SF 3274

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 06/26/2023 01:00pm

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; increasing the general education basic formula
allowance; increasing special education cross subsidy reduction aid; requiring
reading instruction to be based on the science of reading; establishing a reading
reset account in the special revenue fund; requiring student and staff safety measures
to be included in each school district's long-term facilities maintenance school
facility plan; creating school security systems grants; requiring a report;
appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections 123B.595,
subdivision 4; 125A.76, subdivision 2e; 126C.10, subdivision 2; proposing coding
for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [120B.116] SCIENCE OF READING.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Policy. new text end

new text begin It is the intent of the legislature that public schools promote
foundational literacy and grade-level reading proficiency through the use of curriculum,
textbooks, instructional materials, instructional practices, interventions, and teacher
development and training based solely on the science of reading.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Science of reading defined. new text end

new text begin (a) "Science of reading" means explicit, systematic,
evidence-based reading instruction using reliable, trustworthy, and valid evidence consistent
with science-based reading research. This includes developing foundational reading skills
relying on phonemic or phonological awareness, phonics and decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
and comprehension that can be differentiated to meet the needs of individual students.
new text end

new text begin (b) The science of reading does not include using visual memory as the primary basis
for teaching word recognition and does not include the use of the three-cueing system model,
based on meaning, structure or syntax, and visual cues, also known as MSV, as a method
to teach students to read.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Other definitions. new text end

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

new text begin (b) "Comprehension" is the purpose of reading, including the ability to understand,
remember, and make meaning of what has been read.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Fluency" is the ability to read text with speed, accuracy, and proper expression,
either to oneself or aloud.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Phonemic or phonological awareness" is the ability of students to hear, identify,
manipulate, and substitute individual sounds, word parts, and syllables in spoken words.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Phonics" is the understanding that there are systematic and predictable relationships
between phonemes and graphemes and the ability to apply that knowledge to decode
unfamiliar printed words. "Phonemes" means sounds and "graphemes" means the letters
that represent those sounds in written language, commonly known as "sounding out" words.
new text end

new text begin (f) "Science-based reading research" means research that:
new text end

new text begin (1) applies rigorous, systematic, and objective observational or experimental procedures
to obtain knowledge relevant to reading development, reading instruction, and reading and
writing difficulties; and
new text end

new text begin (2) explains how proficient reading and writing develop, why some children have
difficulties developing key literacy skills, and how schools can best assess and instruct early
literacy, including the use of evidence-based literacy instruction practices to promote reading
and writing achievement.
new text end

new text begin (g) "Vocabulary" is the process of acquiring new words that students understand and
use in their conversation (oral vocabulary) and recognize in print (reading vocabulary)
through direct and indirect instruction.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 123B.595, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Facilities plans.

(a) To qualify for revenue under this section, a school district
or intermediate district, not including a charter school, must have a ten-year facility plan
adopted by the school board and approved by the commissioner. The plan must include
provisions for implementing a health and safety program that complies with health, safety,
and environmental regulations and best practices, including indoor air quality management
and remediation of lead hazards.

new text begin (b) The facilities plan must also include a safe schools plan for each school site identifying
physical modifications to improve student and staff safety at the school site.
new text end

deleted text begin (b) deleted text end new text begin (c) new text end The district must annually update the plan, submit the plan to the commissioner
for approval by July 31, and indicate whether the district will issue bonds to finance the
plan or levy for the costs.

deleted text begin (c) deleted text end new text begin (d) new text end For school districts issuing bonds to finance the plan, the plan must include a
debt service schedule demonstrating that the debt service revenue required to pay the principal
and interest on the bonds each year will not exceed the projected long-term facilities revenue
for that year.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for plans submitted to the commissioner
on or after August 1, 2023.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 125A.76, subdivision 2e, is amended to read:

Subd. 2e.

Cross subsidy reduction aid.

(a) A school district's annual cross subsidy
reduction aid equals the school district's initial special education cross subsidy for the
previous fiscal year times the cross subsidy aid factor for that fiscal year.

(b) The cross subsidy aid factor equals deleted text begin 2.6 percent for fiscal year 2020 and 6.43 percent
for fiscal year 2021 and later deleted text end new text begin 65 percent for fiscal year 2024 and fiscal year 2025, and 75
percent for fiscal year 2026 and later new text end .

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2024 and later.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 126C.10, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Basic revenue.

The basic revenue for each district equals the formula allowance
times the adjusted pupil units for the school year. deleted text begin The formula allowance for fiscal year
2021 is $6,567. The formula allowance for fiscal year 2022 is $6,728. deleted text end The formula allowance
for fiscal year 2023 and later is $6,863. new text begin The formula allowance for fiscal year 2024 is $7,206.
The formula allowance for fiscal year 2025 and later is $7,566.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin READING RESET FUNDING.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Reading reset account. new text end

new text begin An account is established in the special revenue
fund known as the reading reset account. Funds appropriated under this section must be
transferred to the reset account in the special revenue fund.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Curriculum and materials. new text end

new text begin A school district, charter school, or cooperative
may request reimbursement from the commissioner of education for curriculum, instructional
materials, and books aligned with the science of reading, as defined in section 120B.116,
that were purchased on or after July 1, 2020. The application for reimbursement must require
an applicant to agree that it will stop using instructional practices, curriculum, or materials
that are based on or otherwise use whole-language, balanced literacy, or the three-cueing
system model, including discontinuing use or agreeing not to use in the future any literacy
curriculum or other materials published by Heinemann Publishing, or written in whole or
in part by Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Teacher training. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must provide funding to
school districts, charter schools, and cooperatives to provide teachers with training in the
science of reading through intensive workshops, academies, and other professional
development opportunities. In addition, the commissioner must provide school districts,
charter schools, and cooperatives funding to provide teachers paid time to attend training
on the science of reading.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Tutoring. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must establish a process for parents to receive
reimbursement for literacy tutoring for students enrolled in school districts, charter schools,
or cooperatives who are not reading at grade level.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2023.
new text end

