1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; providing for a plan to reduce the achievement gap.
1.3 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.4 	Section 1. HIGH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS.
 1.5 		Subdivision 1.Academic achievement plan. Each school district must develop 
1.6 	a plan to close or dramatically narrow the differences in academic achievement among 
1.7 	students that crosses lines of race, ethnicity, and income. A plan must incorporate 
1.8 	innovative, practical, and measurable practices aimed at improving the quality of education 
1.9 	for all students and to reduce educational disparities. The district's plan must build on and 
1.10 	enhance efforts already in place within the school district and include components of the 
1.11 	No Child Left Behind Act that are currently in progress.
1.12 		Subd. 2.School district plan. (a) The plan must be research-based, measurable, and 
1.13 	should adhere to the essential elements of high-performing educational systems, which are: 
1.14 	(1) investment in early childhood education;
1.15 	(2) investment in educator quality;
1.16 	(3) increased academic rigor;
1.17 	(4) family and community involvement;
1.18 	(5) connection and inclusion of multiple cultures in the community;
1.19 	(6) effective use of data and research; 
1.20 	(7) sufficient funding; 
1.21 	(8) effective use of school schedules and calendars; 
1.22 	(9) effective special education services; and 
1.23 	(10) parent and stakeholder support of student health and wellness.
2.1 	(b) A school district that does not submit a plan to the commissioner must not receive 
2.2 	additional state funding, over current resources, for implementation of the district plan.
2.3 	(c) The district must include with the plan the amount of expenditures necessary 
2.4 	to implement the plan. The district must indicate how current resources are used to 
2.5 	implement the plan, including, but not limited to, state-limited English proficiency aid 
2.6 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.65; integration revenue under Minnesota Statutes, 
2.7 	section 124D.86; early childhood family education revenue under Minnesota Statutes, 
2.8 	section 124D.135; school readiness aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.16; basic 
2.9 	skills revenue under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10, subdivision 4; and alternative 
2.10 	compensation revenue under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.415.
2.11 		Subd. 3.Department approval. (a) Each school district must submit its plan to 
2.12 	the commissioner by August 15, 2008. The commissioner must develop and disseminate 
2.13 	a process for districts to submit their high academic achievement plans for department 
2.14 	approval. The commissioner must conduct a preliminary review of the plan and determine 
2.15 	if the plan includes the essential elements of high-performing educational systems under 
2.16 	subdivision 2. The commissioner may appoint a working group that includes education 
2.17 	experts and community experts to assist with the preliminary review of the plans. The 
2.18 	commissioner must complete the preliminary review of the school district's plan within 60 
2.19 	days of receipt of the plan.
2.20 	(b) The commissioner of education, in consultation with a committee consisting 
2.21 	of the education policy and education finance committee chairs of the house of 
2.22 	representatives and the senate, and one member of each legislative committee selected 
2.23 	by each committee chair, must approve or disapprove the school district plans in writing 
2.24 	within 60 days after the preliminary review is completed. 
2.25 		Subd. 4.Report. By December 15, 2008, the commissioner must submit a report 
2.26 	on the school district achievement gap plans to the committees of the legislature having 
2.27 	jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education budget issues. The report must 
2.28 	include the amount of additional state funding necessary to implement the approved plans 
2.29 	based on the information submitted by the school district. The report must include a 
2.30 	statewide plan for reducing the educational disparities based on the common denominators 
2.31 	outlined by local district plans. The statewide plan must provide local districts with 
2.32 	flexibility to build on existing efforts.

2.33 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.