SF 939

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 08/17/2021 03:24pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; modifying the postsecondary enrollment options program;
appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.09,
subdivisions 5a, 7, 9, 11, 12, 22.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.09, subdivision 5a, is amended to read:

Subd. 5a.

Authorization; career or technical education.

A 10th, 11th, or 12th grade
pupil enrolled in a district or an American Indian-controlled tribal contract or grant school
eligible for aid under section 124D.83, except a foreign exchange pupil enrolled in a district
under a cultural exchange program, may enroll in a career or technical education course
offered by a Minnesota state college or university. A 10th grade pupil applying for enrollment
in a career or technical education course under this subdivision must have received a passing
score on the 8th grade Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment in reading as a condition of
enrollment. A current 10th grade pupil who did not take the 8th grade Minnesota
Comprehensive Assessment in reading may substitute another reading assessment accepted
by the enrolling postsecondary institution. A secondary pupil may enroll in the pupil's first
postsecondary options enrollment course under this subdivision. A student who is refused
enrollment by a Minnesota state college or university under this subdivision may apply to
an eligible institution offering a career or technical education course. new text begin A 10th grade student
that qualifies to enroll in a career or technical education course under this subdivision may
enroll in more than one career or technical education course in their first semester of their
10th grade school year. new text end The postsecondary institution must give priority to its students
according to subdivision 9. If a secondary student receives a grade of "C" or better in the
career or technical education course taken under this subdivision, the postsecondary
institution must allow the student to take additional postsecondary courses for secondary
credit at that institution, not to exceed the limits in subdivision 8. A "career or technical
course" is a course that is part of a career and technical education program that provides
individuals with coherent, rigorous content aligned with academic standards and relevant
technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in current
and emerging professions and provide technical skill proficiency, an industry recognized
credential, and a certificate, a diploma, or an associate degree.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.09, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7.

Dissemination of information; notification of intent to enroll.

By the earlier
of (1) three weeks prior to the date by which a student must register for district courses for
the following school year, or (2) March 1 of each year, a district must provide up-to-date
information on the district's website and in materials that are distributed to parents and
students about the program, including information about enrollment requirements and the
ability to earn postsecondary credit to all pupils in grades 8, 9, 10, and 11. To assist the
district in planning, a pupil must inform the district by May 30 of each year of the pupil's
intent to enroll in postsecondary courses during the following school year. A pupil is bound
by notifying or not notifying the district by May 30. new text begin The May 30 deadline does not apply
if the district does not meet the requirements for dissemination of information under this
subdivision.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.09, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

Subd. 9.

Enrollment priority.

(a) A postsecondary institution must give priority to its
postsecondary students when enrolling pupils in grades 10, 11, and 12 in its courses. A
postsecondary institution may provide information about its programs to a secondary school
or to a pupil deleted text begin or deleted text end new text begin , new text end parent deleted text begin and it may advertise or otherwise recruit or solicit a secondary pupil
to enroll in its programs deleted text end new text begin , or guardian new text end on educational deleted text begin and deleted text end new text begin , new text end programmatic new text begin , and financial new text end
grounds deleted text begin only except, notwithstanding other law to the contrary, and for the 2014-2015
through 2019-2020 school years only, An eligible postsecondary institution may advertise
or otherwise recruit or solicit a secondary pupil residing in a school district with 700 students
or more in grades 10, 11, and 12, to enroll in its programs on educational, programmatic,
or financial grounds deleted text end .

(b) An institution must not enroll secondary pupils, for postsecondary enrollment options
purposes, in remedial, developmental, or other courses that are not college level except
when a student eligible to participate and enrolled in the graduation incentives program
under section 124D.68 enrolls full time in a middle or early college program. A middle or
early college program must be specifically designed to allow the student to earn dual high
school and college credit with a well-defined pathway to allow the student to earn a
postsecondary degree or credential. In this case, the student must receive developmental
college credit and not college credit for completing remedial or developmental courses.

(c) Once a pupil has been enrolled in any postsecondary course under this section, the
pupil must not be displaced by another student.

(d) If a postsecondary institution enrolls a secondary school pupil in a course under this
section, the postsecondary institution also must enroll in the same course an otherwise
enrolled and qualified postsecondary student who qualifies as a veteran under section
197.447, and demonstrates to the postsecondary institution's satisfaction that the institution's
established enrollment timelines were not practicable for that student.

(e) A postsecondary institution must allow secondary pupils to enroll in online courses
under this section consistent with the institution's policy regarding postsecondary pupil
enrollment in online courses.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.09, subdivision 11, is amended to read:

Subd. 11.

Participation in high school activities.

Enrolling in a course under this section
shall not, by itself, prohibit a pupil from participating in activities sponsored by the pupil's
high school new text begin , leadership roles, or participating in national organizations sponsored by the
pupil's high school new text end .

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.09, subdivision 12, is amended to read:

Subd. 12.

Credits; grade point average weighting policy.

(a) A pupil must not audit
a course under this section.

(b) 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.

(c) A school board must adopt a policy regarding weighted grade point averages for any
high school or dual enrollment course. new text begin The board must adopt an identical policy regarding
weighted grade point averages for credits earned through postsecondary enrollment options
coursework as it gives to credits earned through concurrent enrollment coursework. new text end The
policy must state whether the district offers weighted grades. A school board must annually
publish on its website a list of courses for which a student may earn a weighted grade.

(d) 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.

(e) 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.

(f) 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. 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.

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.09, subdivision 22, is amended to read:

Subd. 22.

Transportation.

(a) A parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in a course for
secondary credit may apply to the pupil's district of residence for reimbursement for
transporting the pupil between the secondary school in which the pupil is enrolled or the
pupil's home and the postsecondary institution that the pupil attends. The state shall provide
state aid to a district in an amount sufficient to reimburse the parent or guardian new text begin , or district, new text end
for the necessary transportation costs when the family's or guardian's income is at or below
the poverty level, as determined by the federal government. The reimbursement shall be
the pupil's new text begin or district's new text end actual cost of transportation or 15 cents per mile traveled, whichever
is less. Reimbursement may not be paid for more than 250 miles per week. However, if the
nearest postsecondary institution is more than 25 miles from the pupil's resident secondary
school, the weekly reimbursement may not exceed the reimbursement rate per mile times
the actual distance between the secondary school or the pupil's home and the nearest
postsecondary institution times ten. The state must pay aid to the district according to this
subdivision. new text begin A district that is reimbursed for transporting an eligible pupil under this
subdivision must not charge any pupil for transportation to or from a postsecondary
institution.
new text end

(b) A parent or guardian of an alternative pupil enrolled in a course for secondary credit
may apply to the pupil's postsecondary institution for reimbursement for transporting the
pupil between the secondary school in which the pupil is enrolled or the pupil's home and
the postsecondary institution in an amount sufficient to reimburse the parent or guardian
for the necessary transportation costs when the family's or guardian's income is at or below
the poverty level, as determined by the federal government. The amount of the reimbursement
shall be determined as in paragraph (a). The state must pay aid to the postsecondary institution
according to this subdivision.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2022 and later.
new text end

Sec. 7. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Department of Education. new text end

new text begin The sums indicated in this section are
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Enrollment options transportation. new text end

new text begin For transportation of pupils attending
postsecondary institutions under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09, or for transportation
of pupils attending nonresident districts under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.03:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2022 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2023 new text end