SF 1642

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

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing a six-year pilot program to examine the impact
of school calendar arrangements on student learning; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL CALENDAR PILOT PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.

Establishment.

Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections
120A.41, 120A.415, or other law to the contrary, but consistent with Minnesota Statutes,
section 124D.128, a six-year alternative school calendar pilot program is established to
examine the impact of school calendar arrangements on student learning by comparing
students' academic gains in school districts and charter schools that use traditional and
nontraditional school calendars. The commissioner of education must structure the
program and select program participants with the purpose of comparing the impact of
traditional and nontraditional school calendars on:

(1) the amount of educational material students retain after school vacations;

(2) the educational enrichment opportunities and remedial help available to students
throughout the school year;

(3) the impact of the calendar on student attendance, student disciplinary actions,
and student achievement test scores; and

(4) the amount of time available to students and school staff for out-of-school
learning, vacations, and recreation.

Subd. 2.

Eligibility; application.

An interested school district, charter school, or
group of school districts or charter schools that participate for a particular purpose may
apply to the commissioner of education to participate in this pilot program in the form
and manner the commissioner determines. An applicant must identify in its application
the internal and external factors that it anticipates may determine its preference for a
traditional or nontraditional school calendar, including the impact of the school calendar
on: costs related to employee compensation, transportation, food, facility use throughout
the calendar year, and facility maintenance; needs of at-risk students; number of
instructional and staff development days; and the availability of extracurricular activities,
community resources, and before and after-school care and child care. The commissioner
may require an applicant to provide additional information.

Subd. 3.

Application review; grant awards.

When reviewing an application, the
commissioner must determine whether the applicant met the requirements in subdivisions
1 and 2 and only an applicant that satisfies all the requirements is eligible to receive a grant
under this section. The commissioner must distribute grant awards, to the extent feasible,
on an equitable geographical basis. The commissioner must base the amount of the grant
award on the number of students the grantee has enrolled in school and the length and
structure of the grantee's school calendar. Grant expenditures must be consistent with
budget information the grantee periodically submits to the commissioner.

Subd. 4.

Evaluation.

The commissioner must provide for an evaluation of the
impact of school calendar arrangements on student learning, consistent with this section,
and recommend to the Education Policy and Finance committees of the legislature
by February 1, 2015, a preferred school calendar based upon demonstrated student
achievement and the criteria listed in subdivision 1.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment and
applies to the 2008-2009 through 2013-2014 school years, except that the commissioner
of education must submit the requisite report to the legislature by February 1, 2015.

Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.

$2,000,000 is appropriated to the commissioner of education from the general fund
in fiscal year 2009 for the purpose of establishing a six-year pilot program to examine the
impact of an alternative school calendar under section 1.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective July 1, 2008.