SF 1247

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; measuring and reporting elementary and secondary
class sizes; requiring an annual report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006,
section 120B.36, subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 126C.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 120B.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

School performance report cards.

(a) The commissioner shall
use objective criteria based on levels of student performance to identify four to six
designations applicable to high and low performing public schools. The objective criteria
shall include at least student academic performance, school safety, new text begin student-to-teacher
ratios, new text end and staff characteristics, with a value-added growth component added by the
2006-2007 school year.

(b) The commissioner shall develop, annually update, and post on the department
Web site school performance report cards. A school's designation must be clearly stated
on each school performance report card.

(c) The commissioner must make available the first school designations and school
performance report cards by November 2003, and during the beginning of each school
year thereafter.

(d) A school or district may appeal in writing a designation under this section to the
commissioner within 30 days of receiving the designation. The commissioner's decision
to uphold or deny an appeal is final.

(e) School performance report cards are nonpublic data under section 13.02,
subdivision 9, until not later than ten days after the appeal procedure described in
paragraph (d) concludes. The department shall annually post school performance report
cards to its public Web site no later than September 1.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for report cards issued after July
1, 2007.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [126C.105] CLASS SIZE REDUCTION MEASUREMENT AND
REPORTING.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definition. new text end

new text begin "Classroom teacher" means a public employee
licensed by the Board of Teaching who is authorized to teach all subjects to children
in any grade in kindergarten through grade 12 and whose duties are full-time regular
classroom instruction, excluding a teacher for whom federal aids are received or for
whom categorical aids are received under section 125A.76 or who is an itinerant teacher
or provides instruction outside of the regular classroom. Except as provided in section
122A.68, subdivision 6, classroom teacher does not include supervisory and support
personnel defined in section 122A.15.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Target class size ratios. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must establish
target class size ratios. In the absence of the commissioner setting different ratios, the
class size ratios are as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) for students in kindergarten through grade 3, not more than 20 students for
each classroom teacher;
new text end

new text begin (2) for students in grades 4 through 6, not more than 22 students for each classroom
teacher;
new text end

new text begin (3) for students in grades 7 through 9 in English, mathematics, science, and social
studies classes, not more than 25 students for each classroom teacher;
new text end

new text begin (4) for students in grades 10 through 12 in English, mathematics, science, and social
studies classes, not more than 28 students for each classroom teacher; and
new text end

new text begin (5) for students in grades 7 through 12, in classrooms that are designated as
laboratory classrooms, not more than 24 students for each classroom teacher.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin District-by-district class size information. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must
collect the necessary data from school districts to determine each district's class size ratios,
compare those ratios to the target class size ratios established under subdivision 2, and
post the results on the department's Web site.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must submit an annual report to the education
committees of the legislature by January 15. The report must:
new text end

new text begin (1) document the class size ratios for each school district;
new text end

new text begin (2) describe the gap between the actual class sizes and the target class sizes;
new text end

new text begin (3) estimate the statewide aid cost necessary to fund the class size gap; and
new text end

new text begin (4) suggest recommendations for achieving the targeted class size ratios.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2007.
new text end