this report with the reporting required under section 120B.11. 
41.34 	A charter school must post the annual report on the school's official Web site. A charter 
42.1 	school must also distribute the annual report by publication, mail, or electronic means to 
42.2 	its authorizer, school employees, and parents and legal guardians of students enrolled in 
42.3 	the charter school. The reports are public data under chapter 13.
42.4 	(b) The commissioner shall establish specifications for An authorizer must submit an 
42.5 	authorizer's annual public report that in a manner specified by the commissioner by January 
42.6 	15 for the previous school year ending June 30 that shall at least include key indicators of 
42.7 	school academic, operational, and financial performance. The report is part of the system 
42.8 	to evaluate authorizer performance under section 124E.05, subdivision 5. The report shall 
42.9 	at least include key indicators of school academic, operational, and financial performance.

42.10 	ARTICLE 4
42.11 	SPECIAL EDUCATION

42.12 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 120B.125, is amended to read:
42.13 	120B.125 PLANNING FOR STUDENTS' SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION 
42.14 	TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT; PERSONAL 
42.15 	LEARNING PLANS.
42.16 	(a) Consistent with sections 120B.13, 120B.131, 120B.132, 120B.14, 120B.15, 
42.17 	120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), 125A.08, and other related sections, school 
42.18 	districts, beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, must assist all students by no later 
42.19 	than grade 9 to explore their educational, college, and career interests, aptitudes, and 
42.20 	aspirations and develop a plan for a smooth and successful transition to postsecondary 
42.21 	education or employment. All students' plans must:
42.22 	(1) provide a comprehensive plan to prepare for and complete a career and college 
42.23 	ready curriculum by meeting state and local academic standards and developing career and 
42.24 	employment-related skills such as team work, collaboration, creativity, communication, 
42.25 	critical thinking, and good work habits;
42.26 	(2) emphasize academic rigor and high expectations;
42.27 	(3) help students identify interests, aptitudes, aspirations, and personal learning 
42.28 	styles that may affect their career and college ready goals and postsecondary education 
42.29 	and employment choices;
42.30 	(4) set appropriate career and college ready goals with timelines that identify 
42.31 	effective means for achieving those goals;
42.32 	(5) help students access education and career options;
43.1 	(6) integrate strong academic content into career-focused courses and applied and 
43.2 	experiential learning opportunities and integrate relevant career-focused courses and 
43.3 	applied and experiential learning opportunities into strong academic content;
43.4 	(7) help identify and access appropriate counseling and other supports and assistance 
43.5 	that enable students to complete required coursework, prepare for postsecondary education 
43.6 	and careers, and obtain information about postsecondary education costs and eligibility 
43.7 	for financial aid and scholarship;
43.8 	(8) help identify collaborative partnerships among prekindergarten through grade 
43.9 	12 schools, postsecondary institutions, economic development agencies, and local and 
43.10 	regional employers that support students' transition to postsecondary education and 
43.11 	employment and provide students with applied and experiential learning opportunities; and
43.12 	(9) be reviewed and revised at least annually by the student, the student's parent or 
43.13 	guardian, and the school or district to ensure that the student's course-taking schedule keeps 
43.14 	the student making adequate progress to meet state and local academic standards and high 
43.15 	school graduation requirements and with a reasonable chance to succeed with employment 
43.16 	or postsecondary education without the need to first complete remedial course work.
43.17 	(b) A school district may develop grade-level curricula or provide instruction that 
43.18 	introduces students to various careers, but must not require any curriculum, instruction, 
43.19 	or employment-related activity that obligates an elementary or secondary student to 
43.20 	involuntarily select or pursue a career, career interest, employment goals, or related job 
43.21 	training.
43.22 	(c) Educators must possess the knowledge and skills to effectively teach all English 
43.23 	learners in their classrooms. School districts must provide appropriate curriculum, 
43.24 	targeted materials, professional development opportunities for educators, and sufficient 
43.25 	resources to enable English learners to become career and college ready.
43.26 	(d) When assisting students in developing a plan for a smooth and successful 
43.27 	transition to postsecondary education and employment, districts must recognize the unique 
43.28 	possibilities of each student and ensure that the contents of each student's plan reflect the 
43.29 	student's unique talents, skills, and abilities as the student grows, develops, and learns.
43.30 	(e) If a student with a disability has an individualized education program (IEP) or 
43.31 	standardized written plan that meets the plan components of this section, the IEP satisfies 
43.32 	the requirement and no additional transition plan is needed.

43.33 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.31, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
43.34 		Subd. 3.Qualified interpreters. The Department of Education and the resource 
43.35 	center: state specialist for deaf and hard of hearing hard-of-hearing shall work with 
44.1 	existing interpreter/transliterator training programs, other training/educational institutions, 
44.2 	and the regional service centers to ensure that ongoing staff development training for 
44.3 	educational interpreters/transliterators is provided throughout the state.

44.4 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.15, subdivision 15, is amended to read:
44.5 		Subd. 15.Eligibility. A child is eligible to participate in a school readiness program 
44.6 	if the child:
44.7 	(1) is at least three years old on September 1;
44.8 	(2) has completed health and developmental screening within 90 days of program 
44.9 	enrollment under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19; and
44.10 	(3) has one or more of the following risk factors:
44.11 	(i) qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch;
44.12 	(ii) is an English learner;
44.13 	(iii) is homeless;
44.14 	(iv) has an individualized education program (IEP) or an individual interagency 
44.15 	intervention plan (IIIP) standardized written plan;
44.16 	(v) is identified, through health and developmental screenings under sections 
44.17 	121A.16 to 121A.19, with a potential risk factor that may influence learning; or
44.18 	(vi) is defined as at-risk at risk by the school district.

