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 and 
1.5 	lifelong learning; teachers; early childhood; charter school recodification;
1.6 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 120B.11, as amended; 120B.12, 
1.7 	subdivisions 2, 3; 120B.15; 120B.30, by adding a subdivision; 120B.31, 
1.8 	subdivision 5, by adding a subdivision; 120B.35, subdivisions 1, 2, 3; 120B.36, 
1.9 	as amended; 122A.09, as amended; 122A.16; 122A.18, as amended; 122A.21, as 
1.10 	amended; 122A.245, as amended; 122A.26, subdivision 2; 122A.31, subdivision 
1.11 	3; 122A.4144; 122A.416; 122A.72, subdivision 5; 122A.74, subdivision 1; 
1.12 	123A.24, subdivision 2; 123B.147, subdivision 3; 123B.52, subdivision 1; 
1.13 	123B.571, subdivision 2; 123B.60, subdivision 1; 123B.71, subdivision 8; 
1.14 	123B.79, subdivisions 5, 8, 9; 124D.03, subdivision 5a; 124D.09, subdivision 
1.15 	10; 124D.15, subdivisions 3a, 15; 124D.52, subdivisions 1, 2; 124D.861, as 
1.16 	amended; 125A.091, subdivision 11; 125A.0942, subdivision 4; 126C.40, 
1.17 	subdivision 5; 126C.63, subdivision 7; 127A.095; Minnesota Statutes 2015 
1.18 	Supplement, sections 120B.125; 120B.301; 122A.23; 122A.30; 122A.40, 
1.19 	subdivision 8; 122A.41, subdivision 5; 122A.414, subdivisions 1, 2, 2b, 3; 
1.20 	122A.60, subdivisions 1, 4; 123B.53, subdivision 1; 123B.595, subdivisions 4, 
1.21 	7, 8, 9, 10, 11, by adding a subdivision; 124D.165, subdivision 2; 124D.231, 
1.22 	subdivision 2; 124D.73, subdivision 4; 124E.01; 124E.02; 124E.03; 124E.05; 
1.23 	124E.06; 124E.07; 124E.08; 124E.10; 124E.12; 124E.13; 124E.15; 124E.16; 
1.24 	124E.17; 124E.22; 124E.24; 124E.25; 124E.26; 125A.08; 125A.0942, 
1.25 	subdivision 3; 125A.63, subdivision 4; 126C.48, subdivision 8; 127A.05, 
1.26 	subdivision 6; 136A.1791, subdivisions 1, 3; Laws 2015, First Special Session 
1.27 	chapter 3, article 1, section 24; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
1.28 	Statutes, chapters 120B; 123B; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 
1.29 	120B.299, subdivision 5; 120B.35, subdivision 4; 122A.245, subdivision 
1.30 	8; 122A.413, subdivision 3; 122A.43, subdivision 6; 123B.06; 123B.60, 
1.31 	subdivision 2; 123B.79, subdivisions 2, 6; 127A.51; Minnesota Statutes 2015 
1.32 	Supplement, section 122A.413, subdivisions 1, 2.
1.33 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

2.1 	ARTICLE 1
2.2 	GENERAL EDUCATION

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

2.13 	Sec. 2. Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 1, section 24, is amended to 
2.14 	read:
2.15 	Sec. 24. COMPENSATORY REVENUE; INTERMEDIATE DISTRICT.
 2.16 	For the 2015-2016 2016-2017 school year only, for an intermediate district formed 
2.17 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 136D.41, the department must calculate compensatory 
2.18 	revenue based on the October 1, 2014 2015, enrollment counts for the South SouthWest
2.19 	Metro Educational Cooperative.

2.20 	Sec. 3. VOLUNTARY BOUNDARY ALIGNMENT; MOORHEAD AND 
2.21 	DILWORTH-GLYNDON-FELTON.
 2.22 		Subdivision 1.Boundary realignment allowed. The school boards of Independent 
2.23 	School Districts Nos. 152, Moorhead, and 2164, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, may realign 
2.24 	their shared district boundaries according to the provisions of this section.
2.25 		Subd. 2.Plan to establish new boundaries. (a) The school boards of Independent 
2.26 	School Districts Nos. 152, Moorhead, and 2164, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, may jointly 
2.27 	develop a plan to realign their shared school district boundaries over a period of years. 
2.28 	(b) The plan must specify and identify each group of parcels that will be transferred 
2.29 	and the method used to determine the year during which each set of parcels is transferred. 
2.30 	The method of transfer may include an analysis of the relative tax base of the parcels to 
2.31 	be transferred and may make the transfers of parcels effective upon the relationship in 
2.32 	relative tax bases.
3.1 	(c) The written plan must be adopted by each school board after the board has 
3.2 	allowed public testimony on the plan.
3.3 	(d) The plan must be filed with both the county auditor and the commissioner of 
3.4 	education.
3.5 	(e) After adopting the plan, each school board must publish notice of the plan 
3.6 	realigning district boundaries. The notice must include a general description of the area 
3.7 	that will be affected by the proposed boundary alignment and the method by which the 
3.8 	boundaries will be realigned. The notice must also be mailed to each property owner of 
3.9 	record in the area proposed for realignment. 
3.10 		Subd. 3.Bonded debt. As of the effective date of each exchange of parcels between 
3.11 	the two school districts, for the next and subsequent tax years, the taxable property in the 
3.12 	newly aligned parcel is taxable for a portion of the bonded debt of the school district to 
3.13 	which the property is attached and is not taxable for the bonded debt from the school 
3.14 	district from which the property is detached.
3.15 		Subd. 4.County auditor notified. After adoption of the plan, each school board 
3.16 	must provide a copy of the plan to the county auditor. The county auditor may request 
3.17 	any other necessary information from the school districts to effect the transfer of parcels 
3.18 	between the school districts. Each year, the school districts must notify the county auditor 
3.19 	of what block of parcels, if any, will be transferred between the two school districts. The 
3.20 	county auditor must notify each affected property owner of the boundary change.
3.21 		Subd. 5.Report to commissioner of education. Upon adoption of the plan, the 
3.22 	school boards must submit a copy of the plan to the commissioner of education. The 
3.23 	districts must also provide any additional information necessary for computing school 
3.24 	aids and levies to the commissioner of education in the form and manner requested by 
3.25 	the department.

3.26 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day after the school boards of 
3.27 	Independent School Districts Nos. 152, Moorhead, and 2164, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, 
3.28 	and their respective chief clerical officers timely comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 
3.29 	645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.

3.30 	Sec. 4.  REPEALER.
 3.31 	Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 127A.51, is repealed, effective July 1, 2016.

4.1 	ARTICLE 2
4.2 	EDUCATION EXCELLENCE

4.3 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.11, subdivision 1a, is amended to 
4.4 	read:
4.5 		Subd. 1a.Performance measures. Measures to determine school district and 
4.6 	school site progress in striving to create the world's best workforce must include at least:
4.7 	(1) student performance on the National Assessment of Education Progress where 
4.8 	applicable;
4.9 	(2)(1) the size of the academic achievement gap, rigorous course taking under 
4.10 	section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), clause (2), and enrichment experiences by 
4.11 	student subgroup;
4.12 	(3) (2) student performance on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments;
4.13 	(4) (3) high school graduation rates; and
4.14 	(5) (4) career and college readiness under section 120B.30, subdivision 1.

4.15 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.11, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
4.16 		Subd. 2.Adopting plans and budgets.  A school board, at a public meeting, shall 
4.17 	adopt a comprehensive, long-term strategic plan to support and improve teaching and 
4.18 	learning that is aligned with creating the world's best workforce and includes:
4.19 	(1) clearly defined district and school site goals and benchmarks for instruction and 
4.20 	student achievement for all student subgroups identified in section 120B.35, subdivision 3, 
4.21 	paragraph (b), clause (2);
4.22 	(2) a process for assessing and evaluating each student's progress toward meeting 
4.23 	state and local academic standards, assessing and identifying students for participation in 
4.24 	gifted and talented programs and acceleration and early-admission procedures consistent 
4.25 	with section 120B.15, and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of instruction in 
4.26 	pursuit of student and school success and curriculum affecting students' progress and 
4.27 	growth toward career and college readiness and leading to the world's best workforce;
4.28 	(3) a system to periodically review and evaluate the effectiveness of all instruction 
4.29 	and curriculum, taking into account strategies and best practices, student outcomes, school 
4.30 	principal evaluations under section 123B.147, subdivision 3, and teacher evaluations 
4.31 	under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5;
4.32 	(4) strategies for improving instruction, curriculum, and student achievement, 
4.33 	including the English and, where practicable, the native language development and the 
4.34 	academic achievement of English learners;
5.1 	(5) a process to examine the equitable distribution of teachers and strategies to 
5.2 	ensure that low-income and minority children are not taught at higher rates than other 
5.3 	children by inexperienced, ineffective, or out-of-field teachers, consistent with section 
5.4 	1111(b)(8)(C) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act;
5.5 	(5) (6) education effectiveness practices that integrate high-quality instruction, 
5.6 	rigorous curriculum, technology, and a collaborative professional culture that develops 
5.7 	and supports teacher quality, performance, and effectiveness; and
5.8 	(6) (7) an annual budget for continuing to implement the district plan.

5.9 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.11, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
5.10 		Subd. 4.Site team. A school maymust establish a site team to develop and 
5.11 	implement strategies and education effectiveness practices to improve instruction, 
5.12 	curriculum, cultural competencies, including cultural awareness and cross-cultural 
5.13 	communication, and student achievement at the school site, consistent with subdivision 
5.14 	2. The site team must include an equal number of teachers and administrators, as well 
5.15 	as at least one parent. The site team advises the board and the advisory committee 
5.16 	about developing the annual budget and revising creates an instruction and curriculum 
5.17 	improvement plan that aligns curriculum, assessment of student progress, and growth in 
5.18 	meeting state and district academic standards and instruction.

5.19 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.11, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
5.20 		Subd. 5.Report. Consistent with requirements for school performance reports 
5.21 	under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the school board shall publish a report in the local 
5.22 	newspaper with the largest circulation in the district, by mail, or by electronic means on the 
5.23 	district Web site. The school board shall hold an annual public meeting to review, and revise 
5.24 	where appropriate,: (1) student achievement goals,; (2) local assessment outcomes,; (3)
5.25 	plans, strategies, and practices for improving curriculum and instruction and; (4) cultural 
5.26 	competency,; (5) the process to examine equitable distribution of effective, experienced, 
5.27 	and in-field teachers;  and to review(6) district success in realizing the previously adopted 
5.28 	student achievement goals and related benchmarks and the improvement plans leading to 
5.29 	the world's best workforce. The school board must transmit an electronic summary of its 
5.30 	report to the commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner determines.

5.31 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.12, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
5.32 		Subd. 2.Identification; report. For the 2011-2012 school year and later, each 
5.33 	school district shall identify before the end of kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2 students 
6.1 	who are not reading at grade level before the end of the current school year. Reading 
6.2 	assessments in English, and in the predominant languages of district students where 
6.3 	practicable, must identify and evaluate students' areas of academic need related to literacy. 
6.4 	The district also must monitor the progress and provide reading instruction appropriate 
6.5 	to the specific needs of English learners. The district must use a locally adopted, 
6.6 	developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive assessment and annually report 
6.7 	summary assessment results and a summary of the district's efforts to evaluate and identify 
6.8 	students with dyslexia or convergence insufficiency disorder to the commissioner by July 1.

6.9 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.12, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
6.10 		Subd. 3.Intervention. For each student identified under subdivision 2, the 
6.11 	district shall provide reading intervention to accelerate student growth and reach the 
6.12 	goal of reading at or above grade level by the end of the current grade and school year. 
6.13 	District intervention methods shall encourage family engagement and, where possible, 
6.14 	collaboration with appropriate school and community programs. Intervention methods 
6.15 	may include, but are not limited to, requiring attendance in summer school, intensified 
6.16 	reading instruction that may require that the student be removed from the regular 
6.17 	classroom for part of the school day, evaluation for dyslexia or convergence insufficiency 
6.18 	disorder, extended-day programs, or programs that strengthen students' cultural 
6.19 	connections. A student, other than a student under an individualized education program 
6.20 	(IEP), who is unable to demonstrate grade-level proficiency as measured by the statewide 
6.21 	reading assessment in grade 3 shall receive a personal learning plan in a format determined 
6.22 	by the school or school district in consultation with classroom teachers, and developed 
6.23 	and updated as needed in consultation, to the extent practicable, with the student and 
6.24 	the student's parents by the classroom teachers and other qualified school professionals 
6.25 	involved with the student's elementary school progress. A personal learning plan shall 
6.26 	address knowledge gaps and skill deficiencies through strategies such as specific exercises 
6.27 	and practices during and outside of the regular school days, periodic assessments and 
6.28 	timelines, and may include grade retention, if necessary, to meet the student's best interests.

6.29 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 120B.125, is amended to read:
6.30 	120B.125 PLANNING FOR STUDENTS' SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION 
6.31 	TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT; PERSONAL 
6.32 	LEARNING PLANS.
6.33 	(a) Consistent with sections 120B.13, 120B.131, 120B.132, 120B.14, 120B.15, 
6.34 	120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), 125A.08, and other related sections, school 
7.1 	districts, beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, must assist all students by no later 
7.2 	than grade 9 to explore their educational, college, and career interests, aptitudes, and 
7.3 	aspirations and develop a plan for a smooth and successful transition to postsecondary 
7.4 	education or employment. All students' plans must:
7.5 	(1) provide a comprehensive plan to prepare for and complete a career and college 
7.6 	ready curriculum by meeting state and local academic standards and developing career and 
7.7 	employment-related skills such as team work, collaboration, creativity, communication, 
7.8 	critical thinking, and good work habits;
7.9 	(2) emphasize academic rigor and high expectations, and inform the student and 
7.10 	their parent or guardian, if the student is a minor, of the student's achievement level score 
7.11 	on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments that are administered during high school;
7.12 	(3) help students identify interests, aptitudes, aspirations, and personal learning 
7.13 	styles that may affect their career and college ready goals and postsecondary education 
7.14 	and employment choices;
7.15 	(4) set appropriate career and college ready goals with timelines that identify 
7.16 	effective means for achieving those goals;
7.17 	(5) help students access education and career options;
7.18 	(6) integrate strong academic content into career-focused courses and applied and 
7.19 	experiential learning opportunities and integrate relevant career-focused courses and 
7.20 	applied and experiential learning opportunities into strong academic content;
7.21 	(7) help identify and access appropriate counseling and other supports and assistance 
7.22 	that enable students to complete required coursework, prepare for postsecondary education 
7.23 	and careers, and obtain information about postsecondary education costs and eligibility 
7.24 	for financial aid and scholarship;
7.25 	(8) help identify collaborative partnerships among prekindergarten through grade 
7.26 	12 schools, postsecondary institutions, economic development agencies, and local and 
7.27 	regional employers that support students' transition to postsecondary education and 
7.28 	employment and provide students with applied and experiential learning opportunities; and
7.29 	(9) be reviewed and revised at least annually by the student, the student's parent or 
7.30 	guardian, and the school or district to ensure that the student's course-taking schedule keeps 
7.31 	the student making adequate progress to meet state and local academic standards and high 
7.32 	school graduation requirements and with a reasonable chance to succeed with employment 
7.33 	or postsecondary education without the need to first complete remedial course work.
7.34 	(b) A school district may develop grade-level curricula or provide instruction that 
7.35 	introduces students to various careers, but must not require any curriculum, instruction, 
7.36 	or employment-related activity that obligates an elementary or secondary student to 
8.1 	involuntarily select or pursue a career, career interest, employment goals, or related job 
8.2 	training.
8.3 	(c) Educators must possess the knowledge and skills to effectively teach all English 
8.4 	learners in their classrooms. School districts must provide appropriate curriculum, 
8.5 	targeted materials, professional development opportunities for educators, and sufficient 
8.6 	resources to enable English learners to become career and college ready.
8.7 	(d) When assisting students in developing a plan for a smooth and successful 
8.8 	transition to postsecondary education and employment, districts must recognize the unique 
8.9 	possibilities of each student and ensure that the contents of each student's plan reflect the 
8.10 	student's unique talents, skills, and abilities as the student grows, develops, and learns.
8.11 	(e) Students who do not meet or exceed Minnesota academic standards, as measured 
8.12 	by the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments that are administered during high school, 
8.13 	shall be informed that admission to a public school is free and available to any resident 
8.14 	under 21 years of age or who meets the requirements of section 120A.20, subdivision 1, 
8.15 	paragraph (c). A student's plan under this section shall continue while the student is 
8.16 	enrolled.

8.17 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.15, is amended to read:
8.18 	120B.15 GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS PROGRAMS.
8.19 	(a) School districts may identify students, locally develop programs addressing 
8.20 	instructional and affective needs, provide staff development, and evaluate programs to 
8.21 	provide gifted and talented students with challenging and appropriate educational programs.
8.22 	(b) School districts must adopt guidelines for assessing and identifying students for 
8.23 	participation in gifted and talented programs consistent with section 120B.11, subdivision 
8.24 	2, clause (2). The guidelines should include the use of:
8.25 	(1) multiple and objective criteria; and
8.26 	(2) assessments and procedures that are valid and reliable, fair, and based on current 
8.27 	theory and research. Assessments and procedures should be sensitive to underrepresented 
8.28 	groups, including, but not limited to, low-income, minority, twice-exceptional, and 
8.29 	English learners.
8.30 	(c) School districts must adopt procedures for the academic acceleration of gifted 
8.31 	and talented students consistent with section 120B.11, subdivision 2, clause (2). These 
8.32 	procedures must include how the district will:
8.33 	(1) assess a student's readiness and motivation for acceleration; and
8.34 	(2) match the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum to a student to achieve 
8.35 	the best type of academic acceleration for that student.
9.1 	(d) School districts must adopt procedures consistent with section 124D.02, 
9.2 	subdivision 1, for early admission to kindergarten or first grade of gifted and talented 
9.3 	learners consistent with section 120B.11, subdivision 2, clause (2). The procedures must 
9.4 	be sensitive to underrepresented groups.

9.5 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.30, is amended by adding a subdivision 
9.6 	to read:
9.7 		Subd. 6.Retaliation prohibited. A report to the commissioner concerning service 
9.8 	disruptions and technical interruptions to the assessments under this section is subject to 
9.9 	the protection of section 181.932, governing disclosure of information by employees.

9.10 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 120B.301, is amended to read:
9.11 	120B.301 LIMITS ON LOCAL TESTING.
9.12 	(a) For students in grades 1 through 6, the cumulative total amount of time spent 
9.13 	taking locally adopted districtwide or schoolwide assessments must not exceed ten hours 
9.14 	per school year. For students in grades 7 through 12, the cumulative total amount of time 
9.15 	spent taking locally adopted districtwide or schoolwide assessments must not exceed 11 
9.16 	hours per school year. For purposes of this paragraph, International Baccalaureate and 
9.17 	Advanced Placement exams are not considered locally adopted assessments.
9.18 	(b) A district or charter school is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (a), 
9.19 	if the district or charter school, in consultation with the exclusive representative of the 
9.20 	teachers or other teachers if there is no exclusive representative of the teachers, decides 
9.21 	to exceed a time limit in paragraph (a) and includes in the report required under section 
9.22 	120B.11, subdivision 5.
9.23 	(c) A district or charter school must, prior to the first day of each school year, publish 
9.24 	on its Web site a comprehensive calendar of standardized tests to be administered in the 
9.25 	district or charter school for that school year. The calendar must provide the rationale for 
9.26 	administering each assessment and indicate whether the assessment is a local option, or is 
9.27 	required by state or federal law.

9.28 	Sec. 11. [120B.304] SCHOOL DISTRICT ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE.
9.29 	A school district that does not have an agreement between the school board and 
9.30 	the exclusive representative of the teachers regarding the selection of assessments must 
9.31 	establish a district assessment committee to advise the school board on the standardized 
9.32 	assessments administered to students, in addition to the required assessments under 
9.33 	section 120B.30 and applicable federal law. The committee must include an equal number 
10.1 	of teachers and administrators and at least one parent of a student in the district. The 
10.2 	committee makeup should include at least one representative from each school site in the 
10.3 	district. The district advisory committee, under section 120B.11, subdivision 3, may 
10.4 	provide advice to the school board in place of establishing an additional committee for this 
10.5 	purpose.

10.6 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.31, is amended by adding a 
10.7 	subdivision to read:
10.8 		Subd. 4a.Student participation. The commissioner shall create and publish a 
10.9 	form for a parent or guardian to complete if they refuse for their child to participate in 
10.10 	standardized testing. The form must state why there are academic standards, indicate 
10.11 	which tests are aligned with those standards, and what consequences, if any, the school 
10.12 	may face if students do not participate in standardized testing. This form must request 
10.13 	a reason for the refusal.

10.14 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.31, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
10.15 		Subd. 5.ParentAccess to information. To ensure the effective involvement 
10.16 	of parents and to support a partnership between the school and parents, each district 
10.17 	shall annually provide parents and teachers a timely written summary, in an electronic 
10.18 	or other format, of their student's current and longitudinal performance and progress 
10.19 	on the state's academic content standards as measured by state assessments. Providing 
10.20 	parents with a summary prepared by the Department of Education fulfills the requirements 
10.21 	of this subdivision.

10.22 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.35, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
10.23 		Subdivision 1.School and student indicators of growth and achievement.
 10.24 	The commissioner must develop and implement a system for measuring and reporting 
10.25 	academic achievement and individual student growth, consistent with the statewide 
10.26 	educational accountability and reporting system. The system components must measure 
10.27 	and separately report the adequate yearly progress federal expectations of schools and the 
10.28 	growth of individual students: students' current achievement in schools under subdivision 
10.29 	2; and individual students' educational growth over time under subdivision 3. The 
10.30 	system also must include statewide measures of student academic growth that identify 
10.31 	schools with high levels of growth, and also schools with low levels of growth that need 
10.32 	improvement. When determining a school's effect, the data must include both statewide 
10.33 	measures of student achievement and, to the extent annual tests are administered, 
11.1 	indicators of achievement growth that take into account a student's prior achievement. 
11.2 	Indicators of achievement and prior achievement must be based on highly reliable 
11.3 	statewide or districtwide assessments. Indicators that take into account a student's prior 
11.4 	achievement must not be used to disregard a school's low achievement or to exclude a 
11.5 	school from a program to improve low achievement levels.

11.6 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.35, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
11.7 		Subd. 2.Federal expectations for student academic achievement. (a) Each 
11.8 	school year, a school district must determine if the student achievement levels at each 
11.9 	school site meet federal expectations. If student achievement levels at a school site do 
11.10 	not meet federal expectations and the site has not made adequate yearly progress for two 
11.11 	consecutive school years, beginning with the 2001-2002 school year, the district must 
11.12 	work with the school site to adopt a plan to raise student achievement levels to meet 
11.13 	federal expectations. The commissioner of education shall establish student academic 
11.14 	achievement levels to comply with this paragraph.
11.15 	(b) School sites identified as not meeting federal expectations must develop 
11.16 	continuous improvement plans in order to meet federal expectations for student academic 
11.17 	achievement. The department, at a district's request, must assist the district and the school 
11.18 	site in developing a plan to improve student achievement. The plan must include parental 
11.19 	involvement components.
11.20 	(c) The commissioner must:
11.21 	(1) assist school sites and districts identified as not meeting federal expectations; and
11.22 	(2) provide technical assistance to schools that integrate student achievement 
11.23 	measures into the school continuous improvement plan.
11.24 	(d) The commissioner shall establish and maintain a continuous improvement Web 
11.25 	site designed to make data on every school and district available to parents, teachers, 
11.26 	administrators, community members, and the general public.

11.27 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.35, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
11.28 		Subd. 3.State growth target; other state measures. (a) The state's educational 
11.29 	assessment system measuring individual students' educational growth is based on 
11.30 	indicators of achievement growth that show an individual student's prior achievement. 
11.31 	Indicators of achievement and prior achievement must be based on highly reliable 
11.32 	statewide or districtwide assessments.
11.33 	(b) The commissioner, in consultation with a stakeholder group that includes 
11.34 	assessment and evaluation directors, district staff, experts in culturally responsive teaching, 
12.1 	and researchers, must implement a model that uses a value-added growth indicator and 
12.2 	includes criteria for identifying schools and school districts that demonstrate medium and 
12.3 	high growth under section 120B.299, subdivisions 8 and 9, and may recommend other 
12.4 	value-added measures under section 120B.299, subdivision 3. The model may be used 
12.5 	to advance educators' professional development and replicate programs that succeed in 
12.6 	meeting students' diverse learning needs. Data on individual teachers generated under the 
12.7 	model are personnel data under section 13.43. The model must allow users to:
12.8 	(1) report student growth consistent with this paragraph; and
12.9 	(2) for all student categories, report and compare aggregated and disaggregated 
12.10 	state growth data using the nine student categories identified under the federal 2001 No 
12.11 	Child Left Behind Act the student categories identified under the federal Elementary 
12.12 	and Secondary Education Act and two student gender categories of male and female, 
12.13 	respectively, following appropriate reporting practices to protect nonpublic student data.
12.14 	The commissioner must report measures of student growth, consistent with this 
12.15 	paragraph, including the English language development, academic progress, and oral 
12.16 	academic development of English learners and their native language development if the 
12.17 	native language is used as a language of instruction.
12.18 	(c) When reporting student performance under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the 
12.19 	commissioner annually, beginning July 1, 2011, must report two core measures indicating 
12.20 	the extent to which current high school graduates are being prepared for postsecondary 
12.21 	academic and career opportunities:
12.22 	(1) a preparation measure indicating the number and percentage of high school 
12.23 	graduates in the most recent school year who completed course work important to 
12.24 	preparing them for postsecondary academic and career opportunities, consistent with 
12.25 	the core academic subjects required for admission to Minnesota's public colleges and 
12.26 	universities as determined by the Office of Higher Education under chapter 136A; and
12.27 	(2) a rigorous coursework measure indicating the number and percentage of high 
12.28 	school graduates in the most recent school year who successfully completed one or more 
12.29 	college-level advanced placement, international baccalaureate, postsecondary enrollment 
12.30 	options including concurrent enrollment, other rigorous courses of study under section 
12.31 	120B.021, subdivision 1a, or industry certification courses or programs.
12.32 	When reporting the core measures under clauses (1) and (2), the commissioner must also 
12.33 	analyze and report separate categories of information using the nine student categories 
12.34 	identified under the federal 2001 No Child Left Behind Act the student categories 
12.35 	identified under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act and two student 
13.1 	gender categories of male and female, respectively, following appropriate reporting 
13.2 	practices to protect nonpublic student data.
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. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.36, as amended by Laws 2015, First 
14.2 	Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 8, is amended to read:
14.3 	120B.36 SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY; APPEALS PROCESS.
14.4 		Subdivision 1.School performance reports. (a) The commissioner shall report 
14.5 	student academic performance under section 120B.35, subdivision 2; the percentages of 
14.6 	students showing low, medium, and high growth under section 120B.35, subdivision 
14.7 	3, paragraph (b); school safety and student engagement and connection under section 
14.8 	120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (d); rigorous coursework under section 120B.35, 
14.9 	subdivision 3, paragraph (c); the percentage of students under section 120B.35, 
14.10 	subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), whose progress and performance levels are 
14.11 	meeting career and college readiness benchmarks under sections 120B.30, subdivision 1, 
14.12 	and 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (e); longitudinal data on the progress of eligible 
14.13 	districts in reducing disparities in students' academic achievement and realizing racial 
14.14 	and economic integration under section 124D.861; the acquisition of English, and 
14.15 	where practicable, native language academic literacy, including oral academic language, 
14.16 	and the academic progress of English learners under section 124D.59, subdivisions 
14.17 	2 and 2a; two separate student-to-teacher ratios that clearly indicate the definition of 
14.18 	teacher consistent with sections 122A.06 and 122A.15 for purposes of determining these 
14.19 	ratios; staff characteristics excluding salaries; student enrollment demographics; student 
14.20 	homelessness and district mobility; and extracurricular activities. The report also must 
14.21 	indicate a school's adequate yearly progress status under applicable federal law, and must 
14.22 	not set any designations applicable to high- and low-performing schools due solely to 
14.23 	adequate yearly progress status.
14.24 	(b) The commissioner shall develop, annually update, and post on the department 
14.25 	Web site school performance reports.
14.26 	(c) The commissioner must make available performance reports by the beginning 
14.27 	of each school year.
14.28 	(d) A school or district may appeal its adequate yearly progress status in writing 
14.29 	to the commissioner within 30 days of receiving the notice of its status results in a form 
14.30 	and manner determined by the commissioner and consistent with federal law. The 
14.31 	commissioner's decision to uphold or deny an appeal is final.
14.32 	(e) School performance data are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9, 
14.33 	until the commissioner publicly releases the data. The commissioner shall annually post 
14.34 	school performance reports to the department's public Web site no later than September 1, 
14.35 	except that in years when the reports reflect new performance standards, the commissioner 
14.36 	shall post the school performance reports no later than October 1.
15.1 		Subd. 2.Adequate yearly progress Federal expectations and other data. All 
15.2 	data the department receives, collects, or creates to determine adequate yearly progress 
15.3 	statusfederal expectations under Public Law 107-110, section 1116 the Elementary 
15.4 	and Secondary Education Act, set state growth targets, and determine student growth 
15.5 	are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9, until the commissioner publicly 
15.6 	releases the data. Districts must provide parents sufficiently detailed summary data 
15.7 	to permit parents to appeal under Public Law 107-110, section 1116(b)(2) the federal 
15.8 	Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The commissioner shall annually post federal 
15.9 	adequate yearly progress data on federal expectations and state student growth data to 
15.10 	the department's public Web site no later than September 1, except that in years when 
15.11 	adequate yearly progress data on federal expectations reflects new performance standards, 
15.12 	the commissioner shall post federal adequate yearly progress data on federal expectations 
15.13 	and state student growth data no later than October 1.

15.14 	Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.16, is amended to read:
15.15 	122A.16 HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER DEFINED.
15.16 	(a) A qualified teacher is one holding a valid license, under this chapter, to perform 
15.17 	the particular service for which the teacher is employed in a public school.
15.18 	(b) For the purposes of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, a highly qualified 
15.19 	teacher is one who holds a valid license under this chapter, including under section 
15.20 	122A.245, among other sections and is determined by local administrators as having 
15.21 	highly qualified status according to the approved Minnesota highly qualified plan. 
15.22 	Teachers delivering core content instruction must be deemed highly qualified at the local 
15.23 	level and reported to the state via the staff automated reporting system.

15.24 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.30, is amended to read:
15.25 	122A.30 EXEMPTION FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS.
15.26 	(a) Notwithstanding section 122A.15, subdivision 1, and upon approval of the local 
15.27 	employer school board, a person who teaches in as a part-time vocational or career and 
15.28 	technical education program teacher is exempt from a license requirement. Nothing in 
15.29 	this section shall exclude licensed career and technical educators from the definition of 
15.30 	"teacher" in section 122A.40, 122A.41, or 179A.03.
15.31 	(b) This section expires June 30, 2020.

15.32 	Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.414, subdivision 1, 
15.33 	is amended to read:
16.1 		Subdivision 1.Restructured pay system. A restructured alternative teacher 
16.2 	professional pay system is established under subdivision 2 to provide incentives to 
16.3 	encourage teachers to improve their knowledge and instructional skills in order to improve 
16.4 	student learning and for school districts, intermediate school districts, cooperative units, 
16.5 	as defined in section 123A.24, subdivision 2, and charter schools to recruit and retain 
16.6 	highly qualified teachers, encourage highly qualified teachers to undertake challenging 
16.7 	assignments, and support teachers' roles in improving students' educational achievement.

16.8 	Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.414, subdivision 2, 
16.9 	is amended to read:
16.10 		Subd. 2.Alternative teacher professional pay system. (a) To participate in this 
16.11 	program, a school district, intermediate school district, school site, or charter school must 
16.12 	have an educational improvement plan under section 122A.413 a world's best workforce 
16.13 	plan under section 120B.11 and an alternative teacher professional pay system agreement 
16.14 	under paragraph (b). A charter school participant also must comply with subdivision 2a.
16.15 	(b) The alternative teacher professional pay system agreement must:
16.16 	(1) describe how teachers can achieve career advancement and additional 
16.17 	compensation;
16.18 	(2) describe how the school district, intermediate school district, school site, or 
16.19 	charter school will provide teachers with career advancement options that allow teachers 
16.20 	to retain primary roles in student instruction and facilitate site-focused professional 
16.21 	development that helps other teachers improve their skills;
16.22 	(3) reform the "steps and lanes" salary schedule, prevent any teacher's compensation 
16.23 	paid before implementing the pay system from being reduced as a result of participating in 
16.24 	this system, base at least 60 percent of any compensation increase on teacher performance 
16.25 	using:
16.26 	(i) schoolwide student achievement gains under section 120B.35 or locally selected 
16.27 	standardized assessment outcomes, or both;
16.28 	(ii) measures of student growth and literacy that may include value-added models 
16.29 	or student learning goals, consistent with section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph 
16.30 	(b), clause (9), or 122A.41, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (9), and other measures 
16.31 	that include the academic literacy, oral academic language, and achievement of English 
16.32 	learners under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph (b), clause (10), or 122A.41, 
16.33 	subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (10); and
16.34 	(iii) an objective evaluation program under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, 
16.35 	paragraph (b), clause (2), or 122A.41, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (2);
17.1 	(4) provide for participation in job-embedded learning opportunities such as 
17.2 	professional learning communities to improve instructional skills and learning that are 
17.3 	aligned with student needs under section 122A.413 120B.11, consistent with the staff 
17.4 	development plan under section 122A.60 and led during the school day by trained teacher 
17.5 	leaders such as master or mentor teachers;
17.6 	(5) allow any teacher in a participating school district, intermediate school district, 
17.7 	school site, or charter school that implements an alternative pay system to participate in 
17.8 	that system without any quota or other limit; and
17.9 	(6) encourage collaboration rather than competition among teachers.
17.10 	(c) The alternative teacher professional pay system may:
17.11 	(1) include a hiring bonus or other added compensation for teachers who are 
17.12 	identified as effective or highly effective under the local teacher professional review 
17.13 	cycle and work in a hard-to-fill position or in a hard-to-staff school such as a school with 
17.14 	a majority of students whose families meet federal poverty guidelines, a geographically 
17.15 	isolated school, or a school identified by the state as eligible for targeted programs or 
17.16 	services for its students; and
17.17 	(2) include incentives for teachers to obtain a master's degree or other advanced 
17.18 	certification in their content field of licensure, pursue the training or education necessary 
17.19 	to obtain an additional licensure in shortage areas identified by the district or charter 
17.20 	school, or help fund a "grow your own" new teacher initiative.

17.21 	Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.414, subdivision 2b, 
17.22 	is amended to read:
17.23 		Subd. 2b.Approval process. (a) Consistent with the requirements of this section 
17.24 	and sections 122A.413 and section122A.415, the department must prepare and transmit 
17.25 	to interested school districts, intermediate school districts, cooperatives, school sites, 
17.26 	and charter schools a standard form for applying to participate in the alternative teacher 
17.27 	professional pay system. The commissioner annually must establish three dates as 
17.28 	deadlines by which interested applicants must submit an application to the commissioner 
17.29 	under this section. An interested school district, intermediate school district, cooperative, 
17.30 	school site, or charter school must submit to the commissioner a completed application 
17.31 	executed by the district superintendent and the exclusive bargaining representative of the 
17.32 	teachers if the applicant is a school district, intermediate school district, or school site, or 
17.33 	executed by the charter school board of directors if the applicant is a charter school or 
17.34 	executed by the governing board if the applicant is a cooperative unit. The application 
17.35 	must include the proposed alternative teacher professional pay system agreement under 
18.1 	subdivision 2. The department must review a completed application within 30 days of 
18.2 	the most recent application deadline and recommend to the commissioner whether to 
18.3 	approve or disapprove the application. The commissioner must approve applications 
18.4 	on a first-come, first-served basis. The applicant's alternative teacher professional pay 
18.5 	system agreement must be legally binding on the applicant and the collective bargaining 
18.6 	representative before the applicant receives alternative compensation revenue. The 
18.7 	commissioner must approve or disapprove an application based on the requirements 
18.8 	under subdivisions 2 and 2a.
18.9 	(b) If the commissioner disapproves an application, the commissioner must give the 
18.10 	applicant timely notice of the specific reasons in detail for disapproving the application. 
18.11 	The applicant may revise and resubmit its application and related documents to the 
18.12 	commissioner within 30 days of receiving notice of the commissioner's disapproval and 
18.13 	the commissioner must approve or disapprove the revised application, consistent with this 
18.14 	subdivision. Applications that are revised and then approved are considered submitted on 
18.15 	the date the applicant initially submitted the application.

