HF 1607

as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) Posted on 03/20/2025 04:10pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; modifying hours of instruction requirements; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120A.41.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120A.41, is amended to read:

120A.41 LENGTH OF SCHOOL YEAR; HOURS OF INSTRUCTION.

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Calendar. new text end

(a) A school board's annual school calendar must include at
least 425 hours of instruction for a kindergarten student, 935 hours of instruction for a
student in grades 1 through 6, and 1,020 hours of instruction for a student in grades 7 through
12, not including summer school. The school calendar for all-day kindergarten must include
at least 850 hours of instruction for the school year. The school calendar for a prekindergarten
student under section 142D.08, if offered by the district, must include at least 350 hours of
instruction for the school year. A school board's annual calendar must include at least 165
days of instruction for a student in grades 1 through 11 unless a four-day week schedule
has been approved by the commissioner under section 124D.126.

(b) A school board's annual school calendar may include plans for up to five days of
instruction provided through online instruction due to inclement weather. The inclement
weather plans must be developed according to section 120A.414.

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Hours of instruction. new text end

new text begin (a) Hours of instruction in a secondary school includes
all educational experiences that:
new text end

new text begin (1) allow students to earn academic credit, as defined in section 120B.018;
new text end

new text begin (2) are available to all enrolled students; and
new text end

new text begin (3) are supervised, coordinated, and verified by a qualified teacher, as defined in section
122A.16.
new text end

new text begin (b) Educational experiences included in hours of instruction may:
new text end

new text begin (1) be included in any secondary school course of study prescribed by a school board
under section 123B.09; and
new text end

new text begin (2) occur outside the regular school day and week, but not outside the school year.
new text end

new text begin (c) Nothing in this subdivision allows a district to deny a student access to any service
or instruction required under state or federal law, including special education services.
new text end

new text begin (d) The Department of Education must regularly review and update its policies and
structures, including district reporting requirements, to ensure that the department's policies
and structures do not constrain districts from providing to students the range of educational
opportunities available under this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin (e) Nothing in this subdivision modifies pupil units under chapter 126C, or provides
additional pupil units for an educational experience included in hours of instruction.
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