SF 1475

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/14/2017 09:29am

A bill for an act
relating to education; creating financial incentives for school districts to help
students and families understand state standards and encourage MCA and MTAS
testing participation; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, sections 120B.31,
subdivision 4a; 126C.13, subdivision 4; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 120B.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 120B.31, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:

Subd. 4a.

Student participation.

The commissioner shall create and publish a form for
parents and guardians to complete if they refuse to have their student participate in state or
locally required standardized testing. The form must state why there are state academic
standards, indicate which tests are aligned with state standards, and what consequences, if
any, new text begin including the incentives under section 120B.361, new text end the school or student may face if a
student does not participate in state or locally required standardized testing. This form must
ask parents to indicate a reason for their refusal.

Sec. 2.

new text begin [120B.361] STATEWIDE TESTING PARTICIPATION INCENTIVES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Purpose. new text end

new text begin To help improve student and family understanding of state
standards and statewide testing required under section 120B.30, the financial incentives
provided in this section shall apply to all school districts and charter schools that receive
general education aid under section 126C.10, subdivision 2.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

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

new text begin (b) "All-grades participation rate" means the average of: (1) the percentage of all students
enrolled in grades 3 to 8 and 11 and who participated in MCA and MTAS math testing in
the previous school year, as reported by the commissioner in compliance with Public Law
114-95, section 1111; and (2) the percentage of all students enrolled in grades 3 to 8 and
10 and who participated in MCA and MTAS reading testing in the previous school year, as
reported by the commissioner in compliance with Public Law 114-95, section 1111.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Formula allowance increase" means the greater of zero or the difference between
the basic revenue formula allowance under section 126C.10, subdivision 2, for the next
fiscal year less the basic revenue formula allowance under section 126C.10, subdivision 2,
for the current fiscal year.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Grades 3 to 8 participation rate" means the average of: (1) the percentage of all
students enrolled in grades 3 to 8 and who participated in MCA and MTAS math testing in
the previous school year, as reported by the commissioner in compliance with Public Law
114-95, section 1111; and (2) the percentage of all students enrolled in grades 3 to 8 and
who participated in MCA and MTAS reading testing in the previous school year, as reported
by the commissioner in compliance with Public Law 114-95, section 1111.
new text end

new text begin (e) "High school participation rate" means the average of: (1) the percentage of all
students enrolled in grade 10 and who participated in MCA and MTAS reading testing in
the previous school year, as reported by the commissioner in compliance with Public Law
114-95, section 1111; and (2) the percentage of all students enrolled in grade 11 and who
participated in MCA and MTAS math testing in the previous school year, as reported by
the commissioner in compliance with Public Law 114-95, section 1111.
new text end

new text begin (f) "Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments," "MCA testing," "Minnesota Test of
Academic Skills," or "MTAS testing" means the statewide testing system under section
120B.30.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Participation incentives. new text end

new text begin (a) Each year, in confirming the amount of the formula
allowance increase a district or charter school will receive for the next fiscal year, the
department must take into account the district's MCA and MTAS testing participation rates
under this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin (b) If a district's or charter school's grades 3 to 8 participation rate and high school
participation rate are both greater than or equal to 95 percent, the district or charter school
will receive 100 percent of the formula allowance under section 126C.10, subdivision 2.
new text end

new text begin (c) If a district's or charter school's grades 3 to 8 participation rate or high school
participation rate or both are less than 95 percent, for the next fiscal year only, the district
will receive a percentage of the formula allowance increase equal to the all-grades
participation rate.
new text end

new text begin (d) The base formula allowance for a district or charter school that was determined by
the commissioner under paragraph (c) to receive less than 100 percent of the formula
allowance increase in a previous year but improved MCA and MTAS testing participation
in a subsequent year such that it is determined by the commissioner under paragraph (b) to
receive 100 percent of the formula allowance under section 126C.10, subdivision 2, is the
formula allowance under section 126C.10, subdivision 2.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Exceptions. new text end

new text begin (a) If a district or charter school is determined by the commissioner
under subdivision 3 to receive less than 100 percent of the formula allowance increase for
the next fiscal year, the district or charter school may apply to the commissioner for a waiver
of the reduction by demonstrating it made significant efforts in the preceding school year
to inform staff and students' families of the value of state standards and of participating in
MCA and MTAS testing.
new text end

new text begin (b) If a district or charter school is determined by the commissioner under subdivision
3 to receive less than 100 percent of the formula allowance increase for the next fiscal year,
the district or charter school may use a two-year average of the grades 3 to 8 or high school
participation rate, whichever fell below 95 percent, for purposes of calculating the amount
of the formula allowance increase it will receive in the next fiscal year.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 126C.13, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

General education aid.

For fiscal year 2015 and later, a district's general
education aid equals:

(1) general education revenue, excluding operating capital revenue, equity revenue, local
optional revenue, and transition revenue, minus the student achievement levy, multiplied
times the ratio of the actual amount of student achievement levy levied to the permitted
student achievement levy; plus

(2) operating capital aid under section 126C.10, subdivision 13b; new text begin plus
new text end

(3) equity aid under section 126C.10, subdivision 30; plus

(4) transition aid under section 126C.10, subdivision 33; plus

(5) shared time aid under section 126C.10, subdivision 7; plus

(6) referendum aid under section 126C.17, subdivisions 7 and 7a; plus

(7) online learning aid under section 124D.096; plus

(8) local optional aid according to section 126C.10, subdivision 2d, paragraph (d) new text begin ; minus
new text end

new text begin (9) statewide testing participation incentives under section 120B.361, subdivision 3,
paragraph (c) new text end .