18.16 	Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.414, subdivision 3, 
18.17 	is amended to read:
18.18 		Subd. 3.Report; continued funding. (a) Participating districts, intermediate school 
18.19 	districts, cooperatives, school sites, and charter schools must report on the implementation 
18.20 	and effectiveness of the alternative teacher professional pay system, particularly 
18.21 	addressing each requirement under subdivision 2 and make annual recommendations by 
18.22 	June 15 to their school boards. The school board, board of directors, or governing board 
18.23 	shall transmit a copy of the report with a summary of the findings and recommendations 
18.24 	of the district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, or charter school to 
18.25 	the commissioner in the form and manner determined by the commissioner.
18.26 	(b) If the commissioner determines that a school district, intermediate school district, 
18.27 	cooperative, school site, or charter school that receives alternative teacher compensation 
18.28 	revenue is not complying with the requirements of this section, the commissioner 
18.29 	may withhold funding from that participant. Before making the determination, the 
18.30 	commissioner must notify the participant of any deficiencies and provide the participant 
18.31 	an opportunity to comply. A district must include the report required under paragraph (a) 
18.32 	as part of the world's best workforce report under section 120B.11, subdivision 5.

19.1 	Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.4144, is amended to read:
19.2 	122A.4144 SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS; ALTERNATIVE TEACHER 
19.3 	PAY.
19.4 	Notwithstanding section 179A.20 or other law to the contrary, a school board and 
19.5 	the exclusive representative of the teachers may agree to reopen a collective bargaining 
19.6 	agreement for the purpose of entering into an alternative teacher professional pay system 
19.7 	agreement under sections 122A.413,122A.414, and 122A.415. Negotiations for a contract 
19.8 	reopened under this section must be limited to issues related to the alternative teacher 
19.9 	professional pay system.

19.10 	Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.416, is amended to read:
19.11 	122A.416 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER COMPENSATION REVENUE 
19.12 	FOR PERPICH CENTER FOR ARTS EDUCATION AND MULTIDISTRICT 
19.13 	INTEGRATION COLLABORATIVES.
19.14 	Notwithstanding sections 122A.413,122A.414, 122A.415, and 126C.10, 
19.15 	multidistrict integration collaboratives and the Perpich Center for Arts Education are 
19.16 	eligible to receive alternative teacher compensation revenue as if they were intermediate 
19.17 	school districts. To qualify for alternative teacher compensation revenue, a multidistrict 
19.18 	integration collaborative or the Perpich Center for Arts Education must meet all of the 
19.19 	requirements of sections 122A.413,122A.414, and 122A.415 that apply to intermediate 
19.20 	school districts, must report its enrollment as of October 1 of each year to the department, 
19.21 	and must annually report its expenditures for the alternative teacher professional pay 
19.22 	system consistent with the uniform financial accounting and reporting standards to the 
19.23 	department by November 30 of each year.

19.24 	Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.60, subdivision 4, is 
19.25 	amended to read:
19.26 		Subd. 4.Staff development report. (a) By October 15 of each year, The district 
19.27 	and site staff development committees shall write and submit a report of staff development 
19.28 	activities and expenditures for the previous year, in the form and manner determined by 
19.29 	the commissioner. The report, signed by the district superintendent and staff development 
19.30 	chair, must include assessment and evaluation data indicating progress toward district and 
19.31 	site staff development goals based on teaching and learning outcomes, including the 
19.32 	percentage of teachers and other staff involved in instruction who participate in effective 
19.33 	staff development activities under subdivision 3 as part of the district's world's best 
19.34 	workforce report under section 120B.11, subdivision 5.
20.1 	(b) The report must break down expenditures for:
20.2 	(1) curriculum development and curriculum training programs; and
20.3 	(2) staff development training models, workshops, and conferences, and the cost of 
20.4 	releasing teachers or providing substitute teachers for staff development purposes.
20.5 	The report also must indicate whether the expenditures were incurred at the district 
20.6 	level or the school site level, and whether the school site expenditures were made possible 
20.7 	by grants to school sites that demonstrate exemplary use of allocated staff development 
20.8 	revenue. These expenditures must be reported using the uniform financial and accounting 
20.9 	and reporting standards.
20.10 	(c) The commissioner shall report the staff development progress and expenditure 
20.11 	data to the house of representatives and senate committees having jurisdiction over 
20.12 	education by February 15 each year.

20.13 	Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.72, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
20.14 		Subd. 5.Center functions. (a) A teacher center shall perform functions according 
20.15 	to this subdivision. The center shall assist teachers, diagnose learning needs, experiment 
20.16 	with the use of multiple instructional approaches, assess pupil outcomes, assess staff 
20.17 	development needs and plans, and teach school personnel about effective pedagogical 
20.18 	approaches. The center shall develop and produce curricula and curricular materials 
20.19 	designed to meet the educational needs of pupils being served, by applying educational 
20.20 	research and new and improved methods, practices, and techniques. The center shall 
20.21 	provide programs to improve the skills of teachers to meet the special educational needs of 
20.22 	pupils. The center shall provide programs to familiarize teachers with developments in 
20.23 	curriculum formulation and educational research, including how research can be used to 
20.24 	improve teaching skills. The center shall facilitate sharing of resources, ideas, methods, 
20.25 	and approaches directly related to classroom instruction and improve teachers' familiarity 
20.26 	with current teaching materials and products for use in their classrooms. The center shall 
20.27 	provide in-service programs.
20.28 	(b) Each teacher center must provide a professional development program to train 
20.29 	interested and highly qualified elementary, middle, and secondary teachers, selected by the 
20.30 	employing school district, to assist other teachers in that district with mathematics and 
20.31 	science curriculum, standards, and instruction so that all teachers have access to:
20.32 	(1) high quality professional development programs in mathematics and science that 
20.33 	address curriculum, instructional methods, alignment of standards, and performance 
20.34 	measurements, enhance teacher and student learning, and support state mathematics and 
20.35 	science standards; and
21.1 	(2) research-based mathematics and science programs and instructional models 
21.2 	premised on best practices that inspire teachers and students and have practical classroom 
21.3 	application.

21.4 	Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.74, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
21.5 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. (a) The commissioner of education may contract 
21.6 	with the Minnesota State University Mankato or the regents of the University of Minnesota 
21.7 	to establish a Principals' Leadership Institute to provide professional development to 
21.8 	school principals by:
21.9 	(1) creating a network of leaders in the educational and business communities to 
21.10 	communicate current and future trends in leadership techniques;
21.11 	(2) helping to create a vision for the school that is aligned with the community 
21.12 	and district priorities;
21.13 	(3) developing strategies to retain highly qualified teachers and ensure that diverse 
21.14 	student populations, including at-risk students, children with disabilities, English learners, 
21.15 	and gifted students, among others, have equal access to these highly qualified teachers; and
21.16 	(4) providing training to analyze data using culturally competent tools.
21.17 	(b) The University of Minnesota must cooperate with participating members of the 
21.18 	business community to provide funding and content for the institute.
21.19 	(c) Participants must agree to attend the Principals' Leadership Institute for four 
21.20 	weeks during the academic summer.
21.21 	(d) The Principals' Leadership Institute must incorporate program elements offered 
21.22 	by leadership programs at the University of Minnesota and program elements used by 
21.23 	the participating members of the business community to enhance leadership within their 
21.24 	businesses.

21.25 	Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.03, subdivision 5a, is amended to read:
21.26 		Subd. 5a.Lotteries. If a school district has more applications than available seats at 
21.27 	a specific grade level, it must hold an impartial lottery following the January 15 deadline 
21.28 	to determine which students will receive seats. Siblings of currently enrolled students and, 
21.29 	applications related to an approved integration and achievement plan, and children of the 
21.30 	school district's staff must receive priority in the lottery. The process for the school district 
21.31 	lottery must be established in school district policy, approved by the school board, and 
21.32 	posted on the school district's Web site.

21.33 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment for 
21.34 	nonresident pupil applications not yet accepted or rejected by the school district.

22.1 	Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.15, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
22.2 		Subd. 3a.Application and reporting requirements. (a) A school readiness 
22.3 	program provider must submit include  a biennial plan for approval by the commissioner 
22.4 	before receiving aid under section 124D.16. The plan must describe in the district's 
22.5 	world's best workforce plan under section 120B.11, describing how the school readiness 
22.6 	program meets the program requirements under subdivision 3. A school district by April 1 
22.7 	must submit the plan for approval by the commissioner in the form and manner prescribed 
22.8 	by the commissioner. One-half the districts must first submit the plan by April 1, 2006, 
22.9 	and one-half the districts must first submit the plan by April 1, 2007, as determined by 
22.10 	the commissioner.
22.11 	(b) Programs receiving school readiness funds annually must submit a report to 
22.12 	the department.

22.13 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2016.

22.14 	Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124D.231, subdivision 2, 
22.15 	is amended to read:
22.16 		Subd. 2.Full-service community school program. (a) The commissioner shall 
22.17 	provide funding to eligible school sites to plan, implement, and improve full-service 
22.18 	community schools. Eligible school sites must meet one of the following criteria:
22.19 	(1) the school is on a development plan for continuous improvement under section 
22.20 	120B.35, subdivision 2; or
22.21 	(2) the school is in a district that has an achievement and integration plan approved 
22.22 	by the commissioner of education under sections 124D.861 and 124D.862.
22.23 	(b) An eligible school site may receive up to $100,000 annually. School sites 
22.24 	receiving funding under this section shall hire or contract with a partner agency to hire a 
22.25 	site coordinator to coordinate services at each covered school site.
22.26 	(c) Implementation funding of up to $20,000 must be available for up to one year for 
22.27 	planning for school sites. At the end of this period, the school must submit a full-service 
22.28 	community school plan, pursuant to paragraph (g).
22.29 	(d) The commissioner shall dispense the funds to schools with significant populations 
22.30 	of students receiving free or reduced-price lunches. Schools with significant homeless and 
22.31 	highly mobile students shall also be a priority. The commissioner must also dispense the 
22.32 	funds in a manner to ensure equity among urban, suburban, and greater Minnesota schools.
22.33 	(e) A school site must establish a school leadership team responsible for developing 
22.34 	school-specific programming goals, assessing program needs, and overseeing the process 
23.1 	of implementing expanded programming at each covered site. The school leadership team 
23.2 	shall have between 12 to 15 members and shall meet the following requirements:
23.3 	(1) at least 30 percent of the members are parents and 30 percent of the members 
23.4 	are teachers at the school site and must include the school principal and representatives 
23.5 	from partner agencies; and
23.6 	(2) the school leadership team must be responsible for overseeing the baseline 
23.7 	analyses under paragraph (f). A school leadership team must have ongoing responsibility 
23.8 	for monitoring the development and implementation of full-service community school 
23.9 	operations and programming at the school site and shall issue recommendations to schools 
23.10 	on a regular basis and summarized in an annual report. These reports shall also be made 
23.11 	available to the public at the school site and on school and district Web sites.
23.12 	(f) School sites must complete a baseline analysis prior to beginning programming 
23.13 	as a full-service community school. The analysis shall include:
23.14 	(1) a baseline analysis of needs at the school site, led by the school leadership team, 
23.15 	which shall include the following elements:
23.16 	(i) identification of challenges facing the school;
23.17 	(ii) analysis of the student body, including:
23.18 	(A) number and percentage of students with disabilities and needs of these students;
23.19 	(B) number and percentage of students who are English learners and the needs of 
23.20 	these students;
23.21 	(C) number of students who are homeless or highly mobile; and
23.22 	(D) number and percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch and the 
23.23 	needs of these students;
23.24 	(iii) analysis of enrollment and retention rates for students with disabilities, 
23.25 	English learners, homeless and highly mobile students, and students receiving free or 
23.26 	reduced-price lunch;
23.27 	(iv) analysis of suspension and expulsion data, including the justification for such 
23.28 	disciplinary actions and the degree to which particular populations, including, but not 
23.29 	limited to, students of color, students with disabilities, students who are English learners, 
23.30 	and students receiving free or reduced-price lunch are represented among students subject 
23.31 	to such actions;
23.32 	(v) analysis of school achievement data disaggregated by major demographic 
23.33 	categories, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, English learner status, disability 
23.34 	status, and free or reduced-price lunch status;
23.35 	(vi) analysis of current parent engagement strategies and their success; and
24.1 	(vii) evaluation of the need for and availability of wraparound services, including, 
24.2 	but not limited to:
24.3 	(A) mechanisms for meeting students' social, emotional, and physical health needs, 
24.4 	which may include coordination of existing services as well as the development of new 
24.5 	services based on student needs; and
24.6 	(B) strategies to create a safe and secure school environment and improve school 
24.7 	climate and discipline, such as implementing a system of positive behavioral supports, and 
24.8 	taking additional steps to eliminate bullying;
24.9 	(2) a baseline analysis of community assets and a strategic plan for utilizing 
24.10 	and aligning identified assets. This analysis should include, but is not limited to, a 
24.11 	documentation of individuals in the community, faith-based organizations, community and 
24.12 	neighborhood associations, colleges, hospitals, libraries, businesses, and social service 
24.13 	agencies who may be able to provide support and resources; and
24.14 	(3) a baseline analysis of needs in the community surrounding the school, led by 
24.15 	the school leadership team, including, but not limited to:
24.16 	(i) the need for high-quality, full-day child care and early childhood education 
24.17 	programs;
24.18 	(ii) the need for physical and mental health care services for children and adults; and
24.19 	(iii) the need for job training and other adult education programming.
24.20 	(g) Each school site receiving funding under this section must establish at least two 
24.21 	of the following types of programming:
24.22 	(1) early childhood:
24.23 	(i) early childhood education; and
24.24 	(ii) child care services;
24.25 	(2) academic:
24.26 	(i) academic support and enrichment activities, including expanded learning time;
24.27 	(ii) summer or after-school enrichment and learning experiences;
24.28 	(iii) job training, internship opportunities, and career counseling services;
24.29 	(iv) programs that provide assistance to students who have been truant, suspended, 
24.30 	or expelled; and
24.31 	(v) specialized instructional support services;
24.32 	(3) parental involvement:
24.33 	(i) programs that promote parental involvement and family literacy, including the 
24.34 	Reading First and Early Reading First programs authorized under part B of title I of the 
24.35 	Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, United States Code, title 20, section 
24.36 	6361, et seq.;
25.1 	(ii) parent leadership development activities; and
25.2 	(iii) parenting education activities;
25.3 	(4) mental and physical health:
25.4 	(i) mentoring and other youth development programs, including peer mentoring and 
25.5 	conflict mediation;
25.6 	(ii) juvenile crime prevention and rehabilitation programs;
25.7 	(iii) home visitation services by teachers and other professionals;
25.8 	(iv) developmentally appropriate physical education;
25.9 	(v) nutrition services;
25.10 	(vi) primary health and dental care; and
25.11 	(vii) mental health counseling services;
25.12 	(5) community involvement:
25.13 	(i) service and service-learning opportunities;
25.14 	(ii) adult education, including instruction in English as a second language; and
25.15 	(iii) homeless prevention services;
25.16 	(6) positive discipline practices; and
25.17 	(7) other programming designed to meet school and community needs identified in 
25.18 	the baseline analysis and reflected in the full-service community school plan.
25.19 	(h) The school leadership team at each school site must develop a full-service 
25.20 	community school plan detailing the steps the school leadership team will take, including:
25.21 	(1) timely establishment and consistent operation of the school leadership team;
25.22 	(2) maintenance of attendance records in all programming components;
25.23 	(3) maintenance of measurable data showing annual participation and the impact 
25.24 	of programming on the participating children and adults;
25.25 	(4) documentation of meaningful and sustained collaboration between the school 
25.26 	and community stakeholders, including local governmental units, civic engagement 
25.27 	organizations, businesses, and social service providers;
25.28 	(5) establishment and maintenance of partnerships with institutions, such as 
25.29 	universities, hospitals, museums, or not-for-profit community organizations to further the 
25.30 	development and implementation of community school programming;
25.31 	(6) ensuring compliance with the district nondiscrimination policy; and
25.32 	(7) plan for school leadership team development.

25.33 	Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124D.73, subdivision 4, is 
25.34 	amended to read:
26.1 		Subd. 4.Participating school; American Indian school. "Participating school" 
26.2 	and "American Indian school" mean a school that:
26.3 	(1) is not operated by a school district; and
26.4 	(2) is eligible for a grant under federal Title VII VI of the Elementary and Secondary 
26.5 	Education Act for the education of American Indian children.

26.6 	Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 127A.095, is amended to read:
26.7 	127A.095 IMPLEMENTATION OF NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT 
26.8 	ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT.
26.9 		Subdivision 1.Continued implementation. The Department of Education shall 
26.10 	continue to implement the federal No Child Left Behind Act, Public Law 107-110, 
26.11 	Elementary and Secondary Education Act without interruption.
26.12 		Subd. 2.No Child Left Behind review. (a) The legislature intends to require 
26.13 	the Department of Education to conduct a comprehensive review of the consolidated 
26.14 	state plan the state submitted to the federal Department of Education to implement the 
26.15 	No Child Left Behind Act. The Minnesota Department of Education shall seek waivers 
26.16 	under paragraph (b). If the Department of Education is unable to obtain waivers under 
26.17 	paragraph (b), it should recommend in its report under paragraph (b) whether the state 
26.18 	should opt out of the No Child Left Behind Act.
26.19 	(b) The commissioner, by January 15, 2008, shall report to the house of 
26.20 	representatives and senate committees having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 
26.21 	12 education policy and finance whether the department has received approval from 
26.22 	the federal Department of Education to:
26.23 	(1) participate in the growth model pilot program;
26.24 	(2) exclude from sanctions schools that have not made adequate yearly progress due 
26.25 	solely to a subgroup of students with disabilities not testing at a proficient level;
26.26 	(3) identify a school as not making adequate yearly progress only after the school has 
26.27 	missed the adequate yearly progress targets in the same subgroup for two consecutive years;
26.28 	(4) determine when to hold schools accountable for including an English learner 
26.29 	in adequate yearly progress calculations;
26.30 	(5) allow a district not making adequate yearly progress to offer supplemental 
26.31 	educational services as an option before offering school choice;
26.32 	(6) allow a district not making adequate yearly progress to also be the supplemental 
26.33 	educational services provider;
27.1 	(7) allow the state to maintain a subgroup size to 40 for the purposes of calculating 
27.2 	adequate yearly progress for subgroups of English learners and subgroups of students 
27.3 	with disabilities; and
27.4 	(8) create flexibility to enable the state to define and identify highly qualified teachers.
27.5 		Subd. 3.Department of Management and Budget certification. If the federal 
27.6 	Department of Education does not transmit to the commissioner of education its approval 
27.7 	of the conditions in subdivision 2, paragraph (b), The commissioner of management and 
27.8 	budget shall certify and report to the legislature annually beginning January 1, 2008, the 
27.9 	amount of federal revenue, if any, that the federal government may withhold as a result 
27.10 	of a potential state decision to discontinue implementation of the No Child Left Behind 
27.11 	Act Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The report shall also specify the intended 
27.12 	purpose of the federal revenue and the amount of revenue that the federal government may 
27.13 	withhold from the state, each school district, and each charter school in each fiscal year.

27.14 	Sec. 34. STUDENT DISCIPLINE WORKING GROUP.
 27.15 	(a) A Student Discipline Working Group is created to review the substance, 
27.16 	application, and effect of Minnesota's Pupil Fair Dismissal Act under Minnesota Statutes, 
27.17 	sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, and related student discipline provisions in Minnesota 
27.18 	Statutes, chapter 121A, and submit written recommendations to the chairs and ranking 
27.19 	minority members of the committees in the house of representatives and the senate with 
27.20 	jurisdiction over education by February 1, 2017, on improving disciplinary policies, 
27.21 	practices, and procedures as they affect students and school officials and the effects on 
27.22 	student outcomes.
27.23 	(b) Consistent with paragraph (a), the working group must analyze:
27.24 	(1) available summary data on elementary and secondary students' removal from 
27.25 	class, suspensions, exclusions, and expulsions, disaggregated by categories of race, 
27.26 	ethnicity, poverty, disabilities, homelessness, English language proficiency, gender, age, 
27.27 	and foster care status;
27.28 	(2) the meaning and effect of "willful" in establishing grounds for dismissal under 
27.29 	Minnesota Statutes, section 121A.45;
27.30 	(3) the impact of student misconduct on teacher safety;
27.31 	(4) the impact of established policies and due process procedures on teacher safety 
27.32 	and student outcomes;
27.33 	(5) students' need for and access to professional support service providers such 
27.34 	as school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and mental health 
27.35 	professionals;
28.1 	(6) the presence of school resource officers in school buildings, their role in effecting 
28.2 	student discipline, and their impact on teacher safety and student outcomes;
28.3 	(7) policies for retaining and destroying student disciplinary data; 
28.4 	(8) best practices for school discipline; and
28.5 	(9) other related school discipline matters that are of concern to working group 
28.6 	members.
28.7 	(c) The working group consists of 21 members. By June 1, 2016, the executive 
28.8 	director of each of the following organizations shall appoint one representative of 
28.9 	that organization to serve as a member of the working group: the Minnesota School 
28.10 	Boards Association; the Minnesota Association of School Administrators; Education 
28.11 	Minnesota; the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training; the Minnesota 
28.12 	Disability Law Center; the National Alliance of Mental Illness Minnesota; the Minnesota 
28.13 	Association of Secondary School Principals; the Minnesota Elementary School Principals' 
28.14 	Association; the Association of Metropolitan School Districts; the Minnesota Rural 
28.15 	Education Association; the Minnesota School Counselors Association; the Minnesota 
28.16 	School Psychologists Association; the Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights; 
28.17 	Minnesota Administrators for Special Education; Schools for Equity in Education; 
28.18 	Minnesota Education Equity Partnership; Educators for Excellence; the School Nurse 
28.19 	Organization of Minnesota; the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools; the Minnesota 
28.20 	Youth Council; and the Minnesota School Social Workers Association. Working 
28.21 	group members must seek advice from experts and stakeholders in developing their 
28.22 	recommendations.
28.23 	(d) The commissioner of education, or the commissioner's designee, must convene 
28.24 	the first meeting of the working group. The working group must select a chair or cochairs 
28.25 	from among its members at the first meeting.  The working group must meet periodically. 
28.26 	The commissioner must provide technical and administrative assistance to the working 
28.27 	group upon request. Working group members are not eligible to receive expenses or per 
28.28 	diem payments for serving on the working group.
28.29 	(e) The working group expires February 2, 2017.

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

28.31 	Sec. 35. ASSESSMENT REPORT.
 28.32 	By January 1, 2017, the commissioner of education must report to the chairs 
28.33 	and ranking minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction 
28.34 	over kindergarten through grade 12 education on whether to replace the Minnesota 
28.35 	Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) that are administered to high school students with a 
29.1 	nationally recognized college entrance exam. The report must include the reason for the 
29.2 	recommendation. If the recommendation is to replace the MCAs, then the commissioner 
29.3 	must include in the report which nationally recognized college entrance exam should be 
29.4 	used as the replacement assessment, in what grade or grades the assessment should be 
29.5 	administered, and the cost for using the nationally recognized college entrance exam.

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

29.7 	Sec. 36.  REPEALER.
 29.8 	(a) Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 120B.299, subdivision 5; 120B.35, subdivision 
29.9 	4; 122A.413, subdivision 3; 122A.43, subdivision 6; and 123B.06, are repealed.
29.10 	(b) Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.413, subdivisions 1 and 
29.11 	2, are repealed.

29.12 	ARTICLE 3
29.13 	CHARTER SCHOOLS

29.14 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.05, subdivision 1, is 
29.15 	amended to read:
29.16 		Subdivision 1.Eligible authorizers. The following organizations may authorize 
29.17 	one or more charter schools:
29.18 	(1) a school board, intermediate school district school board, or education district 
29.19 	organized under sections 123A.15 to 123A.19;
29.20 	(2) a charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 
29.21 	of 1986, excluding a nonpublic sectarian or religious institution; any person other than a 
29.22 	natural person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, 
29.23 	is controlled by, or is under common control with the nonpublic sectarian or religious 
29.24 	institution; and any other charitable organization under this clause that in the federal IRS 
29.25 	Form 1023, Part IV, describes activities indicating a religious purpose, that:
29.26 	(i) is a member of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits or the Minnesota Council on 
29.27 	Foundations;
29.28 	(ii) is registered with the attorney general's office; and
29.29 	(iii) (ii) is incorporated in the state of Minnesota and has been operating continuously 
29.30 	for at least five years but does not operate a charter school;
29.31 	(3) a Minnesota private college, notwithstanding clause (2), that grants two- or 
29.32 	four-year degrees and is registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education under 
29.33 	chapter 136A; community college, state university, or technical college governed by the 
30.1 	Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; or the University 
30.2 	of Minnesota;
30.3 	(4) a nonprofit corporation subject to chapter 317A, described in section 317A.905, 
30.4 	and exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code 
30.5 	of 1986, may authorize one or more charter schools if the charter school has operated 
30.6 	for at least three years under a different authorizer and if the nonprofit corporation has 
30.7 	existed for at least 25 years; or
30.8 	(5) single-purpose authorizers formed as charitable, nonsectarian organizations 
30.9 	under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and incorporated in the state 
30.10 	of Minnesota under chapter 317A as a corporation with no members or under section 
30.11 	322B.975 as a nonprofit limited liability company for the sole purpose of chartering schools.

30.12 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.05, subdivision 4, is 
30.13 	amended to read:
30.14 		Subd. 4.Application content. (a) An applicant must include in its application to 
30.15 	the commissioner to be an approved authorizer at least the following:
30.16 	(1) how chartering schools is a way for the organization to carry out its mission;
30.17 	(2) a description of the capacity of the organization to serve as an authorizer, 
30.18 	including the personnel who will perform the authorizing duties, their qualifications, the 
30.19 	amount of time they will be assigned to this responsibility, and the financial resources 
30.20 	allocated by the organization to this responsibility;
30.21 	(2) a description of the capacity of the organization to serve as an authorizer, 
30.22 	including the positions allocated to authorizing duties, the qualifications for those 
30.23 	positions, the full-time equivalencies of those positions, and the financial resources 
30.24 	available to fund the positions;
30.25 	(3) a description of the application and review process the authorizer will use to 
30.26 	make decisions regarding the granting of charters;
30.27 	(4) a description of the type of contract it will arrange with the schools it charters 
30.28 	that meets the provisions of section 124E.10;
30.29 	(5) the process to be used for providing ongoing oversight of the school consistent 
30.30 	with the contract expectations specified in clause (4) that assures that the schools chartered 
30.31 	are complying with both the provisions of applicable law and rules, and with the contract;
30.32 	(6) a description of the criteria and process the authorizer will use to grant expanded 
30.33 	applications under section 124E.06, subdivision 5;
30.34 	(7) the process for making decisions regarding the renewal or termination of 
30.35 	the school's charter based on evidence that demonstrates the academic, organizational, 
31.1 	and financial competency of the school, including its success in increasing student 
31.2 	achievement and meeting the goals of the charter school agreement; and
31.3 	(8) an assurance specifying that the organization is committed to serving as an 
31.4 	authorizer for the full five-year term.
31.5 	(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), an authorizer that is a school district may satisfy 
31.6 	the requirements of paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), and any requirement governing a 
31.7 	conflict of interest between an authorizer and its charter schools or ongoing evaluation or 
31.8 	continuing education of an administrator or other professional support staff by submitting 
31.9 	to the commissioner a written promise to comply with the requirements. 

31.10 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2017.

31.11 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.05, subdivision 5, is 
31.12 	amended to read:
31.13 		Subd. 5.Review by commissioner. (a) The commissioner shall review an 
31.14 	authorizer's performance every five years in a manner and form determined by the 
31.15 	commissioner, subject to paragraphs (b) and (c), and may review an authorizer's 
31.16 	performance more frequently at the commissioner's own initiative or at the request of a 
31.17 	charter school operator, charter school board member, or other interested party. The 
31.18 	commissioner, after completing the review, shall transmit a report with findings to the 
31.19 	authorizer.
31.20 	(b) Consistent with this section, the commissioner must:
31.21 	(1) use criteria appropriate to the authorizer and the schools it charters to review 
31.22 	the authorizer's performance; and
31.23 	(2) consult with authorizers, charter school operators, and other charter school 
31.24 	stakeholders in developing and evaluating the review process, criteria, and scoring system 
31.25 	under this paragraph.
31.26 	(c) The commissioner's form must use existing department data on the authorizer 
31.27 	to minimize duplicate reporting to the extent practicable.

31.28 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2017.

31.29 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.05, subdivision 7, is 
31.30 	amended to read:
31.31 		Subd. 7.Withdrawal. If the governing board of an approved authorizer votes to 
31.32 	withdraw as an approved authorizer for a reason unrelated to any cause under section 
31.33 	124E.10, subdivision 4, the authorizer must notify all its chartered schools and the 
32.1 	commissioner in writing by July 15March 1 of its intent to withdraw as an authorizer on 
32.2 	June 30 in the next calendar year, regardless of when the authorizer's five-year term of 
32.3 	approval ends. The commissioner may approve the transfer of a charter school to a new 
32.4 	authorizer under this subdivision after the new authorizer submits an affidavit to the 
32.5 	commissioner section 124E.10, subdivision 5.

32.6 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.10, subdivision 1, is 
32.7 	amended to read:
32.8 		Subdivision 1.Contents. (a) The authorization for a charter school must be in the 
32.9 	form of a written contract signed by the authorizer and the board of directors of the charter 
32.10 	school. The contract must be completed within 45 business days of the commissioner's 
32.11 	approval of the authorizer's affidavit. The authorizer shall submit to the commissioner a 
32.12 	copy of the signed charter contract within ten business days of its execution. The contract 
32.13 	for a charter school must be in writing and contain at least the following:
32.14 	(1) a declaration that the charter school will carry out the primary purpose in section 
32.15 	124E.01, subdivision 1, and how the school will report its implementation of the primary 
32.16 	purpose;
32.17 	(2) a declaration of the additional purpose or purposes in section 124E.01, 
32.18 	subdivision 1, that the school intends to carry out and how the school will report its 
32.19 	implementation of those purposes;
32.20 	(3) a description of the school program and the specific academic and nonacademic 
32.21 	outcomes that pupils must achieve;
32.22 	(4) a statement of admission policies and procedures;
32.23 	(5) a governance, management, and administration plan for the school;
32.24 	(6) signed agreements from charter school board members to comply with all 
32.25 	federal and state laws governing organizational, programmatic, and financial requirements 
32.26 	applicable to charter schools;
32.27 	(7) the criteria, processes, and procedures that the authorizer will use to monitor and 
32.28 	evaluate the fiscal, operational, and academic performance consistent with subdivision 
32.29 	3, paragraphs (a) and (b);
32.30 	(8) for contract renewal, the formal written performance evaluation of the school 
32.31 	that is a prerequisite for reviewing a charter contract under subdivision 3;
32.32 	(9) types and amounts of insurance liability coverage to be obtained by the charter 
32.33 	school, consistent with section 124E.03, subdivision 2, paragraph (d);
32.34 	(10) consistent with section 124E.09, paragraph (d), a provision to indemnify and 
32.35 	hold harmless the authorizer and its officers, agents, and employees from any suit, claim, 
33.1 	or liability arising from any operation of the charter school, and the commissioner and 
33.2 	department officers, agents, and employees notwithstanding section 3.736;
33.3 	(11) the term of the initial contract, which may be up to five years plus an additional 
33.4 	a preoperational planning year period, and up to five years for a renewed contract or a 
33.5 	contract with a new authorizer after a transfer of authorizers, if warranted by the school's 
33.6 	academic, financial, and operational performance;
33.7 	(12) how the board of directors or the operators of the charter school will provide 
33.8 	special instruction and services for children with a disability under sections 125A.03 
33.9 	to 125A.24, and 125A.65, a description of the financial parameters within which the 
33.10 	charter school will operate to provide the special instruction and services to children 
33.11 	with a disability;
33.12 	(13) the specific conditions for contract renewal that identify performance of all 
33.13 	students under the primary purpose of section 124E.01, subdivision 1, as the most 
33.14 	important factor in determining contract renewal;
33.15 	(14) the additional purposes under section 124E.01, subdivision 1, and related 
33.16 	performance obligations under clause (7) contained in the charter contract as additional 
33.17 	factors in determining contract renewal; and
33.18 	(15) the plan for an orderly closing of the school under chapter 317A, whether 
33.19 	the closure is a termination for cause, a voluntary termination, or a nonrenewal of the 
33.20 	contract, that includes establishing the responsibilities of the school board of directors 
33.21 	and the authorizer and notifying the commissioner, authorizer, school district in which the 
33.22 	charter school is located, and parents of enrolled students about the closure, information 
33.23 	and assistance sufficient to enable the student to re-enroll in another school, the transfer 
33.24 	of student records under section 124E.03, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), and procedures 
33.25 	for closing financial operations.
33.26 	(b) A charter school must design its programs to at least meet the outcomes adopted 
33.27 	by the commissioner for public school students, including world's best workforce goals 
33.28 	under section 120B.11, subdivision 1. In the absence of the commissioner's requirements, 
33.29 	the school must meet the outcomes contained in the contract with the authorizer. The 
33.30 	achievement levels of the outcomes contained in the contract may exceed the achievement 
33.31 	levels of any outcomes adopted by the commissioner for public school students.

33.32 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.10, subdivision 5, is 
33.33 	amended to read:
33.34 		Subd. 5.Mutual nonrenewal. If the authorizer and the charter school board of 
33.35 	directors mutually agree not to renew the contract, or if the governing board of an approved 
34.1 	authorizer votes to withdraw as an approved authorizer for a reason unrelated to any cause 
34.2 	under subdivision 4, a change in authorizers is allowed. The authorizer and the school 
34.3 	board must jointly submit a written and signed letter of their intent to the commissioner to 
34.4 	mutually not renew the contract. The authorizer that is a party to the existing contract must 
34.5 	inform the proposed authorizer about the fiscal, operational, and student performance status 
34.6 	of the school, as well as any including unmet contract outcomes and other outstanding 
34.7 	contractual obligations that exist. The charter contract between the proposed authorizer 
34.8 	and the school must identify and provide a plan to address any outstanding obligations from 
34.9 	the previous contract. The proposed contract must be submitted at least 105 business days 
34.10 	before the end of the existing charter contract. The commissioner shall have 30 business 
34.11 	days to review and make a determination. The proposed authorizer and the school shall 
34.12 	have 15 business days to respond to the determination and address any issues identified by 
34.13 	the commissioner. A final determination by the commissioner shall be made no later than 
34.14 	45 business days before the end of the current charter contract. If no change in authorizer 
34.15 	is approved, the school and the current authorizer may withdraw their letter of nonrenewal 
34.16 	and enter into a new contract. If the transfer of authorizers is not approved and the current 
34.17 	authorizer and the school do not withdraw their letter and enter into a new contract, the 
34.18 	school must be dissolved according to applicable law and the terms of the contract.

34.19 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.16, subdivision 2, is 
34.20 	amended to read:
34.21 		Subd. 2.Annual public reports. (a) A charter school must publish an annual report 
34.22 	approved by the board of directors. The annual report must at least include information 
34.23 	on school enrollment, student attrition, governance and management, staffing, finances, 
34.24 	academic performance, innovative practices and implementation, and future plans. A 
34.25 	charter school may combine this report with the reporting required under section 120B.11. 
34.26 	A charter school must post the annual report on the school's official Web site. A charter 
34.27 	school must also distribute the annual report by publication, mail, or electronic means to 
34.28 	its authorizer, school employees, and parents and legal guardians of students enrolled in 
34.29 	the charter school. The reports are public data under chapter 13.
34.30 	(b) The commissioner shall establish specifications for An authorizer must submit an 
34.31 	authorizer's annual public report that in a manner specified by the commissioner by January 
34.32 	15 for the previous school year ending June 30 that shall at least include key indicators of 
34.33 	school academic, operational, and financial performance. The report is part of the system 
34.34 	to evaluate authorizer performance under section 124E.05, subdivision 5. The report shall 
34.35 	at least include key indicators of school academic, operational, and financial performance.

