HF 1946

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; providing for an
approved school finance system; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. SCHOOL FINANCE STUDY.

(a) The commissioner of education must contract with an
independent contractor that has extensive experience working
with various states on education finance systems to continue and
complete the work done by the governor's education funding task
force included in the June 2004 report, Investing in Our
Future. The commissioner must contract with a firm other than
the consulting firm performing services for and submitting a
report on behalf of the governor's education funding task force.

(b) The contractor must do the following:

(1) conduct an in-depth analysis of the governor's
education funding task force report, Investing in Our Future,
dated June 2004, focusing on the data produced by the
professional judgment panel study included in the report;

(2) convene a meeting in Minnesota to help gather any
necessary additional data that is not contained in the
governor's task force report or to further validate some of the
report's existing data;

(3) determine the dollar value of an instructional services
allocation, including cost estimates for each school district
adjusting the allocation for individual student and school
district characteristics; and

(4) conduct outreach and support to explain its findings to
appropriate officials in Minnesota.

(c) In addition to the requirements in paragraph (b), the
contractor must analyze data from Minnesota school districts
that have proven to be successful in educating their students to
meet the state's academic standards. The contractor must use a
statistical analysis to help explain differences in spending
across school districts while controlling for student
performance.

(d) The commissioner must report on the findings on the
contract to the legislative committees having jurisdiction over
kindergarten through grade 12 finance before December 15, 2005.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day
following final enactment.

Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.

Subdivision 1.

Department of education.

The sum
indicated in this section is appropriated from the general fund
to the Department of Education for the fiscal year designated.

Subd. 2.

Improved school finance system contract.

For a
contract to follow up on the work of the governor's education
funding task force:

$175,000 ..... 2006