SF 1564

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 08/21/2015 12:26pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; creating alternative accountability measures for certain
schools; requesting a federal waiver; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014,
sections 120B.11, subdivision 1a; 120B.36, subdivision 1; 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 2014, section 120B.11, subdivision 1a, is amended to
read:

Subd. 1a.

Performance measures.

Measures to determine school district and
school site progress in striving to create the world's best workforce must include at least:

(1) student performance on the National Assessment of Education Progress where
applicable;

(2) the size of the academic achievement gap, rigorous course taking under section
120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), clause (2), and enrichment experiences by student
subgroup;

(3) student performance on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments;

(4) high school graduation rates; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(5) career and college readiness under section 120B.30, subdivision 1 deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (6) where applicable, student performance on assessments as part of the alternative
accountability measures under section 120B.37.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

School performance reports.

(a) The commissioner shall report
student academic performance under section 120B.35, subdivision 2; the percentages of
students showing low, medium, and high growth under section 120B.35, subdivision
3, paragraph (b); school safety and student engagement and connection under section
120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (d); rigorous coursework under section 120B.35,
subdivision 3, paragraph (c); the percentage of students under section 120B.35,
subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), whose progress and performance levels are
meeting career and college readiness benchmarks under sections 120B.30, subdivision 1,
and 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (e); new text begin where applicable, the alternative accountability
measure under section 120B.37; new text end longitudinal data on the progress of eligible districts
in reducing disparities in students' academic achievement and realizing racial and
economic integration under section 124D.861; the acquisition of English, and where
practicable, native language academic literacy, including oral academic language, and
the academic progress of English learners under section 124D.59, subdivisions 2 and
2a; two separate student-to-teacher ratios that clearly indicate the definition of teacher
consistent with sections 122A.06 and 122A.15 for purposes of determining these ratios;
staff characteristics excluding salaries; student enrollment demographics; district mobility;
and extracurricular activities. The report also must indicate a school's adequate yearly
progress status under applicable federal law, and must not set any designations applicable
to high- and low-performing schools due solely to adequate yearly progress status.

(b) The commissioner shall develop, annually update, and post on the department
Web site school performance reports.

(c) The commissioner must make available performance reports by the beginning
of each school year.

(d) A school or district may appeal its adequate yearly progress status in writing to
the commissioner within 30 days of receiving the notice of its status. The commissioner's
decision to uphold or deny an appeal is final.

(e) School performance data are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9,
until the commissioner publicly releases the data. The commissioner shall annually post
school performance reports to the department's public Web site no later than September 1,
except that in years when the reports reflect new performance standards, the commissioner
shall post the school performance reports no later than October 1.

Sec. 3.

new text begin [120B.37] ALTERNATIVE ACCOUNTABILITY.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Purpose. new text end

new text begin Because certain educational programs in the state educate
students who come into these programs often multiple grade levels behind, the current
accountability framework based around proficiency does not give a useful measure
of which of these programs are effectively closing the gap in educational attainment
and which programs are not. For these programs, a measure designed around academic
growth, career and college readiness growth, and student engagement provides a more
meaningful measurement of the success of these programs.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Eligible schools and programs. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the terms
in this subdivision have the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Eligible program" means:
new text end

new text begin (1) an area learning center or alternative learning program under section 123A.05; or
new text end

new text begin (2) a charter school under section 124D.10 where:
new text end

new text begin (i) at least 70 percent of enrolled pupils are eligible to participate in the graduation
incentives program under section 124D.68; or
new text end

new text begin (ii) the charter school contract limits admission to pupils eligible to participate in
the graduation incentives program under section 124D.68.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Accountability measures. new text end

new text begin (a) In addition to the accountability measure
required under this chapter, an eligible program may have an additional accountability
measure reported based on the criteria under paragraphs (b) to (d).
new text end

new text begin (b) Thirty percent of the measure under this subdivision must be based on
longitudinal data showing student achievement and growth on a nationally or state-normed
assessment aligned with Minnesota's graduation standards for groups of 20 or more
students who are continuously enrolled in the eligible program for at least 90 days before
the assessment is administered.
new text end

new text begin (c) Forty percent of the measure under this subdivision must be based on demonstrated
growth in any four of the following postsecondary and workforce readiness measures: a
three-year average graduation rate for students who complete high school in four, five, or
six years; a three-year average student drop-out rate for students who leave the eligible
program in a single year without pursuing an education alternative; the participation rate
and composite score of those students in a school year taking a national postsecondary
or workforce readiness assessment such as the ACT, PSAT, SAT, ACCUPLACER, or
ASVAB; the percentage of students in the 12th grade cohort as identified by the number
of completed course credits at the beginning of the school year who graduate within that
school year; the percentage of students in a school year who successfully transfer to
another education program, including those leading to a diploma, credential, or degree, or
care and treatment program; the percentage of students in the previous school year who
complete an education program, receive a diploma, enroll in a postsecondary program
or institution, enlist in the military, or obtain full-time employment; the percentage of
students in a school year who successfully complete the number of course credits they
need to stay on track to graduate within an established timeline; the percentage of students
in a school year who successfully meet work certification or preapprenticeship program
requirements; or the percentage of students in a school year who earn dual enrollment
credits through the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act or other dual credit program.
new text end

new text begin (d) Thirty percent of the measure under this subdivision must be based on data
from any three of the following measures applied to groups of 20 or more students
who are continuously enrolled in the eligible program for at least 90 days: a three-year
average daily attendance rate; a three-year average of the total number of days students are
reported as truant; the number of student dropouts who enroll in the school and remain
continuously enrolled throughout that school year; the percentage of students in a school
year who participate in and demonstrate growth on character and social competency
assessments measuring decision-making skills, career readiness, education or aspiration
goals, and similar characteristics or competencies; and the percentage of students in a
school year who meet the community service goals in their individual learning plan as
measured by the eligible program's citizenship and community outcomes rubric.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin FEDERAL WAIVER.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education shall seek a waiver from current federal
accountability requirements to replace the current accountability measures with the
measure established in Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.37, subdivision 3, for eligible
programs under that section.
new text end