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HF 1945

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 02/25/2014 02:04pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Bill Text Versions

Engrossments
Introduction Posted on 01/13/2014

Current Version - as introduced

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A bill for an act
relating to education; ensuring nontraditional instructional program choices;
modifying students' personal learning plans; requiring a report; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 123B.04, subdivisions 1a, 4; Minnesota
Statutes 2013 Supplement, sections 120B.11, subdivisions 1, 1a, 3; 120B.125;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124D.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 120B.11, subdivision 1, is
amended to read:


Subdivision 1.

Definitions.

For the purposes of this section and section 120B.10,
the following terms have the meanings given them.

(a) "Instruction" means methods of providing learning experiences that enable
a student to meet state and district academic standards and graduation requirementsnew text begin ,
including nontraditional instructional programs under section 124D.061
new text end .

(b) "Curriculum" means district or school adopted programs and written plans for
providing students with learning experiences that lead to expected knowledge and skills
and career and college readiness.

(c) "World's best workforce" means striving to: meet school readiness goals; have
all third grade students achieve grade-level literacy; new text begin provide students with a choice
of nontraditional instructional programs;
new text end close the academic achievement gap among
all racial and ethnic groups of students and between students living in poverty and
students not living in poverty; have all students attain career and college readiness before
graduating from high school; and have all students graduate from high school.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2015-2016 school year and
later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, 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) student performance on the National deleted text begin Associationdeleted text end new text begin Assessmentnew text end of Education
Progressnew text begin where applicablenew text end ;

(2) the size of the academic achievement gap by student subgroup;

(3) student performance on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments;

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

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

new text begin (6) summary information about the effectiveness of nontraditional instructional
programs under section 124D.061
new text end .

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2015-2016 school year and
later.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 120B.11, subdivision 3, is
amended to read:


Subd. 3.

District advisory committee.

Each school board shall establish an
advisory committee to ensure active community participation in all phases of planning and
improving the instruction and curriculum affecting state and district academic standards,
consistent with subdivision 2new text begin and section 124D.061new text end . A district advisory committee, to
the extent possible, shall reflect the diversity of the district and its school sites, and shall
include teachers, parents, support staff, students, and other community residents. The
district may establish site teams as subcommittees of the district advisory committee
under subdivision 4. The district advisory committee shall recommend to the school board
rigorous academic standards, student achievement goals and measures consistent with
subdivision 1a and sections 120B.022, subdivision 1, paragraphs (b) and (c), deleted text begin anddeleted text end 120B.35,
new text begin and 124D.061, new text end district assessments, and program evaluations. School sites may expand
upon district evaluations of instruction, curriculum, assessments, or programs. Whenever
possible, parents and other community residents shall comprise at least two-thirds of
advisory committee members.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2015-2016 school year and
later.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 120B.125, is amended to read:


120B.125 PLANNING FOR STUDENTS' SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION
TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT; deleted text begin INVOLUNTARY
CAREER TRACKING PROHIBITED
deleted text end new text begin PERSONAL LEARNING PLANSnew text end .

(a) Consistent with sections 120B.128, 120B.13, 120B.131, 120B.132, 120B.14,
120B.15, 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), new text begin 124D.061, new text end 125A.08, and other related
sections, school districts, deleted text begin beginning indeleted text end new text begin bynew text end the deleted text begin 2013-2014deleted text end new text begin 2014-2015new text end school year, must
assist all students deleted text begin by no later than grade 9deleted text end to explore their new text begin educational, new text end collegenew text begin ,new text end and
career interestsnew text begin , aptitudes,new text end and aspirations and develop a plan for new text begin achieving kindergarten
through grade 12 career and college readiness and
new text end a smooth and successful transition to
postsecondary education or employment. All students' plans must deleted text begin be designed todeleted text end :

(1) provide a comprehensive academic plan deleted text begin for completingdeleted text end new text begin to prepare for and
complete
new text end a college and career-ready curriculum deleted text begin premised ondeleted text end new text begin bynew text end meeting state and local
academic standards and developing 21st century skills such as team work, collaboration,
and good work habits;

(2) emphasize academic rigor and high expectations;