44.19 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 125A.08, is amended to read:
44.20 	125A.08 INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
44.21 	(a) At the beginning of each school year, each school district shall have in effect, for 
44.22 	each child with a disability, an individualized education program.
44.23 	(b) As defined in this section, every district must ensure the following:
44.24 	(1) all students with disabilities are provided the special instruction and services 
44.25 	which are appropriate to their needs. Where the individualized education program team 
44.26 	has determined appropriate goals and objectives based on the student's needs, including 
44.27 	the extent to which the student can be included in the least restrictive environment, 
44.28 	and where there are essentially equivalent and effective instruction, related services, or 
44.29 	assistive technology devices available to meet the student's needs, cost to the district may 
44.30 	be among the factors considered by the team in choosing how to provide the appropriate 
44.31 	services, instruction, or devices that are to be made part of the student's individualized 
44.32 	education program. The individualized education program team shall consider and 
44.33 	may authorize services covered by medical assistance according to section 256B.0625, 
44.34 	subdivision 26. The student's needs and the special education instruction and services to 
45.1 	be provided must be agreed upon through the development of an individualized education 
45.2 	program. The program must address the student's need to develop skills to live and work 
45.3 	as independently as possible within the community. The individualized education program 
45.4 	team must consider positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports that address 
45.5 	behavior needs for children. During grade 9, the program must address the student's 
45.6 	needs for transition from secondary services to postsecondary education and training, 
45.7 	employment, community participation, recreation, and leisure and home living. In 
45.8 	developing the program, districts must inform parents of the full range of transitional goals 
45.9 	and related services that should be considered. The program must include a statement of 
45.10 	the needed transition services, including a statement of the interagency responsibilities 
45.11 	or linkages or both before secondary services are concluded. If the IEP meets the plan 
45.12 	components in section 120B.125, the IEP satisfies the requirement and no additional 
45.13 	transition plan is needed;
45.14 	(2) children with a disability under age five and their families are provided special 
45.15 	instruction and services appropriate to the child's level of functioning and needs;
45.16 	(3) children with a disability and their parents or guardians are guaranteed procedural 
45.17 	safeguards and the right to participate in decisions involving identification, assessment 
45.18 	including assistive technology assessment, and educational placement of children with a 
45.19 	disability;
45.20 	(4) eligibility and needs of children with a disability are determined by an initial 
45.21 	evaluation or reevaluation, which may be completed using existing data under United 
45.22 	States Code, title 20, section 33, et seq.;
45.23 	(5) to the maximum extent appropriate, children with a disability, including those 
45.24 	in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who 
45.25 	are not disabled, and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children 
45.26 	with a disability from the regular educational environment occurs only when and to the 
45.27 	extent that the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes 
45.28 	with the use of supplementary services cannot be achieved satisfactorily;
45.29 	(6) in accordance with recognized professional standards, testing and evaluation 
45.30 	materials, and procedures used for the purposes of classification and placement of children 
45.31 	with a disability are selected and administered so as not to be racially or culturally 
45.32 	discriminatory; and
45.33 	(7) the rights of the child are protected when the parents or guardians are not known 
45.34 	or not available, or the child is a ward of the state.
46.1 	(c) For all paraprofessionals employed to work in programs whose role in part is 
46.2 	to provide direct support to students with disabilities, the school board in each district 
46.3 	shall ensure that:
46.4 	(1) before or beginning at the time of employment, each paraprofessional must 
46.5 	develop sufficient knowledge and skills in emergency procedures, building orientation, 
46.6 	roles and responsibilities, confidentiality, vulnerability, and reportability, among other 
46.7 	things, to begin meeting the needs, especially disability-specific and behavioral needs, of 
46.8 	the students with whom the paraprofessional works;
46.9 	(2) annual training opportunities are required to enable the paraprofessional to 
46.10 	continue to further develop the knowledge and skills that are specific to the students with 
46.11 	whom the paraprofessional works, including understanding disabilities, the unique and 
46.12 	individual needs of each student according to the student's disability and how the disability 
46.13 	affects the student's education and behavior, following lesson plans, and implementing 
46.14 	follow-up instructional procedures and activities; and
46.15 	(3) a districtwide process obligates each paraprofessional to work under the ongoing 
46.16 	direction of a licensed teacher and, where appropriate and possible, the supervision of a 
46.17 	school nurse.

46.18 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 125A.091, subdivision 11, is amended to read:
46.19 		Subd. 11.Facilitated team meeting. A facilitated team meeting is an IEP, IFSP, or 
46.20 	IIIPmultiagency team meeting led by an impartial state-provided facilitator to promote 
46.21 	effective communication and assist a team in developing an individualized education 
46.22 	program.

