HF 3860

1st Engrossment - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education; pursuing educational reform that fosters innovation,
accelerates change, and implements systemwide improvement in high school
students' achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;
appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 124D.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [124D.935] HIGH SCHOOL REDESIGN GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment; eligibility. new text end

new text begin A ten-year grant program is established
to improve student achievement in, improve teaching and learning of, and provide
expanded access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in a high school
through innovative strategies that better prepare students to succeed at postsecondary
education or complex work. School districts, charter schools, intermediate districts,
groups of districts that cooperate for a particular purpose, and other public educational
institutions interested in participating in this grant program must:
new text end

new text begin (1) design new or improve and adapt existing courses, programs, or a series of
aligned learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to
incorporate algebra I in grade 8 and algebra II in high school and to integrate algebra II
into career and technical education programs where appropriate;
new text end

new text begin (2) use applied learning strategies to improve the quality of and access to science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics courses, curricula, and laboratories for all
students, with strategies to aggressively increase the number of low-income and other
educationally at-risk students enrolling in these courses;
new text end

new text begin (3) improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics instruction for
students in underserved rural or urban areas or economically disadvantaged areas and for
other students who are educationally at risk;
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new text begin (4) develop innovative ways to integrate technology into teaching and learning using
modern computers, networking, high quality educational software, multimedia across
curriculum, and affordable Internet connections;
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new text begin (5) advance the use of new technology, assistive technology, and media and materials
effective in educating youth with disabilities;
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new text begin (6) improve the content, interdisciplinary, and pedagogical knowledge of teachers,
administrators, and other educators who play a significant role in providing students with
challenging science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, and focus on
teacher professional development;
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new text begin (7) use the ACT explore and plan system in grades 8 and 10 or other appropriate
education and career planning resources to identify the academic strengths and remedial
needs of individual students and provide individual students with education and career
planning information and counseling sufficient to select an appropriate planned high
school course sequence and make a successful transition to postsecondary education
or advanced work;
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new text begin (8) enable teachers to individualize student instruction and allow students to
experiment, acquire skills, and apply content knowledge in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics;
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new text begin (9) sustain educational improvements in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics by providing expert and peer advice and identifying, documenting, and
disseminating best practices and lessons to teachers and administrators statewide; and
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new text begin (10) develop partnerships with postsecondary institutions, business organizations,
professional organizations, and community-based organizations interested in science,
technology, engineering, or mathematics.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Application and review process; funding priority. new text end

new text begin (a) School districts,
charter schools, intermediate districts, groups of districts that cooperate for a particular
purpose, and other public educational institutions interested in participating in this grant
program may apply to the commissioner, in the form and manner the commissioner
determines, for competitive funding to improve student achievement in, improve teaching
and learning of, and provide expanded access to science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics in a high school, consistent with subdivision 1. The application must detail
the specific efforts the applicant intends to undertake to successfully implement innovative
strategies that affect the learning environment, academic content, and educational practices
in high school, and must include a proposed budget detailing the applicant's current and
proposed expenditures for these purposes. The proposed budget must demonstrate that the
applicant's efforts will supplement but not supplant expenditures the applicant currently
makes for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teaching and learning.
Administrative expenditures must not exceed five percent of the proposed budget. The
commissioner may require an applicant to provide additional information.
new text end

new text begin (b) When reviewing applications, the commissioner must determine whether
the applicant satisfied all the requirements in this subdivision and subdivision 1. The
commissioner may give funding priority to an otherwise qualified candidate that:
new text end

new text begin (1) combines day and evening programs;
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new text begin (2) restructures grade 12 to allow students to complete out-of??a??a??school learning
experiences aligned with their in-school program;
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new text begin (3) uses online learning options;
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new text begin (4) embeds higher level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into
redesigned career and technical programs;
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new text begin (5) enables students to receive both high school and college credit for successfully
completing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs and meeting
postsecondary institution placement requirements;
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new text begin (6) targets low-income and other educationally at-risk students to improve their
participation and performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
courses and careers; or
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new text begin (7) strongly supports all students in exploring and preparing for careers in science,
technology, engineering, or mathematics.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall give funding priority to an otherwise qualified recipient
that received a grant for the previous fiscal year if the annual reports the recipient
submitted under subdivision 4 demonstrate that the recipient continues to improve student
achievement in, improve teaching and learning of, and provide expanded access to science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics in a high school.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Grants; permissible uses. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner may award grants to
applicants meeting the requirements of subdivisions 1 and 2. The commissioner must
award grants on an equitable geographical basis to the extent feasible and consistent
with this section.
new text end

new text begin (b) Each grant recipient must expend all grant funds it receives consistent with its
approved application and budget and this section.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Annual reports. new text end

new text begin (a) Each recipient of a grant under this section must
annually collect student and teacher data to demonstrate and measure the extent to which
the grant recipient improves student achievement in, improves teaching and learning of,
and provides expanded access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in
a high school, and must report the data to the commissioner in the form and manner
the commissioner determines. The commissioner must annually, by February 15, make
summary data about this program available to the committees with jurisdiction over
education policy and finance in the house of representatives and senate.
new text end

new text begin (b) Each grant recipient under this section must annually report to the commissioner,
consistent with the Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Systems, its actual
expenditures for the efforts it undertakes under this section. The report must demonstrate
that the grant recipient has maintained its effort from other sources for science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics teaching and learning efforts compared with the previous
fiscal year, and that the grant recipient has expended all grant funds it received under this
section consistent with its approved application and budget. Any unexpended grant funds
remaining at the end of a fiscal year must be reserved and expended consistent with the
grant recipient's approved budget for the subsequent fiscal year.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment
and applies to the 2006-2007 school year and later.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $??a??A|??a??A|. is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of education in
fiscal year 2007 for purposes of implementing the high school redesign grants under
Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.935.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2006.
new text end