(3) help students identify new text begin interests, aptitudes, aspirations, and new text end personal learning
styles that may affect their new text begin career and college ready goals and new text end postsecondary education
and employment choices;

new text begin (4) set age- and grade-appropriate career and college ready goals and create the
timelines and identify effective means for achieving those goals;
new text end

deleted text begin (4)deleted text end new text begin (5)new text end help students deleted text begin gaindeleted text end access deleted text begin to postsecondarydeleted text end education and career options;

deleted text begin (5)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end integrate strong academic content into career-focused courses new text begin and applied
learning opportunities
new text end and integrate relevant career-focused courses new text begin and applied learning
opportunities
new text end into strong academic content;

deleted text begin (6)deleted text end new text begin (7)new text end help students and families identify and deleted text begin gaindeleted text end access deleted text begin todeleted text end appropriate counseling
and other supports and assistance that enable students to complete required coursework,
prepare for postsecondary education and careers, and obtain information about
postsecondary education costs and eligibility for financial aid and scholarship;

deleted text begin (7)deleted text end new text begin (8)new text end help students and families identify collaborative partnerships of kindergarten
through grade 12 schools, postsecondary institutions, economic development agencies,
and new text begin local and regional new text end employers that support deleted text begin students'deleted text end new text begin middle and high school students
through their
new text end transition to postsecondary education and employment and provide students
with experiential learning opportunities; and

deleted text begin (8)deleted text end new text begin (9)new text end be reviewed and revised at least annually by the student, the student's parent
or guardian, and the school or district to ensure that the student's course-taking schedule
keeps the student making adequate new text begin age- and grade-appropriate new text end progress to meet state and
local new text begin academic standards and new text end high school graduation requirements and with a reasonable
chance to succeed with employment or postsecondary education without the need to first
complete remedial course work.

(b) A school district may develop grade-level curricula or provide instruction that
introduces students to various careers, but must not require any curriculum, instruction,
or employment-related activity that obligates an elementary or secondary student to
involuntarily select new text begin or pursue new text end a career, career interest, employment goals, or related job
training.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

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

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 123B.04, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:


Subd. 1a.

Individualized learning and instruction; improved student
achievement.

To promote individualized learning and instruction and improve student
achievement under subdivisions 4 and 4a, a participating school board under this section
may consider how to:

(1) assist a school site to adapt instruction to the needs and aptitudes of individual
students, and establish goals and standards for individual students in addition to the state
academic standards applicable to all students;

(2) coordinate the pace of instruction and learning with the needs and aptitudes of
individual students at a school site;

(3) provide useful data and assist with research in developing and improving
innovative, cost-effective, research-based individualized learning, instruction, and
assessment under this section and deleted text begin sectiondeleted text end new text begin sections 124D.061 andnew text end 124D.10;

(4) demonstrate and help evaluate instructional alternatives to age-based grade
progression;

(5) more effectively motivate students and teachers; and

(6) expand use of learning technology to support individualized learning, instruction,
assessment, and achievement.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2015-2016 school year and
later.
new text end

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 123B.04, subdivision 4, is amended to read:


Subd. 4.

Achievement contract.

A school board may enter a written education site
achievement contract with each site decision-making team for: (1) setting individualized
learning and achievement measures and short- and long-term educational goals for each
student at that site; (2) recognizing each student's educational needsnew text begin , interests, aspirations,
new text end and aptitudes and levels of academic attainment, whether on grade level or above or below
grade level, so as to improve student performance through such means as a cost-effective,
research-based formative assessment system designed to promote individualized
learning and assessmentnew text begin and through nontraditional instructional programs under section
124D.061
new text end ; (3) using student performance data to diagnose a student's academic strengths
and weaknesses and indicate to the student's teachers the specific skills and concepts
that need to be introduced to the student and developed through academic instruction or
applied learning, organized by strands within subject areas and linked to state and local
academic standards during the next year, consistent with the student's short- and long-term
educational goals; and (4) assisting the education site if progress in achieving student or
contract goals or other performance expectations or measures agreed to by the board and
the site decision-making team are not realized or implemented.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2015-2016 school year and
later.
new text end

Sec. 7.