46.23 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 125A.0942, subdivision 3, 
46.24 	is amended to read:
46.25 		Subd. 3.Physical holding or seclusion. (a) Physical holding or seclusion may be 
46.26 	used only in an emergency. A school that uses physical holding or seclusion shall meet the 
46.27 	following requirements:
46.28 	(1) physical holding or seclusion is the least intrusive intervention that effectively 
46.29 	responds to the emergency;
46.30 	(2) physical holding or seclusion is not used to discipline a noncompliant child;
46.31 	(3) physical holding or seclusion ends when the threat of harm ends and the staff 
46.32 	determines the child can safely return to the classroom or activity;
46.33 	(4) staff directly observes the child while physical holding or seclusion is being used;
47.1 	(5) each time physical holding or seclusion is used, the staff person who implements 
47.2 	or oversees the physical holding or seclusion documents, as soon as possible after the 
47.3 	incident concludes, the following information:
47.4 	(i) a description of the incident that led to the physical holding or seclusion;
47.5 	(ii) why a less restrictive measure failed or was determined by staff to be 
47.6 	inappropriate or impractical;
47.7 	(iii) the time the physical holding or seclusion began and the time the child was 
47.8 	released; and
47.9 	(iv) a brief record of the child's behavioral and physical status;
47.10 	(6) the room used for seclusion must:
47.11 	(i) be at least six feet by five feet;
47.12 	(ii) be well lit, well ventilated, adequately heated, and clean;
47.13 	(iii) have a window that allows staff to directly observe a child in seclusion;
47.14 	(iv) have tamperproof fixtures, electrical switches located immediately outside the 
47.15 	door, and secure ceilings;
47.16 	(v) have doors that open out and are unlocked, locked with keyless locks that 
47.17 	have immediate release mechanisms, or locked with locks that have immediate release 
47.18 	mechanisms connected with a fire and emergency system; and
47.19 	(vi) not contain objects that a child may use to injure the child or others; and
47.20 	(7) before using a room for seclusion, a school must:
47.21 	(i) receive written notice from local authorities that the room and the locking 
47.22 	mechanisms comply with applicable building, fire, and safety codes; and
47.23 	(ii) register the room with the commissioner, who may view that room; and.
47.24 	(8) until August 1, 2015, a school district may use prone restraints with children 
47.25 	age five or older if:
47.26 	(i) the district has provided to the department a list of staff who have had specific 
47.27 	training on the use of prone restraints;
47.28 	(ii) the district provides information on the type of training that was provided and 
47.29 	by whom;
47.30 	(iii) only staff who received specific training use prone restraints;
47.31 	(iv) each incident of the use of prone restraints is reported to the department within 
47.32 	five working days on a form provided by the department; and
47.33 	(v) the district, before using prone restraints, must review any known medical or 
47.34 	psychological limitations that contraindicate the use of prone restraints.
47.35 	The department must collect data on districts' use of prone restraints and publish the 
47.36 	data in a readily accessible format on the department's Web site on a quarterly basis.
48.1 	(b) By February 1, 2015, and annually thereafter, stakeholders may, as necessary, 
48.2 	recommend to the commissioner specific and measurable implementation and outcome 
48.3 	goals for reducing the use of restrictive procedures and the commissioner must submit to 
48.4 	the legislature a report on districts' progress in reducing the use of restrictive procedures 
48.5 	that recommends how to further reduce these procedures and eliminate the use of 
48.6 	prone restraints seclusion. The statewide plan includes the following components: 
48.7 	measurable goals; the resources, training, technical assistance, mental health services, 
48.8 	and collaborative efforts needed to significantly reduce districts' use of prone restraints
48.9 	seclusion; and recommendations to clarify and improve the law governing districts' use 
48.10 	of restrictive procedures. The commissioner must consult with interested stakeholders 
48.11 	when preparing the report, including representatives of advocacy organizations, special 
48.12 	education directors, teachers, paraprofessionals, intermediate school districts, school 
48.13 	boards, day treatment providers, county social services, state human services department 
48.14 	staff, mental health professionals, and autism experts. By June 30Beginning with the 
48.15 	2016-2017 school year, in a form and manner determined by the commissioner, districts 
48.16 	must report data quarterly to the department by January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 
48.17 	15, about individual students who have been secluded. By July 15 each year, districts 
48.18 	must report summary data on their use of restrictive procedures to the department for 
48.19 	the prior school year, July 1 through June 30, in a form and manner determined by the 
48.20 	commissioner. The summary data must include information about the use of restrictive 
48.21 	procedures, including use of reasonable force under section 121A.582.

48.22 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2016-2017 school year and 
48.23 	later.

48.24 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 125A.0942, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
48.25 		Subd. 4.Prohibitions. The following actions or procedures are prohibited:
48.26 	(1) engaging in conduct prohibited under section 121A.58;
48.27 	(2) requiring a child to assume and maintain a specified physical position, activity, 
48.28 	or posture that induces physical pain;
48.29 	(3) totally or partially restricting a child's senses as punishment;
48.30 	(4) presenting an intense sound, light, or other sensory stimuli using smell, taste, 
48.31 	substance, or spray as punishment;
48.32 	(5) denying or restricting a child's access to equipment and devices such as walkers, 
48.33 	wheelchairs, hearing aids, and communication boards that facilitate the child's functioning, 
48.34 	except when temporarily removing the equipment or device is needed to prevent injury 
49.1 	to the child or others or serious damage to the equipment or device, in which case the 
49.2 	equipment or device shall be returned to the child as soon as possible;
49.3 	(6) interacting with a child in a manner that constitutes sexual abuse, neglect, or 
49.4 	physical abuse under section 626.556;
49.5 	(7) withholding regularly scheduled meals or water;
49.6 	(8) denying access to bathroom facilities; and
49.7 	(9) physical holding that restricts or impairs a child's ability to breathe, restricts or 
49.8 	impairs a child's ability to communicate distress, places pressure or weight on a child's 
49.9 	head, throat, neck, chest, lungs, sternum, diaphragm, back, or abdomen, or results in 
49.10 	straddling a child's torso.; and
49.11 	(10) prone restraint.

