HF 1053

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/14/2011 10:06am

A bill for an act
relating to education; empowering parents to request that a school district
intervene in a persistently low performing school; proposing coding for new law
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [120B.361] EMPOWERING PARENTS TO REQUEST SCHOOL
INTERVENTIONS.
new text end

new text begin (a) This section applies to those schools identified by the department as one of the
state's persistently lowest performing schools under the federal School Improvement Grant
Program or the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
new text end

new text begin (b) Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, where at least one-half of the parents
or legal guardians of students attending one of the state's persistently lowest performing
schools under paragraph (a), or a combination of at least one-half of the parents or legal
guardians of students attending that school and those attending the elementary or middle
schools that normally matriculate into that school, sign a petition requesting that the
school board of the school district in which the school is located implement one or
more of the four interventions or other alternative governance arrangements identified
under federal law described in paragraph (a). A school board that receives a petition
must implement the intervention or other governance arrangement requested by the
parents in the petition unless, at the next regularly scheduled school board meeting after
receiving the petition, the school board makes a written finding stating the reason it cannot
implement the parents' request and instead specifically designates in writing which other
intervention or arrangement under federal law in paragraph (a) it will implement. A
school board must implement the parents' request or other intervention or arrangement in
the proximate school year.
new text end

new text begin (c) A school board that receives a petition under paragraph (b) must notify the
commissioner in writing of its receipt of the petition and its final disposition of that
petition. If the school board intends to implement an intervention or governance
arrangement other than one requested by the parents, the school board must demonstrate
to the commissioner that the intervention or option it selected is likely to enable the school
to make adequate yearly progress under section 120B.35.
new text end

new text begin (d) No more than 20 schools shall be subject to a petition authorized under this
section. A petition is counted toward this limit when the commissioner receives notice
from a school board of its final disposition of that petition under paragraph (c). A school
board is not required to implement the intervention or other governance arrangement
requested by parents in a petition if the request is unrelated to improving academic
achievement or student safety.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end