HF 2486

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

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; requiring school
districts to spend at least 65 percent of their total
operating expenditures on direct classroom
expenditures; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 123B.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [123B.748] REGULAR CLASSROOM EXPENDITURES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin "Direct classroom
expenditures" means the amount defined by the National Center of
Educational Statistics of the United States Department of
Education. "Total operating expenditures" has the meaning given
it under the uniform financial accounting and reporting
standards. Total operating expenditures include all operating
expenditures incurred for the benefit of elementary and
secondary education during that school year, except capital
expenditures. Community education, construction, debt service,
and trust and agency expenditures are nonoperating expenditures.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Expected expenditure level. new text end

new text begin A school district
must spend at least 65 percent of its total operating
expenditures on direct classroom expenditures. If a school
district's direct classroom expenditures in fiscal year 2005 are
less than 65 percent of its total operating expenditures, the
district must increase its direct classroom expenditures by at
least two percentage points per year beginning in fiscal year
2006.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Superintendent verification. new text end

new text begin A superintendent
must include in the audited financial statements submitted to
the commissioner under section 123B.77 a letter signed by the
superintendent certifying the percentage of the district's total
operating expenditures that were actually spent on direct
classroom expenditures for that school year.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Waiver. new text end

new text begin A school district that is unable to
meet the expenditure standards established under subdivision 2
may apply to the commissioner for a waiver. The waiver request
must list the reasons why the district's direct classroom
expenditures cannot meet the requirements of subdivision 2 and
describe the changes the district intends to meet in the
subsequent year in order to meet the direct classroom
instruction requirements. The commissioner must grant or deny a
waiver request within 60 days of receiving the request.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2005,
for the 2005-2006 school year.
new text end