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

49.13 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 125A.63, subdivision 4, is 
49.14 	amended to read:
49.15 		Subd. 4.Advisory committees. (a) The commissioner shall establish advisory 
49.16 	committees for the deaf and hard-of-hearing and for the blind and visually impaired. The 
49.17 	advisory committees shall develop recommendations and submit an annual report to the 
49.18 	commissioner on the form and in the manner prescribed by the commissioner.
49.19 	(b) The advisory committees for the deaf and hard of hearing and for the blind and 
49.20 	visually impaired shall meet periodically at least four times per year and. The committees 
49.21 	must  each review, approve, and submit an annual a biennial report to the commissioner, 
49.22 	the education policy and finance committees of the legislature, and the Commission of 
49.23 	Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard-of-Hearing Minnesotans. The reports must, at least:
49.24 	(1) identify and report the aggregate, data-based education outcomes for children 
49.25 	with the primary disability classification of deaf and hard of hearing or of blind and 
49.26 	visually impaired, consistent with the commissioner's child count reporting practices, the 
49.27 	commissioner's state and local outcome data reporting system by district and region, and 
49.28 	the school performance report cards under section 120B.36, subdivision 1; and
49.29 	(2) describe the implementation of a data-based plan for improving the education 
49.30 	outcomes of deaf and hard of hearing or blind and visually impaired children that is 
49.31 	premised on evidence-based best practices, and provide a cost estimate for ongoing 
49.32 	implementation of the plan.

50.1 	ARTICLE 5
50.2 	FACILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY

50.3 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.53, subdivision 1, is 
50.4 	amended to read:
50.5 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the eligible debt service 
50.6 	revenue of a district is defined as follows:
50.7 	(1) the amount needed to produce between five and six percent in excess of the 
50.8 	amount needed to meet when due the principal and interest payments on the obligations 
50.9 	of the district for eligible projects according to subdivision 2, including the amounts 
50.10 	necessary for repayment of energy loans according to section 216C.37 or sections 298.292 
50.11 	to 298.298, debt service loans, capital loans, and lease purchase payments under section 
50.12 	126C.40, subdivision 2, excluding long-term facilities maintenance levies under section 
50.13 	123B.595, minus
50.14 	(2) the amount of debt service excess levy reduction for that school year calculated 
50.15 	according to the procedure established by the commissioner.
50.16 	(b) The obligations in this paragraph are excluded from eligible debt service revenue:
50.17 	(1) obligations under section 123B.61;
50.18 	(2) the part of debt service principal and interest paid from the taconite environmental 
50.19 	protection fund or Douglas J. Johnson economic protection trust, excluding the portion of 
50.20 	taconite payments from the Iron Range school consolidation and cooperatively operated 
50.21 	school account under section 298.28, subdivision 7a;
50.22 	(3) obligations issued under Laws 1991, chapter 265, article 5, section 18, as 
50.23 	amended by Laws 1992, chapter 499, article 5, section 24;
50.24 	(4) obligations under section 123B.62; and
50.25 	(5) obligations equalized under section 123B.535.
50.26 	(c) For purposes of this section, if a preexisting school district reorganized under 
50.27 	sections 123A.35 to 123A.43, 123A.46, and 123A.48 is solely responsible for retirement 
50.28 	of the preexisting district's bonded indebtedness, capital loans or debt service loans, debt 
50.29 	service equalization aid must be computed separately for each of the preexisting districts.
50.30 	(d) For purposes of this section, the adjusted net tax capacity determined according 
50.31 	to sections 127A.48 and 273.1325 shall be adjusted to include the tax capacity of property 
50.32 	generally exempted from ad valorem taxes under section 272.02, subdivision 64.

50.33 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
50.34 	later.

51.1 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.571, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
51.2 		Subd. 2.Radon testing. A school district may include radon testing as a part of 
51.3 	its health and safety ten-year facility plan under section 123B.595, subdivision 4. If a 
51.4 	school district receives authority to use health and safety long-term facilities maintenance
51.5 	revenue to conduct radon testing, the district shall conduct the testing according to the 
51.6 	radon testing plan developed by the commissioners of health and education.

51.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
51.8 	later.

51.9 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 4, is 
51.10 	amended to read:
51.11 		Subd. 4.Facilities plans. (a) To qualify for revenue under this section, a school 
51.12 	district or intermediate district, not including a charter school, must have a ten-year facility 
51.13 	plan adopted by the school board and approved by the commissioner. The plan must include 
51.14 	provisions for implementing a health and safety program that complies with health, safety, 
51.15 	and environmental regulations and best practices, including indoor air quality management.
51.16 	(b) The district must annually update the plan, biennially submit a facility 
51.17 	maintenance the plan to the commissioner for approval by July 31, and indicate whether 
51.18 	the district will issue bonds to finance the plan or levy for the costs.
51.19 	(c) For school districts issuing bonds to finance the plan, the plan must include a 
51.20 	debt service schedule demonstrating that the debt service revenue required to pay the 
51.21 	principal and interest on the bonds each year will not exceed the projected long-term 
51.22 	facilities revenue for that year.