35.1 	ARTICLE 4
35.2 	SPECIAL EDUCATION

35.3 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 120B.125, is amended to read:
35.4 	120B.125 PLANNING FOR STUDENTS' SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION 
35.5 	TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT; PERSONAL 
35.6 	LEARNING PLANS.
35.7 	(a) Consistent with sections 120B.13, 120B.131, 120B.132, 120B.14, 120B.15, 
35.8 	120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), 125A.08, and other related sections, school 
35.9 	districts, beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, must assist all students by no later 
35.10 	than grade 9 to explore their educational, college, and career interests, aptitudes, and 
35.11 	aspirations and develop a plan for a smooth and successful transition to postsecondary 
35.12 	education or employment. All students' plans must:
35.13 	(1) provide a comprehensive plan to prepare for and complete a career and college 
35.14 	ready curriculum by meeting state and local academic standards and developing career and 
35.15 	employment-related skills such as team work, collaboration, creativity, communication, 
35.16 	critical thinking, and good work habits;
35.17 	(2) emphasize academic rigor and high expectations;
35.18 	(3) help students identify interests, aptitudes, aspirations, and personal learning 
35.19 	styles that may affect their career and college ready goals and postsecondary education 
35.20 	and employment choices;
35.21 	(4) set appropriate career and college ready goals with timelines that identify 
35.22 	effective means for achieving those goals;
35.23 	(5) help students access education and career options;
35.24 	(6) integrate strong academic content into career-focused courses and applied and 
35.25 	experiential learning opportunities and integrate relevant career-focused courses and 
35.26 	applied and experiential learning opportunities into strong academic content;
35.27 	(7) help identify and access appropriate counseling and other supports and assistance 
35.28 	that enable students to complete required coursework, prepare for postsecondary education 
35.29 	and careers, and obtain information about postsecondary education costs and eligibility 
35.30 	for financial aid and scholarship;
35.31 	(8) help identify collaborative partnerships among prekindergarten through grade 
35.32 	12 schools, postsecondary institutions, economic development agencies, and local and 
35.33 	regional employers that support students' transition to postsecondary education and 
35.34 	employment and provide students with applied and experiential learning opportunities; and
36.1 	(9) be reviewed and revised at least annually by the student, the student's parent or 
36.2 	guardian, and the school or district to ensure that the student's course-taking schedule keeps 
36.3 	the student making adequate progress to meet state and local academic standards and high 
36.4 	school graduation requirements and with a reasonable chance to succeed with employment 
36.5 	or postsecondary education without the need to first complete remedial course work.
36.6 	(b) A school district may develop grade-level curricula or provide instruction that 
36.7 	introduces students to various careers, but must not require any curriculum, instruction, 
36.8 	or employment-related activity that obligates an elementary or secondary student to 
36.9 	involuntarily select or pursue a career, career interest, employment goals, or related job 
36.10 	training.
36.11 	(c) Educators must possess the knowledge and skills to effectively teach all English 
36.12 	learners in their classrooms. School districts must provide appropriate curriculum, 
36.13 	targeted materials, professional development opportunities for educators, and sufficient 
36.14 	resources to enable English learners to become career and college ready.
36.15 	(d) When assisting students in developing a plan for a smooth and successful 
36.16 	transition to postsecondary education and employment, districts must recognize the unique 
36.17 	possibilities of each student and ensure that the contents of each student's plan reflect the 
36.18 	student's unique talents, skills, and abilities as the student grows, develops, and learns.
36.19 	(e) A student with a disability that has an individualized education program (IEP) 
36.20 	or standardized written plan that meets the plan components of this section does not 
36.21 	need an additional plan.

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

36.28 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.15, subdivision 15, is amended to read:
36.29 		Subd. 15.Eligibility. A child is eligible to participate in a school readiness program 
36.30 	if the child:
36.31 	(1) is at least three years old on September 1;
36.32 	(2) has completed health and developmental screening within 90 days of program 
36.33 	enrollment under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19; and
36.34 	(3) has one or more of the following risk factors:
37.1 	(i) qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch;
37.2 	(ii) is an English learner;
37.3 	(iii) is homeless;
37.4 	(iv) has an individualized education program (IEP) or an individual interagency 
37.5 	intervention plan (IIIP) standardized written plan;
37.6 	(v) is identified, through health and developmental screenings under sections 
37.7 	121A.16 to 121A.19, with a potential risk factor that may influence learning; or
37.8 	(vi) is defined as at-risk at risk by the school district.

37.9 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 125A.08, is amended to read:
37.10 	125A.08 INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
37.11 	(a) At the beginning of each school year, each school district shall have in effect, for 
37.12 	each child with a disability, an individualized education program (IEP).
37.13 	(b) As defined in this section, every district must ensure the following:
37.14 	(1) all students with disabilities are provided the special instruction and services 
37.15 	which are appropriate to their needs. Where the individualized education program team 
37.16 	has determined appropriate goals and objectives based on the student's needs, including the 
37.17 	extent to which the student can be included in the least restrictive environment, and where 
37.18 	there are essentially equivalent and effective instruction, related services, or assistive 
37.19 	technology devices available to meet the student's needs, cost to the district may be among 
37.20 	the factors considered by the team in choosing how to provide the appropriate services, 
37.21 	instruction, or devices that are to be made part of the student's individualized education 
37.22 	program. The individualized education program team shall consider and may authorize 
37.23 	services covered by medical assistance according to section 256B.0625, subdivision 26. 
37.24 	The student's needs and the special education instruction and services to be provided must 
37.25 	be agreed upon through the development of an individualized education program. The 
37.26 	program must address the student's need to develop skills to live and work as independently 
37.27 	as possible within the community. The individualized education program team must 
37.28 	consider positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports that address behavior 
37.29 	needs for children. During grade 9, the program must address the student's needs for 
37.30 	transition from secondary services to postsecondary education and training, employment, 
37.31 	community participation, recreation, and leisure and home living. In developing the 
37.32 	program, districts must inform parents of the full range of transitional goals and related 
37.33 	services that should be considered. The program must include a statement of the needed 
37.34 	transition services, including a statement of the interagency responsibilities or linkages or 
38.1 	both before secondary services are concluded. If the IEP meets the plan components in 
38.2 	section 120B.125, the IEP satisfies the requirement and no additional plan is needed;
38.3 	(2) children with a disability under age five and their families are provided special 
38.4 	instruction and services appropriate to the child's level of functioning and needs;
38.5 	(3) children with a disability and their parents or guardians are guaranteed procedural 
38.6 	safeguards and the right to participate in decisions involving identification, assessment 
38.7 	including assistive technology assessment, and educational placement of children with a 
38.8 	disability;
38.9 	(4) eligibility and needs of children with a disability are determined by an initial 
38.10 	evaluation or reevaluation, which may be completed using existing data under United 
38.11 	States Code, title 20, section 33, et seq.;
38.12 	(5) to the maximum extent appropriate, children with a disability, including those 
38.13 	in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who 
38.14 	are not disabled, and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children 
38.15 	with a disability from the regular educational environment occurs only when and to the 
38.16 	extent that the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes 
38.17 	with the use of supplementary services cannot be achieved satisfactorily;
38.18 	(6) in accordance with recognized professional standards, testing and evaluation 
38.19 	materials, and procedures used for the purposes of classification and placement of children 
38.20 	with a disability are selected and administered so as not to be racially or culturally 
38.21 	discriminatory; and
38.22 	(7) the rights of the child are protected when the parents or guardians are not known 
38.23 	or not available, or the child is a ward of the state.
38.24 	(c) For all paraprofessionals employed to work in programs whose role in part is 
38.25 	to provide direct support to students with disabilities, the school board in each district 
38.26 	shall ensure that:
38.27 	(1) before or beginning at the time of employment, each paraprofessional must 
38.28 	develop sufficient knowledge and skills in emergency procedures, building orientation, 
38.29 	roles and responsibilities, confidentiality, vulnerability, and reportability, among other 
38.30 	things, to begin meeting the needs, especially disability-specific and behavioral needs, of 
38.31 	the students with whom the paraprofessional works;
38.32 	(2) annual training opportunities are required to enable the paraprofessional to 
38.33 	continue to further develop the knowledge and skills that are specific to the students with 
38.34 	whom the paraprofessional works, including understanding disabilities, the unique and 
38.35 	individual needs of each student according to the student's disability and how the disability 
39.1 	affects the student's education and behavior, following lesson plans, and implementing 
39.2 	follow-up instructional procedures and activities; and
39.3 	(3) a districtwide process obligates each paraprofessional to work under the ongoing 
39.4 	direction of a licensed teacher and, where appropriate and possible, the supervision of a 
39.5 	school nurse.

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

39.11 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 125A.0942, subdivision 3, 
39.12 	is amended to read:
39.13 		Subd. 3.Physical holding or seclusion. (a) Physical holding or seclusion may be 
39.14 	used only in an emergency. A school that uses physical holding or seclusion shall meet the 
39.15 	following requirements:
39.16 	(1) physical holding or seclusion is the least intrusive intervention that effectively 
39.17 	responds to the emergency;
39.18 	(2) physical holding or seclusion is not used to discipline a noncompliant child;
39.19 	(3) physical holding or seclusion ends when the threat of harm ends and the staff 
39.20 	determines the child can safely return to the classroom or activity;
39.21 	(4) staff directly observes the child while physical holding or seclusion is being used;
39.22 	(5) each time physical holding or seclusion is used, the staff person who implements 
39.23 	or oversees the physical holding or seclusion documents, as soon as possible after the 
39.24 	incident concludes, the following information:
39.25 	(i) a description of the incident that led to the physical holding or seclusion;
39.26 	(ii) why a less restrictive measure failed or was determined by staff to be 
39.27 	inappropriate or impractical;
39.28 	(iii) the time the physical holding or seclusion began and the time the child was 
39.29 	released; and
39.30 	(iv) a brief record of the child's behavioral and physical status;
39.31 	(6) the room used for seclusion must:
39.32 	(i) be at least six feet by five feet;
39.33 	(ii) be well lit, well ventilated, adequately heated, and clean;
39.34 	(iii) have a window that allows staff to directly observe a child in seclusion;
40.1 	(iv) have tamperproof fixtures, electrical switches located immediately outside the 
40.2 	door, and secure ceilings;
40.3 	(v) have doors that open out and are unlocked, locked with keyless locks that 
40.4 	have immediate release mechanisms, or locked with locks that have immediate release 
40.5 	mechanisms connected with a fire and emergency system; and
40.6 	(vi) not contain objects that a child may use to injure the child or others; and
40.7 	(7) before using a room for seclusion, a school must:
40.8 	(i) receive written notice from local authorities that the room and the locking 
40.9 	mechanisms comply with applicable building, fire, and safety codes; and
40.10 	(ii) register the room with the commissioner, who may view that room; and.
40.11 	(8) until August 1, 2015, a school district may use prone restraints with children 
40.12 	age five or older if:
40.13 	(i) the district has provided to the department a list of staff who have had specific 
40.14 	training on the use of prone restraints;
40.15 	(ii) the district provides information on the type of training that was provided and 
40.16 	by whom;
40.17 	(iii) only staff who received specific training use prone restraints;
40.18 	(iv) each incident of the use of prone restraints is reported to the department within 
40.19 	five working days on a form provided by the department; and
40.20 	(v) the district, before using prone restraints, must review any known medical or 
40.21 	psychological limitations that contraindicate the use of prone restraints.
40.22 	The department must collect data on districts' use of prone restraints and publish the 
40.23 	data in a readily accessible format on the department's Web site on a quarterly basis.
40.24 	(b) By February 1, 2015, and annually thereafter, stakeholders may, as necessary, 
40.25 	recommend to the commissioner specific and measurable implementation and outcome 
40.26 	goals for reducing the use of restrictive procedures and the commissioner must submit to 
40.27 	the legislature a report on districts' progress in reducing the use of restrictive procedures 
40.28 	that recommends how to further reduce these procedures and eliminate the use of 
40.29 	prone restraints seclusion. The statewide plan includes the following components: 
40.30 	measurable goals; the resources, training, technical assistance, mental health services, 
40.31 	and collaborative efforts needed to significantly reduce districts' use of prone restraints
40.32 	seclusion; and recommendations to clarify and improve the law governing districts' use 
40.33 	of restrictive procedures. The commissioner must consult with interested stakeholders 
40.34 	when preparing the report, including representatives of advocacy organizations, special 
40.35 	education directors, teachers, paraprofessionals, intermediate school districts, school 
40.36 	boards, day treatment providers, county social services, state human services department 
41.1 	staff, mental health professionals, and autism experts. By June 30Beginning with the 
41.2 	2016-2017 school year, in a form and manner determined by the commissioner, districts 
41.3 	must report data quarterly to the department by January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 
41.4 	15, about individual students who have been secluded. By July 15  each year, districts 
41.5 	must report summary data on their use of restrictive procedures to the department for 
41.6 	the prior school year, July 1 through June 30, in a form and manner determined by the 
41.7 	commissioner. The summary data must include information about the use of restrictive 
41.8 	procedures, including use of reasonable force under section 121A.582.

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

41.11 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 125A.0942, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
41.12 		Subd. 4.Prohibitions. The following actions or procedures are prohibited:
41.13 	(1) engaging in conduct prohibited under section 121A.58;
41.14 	(2) requiring a child to assume and maintain a specified physical position, activity, 
41.15 	or posture that induces physical pain;
41.16 	(3) totally or partially restricting a child's senses as punishment;
41.17 	(4) presenting an intense sound, light, or other sensory stimuli using smell, taste, 
41.18 	substance, or spray as punishment;
41.19 	(5) denying or restricting a child's access to equipment and devices such as walkers, 
41.20 	wheelchairs, hearing aids, and communication boards that facilitate the child's functioning, 
41.21 	except when temporarily removing the equipment or device is needed to prevent injury 
41.22 	to the child or others or serious damage to the equipment or device, in which case the 
41.23 	equipment or device shall be returned to the child as soon as possible;
41.24 	(6) interacting with a child in a manner that constitutes sexual abuse, neglect, or 
41.25 	physical abuse under section 626.556;
41.26 	(7) withholding regularly scheduled meals or water;
41.27 	(8) denying access to bathroom facilities; and
41.28 	(9) physical holding that restricts or impairs a child's ability to breathe, restricts or 
41.29 	impairs a child's ability to communicate distress, places pressure or weight on a child's 
41.30 	head, throat, neck, chest, lungs, sternum, diaphragm, back, or abdomen, or results in 
41.31 	straddling a child's torso.; and
41.32 	(10) prone restraint.

41.33 	EFFECTIVE DATE. The section is effective the day following final enactment.

42.1 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 125A.63, subdivision 4, is 
42.2 	amended to read:
42.3 		Subd. 4.Advisory committees. (a) The commissioner shall establish advisory 
42.4 	committees for the deaf and hard-of-hearing and for the blind and visually impaired. The 
42.5 	advisory committees shall develop recommendations and submit an annual report to the 
42.6 	commissioner on the form and in the manner prescribed by the commissioner.
42.7 	(b) The advisory committees for the deaf and hard of hearing and for the blind and 
42.8 	visually impaired shall meet periodically at least four times per year and. The committees 
42.9 	must  each review, approve, and submit an annual a biennial  report to the commissioner, 
42.10 	the education policy and finance committees of the legislature, and the Commission of 
42.11 	Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard-of-Hearing Minnesotans. The reports must, at least:
42.12 	(1) identify and report the aggregate, data-based education outcomes for children 
42.13 	with the primary disability classification of deaf and hard of hearing or of blind and 
42.14 	visually impaired, consistent with the commissioner's child count reporting practices, the 
42.15 	commissioner's state and local outcome data reporting system by district and region, and 
42.16 	the school performance report cards under section 120B.36, subdivision 1; and
42.17 	(2) describe the implementation of a data-based plan for improving the education 
42.18 	outcomes of deaf and hard of hearing or blind and visually impaired children that is 
42.19 	premised on evidence-based best practices, and provide a cost estimate for ongoing 
42.20 	implementation of the plan.

42.21 	ARTICLE 5
42.22 	FACILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY

42.23 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.52, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
42.24 		Subdivision 1.Contracts. A contract for work or labor, or for the purchase of 
42.25 	furniture, fixtures, or other property, except books registered under the copyright laws and 
42.26 	information systems software, or for the construction or repair of school houses, the 
42.27 	estimated cost or value of which shall exceed that specified in section 471.345, subdivision 
42.28 	3, must not be made by the school board without first advertising for bids or proposals by 
42.29 	two weeks' published notice in the official newspaper. This notice must state the time and 
42.30 	place of receiving bids and contain a brief description of the subject matter.
42.31 	Additional publication in the official newspaper or elsewhere may be made as the 
42.32 	board shall deem necessary.
42.33 	After taking into consideration conformity with the specifications, terms of delivery, 
42.34 	and other conditions imposed in the call for bids, every such contract for which a call for 
42.35 	bids has been issued must be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, be duly executed 
43.1 	in writing, and be otherwise conditioned as required by law. The person to whom the 
43.2 	contract is awarded shall give a sufficient bond to the board for its faithful performance. 
43.3 	Notwithstanding section 574.26 or any other law to the contrary, on a contract limited to the 
43.4 	purchase of a finished tangible product, a board may require, at its discretion, a performance 
43.5 	bond of a contractor in the amount the board considers necessary. A record must be kept of 
43.6 	all bids, with names of bidders and amount of bids, and with the successful bid indicated 
43.7 	thereon. A bid containing an alteration or erasure of any price contained in the bid which 
43.8 	is used in determining the lowest responsible bid must be rejected unless the alteration or 
43.9 	erasure is corrected as provided in this section. An alteration or erasure may be crossed out 
43.10 	and the correction thereof printed in ink or typewritten adjacent thereto and initialed in ink 
43.11 	by the person signing the bid. In the case of identical low bids from two or more bidders, 
43.12 	the board may, at its discretion, utilize negotiated procurement methods with the tied low 
43.13 	bidders for that particular transaction, so long as the price paid does not exceed the low tied 
43.14 	bid price. In the case where only a single bid is received, the board may, at its discretion, 
43.15 	negotiate a mutually agreeable contract with the bidder so long as the price paid does not 
43.16 	exceed the original bid. If no satisfactory bid is received, the board may readvertise. 
43.17 	Standard requirement price contracts established for supplies or services to be purchased 
43.18 	by the district must be established by competitive bids. Such standard requirement price 
43.19 	contracts may contain escalation clauses and may provide for a negotiated price increase 
43.20 	or decrease based upon a demonstrable industrywide or regional increase or decrease in 
43.21 	the vendor's costs. Either party to the contract may request that the other party demonstrate 
43.22 	such increase or decrease. The term of such contracts must not exceed two years with an 
43.23 	option on the part of the district to renew for an additional two years. Contracts for the 
43.24 	purchase of perishable food items, except milk for school lunches and vocational training 
43.25 	programs, in any amount may be made by direct negotiation by obtaining two or more 
43.26 	written quotations for the purchase or sale, when possible, without advertising for bids or 
43.27 	otherwise complying with the requirements of this section or section 471.345, subdivision 
43.28 	3. All quotations obtained shall be kept on file for a period of at least one year after receipt.
43.29 	Every contract made without compliance with the provisions of this section shall be 
43.30 	void. Except in the case of the destruction of buildings or injury thereto, where the public 
43.31 	interest would suffer by delay, contracts for repairs may be made without advertising 
43.32 	for bids.

43.33 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.53, subdivision 1, is 
43.34 	amended to read:
44.1 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the eligible debt service 
44.2 	revenue of a district is defined as follows:
44.3 	(1) the amount needed to produce between five and six percent in excess of the 
44.4 	amount needed to meet when due the principal and interest payments on the obligations 
44.5 	of the district for eligible projects according to subdivision 2, including the amounts 
44.6 	necessary for repayment of energy loans according to section 216C.37 or sections 298.292 
44.7 	to 298.298, debt service loans, capital loans, and lease purchase payments under section 
44.8 	126C.40, subdivision 2, excluding long-term facilities maintenance levies under section 
44.9 	123B.595, minus
44.10 	(2) the amount of debt service excess levy reduction for that school year calculated 
44.11 	according to the procedure established by the commissioner.
44.12 	(b) The obligations in this paragraph are excluded from eligible debt service revenue:
44.13 	(1) obligations under section 123B.61;
44.14 	(2) the part of debt service principal and interest paid from the taconite environmental 
44.15 	protection fund or Douglas J. Johnson economic protection trust, excluding the portion of 
44.16 	taconite payments from the Iron Range school consolidation and cooperatively operated 
44.17 	school account under section 298.28, subdivision 7a;
44.18 	(3) obligations issued under Laws 1991, chapter 265, article 5, section 18, as 
44.19 	amended by Laws 1992, chapter 499, article 5, section 24;
44.20 	(4) obligations under section 123B.62; and
44.21 	(5) obligations equalized under section 123B.535.
44.22 	(c) For purposes of this section, if a preexisting school district reorganized under 
44.23 	sections 123A.35 to 123A.43, 123A.46, and 123A.48 is solely responsible for retirement 
44.24 	of the preexisting district's bonded indebtedness, capital loans or debt service loans, debt 
44.25 	service equalization aid must be computed separately for each of the preexisting districts.
44.26 	(d) For purposes of this section, the adjusted net tax capacity determined according 
44.27 	to sections 127A.48 and 273.1325 shall be adjusted to include the tax capacity of property 
44.28 	generally exempted from ad valorem taxes under section 272.02, subdivision 64.

44.29 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
44.30 	later.

44.31 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.571, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
44.32 		Subd. 2.Radon testing. A school district may include radon testing as a part of 
44.33 	its health and safety ten-year facility plan under section 123B.595, subdivision 4. If a 
44.34 	school district receives authority to use health and safety long-term facilities maintenance 
45.1 	revenue to conduct radon testing, the district shall conduct the testing according to the 
45.2 	radon testing plan developed by the commissioners of health and education.

45.3 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
45.4 	later.

45.5 	Sec. 4. [123B.572] SOLAR PANEL FIRE SAFETY.
45.6 	A solar photovoltaic system installed at a school under this section must comply 
45.7 	with chapter 690 of the most current edition of NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code, 
45.8 	adopted under the authority given in section 326B.32, subdivision 2.

45.9 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 4, is 
45.10 	amended to read:
45.11 		Subd. 4.Facilities plans. (a) To qualify for revenue under this section, a school 
45.12 	district or intermediate district, not including a charter school, must have a ten-year facility 
45.13 	plan adopted by the school board and approved by the commissioner. The plan must include 
45.14 	provisions for implementing a health and safety program that complies with health, safety, 
45.15 	and environmental regulations and best practices, including indoor air quality management.
45.16 	(b) The district must annually update the plan, biennially submit a facility 
45.17 	maintenance the plan to the commissioner for approval by July 31, and indicate whether 
45.18 	the district will issue bonds to finance the plan or levy for the costs.
45.19 	(c) For school districts issuing bonds to finance the plan, the plan must include a 
45.20 	debt service schedule demonstrating that the debt service revenue required to pay the 
45.21 	principal and interest on the bonds each year will not exceed the projected long-term 
45.22 	facilities revenue for that year.

45.23 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
45.24 	later.

45.25 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 7, is 
45.26 	amended to read:
45.27 		Subd. 7.Long-term facilities maintenance equalization revenue. (a) For fiscal 
45.28 	year 2017 only, a district's long-term facilities maintenance equalization revenue equals 
45.29 	the lesser of (1) $193 times the adjusted pupil units or (2) the district's revenue under 
45.30 	subdivision 1.
46.1 	(b) For fiscal year 2018 only, a district's long-term facilities maintenance 
46.2 	equalization revenue equals the lesser of (1) $292 times the adjusted pupil units or (2) 
46.3 	the district's revenue under subdivision 1.
46.4 	(c) For fiscal year 2019 and later, a district's long-term facilities maintenance 
46.5 	equalization revenue equals the lesser of (1) $380 times the adjusted pupil units or (2) 
46.6 	the district's revenue under subdivision 1.
46.7 	(d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) to (c), a district's long-term facilities maintenance 
46.8 	equalization revenue must not be less than the lesser of the district's long-term facilities 
46.9 	maintenance revenue or the amount of aid the district received for fiscal year 2015 under 
46.10 	section 123B.59, subdivision 6.

46.11 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
46.12 	later.

46.13 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 8, is 
46.14 	amended to read:
46.15 		Subd. 8.Long-term facilities maintenance equalized levy. (a) For fiscal year 2017 
46.16 	and later, a district's long-term facilities maintenance equalized levy equals the district's 
46.17 	long-term facilities maintenance equalization revenue minus the greater of:
46.18 	(1) the lesser of the district's long-term facilities maintenance equalization revenue 
46.19 	or the amount of aid the district received for fiscal year 2015 under Minnesota Statutes 
46.20 	2014, section 123B.59, subdivision 6; or
46.21 	(2) the district's long-term facilities maintenance equalization revenue times the 
46.22 	greater of (i) zero or (ii) one minus the ratio of its adjusted net tax capacity per adjusted 
46.23 	pupil unit in the year preceding the year the levy is certified to 123 percent of the state 
46.24 	average adjusted net tax capacity per adjusted pupil unit for all school districts in the 
46.25 	year preceding the year the levy is certified.
46.26 	(b) For purposes of this subdivision, "adjusted net tax capacity" means the value 
46.27 	described in section 126C.01, subdivision 2, paragraph (b).

46.28 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
46.29 	later.

46.30 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, is amended by adding 
46.31 	a subdivision to read:
46.32 		Subd. 8a.Long-term facilities maintenance unequalized levy. For fiscal year 
46.33 	2017 and later, a district's long-term facilities maintenance unequalized levy equals the 
47.1 	difference between the district's revenue under subdivision 1 and the district's equalization 
47.2 	revenue under subdivision 7.

47.3 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
47.4 	later.

47.5 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 9, is 
47.6 	amended to read:
47.7 		Subd. 9.Long-term facilities maintenance equalized aid. For fiscal year 2017 
47.8 	and later, a district's long-term facilities maintenance equalized aid equals its long-term 
47.9 	facilities maintenance equalization revenue minus its long-term facilities maintenance 
47.10 	equalized levy times the ratio of the actual equalized amount levied to the permitted 
47.11 	equalized levy.

47.12 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
47.13 	later.

47.14 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 10, 
47.15 	is amended to read:
47.16 		Subd. 10.Allowed uses for long-term facilities maintenance revenue. (a) A 
47.17 	district may use revenue under this section for any of the following:
47.18 	(1) deferred capital expenditures and maintenance projects necessary to prevent 
47.19 	further erosion of facilities;
47.20 	(2) increasing accessibility of school facilities; or
47.21 	(3) health and safety capital projects under section 123B.57.; or
47.22 	(4) by board resolution, to transfer money from the general fund reserve for long-term 
47.23 	facilities maintenance to the debt redemption fund to pay the amounts needed to meet, 
47.24 	when due, principal and interest on general obligation bonds issued under subdivision 5.
47.25 	(b) A charter school may use revenue under this section for any purpose related 
47.26 	to the school.

47.27 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
47.28 	later.

47.29 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 123B.595, subdivision 11, 
47.30 	is amended to read:
48.1 		Subd. 11.Restrictions on long-term facilities maintenance revenue.
 48.2 	Notwithstanding subdivision 11 10, long-term facilities maintenance revenue may not 
48.3 	be used:
48.4 	(1) for the construction of new facilities, remodeling of existing facilities, or the 
48.5 	purchase of portable classrooms;
48.6 	(2) to finance a lease purchase agreement, installment purchase agreement, or other 
48.7 	deferred payments agreement;
48.8 	(3) for energy-efficiency projects under section 123B.65, for a building or property 
48.9 	or part of a building or property used for postsecondary instruction or administration, or 
48.10 	for a purpose unrelated to elementary and secondary education; or
48.11 	(4) for violence prevention and facility security, ergonomics, or emergency 
48.12 	communication devices.

48.13 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
48.14 	later.

48.15 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.60, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
48.16 		Subdivision 1.Bonds. When a building owned by a district is substantially damaged 
48.17 	by an act of God or other means beyond the control of the district, the district may issue 
48.18 	general obligation bonds without an election to provide money immediately to carry 
48.19 	out its adopted health and safety long-term facilities maintenance program. Each year 
48.20 	the district must pledge an attributable share of its health and safety long-term facilities 
48.21 	maintenance revenue to the repayment of principal and interest on the bonds. The pledged 
48.22 	revenue must be transferred to recognized in the debt redemption fund of the district. The 
48.23 	district must submit to the department the repayment schedule for any bonds issued under 
48.24 	this section. The district must deposit in the debt redemption fund all proceeds received 
48.25 	for specific costs for which the bonds were issued, including but not limited to:
48.26 	(1) insurance proceeds;
48.27 	(2) restitution proceeds; and
48.28 	(3) proceeds of litigation or settlement of a lawsuit.
48.29 	Before bonds are issued, the district must submit a combined an amended 
48.30 	application to the commissioner for health and safety long-term facilities maintenance 
48.31 	revenue, according to section 123B.57, and requesting review and comment, according 
48.32 	to section 123B.71, subdivisions 8, 9, 11, and 12 123B.595. The commissioner shall 
48.33 	complete all procedures concerning the combined application within 20 days of receiving 
48.34 	the application. The publication provisions of section 123B.71, subdivision 12, do not 
48.35 	apply to bonds issued under this section.

49.1 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
49.2 	later.

49.3 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.71, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
49.4 		Subd. 8.Review and comment. A school district, a special education cooperative, 
49.5 	or a cooperative unit of government, as defined in section 123A.24, subdivision 2, 
49.6 	must not initiate an installment contract for purchase or a lease agreement, hold a 
49.7 	referendum for bonds, nor solicit bids for new construction, expansion, or remodeling of 
49.8 	an educational facility that requires an expenditure in excess of $500,000 per school site if 
49.9 	it has a capital loan outstanding, or $2,000,000 per school site if it does not have a capital 
49.10 	loan outstanding, prior to review and comment by the commissioner. A facility addition, 
49.11 	maintenance project, or remodeling project funded only with general education revenue, 
49.12 	deferred maintenance revenue, alternative facilities bonding and levy program revenue, 
49.13 	lease levy proceeds, capital facilities bond proceeds, or health and safety long-term 
49.14 	facilities maintenance revenue is exempt from this provision. A capital project under 
49.15 	section 123B.63 addressing only technology is exempt from this provision if the district 
49.16 	submits a school board resolution stating that funds approved by the voters will be used 
49.17 	only as authorized in section 126C.10, subdivision 14. A school board shall not separate 
49.18 	portions of a single project into components to avoid the requirements of this subdivision.

49.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment 
49.20 	and applies to review and comments for projects funded with revenue for fiscal year 
49.21 	2017 and later.

49.22 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.79, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
49.23 		Subd. 5.Deficits; exception. For the purposes of this section, a permanent transfer 
49.24 	includes creating a deficit in a nonoperating fund for a period past the end of the current 
49.25 	fiscal year which is covered by moneys in an operating fund. However, A deficit in the 
49.26 	capital expenditure fund reserve for operating capital account pursuant to section 123B.78, 
49.27 	subdivision 5, does not constitute a permanent transfer.

49.28 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.79, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
49.29 		Subd. 8.Account transfer for reorganizing districts. A district that has 
49.30 	reorganized according to sections 123A.35 to 123A.43, 123A.46, or 123A.48, or has 
49.31 	conducted a successful referendum on the question of combination under section 
49.32 	123A.37, subdivision 2, or consolidation under section 123A.48, subdivision 15, or has 
49.33 	been assigned an identification number by the commissioner under section 123A.48, 
50.1 	subdivision 16, may make permanent transfers between any of the funds or accounts in 
50.2 	the newly created or enlarged district with the exception of the debt redemption fund, 
50.3 	building construction fund, food service fund, and health and safety long-term facilities 
50.4 	maintenance account of the capital expenditure general fund. Fund transfers under this 
50.5 	section may be made for up to one year prior to the effective date of combination or 
50.6 	consolidation by the consolidating boards and during the year following the effective date 
50.7 	of reorganization by the consolidated board. The newly formed board of the combined 
50.8 	district may adopt a resolution on or before August 30 of the year of the reorganization 
50.9 	authorizing a transfer among accounts or funds of the previous independent school 
50.10 	districts which transfer or transfers shall be reported in the affected districts' audited 
50.11 	financial statements for the year immediately preceding the consolidation.

50.12 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.79, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
50.13 		Subd. 9.Elimination of reserve accounts. A school board shall eliminate all 
50.14 	reserve accounts established in the school district's general fund under Minnesota Statutes 
50.15 	before July 1, 2006, for which no specific authority remains in statute as of June 30, 2007. 
50.16 	Any balance in the district's reserved for bus purchases account for deferred maintenance 
50.17 	as of June 30, 2007 2016, shall be transferred to the reserved account for operating capital 
50.18 	long-term facilities maintenance in the school district's general fund. Any balance in 
50.19 	other reserved accounts established in the school district's general fund under Minnesota 
50.20 	Statutes before July 1, 2006, for which no specific authority remains in statute as of June 
50.21 	30, 2007, shall be transferred to the school district's unreserved general fund balance. 
50.22 	A school board may, upon adoption of a resolution by the school board, establish a 
50.23 	designated account for any program for which a reserved account has been eliminated. 
50.24 	Any balance in the district's reserved account for health and safety as of June 30, 2019, 
50.25 	shall be transferred to the unassigned fund balance account in the district's general fund. 
50.26 	Any balance in the district's reserved account for alternative facilities as of June 30, 2016, 
50.27 	shall be transferred to the reserved account for long-term facilities maintenance in the 
50.28 	district's building construction fund.

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

50.31 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 126C.40, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
50.32 		Subd. 5.Energy conservation. For loans approved before March 1, 1998, the 
50.33 	district may annually include as revenue under section 123B.53, without the approval of a 
50.34 	majority of the voters in the district, an amount sufficient to repay the annual principal and 
51.1 	interest of the loan made pursuant to sections 216C.37 and 298.292 to 298.298. For energy 
51.2 	loans approved after March 1, 1998, under sections 216C.37 and 298.292 to 298.298, 
51.3 	school districts must annually transfer from the general fund to the debt redemption fund 
51.4 	the amount sufficient to pay interest and principal on the loans.

51.5 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
51.6 	later.

51.7 	Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 126C.48, subdivision 8, is 
51.8 	amended to read:
51.9 		Subd. 8.Taconite payment and other reductions. (1) Reductions in levies 
51.10 	pursuant to subdivision 1 must be made prior to the reductions in clause (2).
51.11 	(2) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, districts that have revenue 
51.12 	pursuant to sections 298.018; 298.225; 298.24 to 298.28, except an amount distributed 
51.13 	under sections 298.26; 298.28, subdivision 4, paragraphs (c), clause (ii), and (d); 298.34 to 
51.14 	298.39; 298.391 to 298.396; 298.405; 477A.15; and any law imposing a tax upon severed 
51.15 	mineral values must reduce the levies authorized by this chapter and chapters 120B, 122A, 
51.16 	123A, 123B, 124A, 124D, 125A, and 127A, excluding the student achievement levy 
51.17 	under section 126C.13, subdivision 3b, by 95 percent of the sum of the previous year's 
51.18 	revenue specified under this clause and the amount attributable to the same production 
51.19 	year distributed to the cities and townships within the school district under section 298.28, 
51.20 	subdivision 2, paragraph (c).
51.21 	(3) The amount of any voter approved referendum, facilities down payment, and 
51.22 	debt levies shall not be reduced by more than 50 percent under this subdivision, except 
51.23 	that payments under section 298.28, subdivision 7a, may reduce the debt service levy by 
51.24 	more than 50 percent. In administering this paragraph, the commissioner shall first reduce 
51.25 	the nonvoter approved levies of a district; then, if any payments, severed mineral value 
51.26 	tax revenue or recognized revenue under paragraph (2) remains, the commissioner shall 
51.27 	reduce any voter approved referendum levies authorized under section 126C.17; then, if 
51.28 	any payments, severed mineral value tax revenue or recognized revenue under paragraph 
51.29 	(2) remains, the commissioner shall reduce any voter approved facilities down payment 
51.30 	levies authorized under section 123B.63 and then, if any payments, severed mineral value 
51.31 	tax revenue or recognized revenue under paragraph (2) remains, the commissioner shall 
51.32 	reduce any voter approved debt levies.
51.33 	(4) Before computing the reduction pursuant to this subdivision of the health and 
51.34 	safety long-term facilities maintenance levy authorized by sections 123B.57 and 126C.40, 
51.35 	subdivision 5 section 123B.595, the commissioner shall ascertain from each affected 
52.1 	school district the amount it proposes to levy under each section or subdivision. The 
52.2 	reduction shall be computed on the basis of the amount so ascertained.
52.3 	(5) To the extent the levy reduction calculated under paragraph (2) exceeds the 
52.4 	limitation in paragraph (3), an amount equal to the excess must be distributed from the 
52.5 	school district's distribution under sections 298.225, 298.28, and 477A.15 in the following 
52.6 	year to the cities and townships within the school district in the proportion that their 
52.7 	taxable net tax capacity within the school district bears to the taxable net tax capacity of 
52.8 	the school district for property taxes payable in the year prior to distribution. No city or 
52.9 	township shall receive a distribution greater than its levy for taxes payable in the year prior 
52.10 	to distribution. The commissioner of revenue shall certify the distributions of cities and 
52.11 	towns under this paragraph to the county auditor by September 30 of the year preceding 
52.12 	distribution. The county auditor shall reduce the proposed and final levies of cities and 
52.13 	towns receiving distributions by the amount of their distribution. Distributions to the cities 
52.14 	and towns shall be made at the times provided under section 298.27.

