SF 2781

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/18/2016 09:32am

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; ensuring that all schools determined eligible for,
and notified of, participation in the alternative compensation revenue program
receive alternative compensation funding; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 127A.41, subdivision 2; Minnesota Statutes
2015 Supplement, section 122A.415, subdivision 3; Laws 2015, First Special
Session chapter 3, article 12, section 4, subdivision 2.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.415, subdivision 3,
is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Revenue timing.

(a) Districts, intermediate school districts, cooperatives,
school sites, or charter schools with approved applications must receive alternative
compensation revenue for each school year that the district, intermediate school district,
cooperative, school site, or charter school implements an alternative teacher professional
pay system under this subdivision and section 122A.414. A qualifying district, intermediate
school district, cooperative, school site, or charter school that received alternative teacher
compensation aid for the previous fiscal year must receive at least an amount of alternative
teacher compensation revenue equal to the lesser of the amount it received for the previous
fiscal year or the amount it qualifies for under subdivision 1 for the current fiscal year if
the district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, or charter school submits
a timely application and the commissioner determines that the district, intermediate school
district, cooperative, school site, or charter school continues to implement an alternative
teacher professional pay system, consistent with its application under this section.

(b) The commissioner shall approve applications that comply with subdivision 1,
and section 122A.414, subdivisions 2, paragraph (b), and 2a, if the applicant is a charter
school or cooperative, in the order in which they are received, select applicants that
qualify for this program, notify school districts, intermediate school districts, cooperatives,
school sites, and charter schools about the program, develop and disseminate application
materials, and carry out other activities needed to implement this section.

new text begin (c) A school district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, or charter
school with an approved application and a written notice from the commissioner that the
district qualifies for its first year of alternative compensation revenue must receive revenue
for that year according to section 127A.41, subdivision 2.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2016
and later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 127A.41, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Errors in distribution.

new text begin (a) new text end On determining that the amount of state aid
distributed to a school district is in error, the commissioner is authorized to adjust the
amount of aid consistent with this subdivision. On determining that the amount of aid is
in excess of the school district's entitlement, the commissioner is authorized to recover
the amount of the excess by any appropriate means. Notwithstanding the fiscal years
designated by the appropriation, the excess may be recovered by reducing future aid
payments to the district. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, if the aid reduced is not
of the same type as that overpaid, the district must adjust all necessary financial accounts
to properly reflect all revenues earned in accordance with the uniform financial accounting
and reporting standards pursuant to sections 123B.75 to 123B.83. Notwithstanding the
fiscal years designated by the appropriation, on determining that the amount of an aid paid
is less than the school district's entitlement, the commissioner is authorized to increase
such aid from the current appropriation. If the aid program has been discontinued and has
no appropriation, the appropriation for general education shall be used for recovery or
payment of the aid decrease or increase. Any excess of aid recovery over aid payment
shall be canceled to the state general fund.

new text begin (b) If the commissioner determines that an error in aid payments to a school under
section 122A.415, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), cannot be corrected under this section,
the commissioner must transfer the necessary funds and make those payments from the
Department of Education's annual operating budget.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment for
aid adjustments for fiscal year 2016 and later.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 12, section 4, subdivision 2,
is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Department.

(a) For the Department of Education:

	$	21,246,000	.....	2016
	$	21,973,000	.....	2017

Of these amounts:

(1) $718,000 each year is for the Board of Teaching;

(2) $228,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $231,000 in fiscal year 2017 are for the Board
of School Administrators;

(3) $1,000,000 each year is for Regional Centers of Excellence under Minnesota
Statutes, section 120B.115;

(4) $500,000 each year is for the School Safety Technical Assistance Center under
Minnesota Statutes, section 127A.052;

(5) $250,000 each year is for the School Finance Division to enhance financial
data analysis; and

(6) $441,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $720,000 in fiscal year 2017 is for implementing
Laws 2014, chapter 272, article 1, Minnesota's Learning for English Academic Proficiency
and Success Act, as amended.

(b) Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

(c) None of the amounts appropriated under this subdivision may be used for
Minnesota's Washington, D.C. office.

(d) The expenditures of federal grants and aids as shown in the biennial budget
document and its supplements are approved and appropriated and shall be spent as
indicated.

(e) This appropriation includes funds for information technology project services and
support subject to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 16E.0466. Any ongoing
information technology costs will be incorporated into the service level agreement and
will be paid to the Office of MN.IT Services by the Department of Education under the
rates and mechanism specified in that agreement.

(f) The agency's base budget in fiscal year 2018 is $21,973,000. The agency's base
budget in fiscal year 2019 is $21,948,000.

new text begin (g) If a school qualifying for aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.415,
subdivision 3, paragraph (c), does not receive aid under that section or Minnesota Statutes,
section 127A.41, subdivision 2, paragraph (b), the commissioner must transfer the
amounts necessary to make these payments from the agency appropriation in paragraph
(a) to the appropriation for alternative compensation revenue.
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