51.23 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
51.24 	later.

51.25 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 7, is 
51.26 	amended to read:
51.27 		Subd. 7.Long-term facilities maintenance equalization revenue. (a) For fiscal 
51.28 	year 2017 only, a district's long-term facilities maintenance equalization revenue equals 
51.29 	the lesser of (1) $193 times the adjusted pupil units or (2) the district's revenue under 
51.30 	subdivision 1.
51.31 	(b) For fiscal year 2018 only, a district's long-term facilities maintenance 
51.32 	equalization revenue equals the lesser of (1) $292 times the adjusted pupil units or (2) 
51.33 	the district's revenue under subdivision 1.
52.1 	(c) For fiscal year 2019 and later, a district's long-term facilities maintenance 
52.2 	equalization revenue equals the lesser of (1) $380 times the adjusted pupil units or (2) 
52.3 	the district's revenue under subdivision 1.
52.4 	(d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) to (c), a district's long-term facilities maintenance 
52.5 	equalization revenue must not be less than the lesser of the district's long-term facilities 
52.6 	maintenance revenue or the amount of aid the district received for fiscal year 2015 under 
52.7 	section 123B.59, subdivision 6.

52.8 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
52.9 	later.

52.10 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 8, is 
52.11 	amended to read:
52.12 		Subd. 8.Long-term facilities maintenance equalized levy. (a) For fiscal year 2017 
52.13 	and later, a district's long-term facilities maintenance equalized levy equals the district's 
52.14 	long-term facilities maintenance equalization revenue minus the greater of:
52.15 	(1) the lesser of the district's long-term facilities maintenance equalization revenue 
52.16 	or the amount of aid the district received for fiscal year 2015 under Minnesota Statutes 
52.17 	2014, section 123B.59, subdivision 6; or
52.18 	(2) the district's long-term facilities maintenance equalization revenue times the 
52.19 	greater of (i) zero or (ii) one minus the ratio of its adjusted net tax capacity per adjusted 
52.20 	pupil unit in the year preceding the year the levy is certified to 123 percent of the state 
52.21 	average adjusted net tax capacity per adjusted pupil unit for all school districts in the 
52.22 	year preceding the year the levy is certified.
52.23 	(b) For purposes of this subdivision, "adjusted net tax capacity" means the value 
52.24 	described in section 126C.01, subdivision 2, paragraph (b).

52.25 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
52.26 	later.

52.27 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, is amended by adding 
52.28 	a subdivision to read:
52.29 		Subd. 8a.Long-term facilities maintenance unequalized levy. For fiscal year 
52.30 	2017 and later, a district's long-term facilities maintenance unequalized levy equals the 
52.31 	difference between the district's revenue under subdivision 1 and the district's equalization 
52.32 	revenue under subdivision 7.

53.1 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
53.2 	later.

53.3 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 9, is 
53.4 	amended to read:
53.5 		Subd. 9.Long-term facilities maintenance equalized aid. For fiscal year 2017 
53.6 	and later, a district's long-term facilities maintenance equalized aid equals its long-term 
53.7 	facilities maintenance equalization revenue minus its long-term facilities maintenance 
53.8 	equalized levy times the ratio of the actual equalized amount levied to the permitted 
53.9 	equalized levy.

53.10 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
53.11 	later.

53.12 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 10, 
53.13 	is amended to read:
53.14 		Subd. 10.Allowed uses for long-term facilities maintenance revenue. (a) A 
53.15 	district may use revenue under this section for any of the following:
53.16 	(1) deferred capital expenditures and maintenance projects necessary to prevent 
53.17 	further erosion of facilities;
53.18 	(2) increasing accessibility of school facilities; or
53.19 	(3) health and safety capital projects under section 123B.57.; or
53.20 	(4) by board resolution, to transfer money from the general fund reserve for long-term 
53.21 	facilities maintenance to the debt redemption fund to pay the amounts needed to meet, 
53.22 	when due, principal and interest on general obligation bonds issued under subdivision 5.
53.23 	(b) A charter school may use revenue under this section for any purpose related 
53.24 	to the school.

53.25 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
53.26 	later.

53.27 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 11, 
53.28 	is amended to read:
53.29 		Subd. 11.Restrictions on long-term facilities maintenance revenue.
 53.30 	Notwithstanding subdivision 11 10, long-term facilities maintenance revenue may not 
53.31 	be used:
54.1 	(1) for the construction of new facilities, remodeling of existing facilities, or the 
54.2 	purchase of portable classrooms;
54.3 	(2) to finance a lease purchase agreement, installment purchase agreement, or other 
54.4 	deferred payments agreement;
54.5 	(3) for energy-efficiency projects under section 123B.65, for a building or property 
54.6 	or part of a building or property used for postsecondary instruction or administration, or 
54.7 	for a purpose unrelated to elementary and secondary education; or
54.8 	(4) for violence prevention and facility security, ergonomics, or emergency 
54.9 	communication devices.

54.10 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
54.11 	later.