52.15 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
52.16 	later.

52.17 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 126C.63, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
52.18 		Subd. 7.Required debt service levy. "Required debt service levy" means the total 
52.19 	dollar amount needed to be included in the taxes levied by the district in any year for 
52.20 	payment of interest and principal falling due on its debts prior to collection of the next 
52.21 	ensuing year's debt service levy excluding the debt service levy for obligations under 
52.22 	sections 123B.595, 123B.61, and 123B.62.

52.23 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and 
52.24 	later.

52.25 	Sec. 20.  REPEALER.
 52.26 	Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 123B.60, subdivision 2; and 123B.79, 
52.27 	subdivisions 2 and 6, are repealed for fiscal year 2017 and later.

52.28 	ARTICLE 6
52.29 	SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND LIFELONG LEARNING

52.30 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.52, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
52.31 		Subdivision 1.Program requirements. (a) An adult basic education program is 
52.32 	a day or evening program offered by a district that is for people over 16 years of age
53.1 	who do not attend an elementary or secondary school and are not subject to compulsory 
53.2 	attendance. The program offers academic and English language instruction necessary to 
53.3 	earn a high school diploma or equivalency certificate.
53.4 	(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a school board or the governing body of 
53.5 	a consortium offering an adult basic education program may adopt a sliding fee schedule 
53.6 	based on a family's income, but must waive the fee for participants who are under the age 
53.7 	of 21 or unable to pay. The fees charged must be designed to enable individuals of all 
53.8 	socioeconomic levels to participate in the program. A program may charge a security 
53.9 	deposit to assure return of materials, supplies, and equipment.
53.10 	(c) Each approved adult basic education program must develop a memorandum of 
53.11 	understanding with the local workforce development centers located in the approved 
53.12 	program's service delivery area. The memorandum of understanding must describe how 
53.13 	the adult basic education program and the workforce development centers will cooperate 
53.14 	and coordinate services to provide unduplicated, efficient, and effective services to clients.
53.15 	(d) Adult basic education aid must be spent for adult basic education purposes as 
53.16 	specified in sections 124D.518 to 124D.531.
53.17 	(e) A state-approved adult basic education program must count and submit student 
53.18 	contact hours for a program that offers high school credit toward an adult high school 
53.19 	diploma according to student eligibility requirements and measures of student progress 
53.20 	toward work-based competency and, where appropriate, English language proficiency 
53.21 	requirements established by the commissioner and posted on the department Web site in 
53.22 	a readily accessible location and format.

53.23 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.52, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
53.24 		Subd. 2.Program approval. (a) To receive aid under this section, a district, a 
53.25 	consortium of districts, the Department of Corrections, or a private nonprofit organization, 
53.26 	or a consortium including districts, nonprofit organizations, or both must submit an 
53.27 	application by June 1 describing the program, on a form provided by the department. The 
53.28 	program must be approved by the commissioner according to the following criteria:
53.29 	(1) how the needs of different levels of learning and English language proficiency 
53.30 	will be met;
53.31 	(2) for continuing programs, an evaluation of results;
53.32 	(3) anticipated number and education level of participants;
53.33 	(4) coordination with other resources and services;
53.34 	(5) participation in a consortium, if any, and money available from other participants;
53.35 	(6) management and program design;
54.1 	(7) volunteer training and use of volunteers;
54.2 	(8) staff development services;
54.3 	(9) program sites and schedules;
54.4 	(10) program expenditures that qualify for aid;
54.5 	(11) program ability to provide data related to learner outcomes as required by 
54.6 	law; and
54.7 	(12) a copy of the memorandum of understanding described in subdivision 1 
54.8 	submitted to the commissioner.
54.9 	(b) Adult basic education programs may be approved under this subdivision for 
54.10 	up to five years. Five-year program approval must be granted to an applicant who has 
54.11 	demonstrated the capacity to:
54.12 	(1) offer comprehensive learning opportunities and support service choices 
54.13 	appropriate for and accessible to adults at all basic skill and English language levels of need;
54.14 	(2) provide a participatory and experiential learning approach based on the strengths, 
54.15 	interests, and needs of each adult, that enables adults with basic skill needs to:
54.16 	(i) identify, plan for, and evaluate their own progress toward achieving their defined 
54.17 	educational and occupational goals;
54.18 	(ii) master the basic academic reading, writing, and computational skills, as well 
54.19 	as the problem-solving, decision making, interpersonal effectiveness, and other life and 
54.20 	learning skills they need to function effectively in a changing society;
54.21 	(iii) locate and be able to use the health, governmental, and social services and 
54.22 	resources they need to improve their own and their families' lives; and
54.23 	(iv) continue their education, if they desire, to at least the level of secondary school 
54.24 	completion, with the ability to secure and benefit from continuing education that will 
54.25 	enable them to become more employable, productive, and responsible citizens;
54.26 	(3) plan, coordinate, and develop cooperative agreements with community resources 
54.27 	to address the needs that the adults have for support services, such as transportation, English 
54.28 	language learning, flexible course scheduling, convenient class locations, and child care;
54.29 	(4) collaborate with business, industry, labor unions, and employment-training 
54.30 	agencies, as well as with family and occupational education providers, to arrange for 
54.31 	resources and services through which adults can attain economic self-sufficiency;
54.32 	(5) provide sensitive and well trained adult education personnel who participate in 
54.33 	local, regional, and statewide adult basic education staff development events to master 
54.34 	effective adult learning and teaching techniques;
54.35 	(6) participate in regional adult basic education peer program reviews and evaluations;
54.36 	(7) submit accurate and timely performance and fiscal reports;
55.1 	(8) submit accurate and timely reports related to program outcomes and learner 
55.2 	follow-up information; and
55.3 	(9) spend adult basic education aid on adult basic education purposes only, which 
55.4 	are specified in sections 124D.518 to 124D.531.
55.5 	(c) The commissioner shall require each district to provide notification by February 
55.6 	1, 2001, of its intent to apply for funds under this section as a single district or as part of 
55.7 	an identifieda consortium of districts. A district receiving funds under this section must 
55.8 	notify the commissioner by February 1 of its intent to change its application status for 
55.9 	applications due the following June 1.

55.10 	ARTICLE 7
55.11 	TEACHERS

55.12 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.11, as amended by Laws 2015, First 
55.13 	Special Session chapter 3, article 3, section 5, is amended to read:
55.14 	120B.11 SCHOOL DISTRICT PROCESS FOR REVIEWING CURRICULUM, 
55.15 	INSTRUCTION, AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT; STRIVING FOR THE 
55.16 	WORLD'S BEST WORKFORCE.
55.17 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. For the purposes of this section and section 120B.10, 
55.18 	the following terms have the meanings given them.
55.19 	(a) "Instruction" means methods of providing learning experiences that enable 
55.20 	a student to meet state and district academic standards and graduation requirements 
55.21 	including applied and experiential learning.
55.22 	(b) "Curriculum" means district or school adopted programs and written plans for 
55.23 	providing students with learning experiences that lead to expected knowledge and skills 
55.24 	and career and college readiness.
55.25 	(c) "World's best workforce" means striving to: meet school readiness goals; have 
55.26 	all third grade students achieve grade-level literacy; close the academic achievement gap 
55.27 	among all racial and ethnic groups of students and between students living in poverty 
55.28 	and students not living in poverty; have all students attain career and college readiness 
55.29 	before graduating from high school; and have all students graduate from high school; and 
55.30 	provide all enrolled students with equitable access to effective and more diverse teachers, 
55.31 	including teachers who are members of populations underrepresented among the licensed 
55.32 	teachers in the district or school, and who reflect the diversity of students under section 
55.33 	120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), enrolled in the district or school.
56.1 	(d) "Experiential learning" means learning for students that includes career 
56.2 	exploration through a specific class or course or through work-based experiences such as 
56.3 	job shadowing, mentoring, entrepreneurship, service learning, volunteering, internships, 
56.4 	other cooperative work experience, youth apprenticeship, or employment.
56.5 		Subd. 1a.Performance measures. Measures to determine school district and 
56.6 	school site progress in striving to create the world's best workforce must include at least:
56.7 	(1) student performance on the National Assessment of Education Progress where 
56.8 	applicable;
56.9 	(2) the size of the academic achievement gap, rigorous course taking under section 
56.10 	120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), clause (2), and enrichment experiences by student 
56.11 	subgroup;
56.12 	(3) student performance on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments;
56.13 	(4) high school graduation rates; and
56.14 	(5) career and college readiness under section 120B.30, subdivision 1; and
56.15 	(6) the number and percent of teachers who are members of populations 
56.16 	underrepresented among the licensed teachers in the district or school and who reflect the 
56.17 	diversity of students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), 
56.18 	enrolled in the district or school.
56.19 		Subd. 2.Adopting plans and budgets.  A school board, at a public meeting, shall 
56.20 	adopt a comprehensive, long-term strategic plan to support and improve teaching and 
56.21 	learning that is aligned with creating the world's best workforce and includes:
56.22 	(1) clearly defined district and school site goals and benchmarks for instruction and 
56.23 	student achievement for all student subgroups identified in section 120B.35, subdivision 3, 
56.24 	paragraph (b), clause (2);
56.25 	(2) a process for assessing and evaluating each student's progress toward meeting state 
56.26 	and local academic standards and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of instruction 
56.27 	in pursuit of student and school success and curriculum affecting students' progress and 
56.28 	growth toward career and college readiness and leading to the world's best workforce;
56.29 	(3) a system to periodically review and evaluate the effectiveness of all instruction 
56.30 	and curriculum, taking into account strategies and best practices, student outcomes, school 
56.31 	principal evaluations under section 123B.147, subdivision 3, students' access to effective 
56.32 	teachers who are members of populations underrepresented among the licensed teachers 
56.33 	in the district or school and who reflect the diversity of enrolled students under section 
56.34 	120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), and teacher evaluations under section 
56.35 	122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5;
57.1 	(4) strategies for improving instruction, curriculum, and student achievement, 
57.2 	including the English and, where practicable, the native language development and the 
57.3 	academic achievement of English learners;
57.4 	(5) education effectiveness practices that integrate high-quality instruction, rigorous 
57.5 	curriculum, technology, and a collaborative professional culture that develops and 
57.6 	supports teacher quality, performance, and effectiveness; and
57.7 	(6) an annual budget for continuing to implement the district plan.
57.8 		Subd. 3.District advisory committee. Each school board shall establish an 
57.9 	advisory committee to ensure active community participation in all phases of planning 
57.10 	and improving the instruction and curriculum affecting state and district academic 
57.11 	standards, consistent with subdivision 2. A district advisory committee, to the extent 
57.12 	possible, shall reflect the diversity of the district and its school sites, include teachers, 
57.13 	parents, support staff, students, and other community residents, and provide translation 
57.14 	to the extent appropriate and practicable. The district advisory committee shall pursue 
57.15 	community support to accelerate the academic and native literacy and achievement of 
57.16 	English learners with varied needs, from young children to adults, consistent with section 
57.17 	124D.59, subdivisions 2 and 2a. The district may establish site teams as subcommittees 
57.18 	of the district advisory committee under subdivision 4. The district advisory committee 
57.19 	shall recommend to the school board rigorous academic standards, student achievement 
57.20 	goals and measures consistent with subdivision 1a and sections 120B.022, subdivisions 1a 
57.21 	and 1b, and 120B.35, district assessments, means to improve students' equitable access to 
57.22 	effective and more diverse teachers, and program evaluations. School sites may expand 
57.23 	upon district evaluations of instruction, curriculum, assessments, or programs. Whenever 
57.24 	possible, parents and other community residents shall comprise at least two-thirds of 
57.25 	advisory committee members.
57.26 		Subd. 4.Site team. A school may establish a site team to develop and implement 
57.27 	strategies and education effectiveness practices to improve instruction, curriculum, 
57.28 	cultural fluencies and competencies, including cultural awareness and cross-cultural 
57.29 	communication, and student achievement at the school site, consistent with subdivision 
57.30 	2. The team advises the board and the advisory committee about developing the 
57.31 	annual budget and revising an instruction and curriculum improvement plan that aligns 
57.32 	curriculum, assessment of student progress, and growth in meeting state and district 
57.33 	academic standards and instruction.
57.34 		Subd. 5.Report. Consistent with requirements for school performance reports 
57.35 	under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the school board shall publish a report in the local 
57.36 	newspaper with the largest circulation in the district, by mail, or by electronic means on 
58.1 	the district Web site. The school board shall hold an annual public meeting to review, and 
58.2 	revise where appropriate, student achievement goals, local assessment outcomes, plans, 
58.3 	strategies, and practices for improving curriculum and instruction and cultural competency 
58.4 	and all students' increased and equitable access to effective and more diverse teachers, and 
58.5 	to review district success in realizing the previously adopted student achievement goals 
58.6 	and related benchmarks and the improvement plans leading to the world's best workforce. 
58.7 	The school board must transmit an electronic summary of its report to the commissioner in 
58.8 	the form and manner the commissioner determines.
58.9 		Subd. 7.Periodic report. Each school district shall periodically survey affected 
58.10 	constituencies, in their native languages where appropriate and practicable, about their 
58.11 	connection to and level of satisfaction with school. The district shall include the results of 
58.12 	this evaluation in the summary report required under subdivision 5.
58.13 		Subd. 9.Annual evaluation. (a) The commissioner must identify effective 
58.14 	strategies, practices, and use of resources by districts and school sites in striving for the 
58.15 	world's best workforce. The commissioner must assist districts and sites throughout the 
58.16 	state in implementing these effective strategies, practices, and use of resources, and in 
58.17 	providing all enrolled students, including low-income students, American Indian students, 
58.18 	and students of color with improved and equitable access to effective and more diverse 
58.19 	teachers.
58.20 	(b) The commissioner must identify those districts in any consecutive three-year 
58.21 	period not making sufficient progress toward improving teaching and learning for all 
58.22 	students, including English learners with varied needs, consistent with section 124D.59, 
58.23 	subdivisions 2 and 2a, and striving for the world's best workforce. The commissioner, in 
58.24 	collaboration with the identified district, may require the district to use up to two percent 
58.25 	of its basic general education revenue per fiscal year during the proximate three school 
58.26 	years to implement commissioner-specified strategies and practices, consistent with 
58.27 	paragraph (a), to improve and accelerate its progress in realizing its goals under this 
58.28 	section. In implementing this section, the commissioner must consider districts' budget 
58.29 	constraints and legal obligations.
58.30 	(c) The commissioner shall report by January 25 of each year to the committees of 
58.31 	the legislature having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education the list of 
58.32 	school districts that have not submitted their report to the commissioner under subdivision 
58.33 	5 and the list of school districts not achieving their performance goals established in 
58.34 	their plan under subdivision 2.

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

59.1 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.11, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
59.2 		Subd. 5.Report. (a) Consistent with requirements for school performance reports 
59.3 	under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, and paragraph (b), the school board shall publish 
59.4 	a report in the local newspaper with the largest circulation in the district, by mail, or 
59.5 	by electronic means on the district Web site. The school board shall hold an annual 
59.6 	public meeting to review, and revise where appropriate, student achievement goals, 
59.7 	local assessment outcomes, plans, strategies, and practices for improving curriculum 
59.8 	and instruction and cultural competency, and to review district success in realizing 
59.9 	the previously adopted student achievement goals and related benchmarks and the 
59.10 	improvement plans leading to the world's best workforce. The school board must transmit 
59.11 	an electronic summary of its report to the commissioner in the form and manner the 
59.12 	commissioner determines.
59.13 	(b) Each school board must include in its annual report under paragraph (a) data on:
59.14 	(1) the number of licensed teachers employed by the district who self-identify as 
59.15 	non-Caucasian and who are members of a population underrepresented among licensed 
59.16 	teachers in the district;
59.17 	(2) the number of community experts providing instruction in the district during the 
59.18 	school year and the subject areas they teach;
59.19 	(3) the school year testing schedule for the district showing grade levels and 
59.20 	assessments and the time allotted for each assessment; and
59.21 	(4) the class sizes for the district's prekindergarten through grade 6 classrooms.
59.22 	The format for reporting the data must comply with the model data-reporting format 
59.23 	developed by the commissioner.

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

59.26 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.35, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
59.27 		Subd. 3.State growth target; other state measures. (a) The state's educational 
59.28 	assessment system measuring individual students' educational growth is based on 
59.29 	indicators of achievement growth that show an individual student's prior achievement. 
59.30 	Indicators of achievement and prior achievement must be based on highly reliable 
59.31 	statewide or districtwide assessments.
59.32 	(b) The commissioner, in consultation with a stakeholder group that includes 
59.33 	assessment and evaluation directors, district staff, experts in culturally responsive teaching, 
59.34 	and researchers, must implement a model that uses a value-added growth indicator and 
60.1 	includes criteria for identifying schools and school districts that demonstrate medium and 
60.2 	high growth under section 120B.299, subdivisions 8 and 9, and may recommend other 
60.3 	value-added measures under section 120B.299, subdivision 3. The model may be used 
60.4 	to advance educators' professional development and replicate programs that succeed in 
60.5 	meeting students' diverse learning needs. Data on individual teachers generated under the 
60.6 	model are personnel data under section 13.43. The model must allow users to:
60.7 	(1) report student growth consistent with this paragraph; and
60.8 	(2) for all student categories, report and compare aggregated and disaggregated state 
60.9 	growth data using the nine student categories identified under the federal 2001 No Child 
60.10 	Left Behind Act and two student gender categories of male and female, respectively 
60.11 	Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as most recently reauthorized, following 
60.12 	appropriate reporting practices to protect nonpublic student data.
60.13 	The commissioner must report measures of student growth, consistent with this 
60.14 	paragraph, including the English language development, academic progress, and oral 
60.15 	academic development of English learners and their native language development if the 
60.16 	native language is used as a language of instruction.
60.17 	(c) When reporting student performance under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the 
60.18 	commissioner annually, beginning July 1, 2011, must report two core measures indicating 
60.19 	the extent to which current high school graduates are being prepared for postsecondary 
60.20 	academic and career opportunities:
60.21 	(1) a preparation measure indicating the number and percentage of high school 
60.22 	graduates in the most recent school year who completed course work important to 
60.23 	preparing them for postsecondary academic and career opportunities, consistent with 
60.24 	the core academic subjects required for admission to Minnesota's public colleges and 
60.25 	universities as determined by the Office of Higher Education under chapter 136A; and
60.26 	(2) a rigorous coursework measure indicating the number and percentage of high 
60.27 	school graduates in the most recent school year who successfully completed one or more 
60.28 	college-level advanced placement, international baccalaureate, postsecondary enrollment 
60.29 	options including concurrent enrollment, other rigorous courses of study under section 
60.30 	120B.021, subdivision 1a, or industry certification courses or programs.
60.31 	When reporting the core measures under clauses (1) and (2), the commissioner must also 
60.32 	analyze and report separate categories of information using the nine student categories 
60.33 	identified under the federal 2001 No Child Left Behind Act and two student gender 
60.34 	categories of male and female, respectively Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as 
60.35 	most recently reauthorized, following appropriate reporting practices to protect nonpublic 
60.36 	student data.
61.1 	(d) When reporting student performance under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the 
61.2 	commissioner annually, beginning July 1, 2014, must report summary data on school 
61.3 	safety and students' engagement and connection at school. The summary data under this 
61.4 	paragraph are separate from and must not be used for any purpose related to measuring 
61.5 	or evaluating the performance of classroom teachers. The commissioner, in consultation 
61.6 	with qualified experts on student engagement and connection and classroom teachers, 
61.7 	must identify highly reliable variables that generate summary data under this paragraph. 
61.8 	The summary data may be used at school, district, and state levels only. Any data on 
61.9 	individuals received, collected, or created that are used to generate the summary data 
61.10 	under this paragraph are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9.
61.11 	(e) For purposes of statewide educational accountability, the commissioner must 
61.12 	identify and report measures that demonstrate the success of learning year program 
61.13 	providers under sections 123A.05 and 124D.68, among other such providers, in improving 
61.14 	students' graduation outcomes. The commissioner, beginning July 1, 2015, must annually 
61.15 	report summary data on:
61.16 	(1) the four- and six-year graduation rates of students under this paragraph;
61.17 	(2) the percent of students under this paragraph whose progress and performance 
61.18 	levels are meeting career and college readiness benchmarks under section 120B.30, 
61.19 	subdivision 1; and
61.20 	(3) the success that learning year program providers experience in:
61.21 	(i) identifying at-risk and off-track student populations by grade;
61.22 	(ii) providing successful prevention and intervention strategies for at-risk students;
61.23 	(iii) providing successful recuperative and recovery or reenrollment strategies for 
61.24 	off-track students; and
61.25 	(iv) improving the graduation outcomes of at-risk and off-track students.
61.26 	The commissioner may include in the annual report summary data on other education 
61.27 	providers serving a majority of students eligible to participate in a learning year program.
61.28 	(f) The commissioner, in consultation with recognized experts with knowledge and 
61.29 	experience in assessing the language proficiency and academic performance of English 
61.30 	learners, must identify and report appropriate and effective measures to improve current 
61.31 	categories of language difficulty and assessments, and monitor and report data on students' 
61.32 	English proficiency levels, program placement, and academic language development, 
61.33 	including oral academic language.

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

62.1 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.09, as amended by Laws 2015, chapter 
62.2 	69, article 2, section 3, and Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, sections 
62.3 	9 to 11, is amended to read:
62.4 	122A.09 DUTIES.
62.5 		Subdivision 1.Code of ethics. The Board of Teaching must develop by rule a code 
62.6 	of ethics covering standards of professional teaching practices, including areas of ethical 
62.7 	conduct and professional performance and methods of enforcement.
62.8 		Subd. 2.Advise members of profession. The board must act in an advisory 
62.9 	capacity to members of the profession in matters of interpretation of the code of ethics.
62.10 		Subd. 3.Election of chair and officers. The board shall elect a chair and such 
62.11 	other officers as it may deem necessary.
62.12 		Subd. 4.License and rules. (a) The board must adopt rules to license public school 
62.13 	teachers and interns subject to chapter 14.
62.14 	(b) The board must require all candidates for teacher licensure to demonstrate a 
62.15 	passing score on a board-adopted skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics, 
62.16 	as a requirement for an initial teacher licensure professional five-year teaching license, 
62.17 	except that the board may issue up to four temporary, initial professional one-year teaching 
62.18 	licenses to an otherwise qualified candidate who has not yet passed the board-adopted 
62.19 	skills exam. The board must require colleges and universities offering a board-approved 
62.20 	teacher preparation program to provide remedial assistance to persons who did not achieve 
62.21 	a qualifying score on the board-adopted skills examination, including those for whom 
62.22 	English is a second language. The requirement to pass a board-adopted reading, writing, 
62.23 	and mathematics skills examination does not apply to nonnative English speakers, as 
62.24 	verified by qualified Minnesota school district personnel or Minnesota higher education 
62.25 	faculty, who, after meeting the content and pedagogy requirements under this subdivision, 
62.26 	apply for a teaching license to provide direct instruction in their native language or world 
62.27 	language instruction under section 120B.022, subdivision 1. The Board of Teaching and 
62.28 	the entity administering the content, pedagogy, and skills examinations must allow any 
62.29 	individual who produces documentation of a disability in the form of an evaluation, 504 
62.30 	plan, or individual education program (IEP) to receive the same testing accommodations 
62.31 	on the content, pedagogy, and skills examinations that the applicant received during their 
62.32 	secondary or postsecondary education.
62.33 	(c) The board must adopt rules to approve teacher preparation programs. The board, 
62.34 	upon the request of a postsecondary student preparing for teacher licensure or a licensed 
62.35 	graduate of a teacher preparation program, shall assist in resolving a dispute between the 
62.36 	person and a postsecondary institution providing a teacher preparation program when the 
63.1 	dispute involves an institution's recommendation for licensure affecting the person or the 
63.2 	person's credentials. At the board's discretion, assistance may include the application 
63.3 	of chapter 14.
63.4 	(d) The board must provide the leadership and adopt rules for the redesign of teacher 
63.5 	education programs to implement a research based, results-oriented curriculum that 
63.6 	focuses on the skills teachers need in order to be effective. Among other components, 
63.7 	teacher preparation programs may use the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities 
63.8 	program model to provide a school-year-long student teaching program that combines 
63.9 	clinical opportunities with academic coursework and in-depth student teaching 
63.10 	experiences to offer students ongoing mentorship, coaching, and assessment, help to 
63.11 	prepare a professional development plan, and structured learning experiences. The board 
63.12 	shall implement new systems of teacher preparation program evaluation to assure program 
63.13 	effectiveness based on proficiency of graduates in demonstrating attainment of program 
63.14 	outcomes. Teacher preparation programs including alternative teacher preparation 
63.15 	programs under section 122A.245, among other programs, must include a content-specific, 
63.16 	board-approved, performance-based assessment that measures teacher candidates in three 
63.17 	areas: planning for instruction and assessment; engaging students and supporting learning; 
63.18 	and assessing student learning. The board's redesign rules must include creating flexible, 
63.19 	specialized teaching licenses, credentials, and other endorsement forms to increase 
63.20 	students' participation in language immersion programs, world language instruction, 
63.21 	career development opportunities, work-based learning, early college courses and careers, 
63.22 	career and technical programs, Montessori schools, and project and place-based learning, 
63.23 	among other career and college ready learning offerings.
63.24 	(e) The board must adopt rules requiring candidates for initialprofessional 
63.25 	five-year teaching licenses to pass an examination of general pedagogical knowledge 
63.26 	and examinations of licensure-specific teaching skills. The rules shall be effective by 
63.27 	September 1, 2001. The rules under this paragraph also must require candidates for initial 
63.28 	licenses to teach prekindergarten or elementary students to pass, as part of the examination 
63.29 	of licensure-specific teaching skills, test items assessing the candidates' knowledge, 
63.30 	skill, and ability in comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction under section 
63.31 	122A.06, subdivision 4, and their knowledge and understanding of the foundations of 
63.32 	reading development, the development of reading comprehension, and reading assessment 
63.33 	and instruction, and their ability to integrate that knowledge and understanding.
63.34 	(f) The board must adopt rules requiring teacher educators to work directly with 
63.35 	elementary or secondary school teachers in elementary or secondary schools to obtain 
63.36 	periodic exposure to the elementary or secondary teaching environment.
64.1 	(g) The board must grant licenses to interns and to candidates for initial professional 
64.2 	five-year teaching licenses based on appropriate professional competencies that are 
64.3 	aligned with the board's licensing system and students' diverse learning needs. All teacher 
64.4 	candidates must have preparation in English language development and content instruction 
64.5 	for English learners in order to be able to effectively instruct the English learners in their 
64.6 	classrooms. The board must include these licenses in a statewide differentiated licensing 
64.7 	system that creates new leadership roles for successful experienced teachers premised on a 
64.8 	collaborative professional culture dedicated to meeting students' diverse learning needs 
64.9 	in the 21st century, recognizes the importance of cultural and linguistic competencies, 
64.10 	including the ability to teach and communicate in culturally competent and aware ways, 
64.11 	and formalizes mentoring and induction for newly licensed teachers provided through a 
64.12 	teacher support framework.
64.13 	(h) The board must design and implement an assessment system which requires a 
64.14 	candidate for an initial license and first continuing license to demonstrate the abilities 
64.15 	necessary to perform selected, representative teaching tasks at appropriate levels.
64.16 	(i) (h) The board must receive recommendations from local committees as established 
64.17 	by the board for the renewal of teaching licenses. The board must require a licensed 
64.18 	teachers teacher who are is renewing a continuing license professional five-year teaching 
64.19 	license to include in the renewal requirements further preparation in English language 
64.20 	development and specially designed content instruction in English for English learners.
64.21 	(j) (i) The board must grant life lifetime substitute licenses to those who qualify 
64.22 	according to board requirements established by the board, and suspend or revoke licenses 
64.23 	pursuant to under sections 122A.20 and 214.10. The board must not establish any 
64.24 	expiration date for application for life lifetime substitute licenses.
64.25 	(k) (j) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing 
64.26 	their continuing license professional five-year teaching licenses to include in their renewal 
64.27 	requirements further preparation in the areas of using positive behavior interventions 
64.28 	and in accommodating, modifying, and adapting curricula, materials, and strategies to 
64.29 	appropriately meet the needs of individual students and ensure adequate progress toward 
64.30 	the state's graduation rule.
64.31 	(l) (k) In adopting rules to license public school teachers who provide health-related 
64.32 	services for disabled children, the board shall adopt rules consistent with license or 
64.33 	registration requirements of the commissioner of health and the health-related boards who 
64.34 	license personnel who perform similar services outside of the school.
64.35 	(m) (l) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are 
64.36 	renewing their continuing license professional five-year teaching licenses to include in 
65.1 	their renewal requirements further reading preparation, consistent with section 122A.06, 
65.2 	subdivision 4. The rules do not take effect until they are approved by law. Teachers who 
65.3 	do not provide direct instruction including, at least, counselors, school psychologists, 
65.4 	school nurses, school social workers, audiovisual directors and coordinators, and 
65.5 	recreation personnel are exempt from this section.
65.6 	(n) (m) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are 
65.7 	renewing their continuing license professional five-year teaching licenses to include 
65.8 	in their renewal requirements at least one hour of suicide prevention best practices in 
65.9 	each licensure renewal period that are based on nationally recognized evidence-based 
65.10 	programs and practices and further preparation, first, in understanding the key warning 
65.11 	signs of early-onset mental illness in children and adolescents and then, during 
65.12 	subsequent licensure renewal periods, preparation may include providing a more in-depth 
65.13 	understanding of students' mental illness trauma, accommodations for students' mental 
65.14 	illness, parents' role in addressing students' mental illness, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum 
65.15 	Disorders, autism, the requirements of section 125A.0942 governing restrictive 
65.16 	procedures, and de-escalation methods, among other similar topics.
65.17 	(o) (n) The board must adopt rules by January 1, 2016, to license applicants under 
65.18 	sections 122A.23 and 122A.245. The rules must permit applicants to demonstrate their 
65.19 	qualifications through the board's recognition of a teaching license from another state 
65.20 	in a similar content field, completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program, 
65.21 	teaching experience as the teacher of record in a similar licensure field, depth of content 
65.22 	knowledge, depth of content methods or general pedagogy, subject-specific professional 
65.23 	development and contribution to the field, or classroom performance as determined by 
65.24 	documented student growth on normed assessments or documented effectiveness on 
65.25 	evaluations. The rules must adopt criteria for determining a "similar content field" and 
65.26 	"similar licensure area."
65.27 		Subd. 4a.Teacher and administrator preparation and performance data; 
65.28 	report. (a) The Board of Teaching and the Board of School Administrators, in cooperation 
65.29 	with the Minnesota Association of Colleges of Teacher Education and Minnesota colleges 
65.30 	and universities offering board-adopted teacher or administrator preparation programs, 
65.31 	annually must collect and report summary data on teacher and administrator preparation 
65.32 	and performance outcomes, consistent with this subdivision. The Board of Teaching 
65.33 	and the Board of School Administrators annually by June 1 must update and post the 
65.34 	reported summary preparation and performance data on teachers and administrators from 
65.35 	the preceding school years on a Web site hosted jointly by the boards.
66.1 	(b) Publicly reported summary data on teacher preparation programs must include: 
66.2 	student entrance requirements for each Board of Teaching-approved program, including 
66.3 	grade point average for enrolling students in the preceding year; the average board-adopted 
66.4 	skills examination or ACT or SAT scores of students entering the program in the preceding 
66.5 	year; summary data on faculty qualifications, including at least the content areas of faculty 
66.6 	undergraduate and graduate degrees and their years of experience either as kindergarten 
66.7 	through grade 12 classroom teachers or school administrators; the average time resident 
66.8 	and nonresident program graduates in the preceding year needed to complete the program; 
66.9 	the current number and percent of students by program who graduated, received a standard 
66.10 	Minnesota teaching license, and were hired to teach full time in their licensure field in a 
66.11 	Minnesota district or school in the preceding year; the number of content area credits and 
66.12 	other credits by undergraduate program that students in the preceding school year needed 
66.13 	to complete to graduate; students' pass rates on skills and subject matter exams required for 
66.14 	graduation in each program and licensure area in the preceding school year; survey results 
66.15 	measuring student and graduate satisfaction with the program in the preceding school 
66.16 	year; a standard measure of the satisfaction of school principals or supervising teachers 
66.17 	with the student teachers assigned to a school or supervising teacher; and information 
66.18 	under paragraphs (d) and (e). Program reporting must be consistent with subdivision 11.
66.19 	(c) Publicly reported summary data on administrator preparation programs 
66.20 	approved by the Board of School Administrators must include: summary data on faculty 
66.21 	qualifications, including at least the content areas of faculty undergraduate and graduate 
66.22 	degrees and their years of experience either as kindergarten through grade 12 classroom 
66.23 	teachers or school administrators; the average time program graduates in the preceding 
66.24 	year needed to complete the program; the current number and percent of students who 
66.25 	graduated, received a standard Minnesota administrator license, and were employed as an 
66.26 	administrator in a Minnesota school district or school in the preceding year; the number of 
66.27 	credits by graduate program that students in the preceding school year needed to complete 
66.28 	to graduate; survey results measuring student, graduate, and employer satisfaction with 
66.29 	the program in the preceding school year; and information under paragraphs (f) and (g). 
66.30 	Program reporting must be consistent with section 122A.14, subdivision 10.
66.31 	(d) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Board of Teaching 
66.32 	the following information for all teachers who finished the probationary period and 
66.33 	accepted a continuing contract position with the district from September 1 of the previous 
66.34 	year through August 31 of the current year: the effectiveness category or rating of the 
66.35 	teacher on the summative evaluation under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, 
66.36 	subdivision 5; the licensure area in which the teacher primarily taught during the 
67.1 	three-year evaluation cycle; and the teacher preparation program preparing the teacher in 
67.2 	the teacher's primary areas of instruction and licensure.
67.3 	(e) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Board of Teaching the 
67.4 	following information for all probationary teachers in the district who were released or 
67.5 	whose contracts were not renewed from September 1 of the previous year through August 
67.6 	31 of the current year: the licensure areas in which the probationary teacher taught; and 
67.7 	the teacher preparation program preparing the teacher in the teacher's primary areas of 
67.8 	instruction and licensure.
67.9 	(f) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Board of School 
67.10 	Administrators the following information for all school principals and assistant principals 
67.11 	who finished the probationary period and accepted a continuing contract position with the 
67.12 	district from September 1 of the previous year through August 31 of the current year: the 
67.13 	effectiveness category or rating of the principal or assistant principal on the summative 
67.14 	evaluation under section 123B.147, subdivision 3; and the principal preparation program 
67.15 	providing instruction to the principal or assistant principal.
67.16 	(g) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Board of School 
67.17 	Administrators all probationary school principals and assistant principals in the district 
67.18 	who were released or whose contracts were not renewed from September 1 of the previous 
67.19 	year through August 31 of the current year.
67.20 		Subd. 5.Commissioner's representative to comment on proposed rule. Prior 
67.21 	to the adoption by Before the Board of Teaching of adopts any rule which that must be 
67.22 	submitted to public hearing, a representative of the commissioner shall appear before the 
67.23 	Board of Teaching and at the hearing required pursuant to under section 14.14, subdivision 
67.24 	1, to comment on the cost and educational implications of that proposed rule.
67.25 		Subd. 6.Register of persons licensed. The executive secretary of the Board of 
67.26 	Teaching shall keep a record of the proceedings of and a register of all persons licensed 
67.27 	pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. The register must show the name, address, 
67.28 	license number and the renewal of the license. The board must on July 1, of each year 
67.29 	or as soon thereafter as is practicable, compile a list of such duly licensed teachers and 
67.30 	transmit a copy of the list to the board. A copy of the register must be available during 
67.31 	business hours at the office of the board to any interested person.
67.32 		Subd. 7.Commissioner's assistance; board money. The commissioner shall 
67.33 	provide all necessary materials and assistance for the transaction of the business of the 
67.34 	Board of Teaching and all moneys received by the Board of Teaching shall be paid into 
67.35 	the state treasury as provided by law. The expenses of administering sections 122A.01, 
67.36 	122A.05 to 122A.09, 122A.15, 122A.16, 122A.17, 122A.18, 122A.20, 122A.21, 122A.22, 
68.1 	122A.23, 122A.26, 122A.30, 122A.40, 122A.41, 122A.42, 122A.45, 122A.49, 122A.54, 
68.2 	122A.55, 122A.56, 122A.57, and 122A.58 which are incurred by the Board of Teaching 
68.3 	shall be paid for from appropriations made to the Board of Teaching.
68.4 		Subd. 8.Fraud; gross misdemeanor. A person who claims to be a licensed teacher 
68.5 	without a valid existing license issued by the board or any person who employs fraud or 
68.6 	deception in applying for or securing a license is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
68.7 		Subd. 9.Board may adopt rules. The Board of Teaching may adopt rules subject 
68.8 	to the provisions of chapter 14 to implement sections 122A.05 to 122A.09, 122A.16, 
68.9 	122A.17, 122A.18, 122A.20, 122A.21, and 122A.23.
68.10 		Subd. 10.Variances Permissions. (a) Notwithstanding subdivision 9 and section 
68.11 	14.05, subdivision 4 14.055, the Board of Teaching may grant a variance waivers to its 
68.12 	rules upon application by a school district for purposes of implementing experimental 
68.13 	programs in learning or management.
68.14 	(b) To enable a school district to meet the needs of students enrolled in an alternative 
68.15 	education program and to enable licensed teachers instructing those students to satisfy 
68.16 	content area licensure requirements, the Board of Teaching annually may permit a licensed 
68.17 	teacher teaching in an alternative education program to instruct students in a content area 
68.18 	for which the teacher is not licensed, consistent with paragraph (a).
68.19 	(c) A special education license variance permission issued by the Board of Teaching 
68.20 	for a primary employer's low-incidence region shall be valid in all low-incidence regions.
68.21 	(d) The Board of Teaching may grant a one-year restricted license under paragraph 
68.22 	(a) to allow a person holding a full credential from the American Montessori Society, a 
68.23 	diploma from Association Montessori Internationale, or a certificate of completion from a 
68.24 	program accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education to 
68.25 	teach in a Montessori program operated by a school district or charter school.
68.26 		Subd. 11.Teacher preparation program reporting. By December 31, 2018, and 
68.27 	annually thereafter, the Board of Teaching shall report and publish on its Web site the 
68.28 	cumulative summary results of at least three consecutive years of data reported to the board 
68.29 	under subdivision 4a, paragraph (b). Where the data are sufficient to yield statistically 
68.30 	reliable information and the results would not reveal personally identifiable information 
68.31 	about an individual teacher, the board shall report the data by teacher preparation program.