new text begin [124D.061] NONTRADITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM
CHOICE.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this
section.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Nontraditional instructional program" means comprehensive instruction
districts develop under this section in consultation with regional centers of excellence
under section 120B.115. The comprehensive instruction includes career and college
ready curriculum aligned with state and local academic standards that districts provide
in a nontraditional context distinct from the regular education program. Examples of
nontraditional instructional programs include, but are not limited to, magnet schools,
online and digital learning under section 124D.095, language immersion programs,
project-based learning models, open schools, accelerated learning programs, college prep
schools, career and technical programs, Montessori schools, military schools, work-based
schools, and place-based learning.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Rigorous course of study waiver applies. new text end

new text begin Consistent with the
requirements for a rigorous course of study waiver under section 120B.021, subdivision 1a,
a district providing a nontraditional instructional program under this section may declare
that a student meets or exceeds specific academic standards required for graduation.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Program choice. new text end

new text begin In each grade, kindergarten through grade 12, or in
nongraded programs, a school district, singly or in cooperation with one or more other
districts, must provide at least two nontraditional instructional programs. A nontraditional
instructional program must provide at least 80 percent of an interested student's daily
instruction. Nontraditional instructional program offerings may vary by grade. An area
learning center and a contract alternative program do not meet the requirements of this
section. A charter school does not meet the requirements of this section unless it is
authorized by the school district and providing a nontraditional instructional program
under this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Program compliance. new text end

new text begin (a) A district complies with subdivision 3 if it
meets the requirements in any paragraph (b) to (g).
new text end

new text begin (b) A district offers two or more nontraditional instructional programs within the
district.
new text end

new text begin (c) A district offers a nontraditional instructional program at individual school sites
that combined provide comprehensive kindergarten through grade 12 instruction.
new text end

new text begin (d) A district approves site decision-making agreements under section 123B.04 or
123B.045 that combined provide comprehensive kindergarten through grade 12 instruction.
new text end

new text begin (e) A district enters into a joint powers agreement under section 471.59 with one or
more adjoining school districts and:
new text end

new text begin (1) a member district has fewer than 500 students in average daily membership;
new text end

new text begin (2) a member district complies with paragraph (b), (c), or (d);
new text end

new text begin (3) a member district offering a nontraditional instructional program with limited
enrollment gives equal access to all students residing or enrolled in any member district; and
new text end

new text begin (4) the joint powers agreement provides for transporting students between member
districts.
new text end

new text begin (f) A district offers a nontraditional instructional program for students in
kindergarten through grade 12 in a charter school authorized by that district.
new text end

new text begin (g) A district offers a combination of the options in paragraphs (b) to (f) to its
kindergarten through grade 12 students.
new text end

new text begin (h) Consistent with this section, a district may create a nontraditional instructional
program with limited enrollment. The district shall establish and publish on the district's
Web site the admission process for the limited enrollment program.
new text end

new text begin (i) Using an electronic format determined by the commissioner, the district
annually must submit to the commissioner a statement affirming its compliance with
the requirements of this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Nontraditional instructional programs; adoption and accountability.
new text end

new text begin (a) A school board, at a public meeting, shall adopt a plan consistent with this section that
includes at least the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) a clearly defined structure for complying with subdivision 4;
new text end

new text begin (2) a comprehensive description of the nontraditional instructional programs the
district is providing;
new text end

new text begin (3) a description of the enrollment process for the nontraditional instructional
programs;
new text end

new text begin (4) the specific measures and processes for periodically assessing, evaluating, and
publicly reporting the effectiveness of each nontraditional instructional program provided
by the district; and
new text end

new text begin (5) the data-informed public process for modifying a plan under this paragraph.
new text end

new text begin (b) The school board, in consultation with the parents of enrolled students and
other interested community members, must publicly identify, implement, review, and
appropriately revise nontraditional instructional programs informed by at least:
new text end

new text begin (1) summary data about enrolled students' learning styles and educational needs and
outcomes based on the students' personal learning plans under section 120B.125; and
new text end

new text begin (2) input from parents and local and regional business and nonprofit organizations.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Summary data; report. new text end

new text begin Using an electronic format and the data available
under subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clauses (1) and (2), the commissioner annually by
February 15 must submit to the legislature a report summarizing districts participation in
and outcomes for the nontraditional instructional programs that districts provide under
this section.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2015-2016 school year and
later.
new text end