HF 280

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 01/19/2017 06:51pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; creating alternative accountability measures for certain
schools; requesting a federal waiver; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, sections
120B.11, subdivision 1a; 120B.36, subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 120B.11, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a.

Performance measures.

Measures to determine school district and school
site progress in striving to create the world's best workforce must include at least:

(1) the size of the academic achievement gap, rigorous course taking under section
120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), clause (2), and enrichment experiences by student
subgroup;

(2) student performance on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments;

(3) high school graduation rates; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(4) career and college readiness under section 120B.30, subdivision 1 deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (5) where applicable, student performance on assessments as part of the alternative
accountability measures under section 120B.37.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 120B.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

School performance reports.

(a) The commissioner shall report student
academic performance data under section 120B.35, subdivisions 2 and 3; the percentages
of students showing low, medium, and high growth under section 120B.35, subdivision 3,
paragraph (b); school safety and student engagement and connection under section 120B.35,
subdivision 3, paragraph (d); rigorous coursework under section 120B.35, subdivision 3,
paragraph (c); the percentage of students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph
(b), clause (2), whose progress and performance levels are meeting career and college
readiness benchmarks under sections 120B.30, subdivision 1, and 120B.35, subdivision 3,
paragraph (e); new text begin where applicable, the alternative accountability measure under section
120B.37; new text end longitudinal data on the progress of eligible districts in reducing disparities in
students' academic achievement and realizing racial and economic integration under section
124D.861; the acquisition of English, and where practicable, native language academic
literacy, including oral academic language, and the academic progress of all English learners
enrolled in a Minnesota public school course or program who are currently or were previously
counted as English learners under section 124D.59; two separate student-to-teacher ratios
that clearly indicate the definition of teacher consistent with sections 122A.06 and 122A.15
for purposes of determining these ratios; staff characteristics excluding salaries; student
enrollment demographics; foster care status, including all students enrolled in a Minnesota
public school course or program who are currently or were previously in foster care, student
homelessness, and district mobility; and extracurricular activities. The report also must
indicate a school's status under applicable federal law.

(b) The commissioner shall develop, annually update, and post on the department Web
site school performance reports.

(c) The commissioner must make available performance reports by the beginning of
each school year.

(d) A school or district may appeal its results in a form and manner determined by the
commissioner and consistent with federal law. The commissioner's decision to uphold or
deny an appeal is final.

(e) School performance data are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9, until
the commissioner publicly releases the data. The commissioner shall annually post school
performance reports to the department's public Web site no later than September 1, except
that in years when the reports reflect new performance standards, the commissioner shall
post the school performance reports no later than October 1.

Sec. 3.

new text begin [120B.37] ALTERNATIVE ACCOUNTABILITY.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Purpose. new text end

new text begin Because certain educational programs in the state educate
students who come into these programs often multiple grade levels behind, the current
accountability framework based around proficiency does not give a useful measure of which
of these programs are effectively closing the gap in educational attainment and which
programs are not. For these programs, a measure designed around academic growth, career
and college readiness growth, and student engagement provides a more meaningful
measurement of the success of these programs.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Eligible schools and programs. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the terms in
this subdivision have the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Eligible program" means:
new text end

new text begin (1) an area learning center or alternative learning program under section 123A.05; or
new text end

new text begin (2) a charter school under chapter 124E where:
new text end

new text begin (i) at least 70 percent of enrolled pupils are eligible to participate in the graduation
incentives program under section 124D.68; or
new text end

new text begin (ii) the charter school contract limits admission to pupils eligible to participate in the
graduation incentives program under section 124D.68.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Accountability measures. new text end

new text begin (a) In addition to the accountability measures required
under this chapter, an eligible program may have an additional accountability measure
reported based on the criteria under paragraphs (b) to (d).
new text end

new text begin (b) Thirty percent of the measure under this subdivision must be based on longitudinal
data showing student achievement and growth on a nationally or state-normed assessment
aligned with Minnesota's graduation standards for groups of 20 or more students who are
continuously enrolled in the eligible program for at least 90 days before the assessment is
administered.
new text end

new text begin (c) Forty percent of the measure under this subdivision must be based on demonstrated
growth in any four of the following postsecondary and workforce readiness measures: a
three-year average graduation rate for students who complete high school in four, five, or
six years; a three-year average student drop-out rate for students who leave the eligible
program in a single year without pursuing an education alternative; the participation rate
and composite score of those students in a school year taking a national postsecondary or
workforce readiness assessment such as the ACT, PSAT, SAT, ACCUPLACER, or ASVAB;
the percentage of students in the grade 12 cohort as identified by the number of completed
course credits at the beginning of the school year who graduate within that school year; the
percentage of students in a school year who successfully transfer to another education
program, including those leading to a diploma, credential, or degree, or care and treatment
program; the percentage of students in the previous school year who complete an education
program, receive a diploma, enroll in a postsecondary program or institution, enlist in the
military, or obtain full-time employment; the percentage of students in a school year who
successfully complete the number of course credits they need to stay on track to graduate
within an established timeline; the percentage of students in a school year who successfully
meet work certification or preapprenticeship program requirements; or the percentage of
students in a school year who earn dual enrollment credits through the Postsecondary
Enrollment Options Act or other dual credit program.
new text end

new text begin (d) Thirty percent of the measure under this subdivision must be based on data from any
three of the following measures applied to groups of 20 or more students who are
continuously enrolled in the eligible program for at least 90 days: a three-year average daily
attendance rate; a three-year average of the total number of days students are reported as
truant; the number of student dropouts who enroll in the school and remain continuously
enrolled throughout that school year; the percentage of students in a school year who
participate in and demonstrate growth on character and social competency assessments
measuring decision-making skills, career readiness, education or aspiration goals, and similar
characteristics or competencies; and the percentage of students in a school year who meet
the community service goals in their individual learning plan as measured by the eligible
program's citizenship and community outcomes rubric.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin FEDERAL WAIVER.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education shall seek a waiver from current federal accountability
requirements to replace the current accountability measures with the measure established
in Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.37, subdivision 3, for eligible programs under that
section.
new text end