68.32 	EFFECTIVE DATE. Subdivision 4, paragraph (m), is effective the day following 
68.33 	final enactment and applies to teachers renewing their teaching licenses beginning August 
68.34 	1, 2017. Subdivision 10, paragraph (d), of this section is effective for the 2016-2017 
68.35 	through 2018-2019 school years.

69.1 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.09, is amended by adding a subdivision 
69.2 	to read:
69.3 		Subd. 12.Endorsement; dual enrollment instruction. The Board of Teaching 
69.4 	must issue an endorsement for dual enrollment instruction to a high school teacher 
69.5 	licensed in a content-specific field who successfully completes the faculty qualification 
69.6 	requirements established by the Higher Learning Commission. The licensure endorsement 
69.7 	must allow the teacher to provide dual enrollment instruction in the teacher's licensure 
69.8 	field, consistent with board-adopted standards. The board must adopt standards for this 
69.9 	endorsement in consultation with eligible public postsecondary institutions participating 
69.10 	in course agreements under section 124D.09, subdivision 10. The endorsement means a 
69.11 	change in the teacher's license that allows the teacher to teach postsecondary college in the 
69.12 	schools dual credit courses under section 124D.09, subdivision 10.

69.13 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment. 
69.14 	The Board of Teaching must start issuing endorsements by September 1, 2017.

69.15 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.18, as amended by Laws 2015, First 
69.16 	Special Session chapter 3, article 2, sections 14 and 15, is amended to read:
69.17 	122A.18 BOARD TO ISSUE LICENSES.
69.18 		Subdivision 1.Authority to license. (a) The Board of Teaching must license 
69.19 	teachers, as defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 1, except for supervisory personnel, 
69.20 	as defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 2.
69.21 	(b) The Board of School Administrators must license supervisory personnel as 
69.22 	defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 2, except for athletic coaches.
69.23 	(c) Licenses under the jurisdiction of the Board of Teaching, the Board of School 
69.24 	Administrators, and the commissioner of education must be issued through the licensing 
69.25 	section of the department.
69.26 	(d) The Board of Teaching and the Department of Education must enter into a data 
69.27 	sharing agreement to share educational data at the E-12 level for the limited purpose 
69.28 	of program approval and improvement for teacher education programs. The program 
69.29 	approval process must include targeted redesign of teacher preparation programs to 
69.30 	address identified E-12 student areas of concern.
69.31 	(e) The Board of School Administrators and the Department of Education must enter 
69.32 	into a data sharing agreement to share educational data at the E-12 level for the limited 
69.33 	purpose of program approval and improvement for education administration programs. 
70.1 	The program approval process must include targeted redesign of education administration 
70.2 	preparation programs to address identified E-12 student areas of concern.
70.3 	(f) For purposes of the data sharing agreements under paragraphs (d) and (e), the 
70.4 	Board of Teaching, Board of School Administrators, and Department of Education may 
70.5 	share private data, as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12, on teachers and school 
70.6 	administrators. The data sharing agreements must not include educational data, as defined 
70.7 	in section 13.32, subdivision 1, but may include summary data, as defined in section 
70.8 	13.02, subdivision 19, derived from educational data.
70.9 		Subd. 2.Teacher and support personnel qualifications. (a) The Board of Teaching 
70.10 	must issue licenses under its jurisdiction to persons the board finds to be qualified and 
70.11 	competent for their respective positions, including those meeting the standards adopted 
70.12 	under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (o) (n).
70.13 	(b) The board must require a candidate for teacher licensure to demonstrate a passing 
70.14 	score on a board-adopted examination of skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, 
70.15 	before being granted an initial a professional five-year teaching license to provide direct 
70.16 	instruction to pupils in prekindergarten, elementary, secondary, or special education 
70.17 	programs, except that the board may issue up to four temporary, one-year teaching licenses 
70.18 	to an otherwise qualified candidate who has not yet passed a board-adopted skills exam. 
70.19 	At the request of the employing school district or charter school, the Board of Teaching 
70.20 	may issue a restricted an initial professional one-year teaching license to an otherwise 
70.21 	qualified teacher not passing or demonstrating a passing score on a board-adopted skills 
70.22 	examination in reading, writing, and mathematics. For purposes of this section, the 
70.23 	restricted initial professional one-year teaching license issued by the board is limited to the 
70.24 	current subject or content matter the teacher is employed to teach and limited to the district 
70.25 	or charter school requesting the restricted initial professional one-year teaching license. If 
70.26 	the board denies the request, it must provide a detailed response to the school administrator 
70.27 	as to the reasons for the denial. The board must require colleges and universities offering 
70.28 	a board approved teacher preparation program to make available upon request remedial 
70.29 	assistance that includes a formal diagnostic component to persons enrolled in their 
70.30 	institution who did not achieve a qualifying score on a board-adopted skills examination, 
70.31 	including those for whom English is a second language. The colleges and universities 
70.32 	must make available assistance in the specific academic areas of candidates' deficiency. 
70.33 	School districts may make available upon request similar, appropriate, and timely remedial 
70.34 	assistance that includes a formal diagnostic component to those persons employed by the 
70.35 	district who completed their teacher education program, who did not achieve a qualifying 
70.36 	score on a board-adopted skills examination, and who received a temporary an initial 
71.1 	professional one-year teaching license to teach in Minnesota. The Board of Teaching 
71.2 	shall report annually to the education committees of the legislature on the total number 
71.3 	of teacher candidates during the most recent school year taking a board-adopted skills 
71.4 	examination, the number who achieve a qualifying score on the examination, the number 
71.5 	who do not achieve a qualifying score on the examination, and the candidates who have 
71.6 	not passed a content or pedagogy exam, disaggregated by categories of race, ethnicity, 
71.7 	and eligibility for financial aid.
71.8 	(c) The Board of Teaching must grant continuing professional five-year teaching 
71.9 	licenses only to those persons who have met board criteria for granting a continuing that 
71.10 	license, which includes passing a board-adopted skills examination in reading, writing, and 
71.11 	mathematics, and the exceptions in section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), that are 
71.12 	consistent with this paragraph. The requirement to pass a board-adopted reading, writing, 
71.13 	and mathematics skills examination, does not apply to nonnative English speakers, as 
71.14 	verified by qualified Minnesota school district personnel or Minnesota higher education 
71.15 	faculty, who, after meeting the content and pedagogy requirements under this subdivision, 
71.16 	apply for a professional five-year teaching license to provide direct instruction in their 
71.17 	native language or world language instruction under section 120B.022, subdivision 1.
71.18 	(d) All colleges and universities approved by the board of teaching to prepare persons 
71.19 	for teacher licensure must include in their teacher preparation programs a common core 
71.20 	of teaching knowledge and skills to be acquired by all persons recommended for teacher 
71.21 	licensure. Among other requirements, teacher candidates must demonstrate the knowledge 
71.22 	and skills needed to provide appropriate instruction to English learners to support and 
71.23 	accelerate their academic literacy, including oral academic language, and achievement in 
71.24 	content areas in a regular classroom setting. This common core shall meet the standards 
71.25 	developed by the interstate new teacher assessment and support consortium in its 1992 
71.26 	"model standards for beginning teacher licensing and development." Amendments to 
71.27 	standards adopted under this paragraph are covered by chapter 14. The board of teaching 
71.28 	shall report annually to the education committees of the legislature on the performance 
71.29 	of teacher candidates on common core assessments of knowledge and skills under this 
71.30 	paragraph during the most recent school year.
71.31 		Subd. 2a.Reading strategies. (a) All colleges and universities approved by the 
71.32 	Board of Teaching to prepare persons for classroom teacher licensure must include in 
71.33 	their teacher preparation programs research-based best practices in reading, consistent 
71.34 	with section 122A.06, subdivision 4, that enable the licensure candidate to know how to 
71.35 	teach reading in the candidate's content areas. Teacher candidates must be instructed 
71.36 	in using students' native languages as a resource in creating effective differentiated 
72.1 	instructional strategies for English learners developing literacy skills. These colleges and 
72.2 	universities also must prepare early childhood and elementary teacher candidates for initial 
72.3 	professional five-year teaching licenses to teach prekindergarten or elementary students 
72.4 	for the assessment of reading instruction portion of the examination of licensure-specific 
72.5 	teaching skills under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (e), covering assessment 
72.6 	of reading instruction.
72.7 	(b) Board-approved teacher preparation programs for teachers of elementary 
72.8 	education must require instruction in the application of in applying comprehensive, 
72.9 	scientifically based, and balanced reading instruction programs that:
72.10 	(1) teach students to read using foundational knowledge, practices, and strategies 
72.11 	consistent with section 122A.06, subdivision 4, so that all students will achieve continuous 
72.12 	progress in reading; and
72.13 	(2) teach specialized instruction in reading strategies, interventions, and remediations 
72.14 	that enable students of all ages and proficiency levels to become proficient readers.
72.15 	(c) Nothing in this section limits the authority of a school district to select a school's 
72.16 	reading program or curriculum.
72.17 		Subd. 2b.Reading specialist. Not later than July 1, 2002, the Board of Teaching 
72.18 	must adopt rules providing for thereading teacher licensure of teachers of reading.
72.19 		Subd. 3.Supervisory and coach qualifications; code of ethics. The commissioner 
72.20 	of education must issue licenses under its jurisdiction to persons the commissioner finds 
72.21 	to be qualified and competent for their respective positions under the rules it adopts. 
72.22 	The commissioner of education may develop, by rule, a code of ethics for supervisory 
72.23 	personnel covering standards of professional practices, including areas of ethical conduct 
72.24 	and professional performance and methods of enforcement.
72.25 		Subd. 3a.Technology strategies. All colleges and universities approved by the 
72.26 	Board of Teaching to prepare persons for classroom teacher licensure must include in their 
72.27 	teacher preparation programs the knowledge and skills teacher candidates need to deliver 
72.28 	digital and blended learning and curriculum and engage students with technology.
72.29 		Subd. 4.Expiration and renewal. (a) Each license the Department of Education 
72.30 	issues through its licensing section must bear the date of issue and the name of the 
72.31 	state-approved teacher training provider. Licenses must expire and be renewed according 
72.32 	to the respective rules the Board of Teaching, the Board of School Administrators, or the 
72.33 	commissioner of education adopts. Requirements for renewing a license must include 
72.34 	showing satisfactory evidence of successful teaching or administrative experience for 
72.35 	at least one school year during the period covered by the license in grades or subjects 
72.36 	for which the license is valid or completing such additional preparation as the Board of 
73.1 	Teaching prescribes. The Board of School Administrators shall establish requirements for 
73.2 	renewing the licenses of supervisory personnel except athletic coaches. The State Board 
73.3 	of Teaching shall establish requirements for renewing the licenses of athletic coaches.
73.4 	(b) Relicensure Applicants for license renewal who have been employed as a teacher 
73.5 	during the renewal period of their expiring license, as a condition of relicensure license 
73.6 	renewal, must present to their local continuing education and relicensure committee 
73.7 	or other local relicensure committee evidence of work that demonstrates professional 
73.8 	reflection and growth in best teaching practices, including among other things, practices in 
73.9 	meeting the varied needs of English learners, from young children to adults under section 
73.10 	124D.59, subdivisions 2 and 2a. The applicant must include a reflective statement of 
73.11 	professional accomplishment and the applicant's own assessment of professional growth 
73.12 	showing evidence of:
73.13 	(1) support for student learning;
73.14 	(2) use of best practices techniques and their applications to student learning;
73.15 	(3) collaborative work with colleagues that includes examples of collegiality such as 
73.16 	attested-to committee work, collaborative staff development programs, and professional 
73.17 	learning community work; or
73.18 	(4) continual professional development that may include (i) job-embedded or other 
73.19 	ongoing formal professional learning or (ii) for teachers employed for only part of the 
73.20 	renewal period of their expiring license, other similar professional development efforts 
73.21 	made during the relicensure period.
73.22 	The Board of Teaching must ensure that its teacher relicensing requirements also include 
73.23 	this paragraph.
73.24 	(c) The Board of Teaching shall offer alternative continuing relicensure options for 
73.25 	license renewal for teachers who are accepted into and complete the National Board for 
73.26 	Professional Teaching Standards certification process, and offer additional continuing 
73.27 	relicensure options for teachers who earn National Board for Professional Teaching 
73.28 	Standards certification. Continuing relicensure requirements for teachers who do not 
73.29 	maintain National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification are those the 
73.30 	board prescribes, consistent with this section.
73.31 		Subd. 4a.Limited provisional licenses. The board may grant two-year provisional 
73.32 	licenses to licensure candidates in a field in which they were not previously licensed or in a 
73.33 	field in which a shortage of licensed teachers exists. A shortage is defined as an inadequate 
73.34 	supply of licensed personnel in a given licensure area as determined by the commissioner.
73.35 		Subd. 5.Effective date. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as affecting 
73.36 	the validity of a permanent certificate or license issued prior to July 1, 1969.
74.1 		Subd. 6.Human relations. The Board of Teaching and the commissioner of 
74.2 	education shall accept training programs completed through Peace Corps, VISTA, or 
74.3 	Teacher Corps in lieu of completion of completing the human relations component of the 
74.4 	training program for purposes of issuing or renewing a teaching license in education.
74.5 		Subd. 7.Limited provisional licenses. The Board of Teaching may grant 
74.6 	provisional licenses, which shall be valid for two years, in fields in which licenses were not 
74.7 	issued previously or in fields in which a shortage of licensed teachers exists. A shortage is 
74.8 	defined as a lack of or an inadequate supply of licensed personnel within a given licensure 
74.9 	area in a school district that has notified the Board of Teaching of the shortage and has 
74.10 	applied to the Board of Teaching for provisional licenses for that district's licensed staff.
74.11 		Subd. 7a.Permission to substitute teach. (a) The Board of Teaching may allow a 
74.12 	person who is enrolled in and making satisfactory progress in a board-approved teacher 
74.13 	program and who has successfully completed student teaching to be employed as a 
74.14 	short-call substitute teacher.
74.15 	(b) The Board of Teaching may issue a lifetime qualified short-call substitute 
74.16 	teaching license to a person who:
74.17 	(1) was a qualified teacher under section 122A.16 while holding a continuing 
74.18 	professional five-year teaching license issued by the board, and receives a retirement 
74.19 	annuity from the Teachers Retirement Association or the St. Paul Teachers Retirement 
74.20 	Fund Association;
74.21 	(2) holds an out-of-state teaching license and receives a retirement annuity as a 
74.22 	result of the person's teaching experience; or
74.23 	(3) held a continuing professional five-year teaching license issued by the board, 
74.24 	taught at least three school years in an accredited nonpublic school in Minnesota, and 
74.25 	receives a retirement annuity as a result of the person's teaching experience.
74.26 	A person holding a lifetime qualified short-call substitute teaching license is not required 
74.27 	to complete continuing education clock hours. A person holding this license may reapply 
74.28 	to the board for a continuing professional five-year teaching license and must again 
74.29 	complete continuing education clock hours one school year after receiving the continuing 
74.30 	professional five-year teaching license.
74.31 		Subd. 7b.Temporary limited licenses Provisional permission; personnel 
74.32 	variances variance; emergency permission. (a) The Board of Teaching must accept 
74.33 	applications for a temporary limited teaching license beginning July 1 of the school year 
74.34 	for which the license is requested and must issue or deny the temporary limited teaching 
74.35 	license within 30 days of receiving the complete application The Board of Teaching 
74.36 	may grant a two-year provisional permission to a licensure candidate in a field in which 
75.1 	a shortage of licensed teachers exists. A shortage is defined as an inadequate supply of 
75.2 	licensed personnel in a given licensure area as determined by the commissioner.
75.3 	(b) The board may grant a one-year personnel variance to a licensed teacher in a 
75.4 	field in which they were not previously licensed. The Board of Teaching must accept 
75.5 	applications for a personnel variance beginning July 1 of the school year for which the 
75.6 	variance is requested and must issue or deny the personnel variance within 30 days of 
75.7 	receiving the complete application.
75.8 	(c) The board may grant a one-year emergency permission to a nonlicensed applicant 
75.9 	based on a district's satisfactory demonstration of need. The board must accept an 
75.10 	application for an emergency permission beginning on July 1 of the school year for which 
75.11 	the permission is requested and must issue or deny the emergency permission within 30 
75.12 	days of receiving the complete application.
75.13 		Subd. 7c.Temporary military license. The Board of Teaching shall establish 
75.14 	a temporary license in accordance with section 197.4552 for teaching. The fee for a 
75.15 	temporary license under this subdivision shall be $87.90 for an online application or 
75.16 	$86.40 for a paper application.
75.17 		Subd. 8.Background checks. (a) The Board of Teaching and the commissioner 
75.18 	of education must request a criminal history background check from the superintendent 
75.19 	of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on all first-time teaching applicants for initial 
75.20 	licenses under their jurisdiction. An application for a license under this section must be 
75.21 	accompanied by Applicants must include with their licensure applications:
75.22 	(1) an executed criminal history consent form, including fingerprints; and
75.23 	(2) a money order or cashier's check payable to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension 
75.24 	for the fee for conducting the criminal history background check.
75.25 	(b) The superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension shall perform the 
75.26 	background check required under paragraph (a) by retrieving criminal history data as 
75.27 	defined in section 13.87 and shall also conduct a search of the national criminal records 
75.28 	repository. The superintendent is authorized to exchange fingerprints with the Federal 
75.29 	Bureau of Investigation for purposes of the criminal history check. The superintendent 
75.30 	shall recover the cost to the bureau of a background check through the fee charged to 
75.31 	the applicant under paragraph (a).
75.32 	(c) The Board of Teaching or the commissioner of education may issue a license 
75.33 	pending completion of a background check under this subdivision, but must notify 
75.34 	the individual that the individual's license may be revoked based on the result of the 
75.35 	background check.

76.1 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.21, as amended by Laws 2015, First 
76.2 	Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 17, is amended to read:
76.3 	122A.21 TEACHERS' AND ADMINISTRATORS' LICENSES; FEES.
76.4 		Subdivision 1.Licensure applications. Each application for the issuance, renewal, 
76.5 	or extension of a license to teach, including applications for licensure via portfolio under 
76.6 	subdivision 2, must be accompanied by a processing fee of $57. Each application for 
76.7 	issuing, renewing, or extending the license of a school administrator or supervisor must 
76.8 	be accompanied by a processing fee in the amount set by the Board of Teaching School 
76.9 	Administrators. The processing fee for a teacher's license and for the licenses of supervisory 
76.10 	personnel must be paid to the executive secretary of the appropriate board. The executive 
76.11 	secretary of the board shall deposit the fees with the commissioner of management and 
76.12 	budget. The fees as set by the board are nonrefundable for applicants not qualifying for a 
76.13 	license. However, a fee must be refunded by the commissioner of management and budget 
76.14 	in any case in which the applicant already holds a valid unexpired license. The board may 
76.15 	waive or reduce fees for applicants who apply at the same time for more than one license.
76.16 		Subd. 2.Licensure via portfolio. (a) An eligible candidate may use licensure via 
76.17 	portfolio to obtain an initial licensure a professional five-year teaching license or to add a 
76.18 	licensure field, consistent with applicable Board of Teaching licensure rules.
76.19 	(b) A candidate for initial licensure a professional five-year teaching license must 
76.20 	submit to the Educator Licensing Division at the department one portfolio demonstrating 
76.21 	pedagogical competence and one portfolio demonstrating content competence.
76.22 	(c) A candidate seeking to add a licensure field must submit to the Educator 
76.23 	Licensing Division at the department one portfolio demonstrating content competence.
76.24 	(d) The Board of Teaching must notify a candidate who submits a portfolio under 
76.25 	paragraph (b) or (c) within 90 calendar days after the portfolio is received whether or not 
76.26 	the portfolio was approved. If the portfolio was not approved, the board must immediately 
76.27 	inform the candidate how to revise the portfolio to successfully demonstrate the requisite 
76.28 	competence. The candidate may resubmit a revised portfolio at any time and the Educator 
76.29 	Licensing Division at the department must approve or disapprove the portfolio within 
76.30 	60 calendar days of receiving it.
76.31 	(e) A candidate must pay to the executive secretary of the Board of Teaching a 
76.32 	$300 fee for the first portfolio submitted for review and a $200 fee for any portfolio 
76.33 	submitted subsequently. The fees must be paid to the executive secretary of the Board of 
76.34 	Teaching. The revenue generated from the fee must be deposited in an education licensure 
76.35 	portfolio account in the special revenue fund. The fees set by the Board of Teaching are 
77.1 	nonrefundable for applicants not qualifying for a license. The Board of Teaching may 
77.2 	waive or reduce fees for candidates based on financial need.

77.3 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.23, is amended to read:
77.4 	122A.23 APPLICANTS TRAINED IN OTHER STATES.
77.5 		Subdivision 1.Preparation equivalency. When a license to teach is authorized to 
77.6 	be issued to any holder of a diploma or a degree of a Minnesota state university, or of the 
77.7 	University of Minnesota, or of a liberal arts university, or a technical training institution, 
77.8 	such license may also, in the discretion of the Board of Teaching or the commissioner of 
77.9 	education, whichever has jurisdiction, be issued to any holder of a diploma or a degree of a 
77.10 	teacher training institution of equivalent rank and standing of any other state. The diploma 
77.11 	or degree must be granted by virtue of completing coursework in teacher preparation as 
77.12 	preliminary to the granting of a diploma or a degree of the same rank and class. For 
77.13 	purposes of granting a Minnesota teaching license to a person who receives a diploma or 
77.14 	degree from a state-accredited, out-of-state teacher training program leading to licensure, 
77.15 	the Board of Teaching must establish criteria and streamlined policies and procedures by 
77.16 	January 1, 2016, to recognize the experience and professional credentials of the person 
77.17 	holding the out-of-state diploma or degree and allow that person to demonstrate to the 
77.18 	board the person's qualifications for receiving a Minnesota teaching license based on 
77.19 	performance measures the board adopts by January 1, 2016, under this section.
77.20 		Subd. 2.Applicants licensed in other states. (a) Subject to the requirements 
77.21 	of sections 122A.18, subdivision 8, and 123B.03, the Board of Teaching must issue a 
77.22 	professional five-year teaching license or a temporary an initial professional one-year 
77.23 	teaching license under paragraphs (c) to (f) to an applicant who holds at least a 
77.24 	baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and holds or 
77.25 	held an out-of-state teaching license that requires the applicant to successfully complete 
77.26 	a teacher preparation program approved by the issuing state, which includes either (1) 
77.27 	field-specific teaching methods, student teaching, or equivalent experience, or (2) at least 
77.28 	two years of teaching experience as the teacher of record in a similar licensure field area.
77.29 	(b) The Board of Teaching may issue a standard professional five-year teaching 
77.30 	license on the basis of teaching experience and examination requirements only.
77.31 	(c) The Board of Teaching must issue a professional five-year teaching license to 
77.32 	an applicant who:
77.33 	(1) successfully completed all exams and human relations preparation components 
77.34 	required by the Board of Teaching; and
78.1 	(2) holds or held an out-of-state teaching license to teach a similar content field and 
78.2 	grade levels if the scope of the out-of-state license is no more than two grade levels less 
78.3 	than a similar Minnesota license, and either (i) has completed field-specific teaching 
78.4 	methods, student teaching, or equivalent experience, or (ii) has at least two years of 
78.5 	teaching experience as the teacher of record in a similar licensure field area.
78.6 	(d) The Board of Teaching, consistent with board rules and paragraph (i), must 
78.7 	issue up to four one-year temporary initial professional one-year teaching licenses to an 
78.8 	applicant who holds or held an out-of-state teaching license to teach a similar content field 
78.9 	licensure area and grade levels, where the scope of the out-of-state license is no more 
78.10 	than two grade levels less than a similar Minnesota license, but has not successfully 
78.11 	completed all exams and human relations preparation components required by the Board 
78.12 	of Teaching. The board must issue a professional five-year teaching license to an applicant 
78.13 	who successfully completes the requirements under this paragraph.
78.14 	(e) The Board of Teaching, consistent with board rules, must issue up to four initial 
78.15 	professional one-year temporary teaching licenses to an applicant who:
78.16 	(1) successfully completed all exams and human relations preparation components 
78.17 	required by the Board of Teaching; and
78.18 	(2) holds or held an out-of-state teaching license to teach a similar content field 
78.19 	licensure area and grade levels, where the scope of the out-of-state license is no more than 
78.20 	two grade levels less than a similar Minnesota license, but has not completed field-specific 
78.21 	teaching methods or student teaching or equivalent experience.
78.22 	The applicant may complete field-specific teaching methods and student teaching 
78.23 	or equivalent experience by successfully participating in a one-year school district 
78.24 	mentorship program consistent with board-adopted standards of effective practice and 
78.25 	Minnesota graduation requirements. If no school district mentorship program is available, 
78.26 	the applicant must complete field-specific teaching methods coursework while serving 
78.27 	as a teacher of record and providing classroom instruction in the applicant's field of 
78.28 	licensure. The board must issue a professional five-year teaching license to an applicant 
78.29 	who successfully completes the requirements under this paragraph.
78.30 	(f) The Board of Teaching must issue a restricted teaching license for only in the 
78.31 	content field or grade levels specified in the out-of-state license to an applicant who:
78.32 	(1) successfully completed all exams and human relations preparation components 
78.33 	required by the Board of Teaching; and
78.34 	(2) holds or held an out-of-state teaching license where the out-of-state license is 
78.35 	more limited in the content field or grade levels than a similar Minnesota license.
79.1 	(f) The Board of Teaching must issue to an applicant with an out-of-state teaching 
79.2 	license up to four initial professional one-year teaching licenses that are restricted in 
79.3 	content or grade levels specified in the out-of-state license if the applicant's out-of-state 
79.4 	teaching license is more limited than a similar Minnesota license in content field or 
79.5 	grade levels. The Board of Teaching must issue a professional five-year teaching license 
79.6 	to an applicant who successfully completes all exams and human relations preparation 
79.7 	components required by the Board of Teaching. Any content or grade level restriction 
79.8 	placed on a license under this paragraph remains in effect.
79.9 	(g) The Board of Teaching may issue a two-year limited provisional license 
79.10 	permission to an applicant under this subdivision to teach in a shortage area, consistent 
79.11 	with section 122A.18, subdivision 4a.
79.12 	(h) The Board of Teaching may issue a license under this subdivision if the applicant 
79.13 	has attained the additional degrees, credentials, or licenses required in a particular 
79.14 	licensure field and the applicant can demonstrate competency by obtaining qualifying 
79.15 	scores on the board-adopted skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics, and 
79.16 	on applicable board-adopted rigorous content area and pedagogy examinations under 
79.17 	section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraphs (a) and (e).
79.18 	(i) The Board of Teaching must require an applicant for a professional five-year 
79.19 	teaching license or a temporary an initial professional one-year teaching license under 
79.20 	this subdivision to pass a board-adopted skills examination in reading, writing, and 
79.21 	mathematics before the board issues the license unless, notwithstanding other provisions 
79.22 	of this subdivision, an applicable board-approved National Association of State Directors 
79.23 	of Teacher Education and Certification interstate reciprocity agreement exists to allow 
79.24 	fully certified teachers from other states to transfer their certification to Minnesota.
79.25 		Subd. 3.Teacher licensure agreements with adjoining states. (a) Notwithstanding 
79.26 	any other law to the contrary, the Board of Teaching must enter into a National Association 
79.27 	of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) interstate 
79.28 	agreement and other interstate agreements for teacher licensure to allow fully certified 
79.29 	teachers from adjoining states to transfer their certification to Minnesota. The board must 
79.30 	enter into these interstate agreements only after determining that the rigor of the teacher 
79.31 	licensure or certification requirements in the adjoining state is commensurate with the 
79.32 	rigor of Minnesota's teacher licensure requirements. The board may limit an interstate 
79.33 	agreement to particular content fields or grade levels based on established priorities or 
79.34 	identified shortages. This subdivision does not apply to out-of-state applicants holding 
79.35 	only a provisional teaching license.
80.1 	(b) The Board of Teaching must work with designated authorities in adjoining states 
80.2 	to establish interstate teacher licensure agreements under this section.

80.3 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.245, as amended by Laws 2015, First 
80.4 	Special Session chapter 3, article 2, sections 19 to 21, is amended to read:
80.5 	122A.245 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM AND 
80.6 	LIMITED-TERM PRELIMINARY TEACHER LICENSE.
80.7 		Subdivision 1.Requirements. (a) To improve academic excellence, improve 
80.8 	ethnic and cultural diversity in the classroom, and close the academic achievement gap, 
80.9 	the Board of Teaching must approve qualified teacher preparation programs under this 
80.10 	section that are a means to acquire a two-year limited-term preliminary teacher license, 
80.11 	which the board may renew one time for an additional one-year term, and to prepare for 
80.12 	acquiring a standard professional five-year license. The following entities are eligible 
80.13 	to participate under this section:
80.14 	(1) a school district, charter school, or nonprofit corporation organized under chapter 
80.15 	317A for an education-related purpose that forms a partnership with a college or university 
80.16 	that has a board-approved alternative teacher preparation program; or
80.17 	(2) a school district or charter school, after consulting with a college or university 
80.18 	with a board-approved teacher preparation program, that forms a partnership with a 
80.19 	nonprofit corporation organized under chapter 317A for an education-related purpose that 
80.20 	has a board-approved teacher preparation program.
80.21 	(b) Before becoming a teacher of record, a candidate must:
80.22 	(1) have a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 or higher grade point average unless the 
80.23 	board waives the grade point average requirement based on board-adopted criteria adopted 
80.24 	by January 1, 2016;
80.25 	(2) demonstrate a passing score on a board-adopted reading, writing, and 
80.26 	mathematics skills examination under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (b); and
80.27 	(3) obtain qualifying scores on applicable board-approved rigorous content area and 
80.28 	pedagogy examinations under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (e).
80.29 	(c) The Board of Teaching must issue a two-year limited-term preliminary teacher
80.30 	license to a person who enrolls in an alternative teacher preparation program.
80.31 		Subd. 2.Characteristics. An alternative teacher preparation program under this 
80.32 	section must include:
80.33 	(1) a minimum 200-hour instructional phase that provides intensive preparation and 
80.34 	student teaching before the teacher candidate assumes classroom responsibilities;
81.1 	(2) a research-based and results-oriented approach focused on best teaching practices 
81.2 	to increase student proficiency and growth measured against state academic standards;
81.3 	(3) strategies to combine pedagogy and best teaching practices to better inform 
81.4 	teacher candidates' classroom instruction;
81.5 	(4) assessment, supervision, and evaluation of teacher candidates to determine 
81.6 	their specific needs throughout the program and to support their efforts to successfully 
81.7 	complete the program;
81.8 	(5) intensive, ongoing, and multiyear professional learning opportunities that 
81.9 	accelerate teacher candidates' professional growth, support student learning, and provide a 
81.10 	workplace orientation, professional staff development, and mentoring and peer review 
81.11 	focused on standards of professional practice and continuous professional growth; and
81.12 	(6) a requirement that teacher candidates demonstrate to the local site team under 
81.13 	subdivision 5 satisfactory progress toward acquiring a standard license professional 
81.14 	five-year teaching licenses from the Board of Teaching.
81.15 		Subd. 3.Program approval; disapproval. (a) The Board of Teaching must approve 
81.16 	alternative teacher preparation programs under this section based on board-adopted 
81.17 	criteria that reflect best practices for alternative teacher preparation programs, consistent 
81.18 	with this section.
81.19 	(b) The board must permit teacher candidates to demonstrate mastery of pedagogy 
81.20 	and content standards in school-based settings and through other nontraditional means. 
81.21 	"Nontraditional means" must include a portfolio of previous experiences, teaching 
81.22 	experience, educator evaluations, certifications marking the completion of education 
81.23 	training programs, and essentially equivalent demonstrations.
81.24 	(c) The board must use nontraditional criteria to determine the qualifications of 
81.25 	program instructors.
81.26 	(d) The board may permit instructors to hold a baccalaureate degree only.
81.27 	(e) If the Board of Teaching determines that a teacher preparation program under this 
81.28 	section does not meet the requirements of this section, it may revoke its approval of the 
81.29 	program after it notifies the program provider of any deficiencies and gives the program 
81.30 	provider an opportunity to remedy the deficiencies.
81.31 		Subd. 4.Employment conditions. Where applicable, teacher candidates with 
81.32 	a limited-term a preliminary teacher license under this section are members of the 
81.33 	local employee organization representing teachers and subject to the terms of the local 
81.34 	collective bargaining agreement between the exclusive representative of the teachers and 
81.35 	the school board. A collective bargaining agreement between a school board and the 
82.1 	exclusive representative of the teachers must not prevent or restrict or otherwise interfere 
82.2 	with a school district's ability to employ a teacher prepared under this section.
82.3 		Subd. 5.Approval for standard professional five-year license. A school board 
82.4 	or its designee must appoint members to a local site team that includes teachers, school 
82.5 	administrators, and postsecondary faculty under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause 
82.6 	(1), or staff of a participating nonprofit corporation under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), 
82.7 	clause (2), to evaluate the performance of the teacher candidate. The evaluation must be 
82.8 	consistent with board-adopted performance measures, use the Minnesota state standards 
82.9 	of effective practice and subject matter content standards for teachers established in 
82.10 	Minnesota Rules, and include a report to the board recommending whether or not to issue 
82.11 	the teacher candidate a standard professional five-year teaching license.
82.12 		Subd. 6.Applicants trained in other states. A person who successfully completes 
82.13 	another state's alternative teacher preparation program, consistent with section 122A.23, 
82.14 	subdivision 1, may apply to the Board of Teaching for a standard an initial professional 
82.15 	one-year teaching license under subdivision 7 or a professional five-year teaching license.
82.16 		Subd. 7.Standard Professional five-year license. The Board of Teaching must 
82.17 	issue a standard professional five-year teaching license to an otherwise qualified teacher 
82.18 	candidate under this section who successfully performs throughout a program under this 
82.19 	section, obtains qualifying scores on applicable board-adopted rigorous skills, pedagogy, 
82.20 	and content area examinations under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraphs (a) and 
82.21 	(e), and is recommended for licensure under subdivision 5 or successfully demonstrates to 
82.22 	the board qualifications for licensure under subdivision 6.
82.23 		Subd. 8.Highly qualified teacher. A person holding a valid limited-term license 
82.24 	under this section is a highly qualified teacher and the teacher of record under section 
82.25 	122A.16.
82.26 		Subd. 9.Exchange of best practices. By July 31 in an even-numbered year, 
82.27 	a program participant and approved alternative preparation program providers, the 
82.28 	Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota 
82.29 	Private College Council, and the Department of Education must exchange information 
82.30 	about best practices and educational innovations.
82.31 		Subd. 10.Reports. The Board of Teaching must submit an interim report on the 
82.32 	efficacy of this program to the policy and finance committees of the legislature with 
82.33 	jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education by February 15, 2013, and a 
82.34 	final report by February 15, 2015.

