SF 1346

1st Engrossment - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 11/09/2017 10:41am

A bill for an act
relating to education; modifying academic standards; establishing child sexual
abuse prevention programs; requiring a report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016,
sections 120B.021, subdivision 1; 120B.22, subdivision 2; 120B.23, subdivision
3; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 120B.021, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Required academic standards.

(a) The following subject areas are
required for statewide accountability:

(1) language arts;

(2) mathematics;

(3) science;

(4) social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government and
citizenship that includes civics consistent with section 120B.02, subdivision 3;

(5) physical education;

(6) health, for which locally developed academic standards apply; and

(7) the arts, for which statewide or locally developed academic standards apply, as
determined by the school district. Public elementary and middle schools must offer at least
three and require at least two of the following four arts areas: dance; music; theater; and
visual arts. Public high schools must offer at least three and require at least one of the
following five arts areas: media arts; dance; music; theater; and visual arts.

(b) For purposes of applicable federal law, the academic standards for language arts,
mathematics, and science apply to all public school students, except the very few students
with extreme cognitive or physical impairments for whom an individualized education
program team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate. An
individualized education program team that makes this determination must establish
alternative standards.

(c) Beginning in the 2016-2017 school year, the department must adopt the most recent
National Association of Sport and Physical Education kindergarten through grade 12
standards and benchmarks for physical education as the required physical education academic
standards. The department may modify and adapt the national standards to accommodate
state interest. The modification and adaptations must maintain the purpose and integrity of
the national standards. The department must make available sample assessments, which
school districts may use as an alternative to local assessments, to assess students' mastery
of the physical education standards beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.

(d) new text begin A school district may include child sexual abuse prevention instruction in a health
curriculum, consistent with paragraph (a), clause (6). Child sexual abuse prevention
instruction may include age-appropriate instruction on recognizing sexual abuse and assault,
boundary violations and unwanted forms of touching or contact, and ways offenders groom
or desensitize victims, as well as strategies to promote disclosure, reduce self-blame, and
mobilize bystanders. A school district may provide instruction under this paragraph in a
variety of ways, including at an annual assembly or classroom presentation. A school district
may also provide parents information on the warning signs of child sexual abuse and available
resources.
new text end

new text begin (e) new text end District efforts to develop, implement, or improve instruction or curriculum as a
result of the provisions of this section must be consistent with sections 120B.10, 120B.11,
and 120B.20.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 120B.22, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

In-service training.

Each district is encouraged to provide training for district
staff and school board members deleted text begin to help deleted text end new text begin on the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) helping new text end students identify violence in the family and the community so that students
may learn to resolve conflicts in effective, nonviolent ways new text begin ;
new text end

new text begin (2) responding to a disclosure of child sexual abuse in a supportive, appropriate manner;
and
new text end

new text begin (3) complying with mandatory reporting requirements under section 626.556 new text end .

The in-service training must be ongoing and involve experts familiar with new text begin sexual abuse, new text end
domestic violence new text begin , new text end and personal safety issues.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 120B.23, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Grant awards.

new text begin (a) new text end The commissioner may award grants for a violence
prevention education program to eligible applicants as defined in subdivision 2. Grant
amounts may not exceed $3 per resident pupil unit in the district or group of districts in the
prior school year. Grant recipients should be geographically distributed throughout the state.

new text begin (b) School districts and charter schools may accept funds from private and other public
sources for child sexual abuse prevention programs developed and implemented under
sections 120B.021, subdivision 1, paragraph (d), and 120B.234, including federal funding
under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
new text end

Sec. 4.

new text begin [120B.234] CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION EDUCATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Purpose. new text end

new text begin The purpose of this section, which may be cited as "Erin's
Law," is to encourage districts to integrate or offer instruction on child sexual abuse
prevention to students and training to all school personnel on recognizing and preventing
sexual abuse and sexual violence.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Curriculum. new text end

new text begin School districts may consult with other federal, state, or local
agencies and community-based organizations, including the Child Information Gateway
Web site maintained by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, to
identify research-based tools, curricula, and programs to prevent child sexual abuse for use
under section 120B.021, subdivision 1, paragraph (d).
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Other state programs. new text end

new text begin The child sexual abuse prevention instruction provided
under this section is part of preventing sexual violence against children, which includes,
but is not limited to, the following activities:
new text end

new text begin (1) training on mandated reporting requirements provided on the Department of
Education's Web site;
new text end

new text begin (2) the Code of Ethics for Minnesota Teachers; and
new text end

new text begin (3) consultation by the commissioner of education with the commissioners of health,
human services, and public safety, and other state agencies to prevent violence against
children.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must submit a report by November 1,
2019, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the committees in the house of
representatives and the senate with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education,
providing information regarding child sexual abuse prevention programs developed and
implemented by school districts and charter schools. The report must include information
regarding the students and personnel served, program activities, and program revenue sources
and expenditures.
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