HF 1685

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 04/02/2013 11:39am

A bill for an act
relating to education; implementing portions of the 2013 legislative auditor's
report on special education.

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

Section 1. new text begin SPECIAL EDUCATION EVALUATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Independent analysis of proposed changes to state special
education laws. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must solicit a request for proposal to
undertake a detailed, independent analysis of the economic and educational effects of
conforming Minnesota's special education laws with minimum federal requirements. The
report must be structured to help the K-12 education policy and finance committees of the
legislature balance student outcomes with possible gains in time or cost efficiencies. The
commissioner must submit a written report containing the analysis to the K-12 education
policy and finance committees of the legislature by February 15, 2014.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Special education teachers' compliance with legal requirements. new text end

new text begin The
Department of Education must identify ways to give teachers working with eligible
children with disabilities sufficient written and online resources to make informed
decisions about how to effectively comply with legal requirements related to providing
special education programs and services, including writing individualized education
programs and related documents, among other requirements. The department must work
collaboratively with school and district staff and representatives of affected organizations,
including Education Minnesota and Minnesota Administrators of Special Education,
among others, to identify obstacles to and solutions for teachers' confusion about
complying with legal requirements governing special education programs and services.
The department must work with schools and districts to provide staff development training
to better comply with applicable legal requirements while meeting the educational needs
and improving the educational progress of eligible children with disabilities.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Efficiencies to reduce paperwork. new text end

new text begin The Department of Education, in
collaboration with teachers and administrators working with eligible children with
disabilities in schools and districts, must identify strategies to effectively decrease the
amount of time teachers spend completing paperwork for special education programs and
services, evaluate whether the strategies are cost effective, and determine whether other
schools and districts are able to effectively use the strategies given available staff and
resources. Where an evaluation shows that particular paperwork reduction strategies are
cost effective without undermining the purpose of the paperwork or the integrity of special
education requirements, the department must electronically disseminate and promote the
strategies to other schools and districts throughout the state.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Recommended rule changes to conform with Minnesota Statutes.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must prepare a written report for the K-12 education
policy and finance committees of the legislature by February 1, 2014, recommending
specific substantive and technical text revisions for amending state special education
rules and repealing obsolete special education rules to make the rules consistent with
Minnesota special education statutes. The commissioner must consult with the house of
representatives and senate committee chairs and ranking minority members in preparing
this report.
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