82.35 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.26, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
83.1 		Subd. 2.Exceptions. (a) A person who teaches in a community education program 
83.2 	which qualifies for aid pursuant to section 124D.52 shall continue to meet licensure 
83.3 	requirements as a teacher. A person who teaches in an early childhood and family 
83.4 	education program which is offered through a community education program and which 
83.5 	qualifies for community education aid pursuant to section 124D.20 or early childhood 
83.6 	and family education aid pursuant to section 124D.135 shall continue to meet licensure 
83.7 	requirements as a teacher. A person who teaches in a community education course which 
83.8 	is offered for credit for graduation to persons under 18 years of age shall continue to 
83.9 	meet licensure requirements as a teacher. 
83.10 	(b) A person who teaches a driver training course which is offered through a 
83.11 	community education program to persons under 18 years of age shall be licensed by the 
83.12 	Board of Teaching or be subject to section 171.35. A license which is required for an 
83.13 	instructor in a community education program pursuant to this subdivision paragraph  shall 
83.14 	not be construed to bring an individual within the definition of a teacher for purposes of 
83.15 	section 122A.40, subdivision 1, or 122A.41, subdivision 1, clause (a).

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

83.18 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.40, subdivision 8, is 
83.19 	amended to read:
83.20 		Subd. 8.Development, evaluation, and peer coaching for continuing contract 
83.21 	teachers. (a) To improve student learning and success, a school board and an exclusive 
83.22 	representative of the teachers in the district, consistent with paragraph (b), may develop 
83.23 	a teacher evaluation and peer review process for probationary and continuing contract 
83.24 	teachers through joint agreement. If a school board and the exclusive representative of the 
83.25 	teachers do not agree to an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process, then the 
83.26 	school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers must implement the state 
83.27 	teacher evaluation plan under paragraph (c). The process must include having trained 
83.28 	observers serve as peer coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning 
83.29 	communities, consistent with paragraph (b).
83.30 	(b) To develop, improve, and support qualified teachers and effective teaching 
83.31 	practices and, improve student learning and success, and provide all enrolled students 
83.32 	in a district or school, including low-income students, American Indian students, and 
83.33 	students of color with improved and equitable access to more diverse teachers, the annual 
83.34 	evaluation process for teachers:
84.1 	(1) must, for probationary teachers, provide for all evaluations required under 
84.2 	subdivision 5;
84.3 	(2) must establish a three-year professional review cycle for each teacher that 
84.4 	includes an individual growth and development plan, a peer review process, and at least 
84.5 	one summative evaluation performed by a qualified and trained evaluator such as a school 
84.6 	administrator. For the years when a tenured teacher is not evaluated by a qualified and 
84.7 	trained evaluator, the teacher must be evaluated by a peer review;
84.8 	(3) must be based on professional teaching standards established in rule;
84.9 	(4) must coordinate staff development activities, including those that improve 
84.10 	cultural fluency and competency under sections 122A.60 and 122A.61 with this evaluation 
84.11 	process and teachers' evaluation outcomes;
84.12 	(5) may provide time during the school day and school year for peer coaching and 
84.13 	teacher collaboration;
84.14 	(6) may include job-embedded learning opportunities such as professional learning 
84.15 	communities;
84.16 	(7) may include mentoring and induction programs for teachers, including teachers 
84.17 	who are members of populations underrepresented among the licensed teachers in 
84.18 	the district or school and who reflect the diversity of students under section 120B.35, 
84.19 	subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), who are enrolled in the district or school;
84.20 	(8) must include an option for teachers to develop and present a portfolio 
84.21 	demonstrating evidence of reflection and professional growth, consistent with section 
84.22 	122A.18, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), and include teachers' own performance assessment 
84.23 	based on student work samples and examples of teachers' work, which may include video 
84.24 	among other activities for the summative evaluation;
84.25 	(9) must use data from valid and reliable assessments aligned to state and local 
84.26 	academic standards and must use state and local measures of student growth and literacy 
84.27 	that may include value-added models or student learning goals to determine 35 percent of 
84.28 	teacher evaluation results;
84.29 	(10) must use longitudinal data on student engagement and connection, and other 
84.30 	student outcome measures explicitly aligned with the elements of curriculum, including 
84.31 	culturally responsive curriculum, for which teachers are responsible, including academic 
84.32 	literacy, oral academic language, and achievement of content areas of English learners;
84.33 	(11) must require qualified and trained evaluators such as school administrators to 
84.34 	perform summative evaluations and ensure school districts and charter schools provide for 
84.35 	effective evaluator training specific to teacher development and evaluation;
85.1 	(12) must give teachers not meeting professional teaching standards under clauses 
85.2 	(3) through (11) support to improve through a teacher improvement process that includes 
85.3 	established goals and timelines; and
85.4 	(13) must discipline a teacher for not making adequate progress in the teacher 
85.5 	improvement process under clause (12) that may include a last chance warning, 
85.6 	termination, discharge, nonrenewal, transfer to a different position, a leave of absence, or 
85.7 	other discipline a school administrator determines is appropriate.; and
85.8 	(14) must include and support cultural competency and the implementation of 
85.9 	culturally responsive practices through the professional review cycle, staff development, 
85.10 	and the use of data on student engagement and connection.
85.11 	Data on individual teachers generated under this subdivision are personnel data 
85.12 	under section 13.43. The observation and interview notes of peer coaches may only be 
85.13 	disclosed to other school officials with the consent of the teacher being coached.
85.14 	(c) The department, in consultation with parents who may represent parent 
85.15 	organizations and teacher and administrator representatives appointed by their respective 
85.16 	organizations, representing the Board of Teaching, the Minnesota Association of School 
85.17 	Administrators, the Minnesota School Boards Association, the Minnesota Elementary 
85.18 	and Secondary Principals Associations, Education Minnesota, and representatives of 
85.19 	the Minnesota Assessment Group, the Minnesota Business Partnership, the Minnesota 
85.20 	Chamber of Commerce, and Minnesota postsecondary institutions with research expertise 
85.21 	in teacher evaluation, must create and publish a teacher evaluation process that complies 
85.22 	with the requirements in paragraph (b) and applies to all teachers under this section and 
85.23 	section 122A.41 for whom no agreement exists under paragraph (a) for an annual teacher 
85.24 	evaluation and peer review process. The teacher evaluation process created under this 
85.25 	subdivision does not create additional due process rights for probationary teachers under 
85.26 	subdivision 5.
85.27 	(d) Consistent with the measures of teacher effectiveness under this subdivision:
85.28 	(1) for students in kindergarten through grade 4, a school administrator must not 
85.29 	place or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the 
85.30 	improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative 
85.31 	evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received 
85.32 	discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school 
85.33 	teaches that grade; and
85.34 	(2) for students in grades 5 through 12, a school administrator must not place 
85.35 	or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the 
85.36 	improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative 
86.1 	evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received 
86.2 	discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school 
86.3 	teaches that subject area and grade.
86.4 	All data created and used under this paragraph retains its classification under chapter 13.

86.5 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2017-2018 school year and 
86.6 	later.

86.7 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.41, subdivision 5, is 
86.8 	amended to read:
86.9 		Subd. 5.Development, evaluation, and peer coaching for continuing contract 
86.10 	teachers. (a) To improve student learning and success, a school board and an exclusive 
86.11 	representative of the teachers in the district, consistent with paragraph (b), may develop an 
86.12 	annual teacher evaluation and peer review process for probationary and nonprobationary 
86.13 	teachers through joint agreement. If a school board and the exclusive representative of 
86.14 	the teachers in the district do not agree to an annual teacher evaluation and peer review 
86.15 	process, then the school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers must 
86.16 	implement the state teacher evaluation plan developed under paragraph (c). The process 
86.17 	must include having trained observers serve as peer coaches or having teachers participate 
86.18 	in professional learning communities, consistent with paragraph (b).
86.19 	(b) To develop, improve, and support qualified teachers and effective teaching 
86.20 	practices and improve student learning and success, and provide all enrolled students 
86.21 	in a district or school, including low-income students, American Indian students, and 
86.22 	students of color with improved and equitable access to more diverse teachers, the annual 
86.23 	evaluation process for teachers:
86.24 	(1) must, for probationary teachers, provide for all evaluations required under 
86.25 	subdivision 2;
86.26 	(2) must establish a three-year professional review cycle for each teacher that 
86.27 	includes an individual growth and development plan, a peer review process, and at least 
86.28 	one summative evaluation performed by a qualified and trained evaluator such as a school 
86.29 	administrator;
86.30 	(3) must be based on professional teaching standards established in rule;
86.31 	(4) must coordinate staff development activities, including those that improve 
86.32 	cultural fluency and competency under sections 122A.60 and 122A.61 with this evaluation 
86.33 	process and teachers' evaluation outcomes;
87.1 	(5) may provide time during the school day and school year for peer coaching and 
87.2 	teacher collaboration;
87.3 	(6) may include job-embedded learning opportunities such as professional learning 
87.4 	communities;
87.5 	(7) may include mentoring and induction programs for teachers, including teachers 
87.6 	who are members of populations underrepresented among the licensed teachers in 
87.7 	the district or school and who reflect the diversity of students under section 120B.35, 
87.8 	subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), who are enrolled in the district or school;
87.9 	(8) must include an option for teachers to develop and present a portfolio 
87.10 	demonstrating evidence of reflection and professional growth, consistent with section 
87.11 	122A.18, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), and include teachers' own performance assessment 
87.12 	based on student work samples and examples of teachers' work, which may include video 
87.13 	among other activities for the summative evaluation;
87.14 	(9) must use data from valid and reliable assessments aligned to state and local 
87.15 	academic standards and must use state and local measures of student growth and literacy 
87.16 	that may include value-added models or student learning goals to determine 35 percent of 
87.17 	teacher evaluation results;
87.18 	(10) must use longitudinal data on student engagement and connection and other 
87.19 	student outcome measures explicitly aligned with the elements of curriculum, including 
87.20 	culturally responsive curriculum, for which teachers are responsible, including academic 
87.21 	literacy, oral academic language, and achievement of English learners;
87.22 	(11) must require qualified and trained evaluators such as school administrators to 
87.23 	perform summative evaluations and ensure school districts and charter schools provide for 
87.24 	effective evaluator training specific to teacher development and evaluation;
87.25 	(12) must give teachers not meeting professional teaching standards under clauses 
87.26 	(3) through (11) support to improve through a teacher improvement process that includes 
87.27 	established goals and timelines; and
87.28 	(13) must discipline a teacher for not making adequate progress in the teacher 
87.29 	improvement process under clause (12) that may include a last chance warning, 
87.30 	termination, discharge, nonrenewal, transfer to a different position, a leave of absence, or 
87.31 	other discipline a school administrator determines is appropriate.; and
87.32 	(14) must include and support cultural competency and the implementation of 
87.33 	culturally responsive practices through the professional review cycle, staff development, 
87.34 	and the use of data on student engagement and connection.
88.1 	Data on individual teachers generated under this subdivision are personnel data 
88.2 	under section 13.43. The observation and interview notes of peer coaches may only be 
88.3 	disclosed to other school officials with the consent of the teacher being coached.
88.4 	(c) The department, in consultation with parents who may represent parent 
88.5 	organizations and teacher and administrator representatives appointed by their respective 
88.6 	organizations, representing the Board of Teaching, the Minnesota Association of School 
88.7 	Administrators, the Minnesota School Boards Association, the Minnesota Elementary 
88.8 	and Secondary Principals Associations, Education Minnesota, and representatives of 
88.9 	the Minnesota Assessment Group, the Minnesota Business Partnership, the Minnesota 
88.10 	Chamber of Commerce, and Minnesota postsecondary institutions with research expertise 
88.11 	in teacher evaluation, must create and publish a teacher evaluation process that complies 
88.12 	with the requirements in paragraph (b) and applies to all teachers under this section and 
88.13 	section 122A.40 for whom no agreement exists under paragraph (a) for an annual teacher 
88.14 	evaluation and peer review process. The teacher evaluation process created under this 
88.15 	subdivision does not create additional due process rights for probationary teachers under 
88.16 	subdivision 2.
88.17 	(d) Consistent with the measures of teacher effectiveness under this subdivision:
88.18 	(1) for students in kindergarten through grade 4, a school administrator must not 
88.19 	place or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the 
88.20 	improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative 
88.21 	evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received 
88.22 	discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school 
88.23 	teaches that grade; and
88.24 	(2) for students in grades 5 through 12, a school administrator must not place 
88.25 	or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the 
88.26 	improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative 
88.27 	evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received 
88.28 	discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school 
88.29 	teaches that subject area and grade.
88.30 	All data created and used under this paragraph retains its classification under chapter 13.

88.31 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2017-2018 school year and 
88.32 	later.

88.33 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.60, subdivision 1, is 
88.34 	amended to read:
89.1 		Subdivision 1.Staff development committee. (a) A school board must use the 
89.2 	revenue authorized in section 122A.61 for:
89.3 	(1) teacher development and evaluation plans under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, 
89.4 	or 122A.41, subdivision 5, and at the request of a teacher and their mentor or peer coach, 
89.5 	activities relating to the teacher's individual growth plan or recommendations resulting 
89.6 	from the peer review process;
89.7 	(2) principal development and evaluation under section 123B.147, subdivision 3;
89.8 	(3) in-service education programs under section 120B.22, subdivision 2; and
89.9 	(4) other staff development needs.
89.10 	(b) The board must establish an advisory staff development committee to develop 
89.11 	the plan, assist site professional development teams in developing a site plan consistent 
89.12 	with the goals of the plan, and evaluate staff development efforts at the site level. A 
89.13 	majority of the advisory committee and the site professional development team must be 
89.14 	teachers representing various grade levels, subject areas, and special education. The 
89.15 	advisory committee must also include nonteaching staff, parents, and administrators.  
89.16 	(c) "Teacher" under this section includes all individuals classified as teachers under 
89.17 	section 179A.03 or section 122A.61.

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

89.20 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.147, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
89.21 		Subd. 3.Duties; evaluation. (a) The principal shall provide administrative, 
89.22 	supervisory, and instructional leadership services, under the supervision of the 
89.23 	superintendent of schools of the district and according to the policies, rules, and 
89.24 	regulations of the school board, for the planning, management, operation, and evaluation 
89.25 	of the education program of the building or buildings to which the principal is assigned.
89.26 	(b) To enhance a principal's leadership skills and support and improve teaching 
89.27 	practices, school performance, and student achievement for diverse student populations, 
89.28 	including at-risk students, children with disabilities, English learners, and gifted students, 
89.29 	among others, a district must develop and implement a performance-based system for 
89.30 	annually evaluating school principals assigned to supervise a school building within the 
89.31 	district. The evaluation must be designed to improve teaching and learning by supporting 
89.32 	the principal in shaping the school's professional environment and developing teacher 
89.33 	quality, performance, and effectiveness, and cultural fluency and competency. The annual 
89.34 	evaluation must:
90.1 	(1) support and improve a principal's instructional leadership, organizational 
90.2 	management, and professional development, and strengthen the principal's capacity in the 
90.3 	areas of instruction, supervision, evaluation, and teacher development by, among other 
90.4 	things, hiring, supporting, and retaining a diverse teaching staff that reflects the diversity 
90.5 	of students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), who are 
90.6 	enrolled in the district or school;
90.7 	(2) include formative and summative evaluations based on multiple measures of 
90.8 	student progress toward career and college readiness;
90.9 	(3) be consistent with a principal's job description, a district's long-term plans and 
90.10 	goals, and the principal's own professional multiyear growth plans and goals, all of which 
90.11 	must support the principal's leadership behaviors and practices, rigorous curriculum, 
90.12 	school performance, students' improved and equitable access to effective and more diverse 
90.13 	teachers, and high-quality instruction;
90.14 	(4) include on-the-job observations and previous evaluations;
90.15 	(5) allow surveys to help identify a principal's effectiveness, leadership skills and 
90.16 	processes, and strengths and weaknesses in exercising leadership in pursuit of school 
90.17 	success;
90.18 	(6) use longitudinal data on student academic growth as 35 percent of the evaluation 
90.19 	and incorporate district achievement goals and targets;
90.20 	(7) be linked to professional development that emphasizes improved teaching and 
90.21 	learning, curriculum and instruction, student learning, and a collaborative professional 
90.22 	culture, and students' increased and equitable access to effective and more diverse 
90.23 	teachers, consistent with attaining the world's best workforce under section 120B.11, 
90.24 	subdivision 1, paragraph (c); and
90.25 	(8) for principals not meeting standards of professional practice or other criteria 
90.26 	under this subdivision, implement a plan to improve the principal's performance and 
90.27 	specify the procedure and consequence if the principal's performance is not improved.
90.28 	The provisions of this paragraph are intended to provide districts with sufficient 
90.29 	flexibility to accommodate district needs and goals related to developing, supporting, 
90.30 	and evaluating principals.

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

90.33 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.09, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
90.34 		Subd. 10.Courses according to agreements. (a) An eligible pupil, according 
90.35 	to subdivision 5, may enroll in a nonsectarian course taught by a secondary teacher or 
91.1 	a postsecondary faculty member and offered at a secondary school, or another location, 
91.2 	according to an agreement between a public school board and the governing body of an 
91.3 	eligible public postsecondary system or an eligible private postsecondary institution, 
91.4 	as defined in subdivision 3. All provisions of this section shall apply to a pupil, public 
91.5 	school board, district, and the governing body of a postsecondary institution, except as 
91.6 	otherwise provided.
91.7 	(b) To encourage American Indian students under section 124D.72 and other 
91.8 	students to consider teaching as a profession, participating public school boards and 
91.9 	the governing boards of eligible public postsecondary systems and eligible private 
91.10 	postsecondary institutions may develop and offer an "introduction to teaching" course 
91.11 	under this subdivision.

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

91.13 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.861, as amended by Laws 2015, 
91.14 	chapter 21, article 1, section 20, is amended to read:
91.15 	124D.861 ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEGRATION FOR MINNESOTA.
91.16 		Subdivision 1.Program to close the academic achievement and opportunity gap; 
91.17 	revenue uses. (a) The "Achievement and Integration for Minnesota" program is established 
91.18 	to pursue racial and economic integration and increase student academic achievement, 
91.19 	create equitable educational opportunities, and reduce academic disparities based on 
91.20 	students' diverse racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds in Minnesota public schools.
91.21 	(b) For purposes of this section and section 124D.862, "eligible district" means a 
91.22 	district required to submit a plan to the commissioner under Minnesota Rules governing 
91.23 	school desegregation and integration, or be a member of a multidistrict integration 
91.24 	collaborative that files a plan with the commissioner.
91.25 	(c) Eligible districts must use the revenue under section 124D.862 to pursue 
91.26 	academic achievement and racial and economic integration through: 
91.27 	(1) integrated learning environments that give students improved and equitable 
91.28 	access to effective and more diverse teachers, prepare all students to be effective citizens 
91.29 	and enhance social cohesion; 
91.30 	(2) policies and curricula and trained, culturally fluent and competent instructors, 
91.31 	administrators, school counselors, and other advocates to support and enhance integrated 
91.32 	learning environments under this section, including through magnet schools, innovative, 
91.33 	research-based instruction, differentiated instruction, improved and equitable access to 
91.34 	effective and diverse teachers, and targeted interventions to improve achievement; and 
92.1 	(3) rigorous career and college readiness programs and effective and more diverse 
92.2 	instructors for underserved student populations, consistent with section 120B.30, 
92.3 	subdivision 1; integrated learning environments to increase student academic achievement; 
92.4 	cultural fluency, competency, and interaction; graduation and educational attainment rates; 
92.5 	and parent involvement.
92.6 		Subd. 2.Plan implementation; components. (a) The school board of each eligible 
92.7 	district must formally develop and implement a long-term plan under this section. The plan 
92.8 	must be incorporated into the district's comprehensive strategic plan under section 120B.11. 
92.9 	Plan components may include: innovative and integrated prekindergarten through grade 12 
92.10 	learning environments that offer students school enrollment choices; family engagement 
92.11 	initiatives that involve families in their students' academic life and success; professional 
92.12 	development opportunities for teachers and administrators focused on improving the 
92.13 	academic achievement of all students, including teachers and administrators who are 
92.14 	members of populations underrepresented among the licensed teachers or administrators 
92.15 	in the district or school and who reflect the diversity of students under section 120B.35, 
92.16 	subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), who are enrolled in the district or school; 
92.17 	increased programmatic opportunities and effective and more diverse instructors focused 
92.18 	on rigor and college and career readiness for underserved students, including students 
92.19 	enrolled in alternative learning centers under section 123A.05, public alternative programs 
92.20 	under section 126C.05, subdivision 15, and contract alternative programs under section 
92.21 	124D.69, among other underserved students; or recruitment and retention of teachers and 
92.22 	administrators with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. The plan must contain goals for: 
92.23 	(1) reducing the disparities in academic achievement among all students and specific 
92.24 	categories of students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), excluding the 
92.25 	student categories of gender, disability, and English learners; and
92.26 	(2) increasing racial and economic diversity and integration in schools and districts.; 
92.27 	and
92.28 	(3) providing students with equitable access to effective and more diverse teachers.
92.29 	(b) Among other requirements, an eligible district must implement effective, 
92.30 	research-based interventions that include formative assessment practices to reduce the 
92.31 	disparities in student academic performance among the specific categories of students as 
92.32 	measured by student progress and growth on state reading and math assessments and 
92.33 	as aligned with section 120B.11.
92.34 	(c) Eligible districts must create efficiencies and eliminate duplicative programs 
92.35 	and services under this section, which may include forming collaborations or a single, 
92.36 	seven-county metropolitan areawide partnership of eligible districts for this purpose.
93.1 		Subd. 3.Public engagement; progress report and budget process. (a) To 
93.2 	receive revenue under section 124D.862, the school board of an eligible district must 
93.3 	incorporate school and district plan components under section 120B.11 into the district's 
93.4 	comprehensive integration plan.
93.5 	(b) A school board must hold at least one formal annual hearing to publicly report 
93.6 	its progress in realizing the goals identified in its plan. At the hearing, the board must 
93.7 	provide the public with longitudinal data demonstrating district and school progress in 
93.8 	reducing the disparities in student academic performance among the specified categories 
93.9 	of students, in improving students' equitable access to effective and more diverse teachers, 
93.10 	and in realizing racial and economic diversity and integration, consistent with the district 
93.11 	plan and the measures in paragraph (a). At least 30 days before the formal hearing under 
93.12 	this paragraph, the board must post its plan, its preliminary analysis, relevant student 
93.13 	performance data, and other longitudinal data on the district's Web site. A district must 
93.14 	hold one hearing to meet the hearing requirements of both this section and section 120B.11.
93.15 	(c) The district must submit a detailed budget to the commissioner by March 15 in 
93.16 	the year before it implements its plan. The commissioner must review, and approve or 
93.17 	disapprove the district's budget by June 1 of that year.
93.18 	(d) The longitudinal data required under paragraph (b) must be based on student 
93.19 	growth and progress in reading and mathematics, as defined under section 120B.30, 
93.20 	subdivision 1, and student performance data and achievement reports from fully adaptive 
93.21 	reading and mathematics assessments for grades 3 through 7 beginning in the 2015-2016 
93.22 	school year under section 120B.30, subdivision 1a, and either (i) school enrollment 
93.23 	choices, (ii) the number of world language proficiency or high achievement certificates 
93.24 	awarded under section 120B.022, subdivision 1a, or the number of state bilingual and 
93.25 	multilingual seals issued under section 120B.022, subdivision 1b, or (iii) school safety 
93.26 	and students' engagement and connection at school under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, 
93.27 	paragraph (d). Additional longitudinal data may be based on: students' progress toward 
93.28 	career and college readiness under section 120B.30, subdivision 1; or rigorous coursework 
93.29 	completed under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), clause (2).
93.30 		Subd. 4.Timeline and implementation. A board must approve its plan and submit 
93.31 	it to the department by March 15. If a district that is part of a multidistrict council applies 
93.32 	for revenue for a plan, the individual district shall not receive revenue unless it ratifies 
93.33 	the plan adopted by the multidistrict council. Each plan has a term of three years. For 
93.34 	the 2014-2015 school year, an eligible district under this section must submit its plan to 
93.35 	the commissioner for review by March 15, 2014. For the 2013-2014 school year only, 
94.1 	an eligible district may continue to implement its current plan until the commissioner 
94.2 	approves a new plan under this section.
94.3 		Subd. 5.Evaluation. The commissioner must evaluate the efficacy of district 
94.4 	plans in reducing the disparities in student academic performance among the specified 
94.5 	categories of students within the district, improving students' equitable access to effective 
94.6 	and diverse teachers, and in realizing racial and economic diversity and integration. 
94.7 	The commissioner shall report evaluation results to the kindergarten through grade 12 
94.8 	education committees of the legislature by February 1 of every odd-numbered year.

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

94.11 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 127A.05, subdivision 6, is 
94.12 	amended to read:
94.13 		Subd. 6.Survey of districts. The commissioner of education shall survey the state's 
94.14 	school districts and teacher preparation programs and report to the education committees 
94.15 	of the legislature by February 1 of each odd-numbered year on the status of teacher early 
94.16 	retirement patterns, access to effective and more diverse teachers who reflect the students 
94.17 	under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), enrolled in a district or 
94.18 	school, the teacher shortage, and the substitute teacher shortage, including teacher hiring 
94.19 	and retention patterns and shortages inby subject areas and the economic development 
94.20 	regions of the state. The report must also include: aggregate data on teachers' self-reported 
94.21 	race and ethnicity; data on how districts are making progress in hiring and providing 
94.22 	enrolled students with improved and equitable access to effective and more diverse teachers 
94.23 	and substitutes in the areas of shortage; and a five-year projection of teacher demand 
94.24 	for each district, taking into account the students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, 
94.25 	paragraph (b), clause (2), expected to enroll in the district during that five-year period.

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

94.28 	Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 136A.1791, subdivision 1, 
94.29 	is amended to read:
94.30 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) The terms used in this section have the meanings 
94.31 	given them in this subdivision.
95.1 	(b) "Qualified educational loan" means a government, commercial, or foundation 
95.2 	loan for actual costs paid for tuition and reasonable educational and living expenses 
95.3 	related to a teacher's preparation or further education.
95.4 	(c) "School district" means an independent school district, special school district, 
95.5 	intermediate district, education district, special education cooperative, service cooperative, 
95.6 	a cooperative center for vocational education, or a charter school located in Minnesota.
95.7 	(d) "Teacher" means an individual holding a teaching license issued by the licensing 
95.8 	division in the Department of Education on behalf of the Board of Teaching who is 
95.9 	employed by a school district to provide classroom instruction in a teacher shortage area.
95.10 	(e) "Teacher shortage area" means the licensure fields and economic development 
95.11 	regions reported by the commissioner of education as experiencing a teacher shortage or 
95.12 	the school districts where minority populations are underrepresented among licensed 
95.13 	teachers, consistent with section 127A.05, subdivision 6, and applicable federal law.
95.14 	(f) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education 
95.15 	unless indicated otherwise.

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

95.17 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 136A.1791, subdivision 3, 
95.18 	is amended to read:
95.19 		Subd. 3.Use of report on teacher shortage areas. The commissioner of education 
95.20 	shall use the teacher supply and demand report to the legislature to identify the licensure 
95.21 	fields and economic development regions in Minnesota experiencing a teacher shortage 
95.22 	and the school districts where minority populations are underrepresented among licensed 
95.23 	teachers, consistent with section 127A.05, subdivision 6, and applicable federal law.

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

95.25 	Sec. 20. CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATOR LICENSING ADVISORY 
95.26 	TASK FORCE.
 95.27 		Subdivision 1.Creation. The Career and Technical Educator Licensing Advisory 
95.28 	Task Force consists of the following members, appointed by the commissioner of 
95.29 	education, unless otherwise specified:
95.30 	(1) one person who is a member of the Board of Teaching;
95.31 	(2) one person representing colleges and universities offering a board-approved 
95.32 	teacher preparation program;
96.1 	(3) one person representing science, technology, engineering, and math programs, 
96.2 	such as Project Lead the Way;
96.3 	(4) one person designated by the Board of the Minnesota Association for Career and 
96.4 	Technical Administrators;
96.5 	(5) one person designated by the Board of the Minnesota Association for Career 
96.6 	and Technical Education;
96.7 	(6) three people who are secondary school administrators, including superintendents, 
96.8 	principals, and assistant principals; and
96.9 	(7) two people who are members of other interested groups, as determined by the 
96.10 	commissioner of education.
96.11 	The commissioner and designating authorities must make their initial appointments 
96.12 	and designations by July 1, 2016. The commissioner and designating authorities, to the 
96.13 	extent practicable, should make appointments balanced as to gender and reflecting the 
96.14 	ethnic diversity of the state population.
96.15 		Subd. 2.Duties; report. The task force must review the current status of career and 
96.16 	technical educator licenses and provide recommendations on changes, if any are deemed 
96.17 	necessary, to the licensure requirements and methods to increase access for school districts 
96.18 	to licensed career and technical educators. The task force must report its findings and 
96.19 	recommendations, with draft legislation if needed to implement the recommendations, to 
96.20 	the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction 
96.21 	over kindergarten through grade 12 education and higher education by January 15, 2017.
96.22 		Subd. 3.First meeting. The commissioner of education or the commissioner's 
96.23 	designee must convene the first meeting of the task force by September 1, 2016.
96.24 		Subd. 4.Administrative support. The commissioner of education must provide 
96.25 	meeting space and administrative services for the task force.
96.26 		Subd. 5.Chair. The commissioner of education or the commissioner's designee 
96.27 	shall serve as chair of the task force.
96.28 		Subd. 6.Compensation. The public members of the task force serve without 
96.29 	compensation or payment of expenses.
96.30 		Subd. 7.Expiration. The task force expires January 16, 2017, or upon submission 
96.31 	of the report required in subdivision 2, whichever is earlier.

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

96.33 	Sec. 21. LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON TEACHER LICENSURE.
 96.34 	(a) A 12-member legislative task force on teacher licensure is created to review the 
96.35 	2016 report prepared by the Office of the Legislative Auditor on the Minnesota teacher 
97.1 	licensure program and submit a written report by February 1, 2017, to the legislature 
97.2 	recommending how to restructure Minnesota's teacher licensure system by consolidating 
97.3 	all teacher licensure activities into a single state entity to ensure transparency and 
97.4 	consistency or, at a minimum, clarify existing teacher licensure responsibilities to provide 
97.5 	transparency and consistency. In developing its recommendations, the task force must 
97.6 	consider the tiered licensure system recommended in the legislative auditor's report, 
97.7 	among other recommendations. The task force must identify and include in its report any 
97.8 	statutory changes needed to implement the task force recommendations.
97.9 	(b) The legislative task force on teacher licensure includes:
97.10 	(1) six duly elected and currently serving senators, three appointed by the senate 
97.11 	majority leader and three appointed by the senate minority leader; and
97.12 	(2) six duly elected and currently serving members of the house of representatives, 
97.13 	three appointed by the speaker and three appointed by the house minority leader.
97.14 	Only duly elected and currently serving members of the senate or house of representatives 
97.15 	may be task force members.
97.16 	(c) The appointments must be made by June 1, 2016, and expire February 2, 2017. If 
97.17 	a vacancy occurs, the leader of the caucus in the house or senate to which the vacating 
97.18 	task force member belonged must fill the vacancy. A senate member appointed by the 
97.19 	senate majority leader shall convene the first meeting of the task force. The task force 
97.20 	shall elect a chair or cochairs from among the members at the first meeting. The task force 
97.21 	must meet periodically. The Legislative Coordinating Commission shall provide technical 
97.22 	and administrative assistance upon request.
97.23 	(d) In reviewing the legislative auditor's report and developing its recommendations, 
97.24 	the task force must consult with interested and affected stakeholders, including 
97.25 	representatives of the Board of Teaching, Minnesota Department of Education, Education 
97.26 	Minnesota, MinnCAN, Minnesota Business Partnership, Minnesota Rural Education 
97.27 	Association, Association of Metropolitan School Districts, Minnesota Association of 
97.28 	Colleges for Teacher Education, College of Education and Human Development at 
97.29 	the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Minnesota 
97.30 	Private College Council, Minnesota School Boards Association, Minnesota Elementary 
97.31 	School Principals' Association, Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, 
97.32 	Minnesota Association of School Administrators, Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, the 
97.33 	Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, 
97.34 	Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, Minnesota Association of Educators, and Minnesota 
97.35 	Teach For America, among other stakeholders.
97.36 	(e) The task force expires February 2, 2017, unless extended by law.

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

98.2 	Sec. 22.  REPEALER.
 98.3 	Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.245, subdivision 8, is repealed.

98.4 	ARTICLE 8
98.5 	EARLY CHILDHOOD

98.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 2, 
98.7 	is amended to read:
98.8 		Subd. 2.Family eligibility. (a) For a family to receive an early learning scholarship, 
98.9 	parents or guardians must meet the following eligibility requirements:
98.10 	(1) have a child three or four years of age on September 1 of the current school year, 
98.11 	who has not yet started kindergarten; and
98.12 	(2) have income equal to or less than 185 percent of federal poverty level income 
98.13 	in the current calendar year, or be able to document their child's current participation in 
98.14 	the free and reduced-price lunch program or child and adult care food program, National 
98.15 	School Lunch Act, United States Code, title 42, sections 1751 and 1766; the Food 
98.16 	Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Food and Nutrition Act, United States 
98.17 	Code, title 7, sections 2011-2036; Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for 
98.18 	School Readiness Act of 2007; Minnesota family investment program under chapter 256J; 
98.19 	child care assistance programs under chapter 119B; the supplemental nutrition assistance 
98.20 	program; or placement in foster care under section 260C.212.
98.21 	(b) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, a parent under age 21 who 
98.22 	is pursuing a high school or general education equivalency diploma is eligible for an early 
98.23 	learning scholarship if the parent has a child age zero to five years old and meets the 
98.24 	income eligibility guidelines in this subdivision.
98.25 	(c) Any siblings between the ages zero to five years old of a child who has been 
98.26 	awarded a scholarship under this section must be awarded a scholarship upon request, 
98.27 	provided the sibling attends the same program as long as funds are available.
98.28 	(d) A child who has received a scholarship under this section must continue to 
98.29 	receive a scholarship each year until that child is eligible for kindergarten under section 
98.30 	120A.20 and as long as funds are available.
98.31 	(e) Early learning scholarships may not be counted as earned income for the 
98.32 	purposes of medical assistance under chapter 256B, MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L, 
98.33 	Minnesota family investment program under chapter 256J, child care assistance programs 
99.1 	under chapter 119B, or Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School 
99.2 	Readiness Act of 2007.
99.3 	(f) A child from an adjoining state whose family resides at a Minnesota address as 
99.4 	assigned by the United States Postal Service, who has received developmental screening 
99.5 	under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, who intends to enroll in a Minnesota school district, 
99.6 	and whose family meets the criteria of paragraph (a) is eligible for an early learning 
99.7 	scholarship under this section.
99.8 	(g) A child whose family is homeless and meets the criteria in paragraph (a), clause 
99.9 	(1), is eligible for an early learning scholarship under this section.

