Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language
An act
relating to education; modifying provisions for prekindergarten through grade 12 education including general education, education excellence, teachers, the Read Act, special education, charter schools, nutrition and libraries, health and safety, early learning, and education partnerships and compacts; requiring reports;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections 120A.05, subdivision 10a, by adding a subdivision; 120A.22, subdivision 12; 120A.35; 120B.022, subdivisions 1a, 1b; 120B.11, as amended; 120B.13, subdivision 4; 120B.21; 121A.22, subdivisions 2, 4; 121A.2207, subdivision 1; 121A.41, subdivision 8; 122A.091, subdivision 5; 122A.092, by adding a subdivision; 122A.181, by adding a subdivision; 122A.182, by adding a subdivision; 122A.185, subdivision 3; 122A.20, by adding a subdivision; 122A.33, subdivision 2; 123B.37, subdivision 2; 124D.09, subdivisions 7, 10, 10b; 124D.12; 124D.151, as amended; 124D.60, subdivision 1; 124D.61; 124E.01, subdivision 1; 124E.05, subdivisions 2, 3, 5; 124E.07; 124E.10, subdivisions 2, 4, 5; 124E.12, subdivision 2; 124E.14, as amended; 124E.17; 124E.26; 125A.02, subdivision 1a, as amended; 125A.27, subdivision 8; 125A.56, subdivision 1; 127A.70, subdivision 1; 128C.02, by adding a subdivision; 260E.14, subdivision 1, as amended; Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, sections 13.32, subdivision 5; 120B.021, subdivision 1; 120B.024, subdivision 1; 120B.1117; 120B.1118, subdivisions 7, 10, by adding a subdivision; 120B.117, subdivision 4; 120B.12, subdivisions 1, 2, 2a, 3, 4, 4a; 120B.123, subdivisions 1, 2, 5, 7; 120B.124, subdivision 2, by adding subdivisions; 120B.125; 120B.30, subdivisions 7, 12, by adding a subdivision; 120B.302; 120B.305; 120B.31, subdivision 4; 120B.36, subdivision 1; 121A.041, subdivisions 2, 3; 121A.20, subdivision 2; 121A.642, by adding a subdivision; 122A.18, subdivision 1; 122A.181, subdivision 2; 122A.183, subdivision 2; 122A.184, subdivision 1; 122A.185, subdivision 1; 122A.40, subdivision 8; 122A.41, subdivision 5; 122A.631, subdivisions 2, 4; 122A.70, subdivision 2; 124D.09, subdivisions 5, 12; 124D.094, subdivisions 2, 3; 124D.111, subdivision 2a; 124D.165, subdivisions 2, 2a; 124D.42, subdivision 8; 124E.02, as amended; 124E.03, subdivisions 2, 9; 124E.06, subdivisions 1, 4, 5; 124E.11; 124E.12, subdivision 1; 124E.16, subdivision 1; 125A.08; 126C.40, subdivision 6; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 121A; 122A; 123B; 127A; 134; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections 120B.31, subdivisions 2, 6; 122A.2451, subdivision 9; Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 122A.185, subdivision 4; Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 8, section 9.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
new text begin A school district or charter school must adopt a policy on students' possession and use of cell phones in school by March 15, 2025. The Minnesota Elementary School Principals Association and the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals must collaborate to make best practices available to schools on a range of different strategies in order to minimize the impact of cell phones on student behavior, mental health, and academic attainment. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
new text begin (a) new text end Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, an 11th or 12th grade pupil enrolled in a school or an American Indian-controlled Tribal contract or grant school eligible for aid under section 124D.83, except a foreign exchange pupil enrolled in a district under a cultural exchange program, may apply to an eligible institution, as defined in subdivision 3, to enroll in nonsectarian courses offered by that postsecondary institution.
new text begin (b)new text end If an institution accepts a secondary pupil for enrollment under this section, the institution shall send written notice to the pupil, the pupil's school or school district, and the commissioner. The notice must indicate the course and hours of enrollment of that pupil.new text begin The institution must notify the pupil's school as soon as practicable if the pupil withdraws from the enrolled course. The institution must also notify the pupil's school as soon as practicable if the pupil has been absent from a course for ten consecutive days on which classes are held, based upon the postsecondary institution's academic calendar, and the pupil is not receiving instruction in their home or hospital or other facility.new text end
new text begin (c) new text end If the pupil enrolls in a course for postsecondary credit, the institution must notifydeleted text begin :deleted text end
deleted text begin (1)deleted text end the pupil about payment in the customary manner used by the institutiondeleted text begin ; anddeleted text end new text begin .new text end
deleted text begin (2) the pupil's school as soon as practicable if the pupil withdraws from the course or stops attending the course. deleted text end
(a) An enrolling district may provide digital instruction, including blended instruction and online instruction, to the district's own enrolled students. Enrolling districts may establish agreements to provide digital instruction, including blended instruction and online instruction, to students enrolled in the cooperating schools.