54.12 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.60, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
54.13 		Subdivision 1.Bonds. When a building owned by a district is substantially damaged 
54.14 	by an act of God or other means beyond the control of the district, the district may issue 
54.15 	general obligation bonds without an election to provide money immediately to carry 
54.16 	out its adopted health and safety long-term facilities maintenance program. Each year 
54.17 	the district must pledge an attributable share of its health and safety long-term facilities 
54.18 	maintenance revenue to the repayment of principal and interest on the bonds. The pledged 
54.19 	revenue must be transferred to recognized in the debt redemption fund of the district. The 
54.20 	district must submit to the department the repayment schedule for any bonds issued under 
54.21 	this section. The district must deposit in the debt redemption fund all proceeds received 
54.22 	for specific costs for which the bonds were issued, including but not limited to:
54.23 	(1) insurance proceeds;
54.24 	(2) restitution proceeds; and
54.25 	(3) proceeds of litigation or settlement of a lawsuit.
54.26 	Before bonds are issued, the district must submit a combined an amended
54.27 	application to the commissioner for health and safety long-term facilities maintenance
54.28 	revenue, according to section 123B.57, and requesting review and comment, according 
54.29 	to section 123B.71, subdivisions 8, 9, 11, and 12 123B.595. The commissioner shall 
54.30 	complete all procedures concerning the combined application within 20 days of receiving 
54.31 	the application. The publication provisions of section 123B.71, subdivision 12, do not 
54.32 	apply to bonds issued under this section.

54.33 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
54.34 	later.

55.1 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.71, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
55.2 		Subd. 8.Review and comment. A school district, a special education cooperative, 
55.3 	or a cooperative unit of government, as defined in section 123A.24, subdivision 2, 
55.4 	must not initiate an installment contract for purchase or a lease agreement, hold a 
55.5 	referendum for bonds, nor solicit bids for new construction, expansion, or remodeling of 
55.6 	an educational facility that requires an expenditure in excess of $500,000 per school site if 
55.7 	it has a capital loan outstanding, or $2,000,000 per school site if it does not have a capital 
55.8 	loan outstanding, prior to review and comment by the commissioner. A facility addition, 
55.9 	maintenance project, or remodeling project funded only with general education revenue, 
55.10 	deferred maintenance revenue, alternative facilities bonding and levy program revenue, 
55.11 	lease levy proceeds, capital facilities bond proceeds, or health and safety long-term 
55.12 	facilities maintenance revenue is exempt from this provision. A capital project under 
55.13 	section 123B.63 addressing only technology is exempt from this provision if the district 
55.14 	submits a school board resolution stating that funds approved by the voters will be used 
55.15 	only as authorized in section 126C.10, subdivision 14. A school board shall not separate 
55.16 	portions of a single project into components to avoid the requirements of this subdivision.

55.17 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment 
55.18 	and applies to review and comments for projects funded with revenue for fiscal year 
55.19 	2017 and later.

55.20 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.79, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
55.21 		Subd. 5.Deficits; exception. For the purposes of this section, a permanent transfer 
55.22 	includes creating a deficit in a nonoperating fund for a period past the end of the current 
55.23 	fiscal year which is covered by moneys in an operating fund. However, A deficit in the 
55.24 	capital expenditure fund reserve for operating capital account pursuant to section 123B.78, 
55.25 	subdivision 5, does not constitute a permanent transfer.

55.26 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
55.27 	later.

55.28 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.79, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
55.29 		Subd. 8.Account transfer for reorganizing districts. A district that has 
55.30 	reorganized according to sections 123A.35 to 123A.43, 123A.46, or 123A.48, or has 
55.31 	conducted a successful referendum on the question of combination under section 
55.32 	123A.37, subdivision 2, or consolidation under section 123A.48, subdivision 15, or has 
55.33 	been assigned an identification number by the commissioner under section 123A.48, 
56.1 	subdivision 16, may make permanent transfers between any of the funds or accounts in 
56.2 	the newly created or enlarged district with the exception of the debt redemption fund, 
56.3 	building construction fund, food service fund, and health and safety long-term facilities 
56.4 	maintenance account of the capital expenditure general fund. Fund transfers under this 
56.5 	section may be made for up to one year prior to the effective date of combination or 
56.6 	consolidation by the consolidating boards and during the year following the effective date 
56.7 	of reorganization by the consolidated board. The newly formed board of the combined 
56.8 	district may adopt a resolution on or before August 30 of the year of the reorganization 
56.9 	authorizing a transfer among accounts or funds of the previous independent school 
56.10 	districts which transfer or transfers shall be reported in the affected districts' audited 
56.11 	financial statements for the year immediately preceding the consolidation.

56.12 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2016, for fiscal year 2017 
56.13 	and later.

56.14 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.79, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
56.15 		Subd. 9.Elimination of reserve accounts. A school board shall eliminate all 
56.16 	reserve accounts established in the school district's general fund under Minnesota Statutes 
56.17 	before July 1, 2006, for which no specific authority remains in statute as of June 30, 2007. 
56.18 	Any balance in the district's reserved for bus purchases account for deferred maintenance
56.19 	as of June 30, 2007 2016, shall be transferred to the reserved account for operating capital 
56.20 	long-term facilities maintenance in the school district's general fund. Any balance in 
56.21 	other reserved accounts established in the school district's general fund under Minnesota 
56.22 	Statutes before July 1, 2006, for which no specific authority remains in statute as of June 
56.23 	30, 2007, shall be transferred to the school district's unreserved general fund balance. 
56.24 	A school board may, upon adoption of a resolution by the school board, establish a 
56.25 	designated account for any program for which a reserved account has been eliminated. 
56.26 	Any balance in the district's reserved account for health and safety as of June 30, 2019, 
56.27 	shall be transferred to the unassigned fund balance account in the district's general fund. 
56.28 	Any balance in the district's reserved account for alternative facilities as of June 30, 2016, 
56.29 	shall be transferred to the reserved account for long-term facilities maintenance in the 
56.30 	district's building construction fund.