99.10 	ARTICLE 9
99.11 	CHARTER SCHOOL RECODIFICATION

99.12 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.01, is amended to read:
99.13 	124E.01 PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY.
99.14 		Subdivision 1.Purposes. The primary purpose of this chapter charter schools is to 
99.15 	improve all pupil learning and all student achievement. Additional purposes include to:
99.16 	(1) increase learning opportunities for all pupils;
99.17 	(2) encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods;
99.18 	(3) measure learning outcomes and create different and innovative forms of 
99.19 	measuring outcomes;
99.20 	(4) establish new forms of accountability for schools; or
99.21 	(5) create new professional opportunities for teachers, including the opportunity to 
99.22 	be responsible for the learning program at the school site.
99.23 		Subd. 2.Applicability. This chapter applies only to charter schools formed and 
99.24 	operated under this chapter. Other statutes and rules that specifically apply to charter 
99.25 	schools also govern charter schools.

99.26 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.02, is amended to read:
99.27 	124E.02 DEFINITIONS.
99.28 	(a) For purposes of this chapter, the terms defined in this paragraph section have 
99.29 	the meanings given them.
99.30 	"Application" to receive approval as an authorizer means the proposal an eligible 
99.31 	authorizer submits to the commissioner under section 124E.05  before that authorizer is 
99.32 	able to submit any affidavit to charter to a school.
100.1 	"Application" under section 124E.06 means the charter school business plan a 
100.2 	school developer submits to an authorizer for approval to establish a charter school that 
100.3 	documents the school developer's mission statement, school purposes, program design, 
100.4 	financial plan, governance and management structure, and background and experience, 
100.5 	plus any other information the authorizer requests. The application also shall include a 
100.6 	"statement of assurances" of legal compliance prescribed by the commissioner.
100.7 	(b) "Affidavit" means a written statement the authorizer submits to the commissioner 
100.8 	for approval to establish a charter school under section 124E.06, subdivision 4, attesting to 
100.9 	its review and approval process before chartering a school.
100.10 	(b) For purposes of this chapter:
100.11 	(1) "related party" means an affiliate or immediate relative of the other party in 
100.12 	question, an affiliate of an immediate relative, or an immediate relative of an affiliate;
100.13 	(2) (c) "Affiliate" means a person that directly or indirectly, through one or more 
100.14 	intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another person;.
100.15 	(d) "Control" means the ability to affect the management, operations, or policy actions 
100.16 	or decisions of a person, whether by owning voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.
100.17 	(3) (e) "Immediate family" means an individual whose relationship by blood, 
100.18 	marriage, adoption, or partnering partnership is no more remote than first cousin;.
100.19 	(4) (f) "Person" means an individual or entity of any kind; and.
100.20 	(5) "control" means the ability to affect the management, operations, or policy 
100.21 	actions or decisions of a person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by 
100.22 	contract, or otherwise.
100.23 	(g) "Related party" means an affiliate or immediate relative of the other interested 
100.24 	party, an affiliate of an immediate relative who is the other interested party, or an 
100.25 	immediate relative of an affiliate who is the other interested party.
100.26 	(h) For purposes of this chapter, the terms defined in section 120A.05 have the 
100.27 	same meanings.

100.28 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.03, is amended to read:
100.29 	124E.03 APPLICABLE LAW.
100.30 		Subdivision 1.Public status; exemption from statutes and rules. A charter school 
100.31 	is a public school and is part of the state's system of public education. A charter school is 
100.32 	exempt from all statutes and rules applicable to a school, school board, or school district 
100.33 	unless a statute or rule is made specifically applicable to a charter school or is included 
100.34 	in this chapter.
101.1 		Subd. 2.General Certain federal, state, and local requirements. (a) A charter 
101.2 	school shall meet all federal, state, and local health and safety requirements applicable 
101.3 	to school districts.
101.4 	(b) A school must comply with statewide accountability requirements governing 
101.5 	standards and assessments in chapter 120B.
101.6 	(c) A charter school is subject to and must comply with the Minnesota Public School 
101.7 	Fee Law, sections 123B.34 to 123B.39.
101.8 	(d) A charter school is a district for the purposes of tort liability under chapter 466.
101.9 	(e) A charter school is subject to must comply with the Pledge of Allegiance 
101.10 	requirement under section 121A.11, subdivision 3.
101.11 	(f) A charter school and charter school board of directors are subject to must comply 
101.12 	with chapter 181 governing requirements for employment.
101.13 	(g) A charter school is subject to and must comply with continuing truant notification 
101.14 	under section 260A.03.
101.15 	(h) A charter school must develop and implement a teacher evaluation and peer 
101.16 	review process under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph (b), clauses (2) to 
101.17 	(13). The teacher evaluation process in this paragraph does not create any additional 
101.18 	employment rights for teachers.
101.19 	(i) A charter school must adopt a policy, plan, budget, and process, consistent with 
101.20 	section 120B.11, to review curriculum, instruction, and student achievement and strive 
101.21 	for the world's best workforce.
101.22 		Subd. 3.Pupils with a disability. A charter school must comply with sections 
101.23 	125A.02, 125A.03 to 125A.24, 125A.65, and 125A.75 and rules relating to the education 
101.24 	of pupils with a disability as though it were a district. A charter school enrolling 
101.25 	prekindergarten pupils with a disability under section 124E.11, paragraph (h), must 
101.26 	comply with sections 125A.259 to 125A.48 and rules relating to the Interagency Early 
101.27 	Intervention System as though it were a school district.
101.28 		Subd. 4.Students' rights and related law. (a) A charter school student must 
101.29 	be released release a student for religious instruction, consistent with section 120A.22, 
101.30 	subdivision 12, clause (3).
101.31 	(b) A charter school is subject to and must comply with chapter 363A governing the 
101.32 	Minnesota Human Rights Act and section 121A.04 governing student athletics and sex 
101.33 	discrimination in schools.
101.34 	(c) A charter school must comply with section 121A.031 governing policies on 
101.35 	prohibited conduct bullying.
102.1 		Subd. 5.Records, meetings, and data requirements. (a) A charter school must 
102.2 	comply with chapters chapter 13 and 13D governing government data; and sections 
102.3 	120A.22, subdivision 7;121A.75; governing access to juvenile justice records, and 
102.4 	260B.171, subdivisions 3 and 5, governing juvenile justice records.
102.5 	(b) A charter school must comply with section 120A.22, subdivision 7, governing 
102.6 	the transfer of students' educational records and sections 138.163 and 138.17 governing 
102.7 	the management of local records.
102.8 		Subd. 5a.Open meetings. A charter school must comply with chapter 13D 
102.9 	governing open meetings.
102.10 		Subd. 6.Length of school year. A charter school must provide instruction each 
102.11 	year for at least the number of hours required by section 120A.41. It may provide 
102.12 	instruction throughout the year according to under sections 124D.12 to 124D.127 or 
102.13 	124D.128 governing learning year programs.
102.14 		Subd. 7.Additional program-specific requirements. (a) A charter school offering 
102.15 	online courses or programs must comply with section 124D.095 governing online learning.
102.16 	(b) A charter school that provides early childhood health and developmental screening 
102.17 	must comply with sections 121A.16 to 121A.19 governing early childhood screening.
102.18 	(c) A charter school that provides school-sponsored youth athletic activities must 
102.19 	comply with section 121A.38 governing policies on concussions.

102.20 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.05, is amended to read:
102.21 	124E.05 AUTHORIZERS.
102.22 		Subdivision 1.Eligible authorizers. (a) The following organizations in this 
102.23 	subdivision may authorize one or more charter schools:.
102.24 	(1) (b) A school board, intermediate school district school board, or education 
102.25 	district organized under sections 123A.15 to 123A.19; may authorize a charter school.
102.26 	(2) (c) A charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 
102.27 	Code of 1986, excluding a nonpublic sectarian or religious institution; any person other 
102.28 	than a natural person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, 
102.29 	controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the nonpublic sectarian or 
102.30 	religious institution; and any other charitable organization under this clause that in the 
102.31 	federal IRS Form 1023, Part IV, describes activities indicating a religious purpose, that 
102.32 	may authorize a charter school, if the organization:
102.33 	(i) (1) is a member of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits or the Minnesota Council 
102.34 	on Foundations;
102.35 	(ii) (2) is registered with the attorney general's office; and
103.1 	(iii) (3) is incorporated in the state of Minnesota and has been operating continuously 
103.2 	for at least five years but does not operate a charter school; and
103.3 	(4) is not:
103.4 	(i) a nonpublic sectarian or religious institution;
103.5 	(ii) any person other than a natural person that directly or indirectly, through one 
103.6 	or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the 
103.7 	nonpublic sectarian or religious institution; or
103.8 	(iii) any other charitable organization under this paragraph that in the federal IRS 
103.9 	Form 1023, Part IV, describes activities indicating a religious purpose.
103.10 	(3) (d) A Minnesota private college, notwithstanding clause (2), that grants two- or 
103.11 	four-year degrees and is registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education under 
103.12 	chapter 136A; may authorize a charter school, notwithstanding paragraph (c).
103.13 	(e)community college, A state  college or university, or technical college governed 
103.14 	by the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; or may 
103.15 	authorize a charter school.
103.16 	(f) The University of Minnesota; may authorize a charter school.
103.17 	(4) (g) A nonprofit corporation subject to chapter 317A, described in section 
103.18 	317A.905, and exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(6) of the Internal 
103.19 	Revenue Code of 1986, may authorize one or more charter schools if the charter school 
103.20 	has operated for at least three years under a different authorizer and if the nonprofit 
103.21 	corporation has existed for at least 25 years; or.
103.22 	(5) (h) A single-purpose authorizers authorizer formed as a charitable, nonsectarian 
103.23 	organizations organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
103.24 	and incorporated in the state of Minnesota under chapter 317A as a corporation with no 
103.25 	members or under section 322B.975 as a nonprofit limited liability company for the sole 
103.26 	purpose of chartering schools may authorize a charter school. An eligible organization 
103.27 	interested in being approved as an authorizer under this paragraph must submit a proposal 
103.28 	to the commissioner that includes the provisions of subdivision 3 and a five-year financial 
103.29 	plan. A single-purpose authorizer under this paragraph shall consider and approve 
103.30 	charter school applications using the criteria under section 124E.06 and shall not limit 
103.31 	the applications it solicits, considers, or approves to any single curriculum, learning 
103.32 	program, or method.
103.33 		Subd. 2.Requirements for authorizers. (a) Eligible organizations interested in 
103.34 	being approved as an authorizer under subdivision 1, clause (5), must submit a proposal to 
103.35 	the commissioner that includes the provisions of subdivision 3 and a five-year financial 
103.36 	plan. Such authorizers shall consider and approve charter school applications using 
104.1 	the criteria provided in section 124E.06 and shall not limit the applications it solicits, 
104.2 	considers, or approves to any single curriculum, learning program, or method.
104.3 	(b) The authorizer must participate in department-approved training.
104.4 		Subd. 3.Application process. (a) An eligible authorizer under this section must 
104.5 	apply to the commissioner for approval as an authorizer before submitting any affidavit to 
104.6 	the commissioner to charter a school. The application for approval as a charter school 
104.7 	authorizer must demonstrate show the applicant's ability to implement the procedures 
104.8 	and satisfy the criteria for chartering a school under this chapter. The commissioner 
104.9 	must approve or disapprove an the application within 45 business days of the application 
104.10 	deadline for that application period. If the commissioner disapproves the application, the 
104.11 	commissioner must notify the applicant of the specific deficiencies in writing and the 
104.12 	applicant then has 20 business days to address the deficiencies to the commissioner's 
104.13 	satisfaction. After the 20 business days expire, the commissioner has 15 business days 
104.14 	to make a final decision to approve or disapprove the application. Failing to address 
104.15 	the deficiencies to the commissioner's satisfaction makes an applicant ineligible to be 
104.16 	an authorizer. The commissioner, in establishing criteria for approval to approve an 
104.17 	authorizer, consistent with subdivision 4, must consider the applicant's:
104.18 	(1) capacity and infrastructure and capacity to serve as an authorizer;
104.19 	(2) application criteria and process;
104.20 	(3) contracting process;
104.21 	(4) ongoing oversight and evaluation processes; and
104.22 	(5) renewal criteria and processes.
104.23 	(b) A disapproved applicant under this section may resubmit an application during a 
104.24 	future application period.
104.25 		Subd. 4.Application content. To be approved as an authorizer, an applicant must 
104.26 	include in its application to the commissioner to be an approved authorizer at least the 
104.27 	following:
104.28 	(1) how the organization carries out its mission by chartering schools is a way for 
104.29 	the organization to carry out its mission;
104.30 	(2) a description of the capacity of the organization the organization's capacity to 
104.31 	serve as an authorizer, including the personnel who will perform the authorizing duties, 
104.32 	their qualifications, the amount of time they will be are assigned to this responsibility, and 
104.33 	the financial resources allocated by the organization allocates to this responsibility;
104.34 	(3) a description of the application and review process the authorizer will use uses to 
104.35 	make decisions regarding the granting of decide whether to grant charters;
105.1 	(4) a description of the type of contract it will arrange arranges with the schools it 
105.2 	charters that meets to meet the provisions of section 124E.10;
105.3 	(5) the process to be used for providing ongoing oversight of overseeing the school, 
105.4 	consistent with the contract expectations specified in clause (4) that assures, to ensure that 
105.5 	the schools chartered are complying comply with both the provisions of applicable law 
105.6 	and rules, and with the contract;
105.7 	(6) a description of the criteria and process the authorizer will use uses to grant 
105.8 	expanded approve applications adding grades or sites under section 124E.06, subdivision 5;
105.9 	(7) the process for making decisions regarding the renewal or termination of renewing 
105.10 	or terminating the school's charter based on evidence that demonstrates showing the 
105.11 	academic, organizational, and financial competency of the school, including its success in 
105.12 	increasing student achievement and meeting the goals of the charter school agreement; and
105.13 	(8) an assurance specifying that the organization is committed to serving as an 
105.14 	authorizer for the full five-year term.
105.15 		Subd. 5.Review by commissioner. The commissioner shall review an authorizer's 
105.16 	performance every five years in a manner and form determined by the commissioner and 
105.17 	may review an authorizer's performance more frequently at the commissioner's own 
105.18 	initiative or at the request of a charter school operator, charter school board member, or 
105.19 	other interested party. The commissioner, after completing the review, shall transmit a 
105.20 	report with findings to the authorizer.
105.21 		Subd. 6.Corrective action. (a) If, consistent with this chapter, the commissioner 
105.22 	finds that an authorizer has not fulfilled met the requirements of this chapter, the 
105.23 	commissioner may subject the authorizer to corrective action, which may include 
105.24 	terminating the contract with the charter school board of directors of a school it chartered. 
105.25 	The commissioner must notify the authorizer in writing of any findings that may subject 
105.26 	the authorizer to corrective action and the authorizer then has 15 business days to request 
105.27 	an informal hearing before the commissioner takes corrective action. If the commissioner 
105.28 	terminates a contract between an authorizer and a charter school under this paragraph, the 
105.29 	commissioner may assist the charter school in acquiring a new authorizer.
105.30 	(b) The commissioner may at any time take corrective action against an authorizer, 
105.31 	including terminating an authorizer's ability to charter a school for:
105.32 	(1) failing to demonstrate the criteria under subdivision 4 3 under which the 
105.33 	commissioner approved the authorizer;
105.34 	(2) violating a term of the chartering contract between the authorizer and the charter 
105.35 	school board of directors;
105.36 	(3) unsatisfactory performance as an approved authorizer; or
106.1 	(4) any good cause shown that provides gives the commissioner a legally sufficient 
106.2 	reason to take corrective action against an authorizer.
106.3 		Subd. 7.Withdrawal. If the governing board of an approved authorizer votes to 
106.4 	withdraw as an approved authorizer for a reason unrelated to any cause under section 
106.5 	124E.10, subdivision 4, the authorizer must notify all its chartered schools and the 
106.6 	commissioner in writing by July 15 of its intent to withdraw as an authorizer on June 30 in 
106.7 	the next calendar year, regardless of when the authorizer's five-year term of approval ends. 
106.8 	The commissioner may approve the transfer of a charter school to a new authorizer under 
106.9 	this subdivision after the new authorizer submits an affidavit to the commissioner.
106.10 		Subd. 8.Reports. By September 30 of each year, an authorizer shall submit to the 
106.11 	commissioner a statement of income and expenditures related to chartering activities 
106.12 	during the previous school year ending June 30. A copy of the statement shall be given 
106.13 	to all schools chartered by the authorizer. The authorizer must transmit a copy of the 
106.14 	statement to all schools it charters.

106.15 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.06, is amended to read:
106.16 	124E.06 FORMING A SCHOOL.
106.17 		Subdivision 1.Individuals eligible to organize. (a) An authorizer, after receiving 
106.18 	an application from a charter school developer, may charter either a licensed teacher 
106.19 	under section 122A.18, subdivision 1, or a group of individuals that includes one or more 
106.20 	licensed teachers under section 122A.18, subdivision 1, to operate a school subject to the 
106.21 	commissioner's approval of the authorizer's affidavit under subdivision 4.
106.22 	(b) "Application" under this section means the charter school business plan a charter 
106.23 	school developer submits to an authorizer for approval to establish a charter school. This 
106.24 	application must include: 
106.25 	(1) the school developer's:
106.26 	(i) mission statement;
106.27 	(ii) school purposes;
106.28 	(iii) program design;
106.29 	(iv) financial plan;
106.30 	(v) governance and management structure; and
106.31 	(vi) background and experience;
106.32 	(2) any other information the authorizer requests; and 
106.33 	(3) a "statement of assurances" of legal compliance prescribed by the commissioner.
106.34 	(b) (c) An authorizer shall not approve an application submitted by a charter school 
106.35 	developer under paragraph (a) if the application does not comply with subdivision 3, 
107.1 	paragraph (d) (e), and section 124E.01, subdivision 1. The commissioner shall not 
107.2 	approve an affidavit submitted by an authorizer under subdivision 4 if the affidavit does 
107.3 	not comply with subdivision 3, paragraph (d) (e), and section 124E.01, subdivision 1.
107.4 		Subd. 2.Nonprofit corporation. (a) The school must be organized and operated as 
107.5 	a nonprofit corporation under chapter 317A and the provisions under the applicable of that 
107.6 	chapter shall apply to the school except as provided in this chapter.
107.7 	(b) The operators authorized to organize and operate a school, must incorporate as a 
107.8 	nonprofit corporation before entering into a contract or other agreement for professional 
107.9 	or other services, goods, or facilities, must incorporate as a nonprofit corporation under 
107.10 	chapter 317A.
107.11 	(c) (b) Notwithstanding sections 465.717 and 465.719, a school district, subject to 
107.12 	this chapter, may create a corporation for the purpose of establishing a charter school.
107.13 		Subd. 3.Requirements. (a) The primary focus of a charter school must be to 
107.14 	provide a comprehensive program of instruction for at least one grade or age group from 
107.15 	ages five through 18 years of age. Instruction A charter school  may be provided provide 
107.16 	instruction to people older than 18 years of age. 
107.17 	(b) A charter school may offer a free or fee-based preschool or prekindergarten that 
107.18 	meets high-quality early learning instructional program standards that are aligned with 
107.19 	Minnesota's early learning standards for children. The hours a student is enrolled in a 
107.20 	fee-based prekindergarten program do not generate pupil units under section 126C.05 and 
107.21 	must not be used to calculate general education revenue under section 126C.10.
107.22 	(b) (c) A charter school must be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, 
107.23 	employment practices, and all other operations. An authorizer may not authorize a charter 
107.24 	school or program that is affiliated with a nonpublic sectarian school or a religious 
107.25 	institution.
107.26 	(c) (d)Charter schools A charter school must not be used as a method of providing 
107.27 	to provide education or generating generate revenue for students who are being 
107.28 	home-schooled students. This paragraph does not apply to shared time aid under section 
107.29 	126C.19.
107.30 	(d) (e) This chapter does not provide a means to keep open a school that a 
107.31 	school board decides to close. However, a school board may endorse or authorize the 
107.32 	establishment of establishing a charter school to replace the school the board decided to 
107.33 	close. Applicants seeking a charter under this circumstance must demonstrate to the 
107.34 	authorizer that the charter sought is substantially different in purpose and program from 
107.35 	the school the board closed and that the proposed charter satisfies the requirements of 
107.36 	section 124E.01, subdivision 1. If the school board that closed the school authorizes 
108.1 	the charter, it must document in its affidavit to the commissioner that the charter is 
108.2 	substantially different in program and purpose from the school it closed.
108.3 	(e) (f) A school authorized by a school board may be located in any district, unless 
108.4 	the school board of the district of the proposed location disapproves the location by 
108.5 	written resolution.
108.6 	(f) (g) Except as provided in paragraph (a) (b), a charter school may not charge tuition.
108.7 	(g) (h) The authorizer may prevent an approved charter school from opening for 
108.8 	operation if, among other grounds, the charter school violates this chapter or does not meet 
108.9 	the ready-to-open standards that are part of (1) the authorizer's oversight and evaluation 
108.10 	process or are (2) stipulated in the charter school contract.
108.11 		Subd. 4.Authorizer's affidavit; approval process; authorizer's affidavit. (a) 
108.12 	Before the operators an operator may establish and operate a school, the authorizer must 
108.13 	file an affidavit with the commissioner stating its intent to charter a school. An authorizer 
108.14 	must file a separate affidavit for each school it intends to charter. An authorizer must file 
108.15 	an affidavit at least 14 months before July 1 of the year the new charter school plans to 
108.16 	serve students. The affidavit must state:
108.17 	(1) the terms and conditions under which the authorizer would charter a school; and
108.18 	(2) how the authorizer intends to oversee:
108.19 	(i) the fiscal and student performance of the charter school; and 
108.20 	to comply (ii) compliance with the terms of the written contract between the 
108.21 	authorizer and the charter school board of directors under section 124E.10, subdivision 1.
108.22 	(b) The commissioner must approve or disapprove the authorizer's affidavit within 
108.23 	60 business days of receipt of receiving the affidavit. If the commissioner disapproves the 
108.24 	affidavit, the commissioner shall notify the authorizer of the deficiencies in the affidavit 
108.25 	and the authorizer then has 20 business days to address the deficiencies. The commissioner 
108.26 	must notify the authorizer of the commissioner's final approval or final disapproval 
108.27 	within 15 business days after receiving the authorizer's response to the deficiencies 
108.28 	in the affidavit. If the authorizer does not address deficiencies to the commissioner's 
108.29 	satisfaction, the commissioner's disapproval is final. Failure to obtain commissioner 
108.30 	approval precludes An authorizer who fails to obtain the commissioner's approval is 
108.31 	precluded from chartering the school that is the subject of this affidavit.
108.32 		Subd. 5.Expansion of a charter Adding grades or sites. (a) A charter school 
108.33 	may apply to the authorizer to amend the school charter to expand the operation of 
108.34 	the school to additional add grades or sites that would be students' primary enrollment 
108.35 	site sites beyond those defined in the original affidavit approved by the commissioner. 
108.36 	After approving the school's application, the authorizer shall submit a supplementary 
109.1 	supplemental affidavit in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. The 
109.2 	authorizer must file a supplement supplemental affidavit to the commissioner by October 
109.3 	1 to be eligible to expand add grades or sites in the next school year. The supplementary 
109.4 	supplemental affidavit must document that the school has demonstrated to the authorizer's 
109.5 	satisfaction of the authorizer the following:
109.6 	(1) the need for the expansion additional grades or sites with supporting long-range 
109.7 	enrollment projections;
109.8 	(2) a longitudinal record of demonstrated student academic performance and growth 
109.9 	on statewide assessments under chapter 120B or on other academic assessments that 
109.10 	measure longitudinal student performance and growth approved by the charter school's 
109.11 	board of directors and agreed upon with the authorizer;
109.12 	(3) a history of sound school finances and a finance plan to implement the expansion 
109.13 	in a manner to promote add grades or sites that sustains the school's financial sustainability 
109.14 	finances; and
109.15 	(4) board capacity and an administrative and management plan to implement its 
109.16 	expansion to administer and manage the additional grades or sites.
109.17 	(b) The commissioner shall have 30 business days to review and comment on the 
109.18 	supplemental affidavit. The commissioner shall notify the authorizer in writing of any 
109.19 	deficiencies in the supplemental affidavit and the authorizer then has 20 business days to 
109.20 	address, to the commissioner's satisfaction, any deficiencies in the supplemental affidavit 
109.21 	to the commissioner's satisfaction. The commissioner must notify the authorizer of final 
109.22 	approval or final disapproval within 15 business days after receiving the authorizer's 
109.23 	response to the deficiencies in the affidavit. The school may not expand add grades or add 
109.24 	sites until the commissioner has approved the supplemental affidavit. The commissioner's 
109.25 	approval or disapproval of a supplemental affidavit is final.
109.26 		Subd. 6.Conversion of existing schools. A board of an independent or special 
109.27 	school district may convert one or more of its existing schools to charter schools under 
109.28 	this chapter if 60 percent of the full-time teachers at the school sign a petition seeking 
109.29 	conversion. The conversion must occur at the beginning of an academic year.
109.30 		Subd. 7.Merger. (a) Two or more charter schools may merge under chapter 317A. 
109.31 	The effective date of a merger must be July 1. The merged school must continue under 
109.32 	the identity of one of the merging schools. The authorizer and the merged school must 
109.33 	execute a new charter contract under section 124E.10, subdivision 1, must be executed by 
109.34 	July 1. The authorizer must submit to the commissioner a copy of the new signed charter 
109.35 	contract within ten business days of its execution executing the contract.
110.1 	(b) Each merging school must submit a separate year-end report for the previous 
110.2 	fiscal year for that school only. After the final fiscal year of the premerger schools is 
110.3 	closed out, each of those schools must transfer the fund balances and debts from the 
110.4 	merging schools must be transferred to the merged school.
110.5 	(c) For its first year of operation, the merged school is eligible to receive aid from 
110.6 	programs requiring approved applications equal to the sum of the aid of all of the merging 
110.7 	schools. For aids based on prior year data, the merged school is eligible to receive aid for 
110.8 	its first year of operation based on the combined data of all of the merging schools.

110.9 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.07, is amended to read:
110.10 	124E.07 BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
110.11 		Subdivision 1.Initial board of directors. Before entering into a contract or other 
110.12 	agreement for professional or other services, goods, or facilities, the operators authorized 
110.13 	to organize and operate a school, before entering into a contract or other agreement for 
110.14 	professional or other services, goods, or facilities, must establish a board of directors 
110.15 	composed of at least five members who are not related parties. The initial board continues 
110.16 	to serve  until a timely election for members of the ongoing charter school board of 
110.17 	directors is held according to the school's articles and bylaws under subdivision 4.
110.18 		Subd. 2.Ongoing board of directors. The ongoing board must be elected before 
110.19 	the school completes its third year of operation. Board elections must be held during the 
110.20 	school year but may not be conducted on days when the school is closed for holidays, 
110.21 	breaks, or vacations.
110.22 		Subd. 3.Membership criteria. (a) The ongoing charter school board of directors 
110.23 	shall be composed of have at least five nonrelated members and include: (1) at least 
110.24 	one licensed teacher who is employed as a teacher at the school or providing provides 
110.25 	instruction under contract between the charter school and a cooperative; (2) at least one 
110.26 	parent or legal guardian of a student enrolled in the charter school who is not an employee 
110.27 	of the charter school; and (3) at least one interested community member who resides in 
110.28 	Minnesota and, is not employed by the charter school, and does not have a child enrolled 
110.29 	in the school. The board structure may include a majority of teachers described in under 
110.30 	this paragraph or parents or community members, or it may have no clear majority. The 
110.31 	chief financial officer and the chief administrator may only serve as ex-officio nonvoting 
110.32 	board members. No charter school employees shall serve on the board other than teachers 
110.33 	under clause (1). Contractors providing facilities, goods, or services to a charter school 
110.34 	shall not serve on the board of directors of the charter school.
111.1 	(b) An individual is prohibited from serving as a member of the charter school board 
111.2 	of directors if: (1) the individual, an immediate family member, or the individual's partner 
111.3 	is a full or part owner or principal with a for-profit or nonprofit entity or independent 
111.4 	contractor with whom the charter school contracts, directly or indirectly, for professional 
111.5 	services, goods, or facilities. An individual is prohibited from serving as a board member 
111.6 	if; or (2) an immediate family member is an employee of the school. An individual may 
111.7 	serve as a member of the board of directors if no conflict of interest exists under this 
111.8 	paragraph, consistent with this section.
111.9 	(c) A violation of this prohibition paragraph (b) renders a contract voidable at the 
111.10 	option of the commissioner or the charter school board of directors. A member of a charter 
111.11 	school board of directors who violates this prohibition paragraph (b) is individually liable 
111.12 	to the charter school for any damage caused by the violation.
111.13 	(c) (d) Any employee, agent, or board member of the authorizer who participates 
111.14 	in the initial review, approval, ongoing oversight, evaluation, or the charter renewal or 
111.15 	nonrenewal process or decision initially reviewing, approving, overseeing, evaluating, 
111.16 	renewing, or not renewing the charter school is ineligible to serve on the board of directors 
111.17 	of a school chartered by that authorizer.
111.18 	(d) An individual may serve as a member of the board of directors if no conflict of 
111.19 	interest under paragraph (b) exists.
111.20 		Subd. 4.Structure of Board structure. Board bylaws shall outline the process and 
111.21 	procedures for changing the board's governance structure, consistent with chapter 317A. 
111.22 	A board may change its governance structure only:
111.23 	(1) by a majority vote of the board of directors and a majority vote of the licensed 
111.24 	teachers employed by the school as teachers, including licensed teachers providing 
111.25 	instruction under a contract between the school and a cooperative; and
111.26 	(2) with the authorizer's approval.
111.27 	Any change in board governance structure must conform with the board composition 
111.28 	of the board established under this subdivision section.
111.29 		Subd. 5.Eligible voters. Staff members employed at the school, including teachers 
111.30 	providing instruction under a contract with a cooperative, members of the board of 
111.31 	directors, and all parents or legal guardians of children enrolled in the school are the voters 
111.32 	eligible to elect the members of the school's board of directors. A charter school must 
111.33 	notify eligible voters of the school board election dates at least 30 days before the election.
111.34 		Subd. 6.Duties. The board of directors also shall decide and be is responsible 
111.35 	for policy matters related to the operation of operating the school, including budgeting, 
111.36 	curriculum programming, personnel, and operating procedures. The board shall adopt a 
112.1 	policy on nepotism in employment policy. The board shall adopt personnel evaluation 
112.2 	policies and practices that, at a minimum:
112.3 	(1) carry out the school's mission and goals;
112.4 	(2) evaluate the execution of how charter contract goals and commitments are 
112.5 	executed;
112.6 	(3) evaluate student achievement, postsecondary and workforce readiness, and 
112.7 	student engagement and connection goals;
112.8 	(4) establish a teacher evaluation process under section 124E.03, subdivision 2, 
112.9 	paragraph (h); and
112.10 	(5) provide professional development related to the individual's job responsibilities.
112.11 		Subd. 7.Training. Every charter school board member shall attend annual training 
112.12 	throughout the member's term on the board. All new board members shall attend initial 
112.13 	training on the board's role and responsibilities, employment policies and practices, and 
112.14 	financial management. A new board member who does not begin the required initial 
112.15 	training within six months after being seated and complete that training within 12 months 
112.16 	of after being seated on the board is automatically ineligible to continue to serve as a board 
112.17 	member. The school shall include in its annual report the training each board member 
112.18 	attended by each board member during the previous year.
112.19 		Subd. 8.Meetings and information. (a) Board of director meetings must comply 
112.20 	with chapter 13D governing open meetings.
112.21 	(b) A charter school shall publish and maintain on the school's official Web site: (1) 
112.22 	the meeting minutes of meetings of the board of directors, and of members and committees 
112.23 	having any board-delegated authority, for at least one calendar year 365 days from the 
112.24 	date of publication; (2) directory information for members of the board of directors and 
112.25 	for the members of committees having board-delegated authority; and (3) identifying and 
112.26 	contact information for the school's authorizer. 
112.27 	(c) A charter school must include identifying and contact information for the school's 
112.28 	authorizer must be included in other school materials made it makes available to the public.

112.29 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.08, is amended to read:
112.30 	124E.08 COLLABORATION BETWEEN CHARTER SCHOOL AND 
112.31 	SCHOOL DISTRICT COLLABORATION.
112.32 	(a) A charter school board may voluntarily enter into a two-year, renewable 
112.33 	collaboration agreement for collaboration with a school district in which the charter school 
112.34 	is geographically located to enhance student the achievement with a school district within 
113.1 	whose geographic boundary it operates of the students in the district and the students in 
113.2 	the charter school.
113.3 	(b) A school district need does not need to be either an approved authorizer or the 
113.4 	authorizer of the charter school to enter into a collaboration agreement with a charter 
113.5 	school under this section. A charter school need not be authorized by the school district 
113.6 	with which it seeks to collaborate.
113.7 	(c) A charter school authorizer is prohibited from requiring a collaboration 
113.8 	agreement as a condition of entering into or renewing a charter contract as defined in 
113.9 	section 124E.10, subdivision 1.
113.10 	(d) Nothing in this section or in the collaboration agreement may impact in any way 
113.11 	the authority or autonomy of the charter school.
113.12 	(e) Nothing in this section or in the collaboration agreement shall cause the state to 
113.13 	pay twice for the same student, service, or facility or otherwise impact state funding, or 
113.14 	the flow thereof, to the school district or the charter school.
113.15 	(f) (b) The collaboration agreement may include, but need is not be limited 
113.16 	to, collaboration regarding facilities, transportation, training, student achievement, 
113.17 	assessments, mutual performance standards, and other areas of mutual agreement.
113.18 	(g) (c) For purposes of student assessment and reporting to the state under section 
113.19 	120B.36, the school district may include the academic performance of the students of a 
113.20 	collaborative charter school site operating within the geographic boundaries of the school 
113.21 	district, for purposes of student assessment and reporting to the state under paragraph (a).
113.22 	(h) Districts, authorizers, or charter schools entering into a collaborative agreement 
113.23 	are equally and collectively subject to the same state and federal accountability measures 
113.24 	for student achievement, school performance outcomes, and school improvement 
113.25 	strategies. The collaborative agreement and all accountability measures must be posted 
113.26 	on the district, charter school, and authorizer Web sites.
113.27 	(d) Nothing in this section or in the collaboration agreement may impact in any way 
113.28 	the authority or autonomy of the charter school.
113.29 	(e) Nothing in this section or in the collaboration agreement shall cause the state to 
113.30 	pay twice for the same student, service, or facility or otherwise impact state funding or 
113.31 	payment to the school district or the charter school.

