HF 4516

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/23/2022 10:39am

A bill for an act
relating to education; modifying advanced placement and international
baccalaureate program provisions to include Cambridge Assessment International
Education; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.13; Minnesota Statutes
2021 Supplement, section 120B.132.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.13, is amended to read:

120B.13 ADVANCED PLACEMENT new text begin , CAMBRIDGE ASSESSMENT
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION, new text end AND INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.

Program structure; training programs for teachers.

Critical to schools'
educational success is ongoing advanced placement new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International
Education, new text end and international baccalaureate-approved teacher training. A secondary teacher
assigned by a district to teach an advanced placement new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International
Education, new text end or international baccalaureate course or other interested educator may participate
in a training program offered by The College Board new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International
Education, new text end or International Baccalaureate North America, Inc. The state may pay a portion
of the tuition, room, board, and out-of-state travel costs a teacher or other interested educator
incurs in participating in a training program. The commissioner shall determine application
procedures and deadlines, select teachers and other interested educators to participate in the
training program, and determine the payment process and amount of the subsidy. The
procedures determined by the commissioner shall, to the extent possible, ensure that advanced
placement new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end and international baccalaureate
courses become available in all parts of the state and that a variety of course offerings are
available in school districts. This subdivision does not prevent teacher or other interested
educator participation in training programs offered by The College Board new text begin , Cambridge
Assessment International Education, new text end or International Baccalaureate North America, Inc.,
when tuition is paid by a source other than the state.

Subd. 2.

Support programs.

The commissioner shall provide support programs during
the school year for teachers who attended the training programs and teachers experienced
in teaching advanced placement new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or
international baccalaureate courses. The support programs shall provide teachers with
opportunities to share instructional ideas with other teachers. The state may pay the costs
of participating in the support programs, including substitute teachers, if necessary, and
program affiliation costs.

Subd. 3.

Subsidy for examination fees.

The state may pay all or part of the fee for
advanced placement new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international
baccalaureate examinations. The commissioner shall pay all examination fees for all public
and nonpublic students of low-income families, as defined by the commissioner, and to the
limit of the available appropriation, shall also pay a portion or all of the examination fees
for other public and nonpublic students sitting for an advanced placement examination,
new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education examination, or new text end international baccalaureate
examination deleted text begin , or both deleted text end . The commissioner shall determine procedures for state payments of
fees.

Subd. 3a.

College credit.

The colleges and universities of the Minnesota State Colleges
and Universities system must award, and the University of Minnesota and private
postsecondary institutions are encouraged to award, college credit to high school students
who receive a score of three or higher on an advanced placement new text begin , grades of E/e for AS and
A level on Cambridge Assessment International Education exams, new text end or four or higher on the
international baccalaureate program examination.

Subd. 4.

Rigorous course taking information; AP, IB, new text begin Cambridge Assessment
International Education, new text end and PSEO.

The commissioner shall submit the following
information on rigorous course taking, disaggregated by student subgroup, school district,
and postsecondary institution, to the education committees of the legislature each year by
February 1:

(1) the number of pupils enrolled in postsecondary enrollment options under section
124D.09, including concurrent enrollment, career and technical education courses offered
as a concurrent enrollment course, advanced placement, new text begin Cambridge Assessment International
Education, new text end and international baccalaureate courses in each school district;

(2) the number of teachers in each district attending training programs offered by The
College Board, new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education, and new text end International
Baccalaureate North America, Inc., or Minnesota concurrent enrollment programs;

(3) the number of teachers in each district participating in support programs;

(4) recent trends in the field of postsecondary enrollment options under section 124D.09,
including concurrent enrollment, advanced placement, new text begin Cambridge Assessment International
Education, new text end and international baccalaureate programs;

(5) expenditures for each category in this section and under sections 124D.09 and
124D.091, including career and technical education courses offered as a concurrent
enrollment course; and

(6) other recommendations for the state program or the postsecondary enrollment options
under section 124D.09, including concurrent enrollment.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 120B.132, is amended to read:

120B.132 RAISED ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT; ADVANCED PLACEMENT new text begin ,
CAMBRIDGE ASSESSMENT INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION, new text end AND
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.

Establishment; eligibility.

(a) A program is established to raise
kindergarten through grade 12 academic achievement through increased student participation
in preadvanced placement, advanced placement, new text begin Cambridge Assessment International
Education, new text end and international baccalaureate programs, consistent with section 120B.13.
Schools and charter schools eligible to participate under this section must propose to further
raise students' academic achievement by:

(1) increasing the availability of and all students' access to advanced placement new text begin ,
Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate courses or
programs;

(2) expanding the breadth of advanced placement new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International
Education, new text end or international baccalaureate courses or programs that are available to students;

(3) increasing the number and the diversity of the students who participate in advanced
placement new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate
courses or programs and succeed;

(4) providing low-income and other disadvantaged students with increased access to
advanced placement new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international
baccalaureate courses and programs; or

(5) increasing the number of high school students, including low-income and other
disadvantaged students, who receive college credit by successfully completing advanced
placement new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate
courses or programs and achieving satisfactory scores on related exams.