56.31 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2016, for fiscal year 2017 
56.32 	and later.

56.33 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 126C.40, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
57.1 		Subd. 5.Energy conservation. For loans approved before March 1, 1998, the 
57.2 	district may annually include as revenue under section 123B.53, without the approval of a 
57.3 	majority of the voters in the district, an amount sufficient to repay the annual principal and 
57.4 	interest of the loan made pursuant to sections 216C.37 and 298.292 to 298.298. For energy 
57.5 	loans approved after March 1, 1998, under sections 216C.37 and 298.292 to 298.298, 
57.6 	school districts must annually transfer from the general fund to the debt redemption fund 
57.7 	the amount sufficient to pay interest and principal on the loans.

57.8 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
57.9 	later.

57.10 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 126C.48, subdivision 8, is 
57.11 	amended to read:
57.12 		Subd. 8.Taconite payment and other reductions. (1) Reductions in levies 
57.13 	pursuant to subdivision 1 must be made prior to the reductions in clause (2).
57.14 	(2) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, districts that have revenue 
57.15 	pursuant to sections 298.018; 298.225; 298.24 to 298.28, except an amount distributed 
57.16 	under sections 298.26; 298.28, subdivision 4, paragraphs (c), clause (ii), and (d); 298.34 to 
57.17 	298.39; 298.391 to 298.396; 298.405; 477A.15; and any law imposing a tax upon severed 
57.18 	mineral values must reduce the levies authorized by this chapter and chapters 120B, 122A, 
57.19 	123A, 123B, 124A, 124D, 125A, and 127A, excluding the student achievement levy 
57.20 	under section 126C.13, subdivision 3b, by 95 percent of the sum of the previous year's 
57.21 	revenue specified under this clause and the amount attributable to the same production 
57.22 	year distributed to the cities and townships within the school district under section 298.28, 
57.23 	subdivision 2, paragraph (c).
57.24 	(3) The amount of any voter approved referendum, facilities down payment, and 
57.25 	debt levies shall not be reduced by more than 50 percent under this subdivision, except 
57.26 	that payments under section 298.28, subdivision 7a, may reduce the debt service levy by 
57.27 	more than 50 percent. In administering this paragraph, the commissioner shall first reduce 
57.28 	the nonvoter approved levies of a district; then, if any payments, severed mineral value 
57.29 	tax revenue or recognized revenue under paragraph (2) remains, the commissioner shall 
57.30 	reduce any voter approved referendum levies authorized under section 126C.17; then, if 
57.31 	any payments, severed mineral value tax revenue or recognized revenue under paragraph 
57.32 	(2) remains, the commissioner shall reduce any voter approved facilities down payment 
57.33 	levies authorized under section 123B.63 and then, if any payments, severed mineral value 
57.34 	tax revenue or recognized revenue under paragraph (2) remains, the commissioner shall 
57.35 	reduce any voter approved debt levies.
58.1 	(4) Before computing the reduction pursuant to this subdivision of the health and 
58.2 	safety long-term facilities maintenance levy authorized by sections 123B.57 and 126C.40, 
58.3 	subdivision 5 section 123B.595, the commissioner shall ascertain from each affected 
58.4 	school district the amount it proposes to levy under each section or subdivision. The 
58.5 	reduction shall be computed on the basis of the amount so ascertained.
58.6 	(5) To the extent the levy reduction calculated under paragraph (2) exceeds the 
58.7 	limitation in paragraph (3), an amount equal to the excess must be distributed from the 
58.8 	school district's distribution under sections 298.225, 298.28, and 477A.15 in the following 
58.9 	year to the cities and townships within the school district in the proportion that their 
58.10 	taxable net tax capacity within the school district bears to the taxable net tax capacity of 
58.11 	the school district for property taxes payable in the year prior to distribution. No city or 
58.12 	township shall receive a distribution greater than its levy for taxes payable in the year prior 
58.13 	to distribution. The commissioner of revenue shall certify the distributions of cities and 
58.14 	towns under this paragraph to the county auditor by September 30 of the year preceding 
58.15 	distribution. The county auditor shall reduce the proposed and final levies of cities and 
58.16 	towns receiving distributions by the amount of their distribution. Distributions to the cities 
58.17 	and towns shall be made at the times provided under section 298.27.

58.18 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
58.19 	later.

58.20 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 126C.63, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
58.21 		Subd. 7.Required debt service levy. "Required debt service levy" means the total 
58.22 	dollar amount needed to be included in the taxes levied by the district in any year for 
58.23 	payment of interest and principal falling due on its debts prior to collection of the next 
58.24 	ensuing year's debt service levy, excluding the debt service levy for obligations under 
58.25 	sections 123B.595, 123B.61, and 123B.62.

58.26 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
58.27 	later.

58.28 	Sec. 18.  REPEALER.
 58.29 	Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 123B.60, subdivision 2; and 123B.79, 
58.30 	subdivisions 2 and 6, are repealed for fiscal year 2017 and later.

