1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; establishing a task force to 
  1.3             make recommendations on reducing the number of 
  1.4             state-mandated reports school districts must prepare.  
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON REDUCING THE NUMBER OF 
  1.7   STATE-MANDATED REPORTS SCHOOL DISTRICTS MUST PREPARE.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [ADVISORY TASK FORCE ESTABLISHED.] (a) The 
  1.9   commissioner of children, families, and learning must convene an 
  1.10  advisory task force to make recommendations about reducing the 
  1.11  number of state-mandated reports school districts must prepare.  
  1.12  The advisory task force must include: 
  1.13     (1) a member of the majority party and a member of the 
  1.14  minority party in the senate selected by the senate majority 
  1.15  leader and the senate minority leader, respectively, and a 
  1.16  member of the majority party and a member of the minority party 
  1.17  in the house of representatives selected by the house majority 
  1.18  leader and the house minority leader, respectively; and 
  1.19     (2) one currently licensed and practicing elementary or 
  1.20  secondary school administrator from each congressional district 
  1.21  selected by the governor after receiving recommendations from 
  1.22  the Minnesota Association of School Administrators. 
  1.23     (b) The advisory task force must identify excessive state 
  1.24  reporting requirements and make recommendations for reducing the 
  1.25  number of state-mandated reports school districts must prepare, 
  2.1   including determining whether: 
  2.2      (1) data that districts collect are statistically valid, 
  2.3   necessary, cost effective to collect and report, and useful; 
  2.4      (2) multiple reports are required on different facets of 
  2.5   the same program; 
  2.6      (3) alternatives for specific reports exist; 
  2.7      (4) an increased emphasis on accountability has added to 
  2.8   districts' paperwork burden; 
  2.9      (5) the complexity of special education requirements has 
  2.10  created inconsistencies in local reporting practices; 
  2.11     (6) all districts have access to computers and the 
  2.12  Internet, adequate on-site technological support, easy-to-use 
  2.13  software, and a Web-based user friendly system with a single 
  2.14  point of entry for reporting purposes; 
  2.15     (7) state interagency collaboration is reducing districts' 
  2.16  reporting requirements; and 
  2.17     (8) other issues the advisory task force determines are 
  2.18  related to reducing the number of state-mandated reports school 
  2.19  districts must prepare. 
  2.20     (c) Except as provided in this subdivision, the advisory 
  2.21  task force is governed by Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, 
  2.22  subdivision 6.  The task force expires on June 1, 2003. 
  2.23     Subd. 2.  [REPORT REQUIRED.] By January 15, 2003, the 
  2.24  commissioner of children, families, and learning must submit the 
  2.25  recommendations of the advisory task force to the chairs and 
  2.26  ranking minority members of the house and senate committees 
  2.27  having jurisdiction over issues related to kindergarten through 
  2.28  grade 12 education and governmental operations. 
  2.29     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  2.30  following final enactment.