SF 856

1st Engrossment - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 08/26/2015 01:37pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; directing eligible public postsecondary institutions to give
full credit to students for completed PSEO courses; requiring a report; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 124D.09, subdivision 12; 135A.101, by
adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.09, subdivision 12, is amended to
read:

Subd. 12.

Credits.

A pupil must not audit a course under this section.

A district shall grant academic credit to a pupil enrolled in a course for secondary
credit if the pupil successfully completes the course. Seven quarter or four semester
college credits equal at least one full year of high school credit. Fewer college credits may
be prorated. A district must also grant academic credit to a pupil enrolled in a course for
postsecondary credit if secondary credit is requested by a pupil. If no comparable course is
offered by the district, the district must, as soon as possible, notify the commissioner, who
shall determine the number of credits that shall be granted to a pupil who successfully
completes a course. If a comparable course is offered by the district, the school board
shall grant a comparable number of credits to the pupil. If there is a dispute between the
district and the pupil regarding the number of credits granted for a particular course, the
pupil may appeal the board's decision to the commissioner. The commissioner's decision
regarding the number of credits shall be final.

The secondary credits granted to a pupil must be counted toward the graduation
requirements and subject area requirements of the district. Evidence of successful
completion of each course and secondary credits granted must be included in the pupil's
secondary school record. A pupil shall provide the school with a copy of the pupil's grade
in each course taken for secondary credit under this section. Upon the request of a pupil,
the pupil's secondary school record must also include evidence of successful completion
and credits granted for a course taken for postsecondary credit. In either case, the record
must indicate that the credits were earned at a postsecondary institution.

If a pupil enrolls in a postsecondary institution after leaving secondary school, the
postsecondary institution must award postsecondary credit for any course successfully
completed for secondary credit at that institution. Other postsecondary institutions may
award, after a pupil leaves secondary school, postsecondary credit for any courses
successfully completed under this section. An institution may not charge a pupil for
the award of credit.

The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and
the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota must, and private nonprofit and
proprietary postsecondary institutions should, award postsecondary credit for any
successfully completed courses in a program certified by the National Alliance of
Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships offered according to an agreement under subdivision
10. new text begin Consistent with section 135A.101, subdivision 3, all MnSCU institutions must give
full credit to a secondary pupil who completes for postsecondary credit a postsecondary
course or program that is part or all of a goal area or a transfer curriculum at a MnSCU
institution when the pupil enrolls in a MnSCU institution after leaving secondary school.
Once one MnSCU institution certifies as completed a secondary student's postsecondary
course or program that is part or all of a goal area or a transfer curriculum, every MnSCU
institution must consider the student's course or program for that goal area or the transfer
curriculum as completed.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2015-2016 school year and
later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 135A.101, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Minnesota transfer curriculum. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding section 135A.08 or
other law to the contrary, all MnSCU institutions must give full credit to a secondary pupil
who completes for postsecondary credit a postsecondary course or program that is part or
all of a goal area or a transfer curriculum at a MnSCU institution when the pupil enrolls
in a MnSCU institution after leaving secondary school. Once one MnSCU institution
certifies as completed a secondary student's postsecondary course or program that is part
or all of a goal area or a transfer curriculum, every MnSCU institution must consider the
student's course or program for that goal area or the transfer curriculum as completed.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2015.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin TRANSFER CURRICULUM REPORT.
new text end

new text begin By February 1, 2016, the chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities must prepare and submit to the K-12 and higher education committees of
the legislature a report describing the implementation of the transfer curriculum policy
for postsecondary enrollment options program students under Minnesota Statutes,
sections 124D.09, subdivision 12, and 135A.101, subdivision 3, and how to standardize
Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and college-level exam program course
equivalencies across all state colleges and universities.
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