59.1 	ARTICLE 6
59.2 	SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND LIFELONG LEARNING

59.3 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.52, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
59.4 		Subdivision 1.Program requirements. (a) An adult basic education program is 
59.5 	a day or evening program offered by a district that is for people over 16 years of age
59.6 	who do not attend an elementary or secondary school and are not subject to compulsory 
59.7 	attendance. The program offers academic and English language instruction necessary to 
59.8 	earn a high school diploma or equivalency certificate.
59.9 	(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a school board or the governing body of 
59.10 	a consortium offering an adult basic education program may adopt a sliding fee schedule 
59.11 	based on a family's income, but must waive the fee for participants who are under the age 
59.12 	of 21 or unable to pay. The fees charged must be designed to enable individuals of all 
59.13 	socioeconomic levels to participate in the program. A program may charge a security 
59.14 	deposit to assure return of materials, supplies, and equipment.
59.15 	(c) Each approved adult basic education program must develop a memorandum of 
59.16 	understanding with the local workforce development centers located in the approved 
59.17 	program's service delivery area. The memorandum of understanding must describe how 
59.18 	the adult basic education program and the workforce development centers will cooperate 
59.19 	and coordinate services to provide unduplicated, efficient, and effective services to clients.
59.20 	(d) Adult basic education aid must be spent for adult basic education purposes as 
59.21 	specified in sections 124D.518 to 124D.531.
59.22 	(e) A state-approved adult basic education program must count and submit student 
59.23 	contact hours for a program that offers high school credit toward an adult high school 
59.24 	diploma according to student eligibility requirements and measures of student progress 
59.25 	toward work-based competency and, where appropriate, English language proficiency 
59.26 	requirements established by the commissioner and posted on the department Web site in 
59.27 	a readily accessible location and format.

59.28 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.52, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
59.29 		Subd. 2.Program approval. (a) To receive aid under this section, a district, a 
59.30 	consortium of districts, the Department of Corrections, or a private nonprofit organization, 
59.31 	or a consortium including districts, nonprofit organizations, or both must submit an 
59.32 	application by June 1 describing the program, on a form provided by the department. The 
59.33 	program must be approved by the commissioner according to the following criteria:
60.1 	(1) how the needs of different levels of learning and English language proficiency 
60.2 	will be met;
60.3 	(2) for continuing programs, an evaluation of results;
60.4 	(3) anticipated number and education level of participants;
60.5 	(4) coordination with other resources and services;
60.6 	(5) participation in a consortium, if any, and money available from other participants;
60.7 	(6) management and program design;
60.8 	(7) volunteer training and use of volunteers;
60.9 	(8) staff development services;
60.10 	(9) program sites and schedules;
60.11 	(10) program expenditures that qualify for aid;
60.12 	(11) program ability to provide data related to learner outcomes as required by 
60.13 	law; and
60.14 	(12) a copy of the memorandum of understanding described in subdivision 1 
60.15 	submitted to the commissioner.
60.16 	(b) Adult basic education programs may be approved under this subdivision for 
60.17 	up to five years. Five-year program approval must be granted to an applicant who has 
60.18 	demonstrated the capacity to:
60.19 	(1) offer comprehensive learning opportunities and support service choices 
60.20 	appropriate for and accessible to adults at all basic skill and English language levels of need;
60.21 	(2) provide a participatory and experiential learning approach based on the strengths, 
60.22 	interests, and needs of each adult, that enables adults with basic skill needs to:
60.23 	(i) identify, plan for, and evaluate their own progress toward achieving their defined 
60.24 	educational and occupational goals;
60.25 	(ii) master the basic academic reading, writing, and computational skills, as well 
60.26 	as the problem-solving, decision making, interpersonal effectiveness, and other life and 
60.27 	learning skills they need to function effectively in a changing society;
60.28 	(iii) locate and be able to use the health, governmental, and social services and 
60.29 	resources they need to improve their own and their families' lives; and
60.30 	(iv) continue their education, if they desire, to at least the level of secondary school 
60.31 	completion, with the ability to secure and benefit from continuing education that will 
60.32 	enable them to become more employable, productive, and responsible citizens;
60.33 	(3) plan, coordinate, and develop cooperative agreements with community resources 
60.34 	to address the needs that the adults have for support services, such as transportation, English 
60.35 	language learning, flexible course scheduling, convenient class locations, and child care;
61.1 	(4) collaborate with business, industry, labor unions, and employment-training 
61.2 	agencies, as well as with family and occupational education providers, to arrange for 
61.3 	resources and services through which adults can attain economic self-sufficiency;
61.4 	(5) provide sensitive and well trained adult education personnel who participate in 
61.5 	local, regional, and statewide adult basic education staff development events to master 
61.6 	effective adult learning and teaching techniques;
61.7 	(6) participate in regional adult basic education peer program reviews and evaluations;
61.8 	(7) submit accurate and timely performance and fiscal reports;
61.9 	(8) submit accurate and timely reports related to program outcomes and learner 
61.10 	follow-up information; and
61.11 	(9) spend adult basic education aid on adult basic education purposes only, which 
61.12 	are specified in sections 124D.518 to 124D.531.
61.13 	(c) The commissioner shall require each district to provide notification by February 
61.14 	1, 2001, of its intent to apply for funds under this section as a single district or as part of 
61.15 	an identified consortium of districts. A district receiving funds under this section must 
61.16 	notify the commissioner by February 1 of its intent to change its application status for 
61.17 	applications due the following June 1.