Legislative Session number- 84

Bill Name: SF2994

4E Relating to education

ARTICLE 1 - GENERAL EDUCATION

Modifying the
conditions for pupils 21 years of age to receive free enrollment in public
schools, specifying conditions; modifying the alternative teacher compensation
revenue formula; modifying requirements for students to participate in the
graduation incentives program; specifying requirements for pupils enrolling in a
contract alternative school; removing charter schools from the definitions of
high school and primary school under general education revenue; establishing
transition for prekindergarten revenue for 2007 and later; authorizing school
boards by referendum to annually increase the operating revenue by the rate of
inflation; requiring unemployment (reemployment) unused balances to be returned
to taxpayers through levy reduction; clarifying use of the safe schools levy and
including in district levy limitations; allowing the commissioner of education
to make advance state paid tax credits for debt service

ARTICLE 2 - EDUCATION
EXCELLENCE

Requiring school districts to send written notice to parents of
student removal from school for failure to meet residency requirements and
requiring school districts to allow parental opportunity to provide residential
documentary evidence; including in the academic standards waiver advanced
placement and international baccalaureate programs; changing the benchmark
review cycle and requirements; changing graduation requirements; allowing
agriculture science course to fulfill science credit; modifying provisions
relating to state reimbursement for college level examination program (CLEP)
fees; modifying the crisis management model policy; requiring school safety
drills; requiring the commissioner to develop a school district consolidated
financial statement format; requiring charter school students to be in
compliance with student bus conduct and policies of the transporting district;
permitting school districts to designate school day care facilities to receive
transportation aid; modifying certain on line learning requirements and the aid
formula; modifying requirements for charter school transportation notification
and preliminary payment requirements for charter schools ceasing operations;
requiring charter school balances upon closure returned to state; modifying the
general program requirements for students with limited English proficiency
(LEP); expanding graduation incentives program eligibility and contract
alternative school eligibility to children with blindness under the special
education disability definition; modifying the fire drill requirement; requiring
teachers to apply for training scholarships in preparation for teaching in the
advanced placement or international baccalaureate programs; requiring the
commissioner of education to incorporate references to blind and blindness into
the definition of visually impaired and amend rule titles; allowing the
commissioner to delay the school accountability report (school performance
report card); authorizing school districts to develop pilot programs to
implement comprehensive character development education; establishing an
advisory task force on school and staff emergency all/hazard preparedness,
specifying topics for the task force to address, determining the makeup of the
commission

ARTICLE 3 - SPECIAL EDUCATION

Clarifying special instruction
requirements for nonresident children receiving special instruction and services
outside the regular classroom; including certain special education fiscal agents
in the list of cooperative special education service providers eligible for a
waiver; modifying the definition of general education revenue and referendum
aid; modifying provisions relating to placement of students in residential
facilities licensed by the departments of human services and corrections,
clarifying entitlement to regular and special education services; requiring the
commissioner to establish an advisory committee for the resource centers for the
deaf and hard of hearing and the blind or visually impaired, reporting
requirement by the advisory committee; modifying the special education travel
aid formula, general revenue and total qualifying referendum revenue under
excess cost aid; clarifying the allocation of agency responsibility for
assessing or investigating reports of maltreatment; providing for special
education forecast maintenance of effort; exempting intermediate districts from
the uniform special education tuition billing calculations and permitting
billing resident school districts; repealing coordinating interagency services
for children with special needs

ARTICLE 4 - FACILITIES, ACCOUNTING, AND
TECHNOLOGY

Modifying school board financial information publication
requirements,
authorizing web site publication; modifying levy recognition
provisions; providing for distribution of aid for discontinued programs without
appropriations; clarifying current year aid payment percentage; exempting
nonpublic schools from certain requirements for the timely payment of
wages

ARTICLE 5 - STATE AGENCIES

Requiring student residency to claim general
education revenue for attendance at academies for the deaf and blind, specifying
exceptions; increasing special education aid paid to academies and district for
residency and requiring the commissioner of education to make fund adjustment;
requiring certain academies deposit and reporting requirements, requiring out of
state monies to be deposited in the special education fund

ARTICLE 6 - EARLY
CHILDHOOD PROVISIONS

Modifying head start program provisions; specifying head
start application
requirements; repealing certain definitions; including
relatives as part of ECFE programs; repealing a certain head start
definition

ARTICLE 7 - TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS

Making technical
and conforming changes
(me)