SF 946

1st Engrossment - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 04/27/2012 09:41am

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing a pilot project to examine how school districts
might operate jointly to provide innovative delivery of programs and activities
and share resources.

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

Section 1. new text begin SCHOOL DISTRICTS' JOINT OPERATION AND INNOVATIVE
DELIVERY OF EDUCATION; PILOT PROJECT.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment; requirements for participation. new text end

new text begin (a) A four-year
pilot project is established to allow groups of school districts to pursue benefits of operating
jointly to deliver innovative education programs and activities and share resources.
new text end

new text begin (b) To participate in this pilot project, a group of three or more school districts
must form a joint partnership to share elements common to all the partners in providing
innovative delivery of educational programs and activities and sharing resources. The
member districts of a joint partnership selected by the commissioner may elect to admit
another district at any time during the pilot project.
new text end

new text begin (c) A partnership under paragraph (b) interested in participating in this pilot project
must apply to the commissioner of education in the form and manner the commissioner
prescribes, consistent with subdivision 2. When submitting its application, each
participating school district in each partnership also must submit to the commissioner:
new text end

new text begin (1) a formally adopted school board agreement identifying the specific joint use
opportunities the participating district intends to pursue as part of the joint partnership; and
new text end

new text begin (2) a binding and specific plan for a minimum of two years and a maximum of four
years to provide innovative delivery of educational programs and activities and to share
resources, consistent with this paragraph.
new text end

new text begin A participating district's plan under clause (2) must describe its educational
objectives and processes for seeking advice and collaboration and managing the project;
its budget arrangements that include regular reviews of expenditures; its administrative
structures for implementing and evaluating the plan; and any other applicable conditions,
regulations, responsibilities, duties, provisions, fee schedules, or legal considerations
needed to implement its plan.
new text end

new text begin (d) The member districts of the joint partnership must comply with Minnesota
Statutes, section 124D.10, subdivision 8, as though they were a charter school and are
otherwise exempt from all statutes and rules applicable to a school, school board, or
school district unless a statute or rule is made specifically applicable to a charter school.
new text end

new text begin (e) Notwithstanding paragraph (d), a school district that participates in the pilot
project under this section shall continue to receive revenue and maintain its taxation
authority as if it were a school district and not participating in the pilot project.
new text end

new text begin (f) Notwithstanding paragraph (d), a school district that participates in the pilot
project under this section shall continue to be organized and governed by an elected school
board with the general powers under Minnesota Statutes, section 123B.02, as if it were a
school district and not participating in the pilot project.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Role of the commissioner. new text end

new text begin The commissioner, using available department
resources and staff, may select up to six applicants under subdivision 1, paragraph (b),
from throughout the state to participate in this pilot project. The commissioner may
consider and select only those applicants that the commissioner determines have fully
complied with the requirements in subdivision 1.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Pilot project evaluation. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must gather and evaluate data
on the measurable success of the joint partnerships in delivering innovative education
programs and activities and sharing resources. The commissioner must use the data to
develop and submit to the education policy and finance committees of the legislature by
February 1, 2016, a report evaluating the success of this pilot project and recommend
whether or not to continue or expand the pilot project.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment
and applies to the 2011-2012 through 2014-2015 school year.
new text end