(b) Within 90 days of receiving a grant under this section, a school district or charter
school must:

(1) adopt a three-year plan approved by the local school board to establish a new
international baccalaureate program leading to international baccalaureate authorization,
expand an existing program that leads to international baccalaureate authorization, or expand
an existing authorized international baccalaureate program; deleted text begin or
deleted text end

(2) adopt a three-year plan approved by the local school board to create a new program
or expand an existing program to implement The College Board advanced placement courses
and exams or preadvanced placement initiative deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (3) adopt a three-year plan approved by the local school board to establish a new
Cambridge Assessment International Education program leading to Cambridge authorization,
expand an existing program that leads to Cambridge authorization, or expand an existing
authorized Cambridge Assessment International Education program.
new text end

Subd. 2.

Application and review process; funding priority.

(a) Charter schools and
school districts in which eligible schools under subdivision 1 are located may apply to the
commissioner, in the form and manner the commissioner determines, for competitive funding
to further raise students' academic achievement. The application must detail the specific
efforts the applicant intends to undertake in further raising students' academic achievement,
consistent with subdivision 1, and a proposed budget detailing the district or charter school's
current and proposed expenditures for advanced placement, preadvanced placement,
new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end and international baccalaureate courses
and programs. The proposed budget must demonstrate that the applicant's efforts will support
implementation of advanced placement, preadvanced placement, new text begin Cambridge Assessment
International Education, new text end and international baccalaureate courses and programs. Expenditures
for administration must not exceed five percent of the proposed budget. Priority for advanced
placement grants must be given to grantees who add or expand offerings of advanced
placement computer science principles. The commissioner may require an applicant to
provide additional information.

(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 applicant that demonstrates:

(1) a focus on developing or expanding preadvanced placement, advanced placement,
new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate courses or
programs or increasing students' participation in, access to, or success with the courses or
programs, including the participation, access, or success of low-income and other
disadvantaged students;

(2) a compelling need for access to preadvanced placement, advanced placement,
new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate courses or
programs;

(3) an effective ability to actively involve local business and community organizations
in student activities that are integral to preadvanced placement, advanced placement,
new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate courses or
programs;

(4) access to additional public or nonpublic funds or in-kind contributions that are
available for preadvanced placement, advanced placement, new text begin Cambridge Assessment
International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate courses or programs;

(5) an intent to implement activities that target low-income and other disadvantaged
students; or

(6) an intent to increase the advanced placement new text begin , Cambridge Assessment International
Education, new text end and international baccalaureate course offerings in science, technology,
engineering, and math to low-income and other disadvantaged students.

Subd. 3.

Funding; permissible funding uses.

(a) The commissioner shall award grants
to applicant school districts and charter schools that meet 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. Grant awards must not exceed $75,000 per
district or charter school.

(b) School districts and charter schools that submit an application and receive funding
under this section must use the funding, consistent with the application, to:

(1) provide teacher training and instruction to more effectively serve students, including
low-income and other disadvantaged students, who participate in preadvanced placement,
advanced placement, new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international
baccalaureate courses or programs;

(2) further develop preadvanced placement, advanced placement, new text begin Cambridge Assessment
International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate courses or programs;

(3) improve the transition between grade levels to better prepare students, including
low-income and other disadvantaged students, for succeeding in preadvanced placement,
advanced placement, new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international
baccalaureate courses or programs;

(4) purchase books and supplies;

(5) pay course or program fees;

(6) increase students' participation in and success with preadvanced placement, advanced
placement, new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate
courses or programs;

(7) expand students' access to preadvanced placement, advanced placement, new text begin Cambridge
Assessment International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate courses or programs
through online learning;

(8) hire appropriately licensed personnel to teach additional advanced placement new text begin ,
Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate courses or
programs; or

(9) engage in other activities to expand low-income or disadvantaged students' access
to, participation in, and success with preadvanced placement, advanced placement, new text begin Cambridge
Assessment International Education, new text end or international baccalaureate courses or programs.
Other activities may include but are not limited to preparing and disseminating promotional
materials to low-income and other disadvantaged students and their families.

Subd. 4.

Grants; annual reports.

(a) Each school district and charter school that receives
a grant under this section annually must collect demographic and other student data to
demonstrate and measure the extent to which the district or charter school raised students'
academic achievement under this program and must report the data to the commissioner in
the form and manner the commissioner determines. The commissioner annually by February
15 must make summary data about this program available to the education policy and finance
committees of the legislature.

(b) Each school district and charter school that receives a grant under this section annually
must report to the commissioner, consistent with the Uniform Financial Accounting and
Reporting Standards, its actual expenditures for advanced placement, preadvanced placement,
new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end and international baccalaureate courses
and programs. The report must demonstrate that the school district or charter school has
maintained its effort from other sources for advanced placement, preadvanced placement,
new text begin Cambridge Assessment International Education, new text end and international baccalaureate courses
and programs compared with the previous fiscal year, and the district or charter school has
expended all grant funds, consistent with its approved budget.

(c) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a grant under this section is available for
three years from the date of the grant if the district or charter school meets the annual
benchmarks in its plan under subdivision 1.