113.32 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.10, is amended to read:
113.33 	124E.10 CHARTER CONTRACT.
113.34 		Subdivision 1.Contents. (a) The authorization for To authorize a charter school, the 
113.35 	authorizer and the charter school board of directors must be in the form of sign a written 
114.1 	contract signed by the authorizer and the board of directors of the charter school. The 
114.2 	contract must be completed within 45 business days of the commissioner's approval of 
114.3 	the authorizer's affidavit. The authorizer shall submit to the commissioner a copy of the 
114.4 	signed charter contract to the commissioner within ten business days of its execution after 
114.5 	the contract is signed by the contracting parties. The contract for a charter school must 
114.6 	be in writing and contain include at least the following:
114.7 	(1) a declaration that the charter school will carry out the primary purpose in section 
114.8 	124E.01, subdivision 1, and indicate how the school will report its implementation of the 
114.9 	primary purpose to its authorizer;
114.10 	(2) a declaration of the additional purpose or purposes in section 124E.01, 
114.11 	subdivision 1, that the school intends to carry out and indicate how the school will report 
114.12 	its implementation of those purposes to its authorizer;
114.13 	(3) a description of the school program and the specific academic and nonacademic 
114.14 	outcomes that pupils must achieve;
114.15 	(4) a statement of admission policies and procedures;
114.16 	(5) a school governance, management, and administration plan for the school;
114.17 	(6) signed agreements from charter school board members to comply with all the 
114.18 	federal and state laws governing organizational, programmatic, and financial requirements 
114.19 	applicable to charter schools;
114.20 	(7) the criteria, processes, and procedures that the authorizer will use to monitor and 
114.21 	evaluate the fiscal, operational, and academic performance, consistent with subdivision 
114.22 	3, paragraphs (a) and (b);
114.23 	(8) for contract renewal, the formal written performance evaluation of the school 
114.24 	that is a prerequisite for reviewing a charter contract under subdivision 3;
114.25 	(9) types and amounts of insurance liability coverage to be obtained by the charter 
114.26 	school must obtain, consistent with section 124E.03, subdivision 2, paragraph (d);
114.27 	(10) consistent with section 124E.09, paragraph (d), a provision to indemnify and 
114.28 	hold harmless the authorizer and its officers, agents, and employees from any suit, claim, 
114.29 	or liability arising from any charter school operation of the charter school,:
114.30 	(i) the authorizer and its officers, agents, and employees; and
114.31 	(ii) notwithstanding section 3.736, the commissioner and department officers, 
114.32 	agents, and employees notwithstanding section 3.736;
114.33 	(11) the term of the initial contract, which, for an initial contract, may be up to five 
114.34 	years plus an additional preoperational planning year, and up to five years or for a renewed 
114.35 	contract or a contract with a new authorizer after a transfer of authorizers, may be up to 
114.36 	five years, if warranted by the school's academic, financial, and operational performance;
115.1 	(12) how the charter school board of directors or the charter school operators of the 
115.2 	charter school will provide special instruction and services for children with a disability 
115.3 	under sections 125A.03 to 125A.24, and 125A.65, and a description of the financial 
115.4 	parameters within which the charter school will operate to provide the special instruction 
115.5 	and services to children with a disability;
115.6 	(13) the specific conditions for contract renewal that identify the performance of 
115.7 	all students under the primary purpose of section 124E.01, subdivision 1, as the most 
115.8 	important factor in determining whether to renew the contract renewal; and
115.9 	(14) the additional purposes under section 124E.01, subdivision 1, and related 
115.10 	performance obligations under clause (7) contained in the charter contract as additional 
115.11 	factors in determining whether to renew the contract renewal; and.
115.12 	(15) (b) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (a), the charter contract must 
115.13 	contain the plan for an orderly closing of the school under chapter 317A,  that establishes 
115.14 	the responsibilities of the school board of directors and the authorizer, whether the closure 
115.15 	is a termination for cause, a voluntary termination, or a nonrenewal of the contract, that 
115.16 	includes establishing the responsibilities of the school board of directors and the authorizer 
115.17 	and notifying. The plan must establish who is responsible for:
115.18 	(1) notifying the commissioner, authorizer, school district in which the charter 
115.19 	school is located, and parents of enrolled students about the closure,;
115.20 	(2) providing parents of enrolled students information and assistance sufficient to 
115.21 	enable the student to re-enroll in another school, the;
115.22 	(3)transfer of transferring student records under section 124E.03, subdivision 5, 
115.23 	paragraph (b), to the student's resident school district; and
115.24 	(4)procedures for closing financial operations.
115.25 	(b) (c) A charter school must design its programs to at least meet the outcomes 
115.26 	adopted by the commissioner for public school students. In the absence of the 
115.27 	commissioner's requirements governing state standards and benchmarks, the school must 
115.28 	meet the outcomes contained in the contract with the authorizer. The achievement levels 
115.29 	of the outcomes contained in the contract may exceed the achievement levels of any 
115.30 	outcomes adopted by the commissioner for public school students.
115.31 		Subd. 2.Limitations Limits on charter contract school agreements. (a) A 
115.32 	school must disclose to the commissioner any potential contract, lease, or purchase of 
115.33 	service from an authorizer must be disclosed to the commissioner,. The contract, lease, or 
115.34 	purchase must be accepted through an open bidding process, and be a separate contract 
115.35 	from the charter contract. The school must document the open bidding process. An 
115.36 	authorizer must not enter into a contract to provide management and financial services for 
116.1 	to a school that it authorizes, unless the school documents that it received receiving at 
116.2 	least two competitive bids.
116.3 	(b) The An authorizer must not condition granting or renewal of renewing a charter 
116.4 	school by an authorizer must not be contingent on:
116.5 	(1) the charter school being required to contract, lease, or purchase services from 
116.6 	the authorizer.; or
116.7 	(c) The granting or renewal of a charter by an authorizer must not be conditioned 
116.8 	upon (2) the bargaining unit status of the school employees of the school.
116.9 		Subd. 3.Review and comment. (a) The authorizer shall provide a formal written 
116.10 	evaluation of the school's performance before the authorizer renews the charter contract. 
116.11 	The department commissioner must review and comment on the authorizer's evaluation 
116.12 	process at the time the authorizer submits its application for approval and each time the 
116.13 	authorizer undergoes its five-year review under section 124E.05, subdivision 5.
116.14 	(b) An authorizer shall monitor and evaluate the academic, financial, operational, 
116.15 	and student performance of the school, and may for this purpose annually assess a charter 
116.16 	school a fee according to paragraph (c). The agreed-upon fee structure must be stated in 
116.17 	the charter school contract.
116.18 	(c) The fee that an authorizer may annually assess is the greater of:
116.19 	(1) the basic formula allowance for that year; or
116.20 	(2) the lesser of:
116.21 	(i) the maximum fee factor times the basic formula allowance for that year; or
116.22 	(ii) the fee factor times the basic formula allowance for that year times the charter 
116.23 	school's adjusted pupil units for that year. The fee factor equals .015. The maximum 
116.24 	fee factor equals 4.0.
116.25 	(d) An authorizer may not assess a fee for any required services other than as 
116.26 	provided in this subdivision.
116.27 	(e) For the preoperational planning period, after a school is chartered, the authorizer 
116.28 	may assess a charter school a fee equal to the basic formula allowance.
116.29 		Subd. 4.Causes for nonrenewal or termination of charter school contract. (a) 
116.30 	The duration of the contract with an authorizer must be for the term contained in the 
116.31 	contract according to subdivision 1, paragraph (a). The authorizer may or may not renew a 
116.32 	contract at the end of the term for any ground listed in paragraph (b). An authorizer may 
116.33 	unilaterally terminate a contract during the term of the contract for any ground listed in 
116.34 	paragraph (b). At least 60 business days before not renewing or terminating a contract, 
116.35 	the authorizer shall notify the board of directors of the charter school of the proposed 
116.36 	action in writing. The notice shall state the grounds for the proposed action in reasonable 
117.1 	detail and that describe the informal hearing process, consistent with this paragraph. The 
117.2 	charter school's board of directors may request in writing an informal hearing before the 
117.3 	authorizer within 15 business days of after receiving notice of nonrenewal or termination 
117.4 	of the contract. Failure by the board of directors to make a written request for an informal 
117.5 	hearing within the 15-business-day period shall be treated as acquiescence to the proposed 
117.6 	action. Upon receiving a timely written request for a hearing, the authorizer shall give ten 
117.7 	business days' notice to the charter school's board of directors of the hearing date. The 
117.8 	authorizer shall conduct an informal hearing before taking final action. The authorizer 
117.9 	shall take final action to renew or not renew a contract no later than 20 business days 
117.10 	before the proposed date for terminating the contract or the end date of the contract.
117.11 	(b) An authorizer may terminate or not renew a contract may be terminated or not 
117.12 	renewed upon any of the following grounds:
117.13 	(1) failure to demonstrate satisfactory academic achievement for all students, 
117.14 	including the requirements for pupil performance contained in the contract;
117.15 	(2) failure to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management;
117.16 	(3) violations of law; or
117.17 	(4) other good cause shown.
117.18 	If the authorizer terminates or does not renew a contract is terminated or not 
117.19 	renewed under this paragraph, the school must be dissolved according to the applicable 
117.20 	provisions of chapter 317A.
117.21 	(c) The commissioner, after providing reasonable notice to the board of directors of 
117.22 	a charter school and the existing authorizer, and after providing an opportunity for a public 
117.23 	hearing, may terminate the existing contract between the authorizer and the charter school 
117.24 	board if the charter school has a history of:
117.25 	(1) failure to meet pupil performance requirements, consistent with state law;
117.26 	(2) financial mismanagement or failure to meet generally accepted standards of 
117.27 	fiscal management; or
117.28 	(3) repeated or major violations of the law.
117.29 		Subd. 5.Mutual nonrenewal. If the authorizer and the charter school board of 
117.30 	directors mutually agree not to renew the contract, a change in authorizers is allowed. The 
117.31 	authorizer and the school board must jointly submit a written and signed letter of their 
117.32 	intent to the commissioner to mutually not renew the contract. The authorizer that is a party 
117.33 	to the existing contract must inform the proposed authorizer about the fiscal, operational, 
117.34 	and student performance status of the school, as well as any outstanding contractual 
117.35 	obligations that exist. The charter contract between the proposed authorizer and the school 
117.36 	must identify and provide a plan to address any outstanding obligations from the previous 
118.1 	contract. The proposed authorizer must submit the proposed contract must be submitted at 
118.2 	least 105 business days before the end of the existing charter contract. The commissioner 
118.3 	shall have has 30 business days to review and make a determination on the change in 
118.4 	authorizer. The proposed authorizer and the school shall have 15 business days to respond 
118.5 	to the determination and address any issues identified by the commissioner. A final 
118.6 	determination by The commissioner shall be made must make a final determination no later 
118.7 	than 45 business days before the end of the current charter contract. If no the commissioner 
118.8 	does not approve a change in authorizer is approved, the school and the current authorizer 
118.9 	may withdraw their letter of nonrenewal and enter into a new contract. If the transfer of 
118.10 	authorizers is not approved commissioner does not approve a change in authorizer and the 
118.11 	current authorizer and the school do not withdraw their letter and enter into a new contract, 
118.12 	the school must be dissolved according to applicable law and the terms of the contract.
118.13 		Subd. 6.Pupil enrollment upon nonrenewal or termination of charter school 
118.14 	contract. (a) If a contract is not renewed or is terminated according to subdivision 4 or 
118.15 	5, a pupil who attended the school, siblings of the pupil, or another pupil who resides 
118.16 	in the same place as with the pupil may enroll in the resident district or may submit 
118.17 	an application to a nonresident district according to section 124D.03governing open 
118.18 	enrollment at any time. Applications and notices required by section 124D.03 must be 
118.19 	processed and provided in a prompt manner. The application and notice deadlines in 
118.20 	section 124D.03 do not apply under these circumstances. 
118.21 	(b) Within ten business days of closing the charter school, the closed charter school 
118.22 	must transfer the student's educational records within ten business days of closure to the 
118.23 	student's school district of residence where the records must be retained or transferred 
118.24 	under section 120A.22, subdivision 7.

118.25 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.12, is amended to read:
118.26 	124E.12 EMPLOYMENT.
118.27 		Subdivision 1.Teachers. A charter school must employ or contract with necessary 
118.28 	teachers, as defined by section 122A.15, subdivision 1, who hold valid licenses to perform 
118.29 	the particular service for which they are employed in the school. The commissioner may 
118.30 	reduce the charter school's state aid may be reduced under section 127A.43 if the school 
118.31 	employs a teacher who is not appropriately licensed or approved by the board of teaching. 
118.32 	The school may employ necessary employees who are not required to hold teaching 
118.33 	licenses to perform duties other than teaching and may contract for other services. The 
118.34 	school may discharge teachers and nonlicensed employees. The charter school board is 
118.35 	subject to section 181.932 governing whistle-blowers. When offering employment to a 
119.1 	prospective employee, a charter school must give that employee a written description of 
119.2 	the terms and conditions of employment and the school's personnel policies.
119.3 		Subd. 2.Administrators. (a) A person, without holding a valid administrator's 
119.4 	license, may perform administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership duties. 
119.5 	The board of directors shall establish qualifications for all persons thatwho hold 
119.6 	administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership roles. The qualifications shall 
119.7 	include cover at least the following areas: instruction and assessment; human resource 
119.8 	and personnel management; financial management; legal and compliance management; 
119.9 	effective communication; and board, authorizer, and community relationships. The board 
119.10 	of directors shall use those qualifications as the basis for job descriptions, hiring, and 
119.11 	performance evaluations of those who hold administrative, supervisory, or instructional 
119.12 	leadership roles.
119.13 	(b) The board of directors and an individual who does not hold a valid administrative 
119.14 	license and who serves in an administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership 
119.15 	position shall develop a professional development plan. Documentation of the 
119.16 	implementation of The school's annual report must include public personnel information 
119.17 	documenting the professional development plan of these persons shall be included in 
119.18 	the school's annual report.
119.19 		Subd. 3.Collective bargaining. Employees of the board of directors of a charter 
119.20 	school may, if otherwise eligible, organize under chapter 179A and comply with its 
119.21 	provisions. The board of directors of a charter school is a public employer, for the 
119.22 	purposes of chapter 179A, upon formation of when forming one or more bargaining units 
119.23 	at the school. Bargaining units at the school must be separate from any other units within 
119.24 	an authorizing district, except that bargaining units may remain part of the appropriate 
119.25 	unit within an authorizing district, if the employees of the school, the board of directors of 
119.26 	the school, the exclusive representative of the appropriate unit in the authorizing district, 
119.27 	and the board of the authorizing district agree to include the employees in the appropriate 
119.28 	unit of the authorizing district. The board of directors of a charter school with employees 
119.29 	organized under this subdivision must comply with sections 471.6161 governing group 
119.30 	insurance and 471.895 governing gifts.
119.31 		Subd. 4.Teacher and other employee retirement. (a) Teachers in a charter school 
119.32 	must be public school teachers for the purposes of chapters 354 and 354A governing the 
119.33 	Teacher Retirement Act.
119.34 	(b) Except for teachers under paragraph (a), employees in a charter school must 
119.35 	be public employees for the purposes of chapter 353 governing the Public Employees 
119.36 	Retirement Act.
120.1 		Subd. 5.Group health insurance. (a) A charter school board with at least 25 
120.2 	employees or a teacher cooperative of licensed teachers providing instruction under 
120.3 	a contract between a school and a cooperative that provides group health insurance 
120.4 	coverage shall:
120.5 	(1) request proposals for group health insurance coverage from a minimum of three 
120.6 	sources at least every two years; and
120.7 	(2) notify employees covered by the group health insurance coverage before the 
120.8 	effective date of the changes in the group coverage policy contract.
120.9 	(b) A charter school board or a cooperative of teachers that provides group health 
120.10 	insurance coverage must establish and publish on its Web site the policy for the purchase 
120.11 	of purchasing group health insurance coverage. A charter school board policy must 
120.12 	include a sealed proposal process, which requires all proposals to be opened at the same 
120.13 	time. Upon the openings of opening the proposals in accordance with according to the 
120.14 	school or cooperative policy, the proposals become public data under chapter 13.
120.15 	Nothing in this subdivision supersedes the right of an exclusive representative to negotiate 
120.16 	over the terms and conditions of employment.
120.17 		Subd. 6.Leave to teach in a charter school. If a teacher employed by a district 
120.18 	makes a written request for an extended leave of absence to teach at a charter school, the 
120.19 	district must grant the leave. The district must grant a leave not to exceed a total of five 
120.20 	years. Any request to extend the leave shall be granted only at the discretion of the school 
120.21 	board. The district may require that a teacher to make the request for a leave or extension 
120.22 	of leave be made before February 1 in the school year preceding the school year in which 
120.23 	the teacher intends to leave, or February 1 of the calendar year in which the teacher's leave 
120.24 	is scheduled to terminate. Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision and except 
120.25 	for section 122A.46, subdivision 7, governing employment in another district, the leave 
120.26 	is governed by section 122A.46, including, but not limited to, reinstatement, notice of 
120.27 	intention to return, seniority, salary, and insurance.
120.28 	During a leave, the teacher may continue to aggregate benefits and credits in the 
120.29 	Teachers' Retirement Association account under chapters 354 and 354A, consistent with 
120.30 	subdivision 4.

120.31 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.13, is amended to read:
120.32 	124E.13 FACILITIES.
120.33 		Subdivision 1.Leased space. A charter school may lease space from: an 
120.34 	independent or special school board,; other public organization,; private, nonprofit, 
120.35 	nonsectarian organization,; private property owner,; or a sectarian organization if the 
121.1 	leased space is constructed as a school facility. The department commissioner must 
121.2 	review and approve or disapprove leases in a timely manner for purposes of determining 
121.3 	to determine eligibility for lease aid under section 124E.22.
121.4 		Subd. 2.Related party lease costs. (a) A charter school is prohibited from entering 
121.5 	must not enter into a lease of real property with a related party unless the lessor is a 
121.6 	nonprofit corporation under chapter 317A or a cooperative under chapter 308A, and the 
121.7 	lease cost is reasonable under section 124E.22, paragraph (a), clause (1).
121.8 	(b) A lease of real property to be used for a charter school, not excluded in related 
121.9 	party permitted to enter into a lease under paragraph (a), must contain include the 
121.10 	following statement in the lease: "This lease is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 
121.11 	124E.13, subdivision 2."
121.12 	(c) If a charter school enters into as lessee a lease with leases space from a related 
121.13 	party and the charter school subsequently closes, the commissioner has the right to recover 
121.14 	from the lessor related party any lease payments in excess of those that are reasonable 
121.15 	under section 124E.22, paragraph (a), clause (1).
121.16 		Subd. 3.Affiliated nonprofit building corporation. (a) An affiliated nonprofit 
121.17 	building corporation may purchase, expand, or renovate an existing facility to serve as a 
121.18 	school or may construct a new school facility. A charter school may organize an affiliated 
121.19 	nonprofit building corporation (1) to purchase, expand, or renovate an existing facility to 
121.20 	serve as a school or (2) to construct a new school facility if the charter school:
121.21 	(i) (1) has been in operation operated for at least six consecutive years;
121.22 	(ii) (2) as of June 30, has a net positive unreserved general fund balance in the 
121.23 	preceding three fiscal years;
121.24 	(iii) (3) has long-range strategic and financial plans that include enrollment 
121.25 	projections for at least five years;
121.26 	(iv) (4) completes a feasibility study of facility options that outlines the benefits 
121.27 	and costs of the options each option; and
121.28 	(v) (5) has a plan for purchase, renovation, or new construction which that describes 
121.29 	project parameters and budget.
121.30 	(b) An affiliated nonprofit building corporation under this subdivision must:
121.31 	(1) be incorporated under section 317A;
121.32 	(2) comply with applicable Internal Revenue Service regulations, including 
121.33 	regulations for "supporting organizations" as defined by the Internal Revenue Service;
121.34 	(3) post on the school Web site the name, mailing address, bylaws, minutes of board 
121.35 	meetings, and the names of the current board of directors of the affiliated nonprofit 
121.36 	building corporation;
122.1 	(4) submit to the commissioner a copy of its annual audit by December 31 of each 
122.2 	year; and
122.3 	(5) comply with government data practices law under chapter 13.
122.4 	(c) An affiliated nonprofit building corporation must not serve as the leasing agent 
122.5 	for property or facilities it does not own. A charter school that leases a facility from an 
122.6 	affiliated nonprofit building corporation that does not own the leased facility is ineligible 
122.7 	to receive charter school lease aid. The state is immune from liability resulting from a 
122.8 	contract between a charter school and an affiliated nonprofit building corporation.
122.9 	(d) Once an affiliated nonprofit building corporation is incorporated under this 
122.10 	subdivision,The board of directors of the charter school must ensure the affiliated 
122.11 	nonprofit building corporation complies with all applicable legal requirements. The charter 
122.12 	school's authorizer of the school must oversee the efforts of the school's board of directors 
122.13 	of the charter school to ensure the affiliated nonprofit building corporation complies 
122.14 	with all legal requirements governing the affiliated nonprofit building corporation legal 
122.15 	compliance of the affiliated building corporation. A school's board of directors that 
122.16 	fails to ensure the affiliated nonprofit building corporation's compliance violates its 
122.17 	responsibilities and an authorizer must factor the consider that failure into the authorizer's 
122.18 	evaluation of when evaluating the charter school.
122.19 		Subd. 4.Positive review and comment. If the amount of a purchase agreement or 
122.20 	construction contract exceeds the review and comment threshold, a charter school or its 
122.21 	affiliated nonprofit building corporation must receive a positive review and comment from 
122.22 	the commissioner before initiating any purchase agreement or construction contract that 
122.23 	requires an expenditure in excess of the threshold specified in section 123B.71, subdivision 
122.24 	8, for school districts that do not have a capital loan outstanding. Without a positive 
122.25 	review and comment from the commissioner, a purchase agreement or construction 
122.26 	contract finalized before a positive review and comment under this subdivision is null and 
122.27 	void. For purposes of this subdivision, "review and comment threshold" means the dollar 
122.28 	amount specified in section 123B.71, subdivision 8, applicable to a school entity that is 
122.29 	not a recipient of a maximum effort capital loan.

122.30 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.15, is amended to read:
122.31 	124E.15 TRANSPORTATION.
122.32 	(a) A charter school must comply with all pupil transportation requirements in 
122.33 	section 123B.88, subdivision 1. A charter school must not require parents to surrender 
122.34 	their rights to pupil transportation under section 123B.88, subdivision 2.
123.1 	(b) A charter school after its first fiscal year of operation by March 1 of each fiscal 
123.2 	year and A charter school by July 1 of its first fiscal year of operation must notify the 
123.3 	district in which the school is located and the Department of Education commissioner by 
123.4 	July 1 of its first fiscal year of operation if it will provide its own transportation or use the 
123.5 	transportation services of the district in which it is located for the fiscal year. For each 
123.6 	subsequent year of operation, a charter school must give that district and the commissioner 
123.7 	notice by March 1 for the following fiscal year.
123.8 	(c) If a charter school elects to provide transportation for pupils, the charter school 
123.9 	must provide the transportation must be provided by the charter school within the district 
123.10 	in which the charter school is located. The state must pay transportation aid to the charter 
123.11 	school according to section 124E.23.
123.12 	(d) For pupils who reside outside the district in which the charter school is located, 
123.13 	the charter school is not required to provide or pay for transportation between the pupil's 
123.14 	residence and the border of the district in which the charter school is located. The charter 
123.15 	school may reimburse a parent may be reimbursed by the charter school for costs of 
123.16 	transportation from the pupil's residence to the border of the district in which the charter 
123.17 	school is located if the pupil is from a family whose income is at or below the poverty 
123.18 	level, as determined by the federal government. The reimbursement may not exceed 
123.19 	the pupil's actual cost of transportation or 15 cents per mile traveled, whichever is less. 
123.20 	Reimbursement may not be paid for more than 250 miles per week.
123.21 	At the time a pupil enrolls in a charter school, the charter school must provide the 
123.22 	parent or guardian with information regarding the transportation.
123.23 	(d) (e) If a charter school does not elect to provide transportation, the district in which 
123.24 	the school is located must provide transportation for pupils enrolled at the school must 
123.25 	be provided by the district in which the school is located, according to sections 123B.88, 
123.26 	subdivision 6, governing transporting nonresident pupils, and 124D.03, subdivision 8, for 
123.27 	a pupil residing in the same district in which the charter school is located. The district in 
123.28 	which the charter school is located may provide transportation may be provided by the 
123.29 	district in which the school is located, according to sections 123B.88, subdivision 6, and 
123.30 	124D.03, subdivision 8, governing open enrollment transportation, for a pupil residing 
123.31 	in a different district. If the district provides the transportation, the scheduling of routes, 
123.32 	manner and method of transportation, control and discipline of the pupils, and any other 
123.33 	matter relating to the transportation of pupils under this paragraph shall be is within the 
123.34 	sole discretion, control, and management of the district.
123.35 	(f) The charter school must provide the parent or guardian with information about 
123.36 	transportation when a pupil enrolls.

124.1 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.16, is amended to read:
124.2 	124E.16 REPORTS.
124.3 		Subdivision 1.Audit report. (a) A charter school is subject to the same financial 
124.4 	audits, audit procedures, and audit requirements as a district, except as required under 
124.5 	this subdivision. Audits must be conducted in compliance with generally accepted 
124.6 	governmental auditing standards, the federal Single Audit Act, if applicable, and section 
124.7 	6.65 governing auditing procedures. A charter school is subject to and must comply 
124.8 	with sections 15.054; 118A.01; 118A.02; 118A.03; 118A.04; 118A.05; 118A.06; 
124.9 	governing government property and financial investments; and sections471.38; 471.391; 
124.10 	471.392; and 471.425 governing municipal contracting. The audit must comply with the 
124.11 	requirements of sections 123B.75 to 123B.83 governing school district finance, except 
124.12 	to the extent deviations are necessary because of the program at the school when the 
124.13 	commissioner and authorizer approve a deviation made necessary because of school 
124.14 	program finances. Deviations must be approved by the commissioner and authorizer. The 
124.15 	Department of Education commissioner, state auditor, legislative auditor, or authorizer 
124.16 	may conduct financial, program, or compliance audits. A charter school determined to be 
124.17 	in statutory operating debt under sections 123B.81 to 123B.83 must submit a plan under 
124.18 	section 123B.81, subdivision 4.
124.19 	(b) The charter school must submit an audit report to the commissioner and its 
124.20 	authorizer annually by December 31 each year.
124.21 	(c) The charter school, with the assistance of the auditor conducting the audit, 
124.22 	must include with the report, as supplemental information,: (1) a copy of management 
124.23 	agreements with a charter management organization or an educational management 
124.24 	organization and (2) service agreements or contracts over the lesser of $100,000 or ten 
124.25 	percent of the school's most recent annual audited expenditures. The agreements must 
124.26 	detail the terms of the agreement, including the services provided and the annual costs for 
124.27 	those services. If the entity that provides the professional services to the charter school is 
124.28 	exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, that entity 
124.29 	must file with the commissioner by February 15 a copy of the annual return required under 
124.30 	section 6033 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
124.31 	(d) A charter school independent audit report shall include audited financial data 
124.32 	of an affiliated building corporation under section 124E.13, subdivision 3, or other 
124.33 	component unit.
124.34 	(e) If the audit report finds that a material weakness exists in the financial reporting 
124.35 	systems of a charter school, the charter school must submit a written report to the 
124.36 	commissioner explaining how the charter school will resolve that material weakness will 
125.1 	be resolved. An auditor, as a condition of providing financial services to a charter school, 
125.2 	must agree to make available information about a charter school's financial audit to the 
125.3 	commissioner and authorizer upon request.
125.4 		Subd. 2.Annual public reports. (a) A charter school must publish an annual report 
125.5 	approved by the board of directors. The annual report must at least include information 
125.6 	on school enrollment, student attrition, governance and management, staffing, finances, 
125.7 	academic performance, innovative practices and implementation, and future plans. A 
125.8 	charter school may combine this report with the reporting required under section 120B.11 
125.9 	governing the world's best workforce. A charter school must post the annual report on 
125.10 	the school's official Web site. A charter school also must also distribute the annual report 
125.11 	by publication, mail, or electronic means to its authorizer, school employees, and parents 
125.12 	and legal guardians of students enrolled in the charter school. The reports are public 
125.13 	data under chapter 13.
125.14 	(b) The commissioner shall establish specifications for an authorizer's annual public 
125.15 	report that is part of the system to evaluate authorizer performance under section 124E.05, 
125.16 	subdivision 5. The report shall at least include key indicators of school academic, 
125.17 	operational, and financial performance.

125.18 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.17, is amended to read:
125.19 	124E.17 DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.
125.20 		Subdivision 1.Charter school information. (a) Authorizers and the department 
125.21 	must disseminate information to the public on how to form and operate a charter school. 
125.22 	Charter schools must disseminate information about how to use the charter school 
125.23 	offerings of a charter school to targeted groups, among others. Targeted groups include 
125.24 	low-income families and communities, students of color, and students who are at risk 
125.25 	of academic failure.
125.26 	(b) Authorizers and the commissioner must disseminate information to the public 
125.27 	on how to form and operate a charter school. Authorizers, operators, and the department 
125.28 	commissioner also may disseminate information to interested stakeholders about the 
125.29 	successful best practices in teaching and learning demonstrated by charter schools.
125.30 		Subd. 2.Financial information.  Upon request of an individual, the charter school 
125.31 	must also make available in a timely fashion financial statements showing all operations 
125.32 	and transactions affecting the school's income, surplus, and deficit during the school's 
125.33 	last annual accounting period; and a balance sheet summarizing assets and liabilities 
125.34 	on the closing date of the accounting period. A charter school also must include that 
126.1 	same information about its authorizer in other school materials that it makes available 
126.2 	to the public.

126.3 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.22, is amended to read:
126.4 	124E.22 BUILDING LEASE AID.
126.5 	(a) When a charter school finds it economically advantageous to rent or lease a 
126.6 	building or land for any instructional purposes purpose and it determines that the total 
126.7 	operating capital revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 13, is insufficient for this 
126.8 	purpose, it may apply to the commissioner for building lease aid for this purpose. The 
126.9 	commissioner must review and either approve or deny a lease aid application using the 
126.10 	following criteria:
126.11 	(1) the reasonableness of the price based on current market values;
126.12 	(2) the extent to which the lease conforms to applicable state laws and rules; and
126.13 	(3) the appropriateness of the proposed lease in the context of the space needs and 
126.14 	financial circumstances of the charter school. The commissioner must approve aid only 
126.15 	for a facility lease that has (i) a sum certain annual cost and (ii) a closure clause to relieve 
126.16 	the charter school of its lease obligations at the time the charter contract is terminated or 
126.17 	not renewed;. The closure clause under item (ii) must not be constructed or construed to 
126.18 	relieve the charter school of its lease obligations in effect before the charter contract is 
126.19 	terminated or not renewed.
126.20 	(b) A charter school must not use the building lease aid it receives for custodial, 
126.21 	maintenance service, utility, or other operating costs.
126.22 	(b) (c) The amount of annual building lease aid for a charter school shall not exceed 
126.23 	the lesser of (1) 90 percent of the approved cost or (2) the product of the pupil units served 
126.24 	for the current school year times $1,314.

126.25 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.24, is amended to read:
126.26 	124E.24 OTHER AID, GRANTS, AND REVENUE.
126.27 	(a) A charter school is eligible to receive other aids, grants, and revenue according to 
126.28 	chapters 120A to 129C, as though it were a district.
126.29 	(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a charter school may not receive aid, a grant, or 
126.30 	revenue if a levy is required to obtain the money, or if the aid, grant, or revenue replaces levy 
126.31 	revenue that is not general education revenue, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
126.32 	(c) Federal aid received by the state must be paid to the school, if it qualifies for 
126.33 	the aid, as though it were a school district.
127.1 	(d) A charter school may receive money from any source for capital facilities needs. 
127.2 	In the year-end report to the commissioner of education, the charter school shall report the 
127.3 	total amount of funds it received from grants and other outside sources.

127.4 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.25, is amended to read:
127.5 	124E.25 PAYMENT OF AIDS TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.
127.6 		Subdivision 1.Payments. (a) Notwithstanding section 127A.45, subdivision 3, if the 
127.7 	current year aid payment percentage under section 127A.45, subdivision 2, paragraph (d), is 
127.8 	90 or greater, aid payments for the current fiscal year to a charter school shall be of an equal 
127.9 	amount on each of the 24 payment dates. Notwithstanding section 127A.45, subdivision 
127.10 	3, if the current year aid payment percentage under section 127A.45, subdivision 2, 
127.11 	paragraph (d), is less than 90, aid payments for the current fiscal year to a charter school 
127.12 	shall be of an equal amount on each of the 16 payment dates in July through February.
127.13 		Subd. 1a.School closures; payments. (b) (a) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) 
127.14 	subdivision 1 and section 127A.45, for a charter school ceasing operation on or prior 
127.15 	tobefore June 30 of a school year, for the payment periods occurring after the school 
127.16 	ceases serving students, the commissioner shall withhold the estimated state aid owed 
127.17 	the school. The charter school board of directors and authorizer must submit to the 
127.18 	commissioner a closure plan under chapter 308A or 317A, and financial information about 
127.19 	the school's liabilities and assets. After receiving the closure plan, financial information, 
127.20 	an audit of pupil counts, documentation of and documented lease expenditures, from 
127.21 	the charter school and monitoring of special education expenditures, the commissioner 
127.22 	may release cash withheld and may continue regular payments up to the current year 
127.23 	payment percentages if further amounts are owed. If, based on audits and monitoring, 
127.24 	the school received state aid in excess of the amount owed, the commissioner shall retain 
127.25 	aid withheld sufficient to eliminate the aid overpayment. 
127.26 	(b) For a charter school ceasing operations prior to, before or at the end of, a 
127.27 	school year, notwithstanding section 127A.45, subdivision 3, the commissioner may 
127.28 	make preliminary final payments may be made after receiving the school submits the 
127.29 	closure plan, an audit of pupil counts, monitoring of special education expenditures, 
127.30 	documentation of documented lease expenditures, and school submission of Uniform 
127.31 	Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS) financial data and the 
127.32 	commissioner monitors special education expenditures for the final year of operation. The 
127.33 	commissioner may make the final payment may be made upon receipt of after receiving 
127.34 	audited financial statements under section 123B.77, subdivision 3.
128.1 	(c) Notwithstanding sections 317A.701 to 317A.791, upon closure of after closing 
128.2 	a charter school and satisfaction of satisfying creditors, remaining cash and investment 
128.3 	balances remaining shall be returned by the commissioner to the state general fund.
128.4 		Subd. 2.Requirements. (a) In order To receive state aid payments under this 
128.5 	section, a charter school in its first three years of operation must submit to the commissioner 
128.6 	a school calendar in the form and manner requested by the department commissioner and 
128.7 	a quarterly report to the Department of Education. The quarterly report must list each 
128.8 	student by grade, show the student's start and end dates, if any applicable, with the charter 
128.9 	school, and, for any student participating in a learning year program, the report must list the 
128.10 	hours and times of learning year activities. The charter school must submit the report must 
128.11 	be submittedto the commissioner not more than two weeks after the end of the calendar 
128.12 	quarter to the department. The department commissioner must develop a Web-based 
128.13 	reporting form for charter schools to use when submitting quarterly enrollment reports.
128.14 	(b) To receive state aid payments under this section, a charter school in its fourth and 
128.15 	subsequent year of operation must submit a school calendar and enrollment information 
128.16 	to the department commissioner in the form and manner requested by the department 
128.17 	commissioner.
128.18 	(b) (c) A charter school must have a valid, signed contract under section 124E.10, 
128.19 	subdivision 1, on file at with the Department of Education commissioner at least 15 days 
128.20 	prior tobefore the date of first payment of state aid for the fiscal year.
128.21 	(c) (d) The commissioner shall compute state aid entitlements shall be computed 
128.22 	for a charter school only for the portion of a school year for which it has a valid, signed 
128.23 	contract under section 124E.10, subdivision 1.
128.24 		Subd. 3.Aid reductions. (a) The commissioner may reduce a charter school's 
128.25 	state aid under section 127A.42 or 127A.43 if the charter school board fails to correct a 
128.26 	violation under this chapter.
128.27 	(b) The commissioner may reduce a charter school's state aid by an amount not 
128.28 	to exceed 60 percent of the charter school's basic revenue for the period of time that a 
128.29 	violation of law occurs was violated.
128.30 		Subd. 4.Aid withholding. (a) If a charter school fails to comply with the 
128.31 	commissioner's directive to return, for cause, federal or state funds administered by the 
128.32 	department, the commissioner may withhold an amount of state aid sufficient to satisfy 
128.33 	the directive.
128.34 	(b) If, within the timeline under section 471.425, after receiving an undisputed 
128.35 	invoice for goods and services, a charter school fails to pay the state of Minnesota, a school 
128.36 	district, intermediate school district, or service cooperative after receiving an undisputed 
129.1 	invoice for goods and services within the timeline under section 471.425, the commissioner 
129.2 	may withhold an amount of state aid sufficient to satisfy the claim and shall distribute the 
129.3 	withheld aid to the interested state agency, school district, intermediate school district, or 
129.4 	service cooperative. An interested state agency, school district, intermediate school district, 
129.5 	or education cooperative shall notify the commissioner when a charter school fails to pay 
129.6 	an undisputed invoice within 75 business days of when it received the original invoice.

129.7 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124E.26, is amended to read:
129.8 	124E.26 USE OF STATE MONEY.
129.9 	Money received from the state may not be used A charter school may not use state 
129.10 	money to purchase land or buildings. The charter school may own land and buildings if 
129.11 	obtained through nonstate sources.

129.12 	Sec. 18. SUPERSEDING ACTS.
 129.13 	Any amendments or repeals enacted in the 2016 session of the legislature to sections 
129.14 	also amended or repealed in this article of this act supersede the amendments in this article 
129.15 	of this act regardless of order of enactment.