Minnesota Session Laws - 1987, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1987 

                        CHAPTER 247-S.F.No. 911 
           An act relating to education; requiring school 
          districts to make available instruction in Braille 
          reading and writing to blind pupils; proposing coding 
          for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 126. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [126.071] [BRAILLE INSTRUCTION.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [AVAILABILITY.] A school district shall 
make available, to a blind pupil, instruction in Braille reading 
and writing as specified under subdivisions 2 and 3.  A blind 
pupil is a pupil who is blind as defined in section 290.06, 
subdivision 3f, paragraph (4), clause (e). 
    Subd. 2.  [ASSESSMENT.] A reading and writing assessment of 
a child identified as a blind child must be done at least once 
every three years.  The person who performs the assessment must 
be mutually agreed upon by the school district and the parent.  
The assessment must be in writing and must recommend whether or 
not instruction in Braille reading and writing should be 
commenced or continued for the assessed child.  The commissioner 
of education shall adopt rules establishing criteria for 
determining whether or not instruction in braille reading and 
writing should be commenced or continued for the assessed child. 
    Subd. 3.  [SPECIFICS OF RECOMMENDATION.] The child's 
individual education plan must specify: 
    (1) a reason for recommending or not recommending Braille 
instruction; 
    (2) the date on which Braille instruction will commence; 
    (3) how many Braille sessions per week must be provided by 
the school district; 
    (4) the duration of each session; 
    (5) how to integrate Braille instruction into the assessed 
child's regular classroom activities; and 
    (6) the special training if any, that the classroom 
instructional personnel must have to provide the integrated 
Braille instruction.  
    Subd. 4.  [BRAILLE IS A SERVICE.] Instruction in Braille 
reading and writing is a service included in special instruction 
and services under section 120.17. 
    Approved May 26, 1987