SF 3151

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education; providing for a plan to reduce the achievement gap.

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

Section 1. new text begin SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS'
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin District academic achievement plan; priorities. new text end

new text begin (a) A school
district experiencing disparities in academic achievement must develop a plan to
significantly improve students' academic achievement using concrete measures to
eliminate differences in academic performance among groups of students defined by
race, ethnicity and income. The plan must:
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new text begin (1) reflect a research-based understanding of high-performing educational systems
and best educational practices;
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new text begin (2) include innovative and practical strategies and programs, whether existing or
new, that supplement district initiatives to increase students' academic achievement under
state and federal educational accountability requirements; and
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new text begin (3) contain valid and reliable measures of student achievement that the district uses
to demonstrate the efficacy of the district plan to the commissioner of education.
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new text begin (b) A district must address the elements under section 2, paragraph (a), to the extent
those elements are implicated in the district's plan.
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new text begin (c) The district must include with the plan the amount of expenditures necessary
to implement the plan. The district must indicate how current resources are used to
implement the plan, including, but not limited to, state-limited English proficiency aid
under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.65; integration revenue under Minnesota Statutes,
section 124D.86; early childhood family education revenue under Minnesota Statutes,
section 124D.135; school readiness aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.16; basic
skills revenue under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10, subdivision 4; extended time
revenue under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10, subdivision 2a; and alternative
compensation revenue under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.415.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Plan. new text end

new text begin (a) A school district by October 1, 2008, must submit its plan in
electronic format to the commissioner of education, consistent with subdivision 1.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner must analyze the commonalities and differences of the district
plans and submit the analysis and underlying data to the advisory task force on improving
students' academic achievement under section 2 by November 1, 2008, and also report
the substance of the analyses to the education policy and finance committees of the
legislature by January 1, 2009.
new text end

new text begin (c) A school district that submits a plan must be given priority in funding if the
legislature provides funding for implementing the plans.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON IMPROVING STUDENTS' ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT.
new text end

new text begin (a) An advisory task force on improving students' academic achievement is
established to review the plans submitted to the commissioner of education under section
1 and recommend to the education committees of the legislature a proposal for improving
students' academic achievement and eliminating differences in academic performance
among groups of students defined by race, ethnicity, and income. The task force members
must at least consider how the following education-related issues impact the educational
achievement of low-income and minority students:
new text end

new text begin (1) rigorous preparation and coursework and how to (i) effectively invest in early
childhood and parent education, (ii) impose academic rigor and high expectations on
elementary and secondary students in low-income and minority schools, and (iii) provide
parents, educators, and community members with meaningful opportunities to collaborate
in educating students in low-income and minority schools;
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new text begin (2) professional development for educators and how to (i) provide stronger financial
and professional incentives to attract and retain experienced, bilingual, and culturally
competent teachers and administrators in low-income and minority schools, (ii) recruit and
retain teachers of color, and (iii) develop and include cultural sensitivity and interpersonal
and pedagogical skills training that teachers need for effective intercultural teaching;
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new text begin (3) English language learners and how to (i) use well designed tests, curricula,
and English as a second language programs and services as diagnostic tools to develop
effective student interventions, (ii) monitor students' language capabilities, (iii) provide
academic instruction in English that supports students' learning and is appropriate
for students' level of language proficiency, and (iv) incorporate the perspectives and
contributions of ethnic and racial groups, consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section
120B.022, subdivision 1, paragraph (b);
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new text begin (4) special education and how to (i) incorporate linguistic and cultural sensitivity
into special education diagnosis and referral, (ii) increase the frequency and quality of
prereferral interventions, and (iii) decrease the number of minority and nonnative English
speaking students inappropriately placed in special education;
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new text begin (5) GRAD tests and how to (i) incorporate linguistic and cultural sensitivity into the
reading and math GRAD tests, and (ii) develop interventions to meet students' learning
needs; and
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new text begin (6) valid and reliable data and how to use data on student on-time graduation rates,
student dropout rates, documented disciplinary actions, and completed and rigorous course
work indicators to determine how well-prepared low-income and minority students are for
postsecondary academic and career opportunities.
new text end

new text begin The task force also must examine the findings of a 2008 report by Minnesota
superintendents on strategies for creating a world-class educational system to establish
priorities for improving students' academic achievement. The task force may consider
other related matters at its discretion.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of education must convene the first meeting of the advisory
task force on improving students' academic achievement by July 1, 2008. The task
force members must adopt internal standards for subsequent meetings. The task force
is composed of the following members:
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new text begin (1) a representative from a Twin Cities metropolitan area school district, a suburban
school district, a school district located in a regional center, and a rural school district, all
four representatives appointed by the state demographer based on identified concentrations
of low-income, minority, and low performing students;
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new text begin (2) a faculty member of a teacher preparation program at the University of
Minnesota's college of education and human development, appointed by the college dean
or the dean's designee;
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new text begin (3) a faculty member from the urban teachers program at Metropolitan State
University appointed by the university president or the president's designee;
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new text begin (4) a faculty member from a MnSCU teacher preparation program located outside
the Twin Cities metropolitan area, appointed by the university president or the president's
designee;
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new text begin (5) a classroom teacher appointed by Education Minnesota;
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new text begin (6) an expert in early childhood care and education appointed by a state early
childhood organization;
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new text begin (7) a member from each state council representing a community of color, appointed
by the respective council;
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new text begin (8) a curriculum specialist with expertise in providing language instruction for
nonnative English speakers, appointed by a state curriculum organization;
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new text begin (9) a special education teacher, appointed by a state organization of special education
educators;
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new text begin (10) a parent of color, appointed by a state parent-teacher organization;
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new text begin (11) a district testing director appointed by a recognized Minnesota assessment
group composed of assessment and evaluation directors and staff and researchers; and
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new text begin (12) a Minnesota Department of Education staff person with expertise in school
desegregation matters appointed by the commissioner of education or the commissioner's
designee.
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new text begin A majority of task force members, at their discretion, may invite other representatives
of interested public or nonpublic organizations, Minnesota's business community,
Minnesota private colleges, Minnesota's communities of color, and stakeholders in local
and state educational equity to become task force members.
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new text begin (c) Task force members' terms and other task force matters are subject to Minnesota
Statutes, section 15.059. The commissioner may reimburse task force members from the
Department of Education's current operating budget but may not compensate task force
members for task force activities. By February 15, 2009, the task force must submit
written proposal to the education policy and finance committees of the legislature on how
to significantly improve students' academic achievement.
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new text begin (d) The advisory task force expires on February 16, 2009.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
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