HF 3472

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education; providing for a plan to reduce the achievement gap.

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

Section 1. new text begin SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS'
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin District academic achievement plan; priorities. new text end

new text begin (a) A school
district experiencing disparities in academic achievement is encouraged to develop a
short- and long-term plan encompassing one through four years to significantly improve
students' academic achievement that uses concrete measures to eliminate differences in
academic performance among groups of students defined by race, ethnicity, and income.
The plan must:
new text end

new text begin (1) reflect a research-based understanding of high-performing educational systems
and best educational practices;
new text end

new text begin (2) include innovative and practical strategies and programs, whether existing or
new, that supplement district initiatives to increase students' academic achievement under
state and federal educational accountability requirements; and
new text end

new text begin (3) contain valid and reliable measures of student achievement that the district uses
to demonstrate the efficacy of the district plan to the education commissioner.
new text end

new text begin (b) A district must address the elements under section 2, paragraph (a), to the extent
those elements are implicated in the district's plan.
new text end

new text begin (c) A district must identify in its plan the strategies and programs the district has
implemented and found effective in improving students' academic achievement.
new text end

new text begin (d) The district must include with the plan the amount of expenditures necessary
to implement the plan. The district must indicate how current resources are used to
implement the plan, including, but not limited to, state-limited English proficiency aid
under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.65; integration revenue under Minnesota Statutes,
section 124D.86; early childhood family education revenue under Minnesota Statutes,
section 124D.135; school readiness aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.16; basic
skills revenue under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10, subdivision 4; extended time
revenue under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10, subdivision 2a; and alternative
compensation revenue under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.415.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Plan. new text end

new text begin (a) A school district by October 1, 2008, must submit its plan in
electronic format to the commissioner, consistent with subdivision 1.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner must analyze the commonalities and differences of the district
plans and the effective strategies and programs districts have implemented to improve
students' academic achievement, and submit the analysis and underlying data to the
advisory task force on improving students' academic achievement under section 2 by
November 1, 2008, and also report the substance of the analysis to the education policy
and finance committees of the legislature by January 1, 2009.
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

Sec. 2. new text begin ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON IMPROVING STUDENTS' ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT.
new text end

new text begin (a) An advisory task force on improving students' academic achievement is
established to review the plans submitted to the education commissioner under section 1
and recommend to the education committees of the legislature a proposal for improving
students' academic achievement and eliminating differences in academic performance
among groups of students defined by race, ethnicity, and income. The task force members
must at least consider how the following education-related issues impact the educational
achievement of low-income students and students of color:
new text end

new text begin (1) rigorous preparation and coursework and how to (i) effectively invest in early
childhood and parent education, (ii) increase academic rigor and high expectations on
elementary and secondary students in schools serving a majority of low-income students
and students of color, and (iii) provide parents, educators, and community members with
meaningful opportunities to collaborate in educating students in schools serving a majority
of low-income students and students of color;
new text end

new text begin (2) professional development for educators and how to (i) provide stronger financial
and professional incentives to attract and retain experienced, bilingual, and culturally
competent teachers and administrators in schools serving a majority of low-income
students and students of color, (ii) recruit and retain teachers of color, and (iii) develop and
include cultural sensitivity and interpersonal and pedagogical skills training that teachers
need for effective intercultural teaching;
new text end

new text begin (3) English language learners and how to (i) use well-designed tests, curricula,
and English as a second language programs and services as diagnostic tools to develop
effective student interventions, (ii) monitor students' language capabilities, (iii) provide
academic instruction in English that supports students' learning and is appropriate
for students' level of language proficiency, and (iv) incorporate the perspectives and
contributions of ethnic and racial groups, consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section
120B.022, subdivision 1, paragraph (b);
new text end

new text begin (4) special education and how to (i) incorporate linguistic and cultural sensitivity
into special education diagnosis and referral, (ii) increase the frequency and quality
of prereferral interventions, and (iii) decrease the number of minority and nonnative
English-speaking students inappropriately placed in special education;
new text end

new text begin (5) GRAD tests and how to (i) incorporate linguistic and cultural sensitivity into the
reading and math GRAD tests and (ii) develop interventions to meet students' learning
needs; and
new text end

new text begin (6) valid and reliable data and how to use data on student on-time graduation rates,
student dropout rates, documented disciplinary actions, and completed and rigorous course
work indicators to determine how well-prepared low-income students and students of
color are for postsecondary academic and career opportunities.
new text end

new text begin The task force also must examine the findings of a 2008 report by Minnesota
superintendents on strategies for creating a world-class educational system to establish
priorities for improving students' academic achievement. The task force may consider
other related matters at its discretion.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of education must convene the first meeting of the advisory
task force on improving students' academic achievement by July 1, 2008. The task force
members must adopt internal procedures and standards for subsequent meetings. The task
force is composed of the following members:
new text end

new text begin (1) a representative from a Twin Cities metropolitan area school district, a suburban
school district, a school district located in a regional center, and a rural school district, all
four representatives appointed by the state demographer based on identified concentrations
of low performing low-income students and students of color;
new text end

new text begin (2) a faculty member of a teacher preparation program at the University of
Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development appointed by the college
dean or the dean's designee;
new text end

new text begin (3) a faculty member from the urban teachers program at Metropolitan State
University appointed by the university president or the president's designee;
new text end

new text begin (4) a faculty member from a MnSCU teacher preparation program located outside
the Twin Cities metropolitan area appointed by the university president or the president's
designee;
new text end

new text begin (5) a classroom teacher appointed by Education Minnesota;
new text end

new text begin (6) an expert in early childhood care and education appointed by a state early
childhood organization;
new text end

new text begin (7) a member from each state council representing a community of color appointed
by the respective council;
new text end

new text begin (8) a curriculum specialist with expertise in providing language instruction for
nonnative English speakers appointed by a state curriculum organization;
new text end

new text begin (9) a special education teacher appointed by a state organization of special education
educators;
new text end

new text begin (10) a parent of color appointed by a state parent-teacher organization;
new text end

new text begin (11) a district testing director appointed by a recognized Minnesota assessment
group composed of assessment and evaluation directors and staff and researchers; and
new text end

new text begin (12) a Minnesota Department of Education staff person with expertise in school
desegregation matters appointed by the education commissioner or the commissioner's
designee.
new text end

new text begin A majority of task force members, at their discretion, may invite other representatives
of interested public or nonpublic organizations, Minnesota's communities of color, and
stakeholders in local and state educational equity to become task force members. A
majority of task force members must be persons of color.
new text end

new text begin (c) Task force members' terms and other task force matters are subject to Minnesota
Statutes, section 15.059. The commissioner may reimburse task force members from
the education department's current operating budget but may not compensate task force
members for task force activities. By February 15, 2009, the task force must submit a
written proposal to the education policy and finance committees of the legislature on how
to significantly improve students' academic achievement.
new text end

new text begin (d) The advisory task force expires on February 16, 2009.
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