HF 2874

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

A bill for an act
relating to education; requiring a school district to spend at least 70 percent of its
total general 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] DIRECT CLASSROOM EXPENDITURES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) "Direct classroom expenditures" means instructional
expenditures as defined in the uniform financial accounting and reporting standards,
excluding tuition payments to other Minnesota school districts, capital expenditures, and
expenditures for athletics, other cocurricular activities, and extracurricular activities.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Total K-12 general operating expenditures" means the total expenditures in
the general fund for kindergarten through grade 12, as defined in the uniform financial
accounting and reporting standards, excluding tuition payments to other Minnesota school
districts, pupil transportation expenditures, and capital 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 70
percent of its total K-12 general operating expenditures on direct classroom expenditures.
If a school district's direct classroom expenditures in fiscal year 2006 or later are less than
70 percent of its total K-12 general operating expenditures, the district must submit a plan
to the commissioner to reach the 70 percent threshold within a three-year period.
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 percent of the district's total K-12 general operating
expenditures that were 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
make in the subsequent three years in order to approach 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 Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Exemption. new text end

new text begin A district in statutory operating debt that has an approved plan
or has received an extension from the department to file a plan to eliminate the statutory
operating debt is exempt from the requirements of subdivision 2.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2006, for the 2006-2007
school year and later.
new text end