Sec. 6. new text begin TEACHER PREPARATION IN READING INSTRUCTION.
new text end

new text begin A teacher preparation program approved by the Professional Educator Licensing and
Standards Board for teachers of elementary education must require instruction in
understanding and applying the science of reading. The board must complete audits of all
approved teacher preparation programs by September 1, 2023, and must place a program
not in compliance on immediate probation. A program placed on probation must develop
and implement an action plan to comply with this section.
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

Sec. 7. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Department of Education. new text end

new text begin The sums indicated in this section are
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin General education aid. new text end

new text begin (a) For general education aid under Minnesota Statutes,
section 126C.13, subdivision 4:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 8,090,796,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2024 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 8,425,183,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2025 new text end

new text begin (b) The 2024 appropriation includes $707,254,000 for 2023 and $7,383,542,000 for
2024.
new text end

new text begin (c) The 2025 appropriation includes $771,169,000 for 2024 and $7,654,014,000 for
2025.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Special education; regular. new text end

new text begin (a) For special education aid under Minnesota
Statutes, section 125A.75:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 2,439,390,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2024 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 2,632,579,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2025 new text end

new text begin (b) The 2024 appropriation includes $229,860,000 for 2023 and $2,209,530,000 for
2024.
new text end

new text begin (c) The 2025 appropriation includes $311,038,000 for 2024 and $2,321,541,000 for
2025.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Reading reset. new text end

new text begin (a) For the reading reset account under section 5:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 250,000,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2024 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 0 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2025 new text end

new text begin (b) Of these amounts, $125,000,000 is for curriculum and materials in accordance with
section 5, subdivision 2; $100,000,000 is for teacher training in accordance with section 5,
subdivision 3; and $25,000,000 is to reimburse parents for tutoring in accordance with
section 5, subdivision 4.
new text end

new text begin (c) The base for fiscal year 2026 and later is $125,000,000.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin School security grants. new text end

new text begin (a) For transfer to the Department of Public Safety for
the Office of Justice Programs, in consultation with the Minnesota School Safety Center,
to issue school security grants to school districts and charter schools:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 100,000,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2024 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 0 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2025 new text end

new text begin (b) A school district or charter school may apply for a grant in the form and manner
specified by the Office of Justice Programs. The Office of Justice Programs may establish
application timelines for the award of grants and may award grants in more than one round.
Applications for the last round of grants must be received by the Office of Justice Programs
no later than August 1, 2024.
new text end

new text begin (c) Grants may be awarded in an amount not to exceed $300,000 per district. The grants
must be awarded to schools located in all geographic regions of the state and priority must
be given to facilities serving the largest number of students within that geographic region.
new text end

new text begin (d) The Minnesota School Safety Center must prepare a list of vendors authorized to
provide the security services and products listed in this paragraph. A school district or charter
school must use grant funds to contract with an approved vendor for implementation and
installation of a comprehensive, multilayered, integrated security system, including an
evaluation of a school site's current security systems, and training for school staff on using
the security systems. The security systems must include a system to alert local law
enforcement of an immediate security threat within each room in the school. The grants
must be used for one or more of the following purposes:
new text end

new text begin (1) bullet-resistant interior doors and windows;
new text end

new text begin (2) ballistic wall panels;
new text end

new text begin (3) magnetic door-locking systems;
new text end

new text begin (4) remote lockdown activation systems;
new text end

new text begin (5) a mass notification system unified with an emergency communication system;
new text end

new text begin (6) an emergency building access system for first responders including fire, emergency
medical services, and law enforcement personnel;
new text end

new text begin (7) an access control system with remote door-release capabilities;
new text end

new text begin (8) electronic access controls for main distribution frame and independent distribution
frame rooms with a key override;
new text end

new text begin (9) classroom duress alarms linked to a law enforcement and administration notification
system;
new text end

new text begin (10) security system training for staff to initiate emergency protocols;
new text end

new text begin (11) ballistic security glass for interior door vision panels and sidelites;
new text end

new text begin (12) electronic access control systems for primary building entrances; and
new text end

new text begin (13) classroom door installations that optimize safety and security.
new text end

new text begin (e) The Minnesota School Safety Center must identify vendors that provide the services
and systems required under paragraph (d) and provide districts and charter schools with a
list of approved vendors.
new text end

new text begin (f) The Department of Public Safety may retain up to 2.5 percent of the appropriation
for the Office of Justice Programs to administer the grant and for the Minnesota School
Safety Center to provide districts and charter schools technical assistance.
new text end

new text begin (g) By February 15 following each year a grant is awarded under this section, the
Minnesota School Safety Center, Office of Justice Programs, and Department of Public
Safety shall report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees
with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education on the number and amount
of grant awards, a description of each grant recipient's purchased items and vendors
contracted for school security systems installation and technical assistance, and considerations
on future school security grant funding, management, and installation.
new text end

new text begin (h) This is a onetime appropriation. This appropriation does not cancel but is available
until June 30, 2026.
new text end