(b) When online instruction is provided, an online teacher as defined under subdivision 1, paragraph (h), shall perform all duties of teacher of record under Minnesota Rules, part 8710.0310. Unless the commissioner grants a waiver, a teacher providing online instruction shall not instruct more than 40 students in any one online learning course or section.
(c) Students receiving online instruction full time shall be reported as enrolled in an online instructional site under subdivision 1, paragraph (g).
(d) Curriculum used for digital instruction shall be aligned with Minnesota's current academic standards and benchmarks.
(e) Digital instruction shall be accessible to students under deleted text begin sectiondeleted text end new text begin sectionsnew text end 504new text begin and 508new text end of the federal Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
(f) An enrolling district providing digital instruction and a supplemental online course provider shall assist an enrolled student whose family qualifies for the education tax credit under section 290.0674 to acquire computer hardware and educational software so they may participate in digital instruction. Funds provided to a family to support digital instruction or supplemental online courses may only be used for qualifying expenses as determined by the provider. Nonconsumable materials purchased with public education funds remain the property of the provider. Records for any funds provided must be available for review by the public or the department.
(g) An enrolling district providing digital instruction shall establish and document procedures for determining attendance for membership and keep accurate records of daily attendance under section 120A.21.
(a) Notwithstanding sections 124D.03 and 124D.08 and chapter 124E, procedures for applying to take supplemental online courses other than those offered by the student's enrolling district are as provided in this subdivision.
(b) Any kindergarten through grade 12 student may apply to take a supplemental online course under subdivision 1, paragraph (j). The student, or the student's parent or guardian for a student under age 17, must submit an application for the proposed supplemental online course or courses. A student may:
(1) apply to take an online course from a supplemental online course provider that meets or exceeds the academic standards of the course in the enrolling district they are replacing;
(2) apply to take supplemental online courses for up to 50 percent of the student's scheduled course load; deleted text begin anddeleted text end
(3) apply to take supplemental online courses no later than 15 school days after the student's enrolling district's term has begun. An enrolling district may waive the 50 percent course enrollment limit or the 15-day time limitdeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin ; andnew text end
new text begin (4) enroll in additional courses with the online learning provider under a separate agreement that includes terms for paying any tuition or course fees. new text end
(c) A student taking a supplemental online course must have the same access to the computer hardware and education software available in a school as all other students in the enrolling district.
(d) A supplemental online course provider must have a current, approved application to be listed by the Department of Education as an approved provider. The supplemental online course provider must:
(1) use an application form specified by the Department of Education;
(2) notify the student, the student's guardian if they are age 17 or younger, and enrolling district of the accepted application to take a supplemental online course within ten days of receiving a completed application;
(3) notify the enrolling district of the course title, credits to be awarded, and the start date of the online course. A supplemental online course provider must make the online course syllabus available to the enrolling district;
(4) request applicable academic support information for the student, including a copy of the IEP, EL support plan, or 504 plan; and
(5) track student attendance and monitor academic progress and communicate with the student, the student's guardian if they are age 17 or younger, and the enrolling district's designated online learning liaison.
(e) A supplemental online course provider may limit enrollment if the provider's school board or board of directors adopts by resolution specific standards for accepting and rejecting students' applications. The provisions may not discriminate against any protected class or students with disabilities.
(f) A supplemental online course provider may request that the Department of Education review an enrolling district's written decision to not accept a student's supplemental online course application. The student may participate in the supplemental online course while the application is under review. Decisions shall be final and binding for both the enrolling district and the supplemental online course provider.
(g) A supplemental online course provider must participate in continuous improvement cycles with the Department of Education.
Sections 124D.12 to 124D.127 authorize districts to evaluate, plan and employ the use of flexible learning year programs. It is anticipated that the open selection of the type of flexible learning year operation from a variety of alternatives will allow each district seeking to utilize this concept to suitably fulfill the educational needs of its pupils. These alternatives must include, but not be limited to, various 45-15 plans, four-quarter plans, quinmester plans, extended learning year plans, and flexible all-year plans. deleted text begin A school district with an approved four-day week plan in the 2014-2015 school year may continue under a four-day week plan through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Future approvals are contingent upon meeting the school district's performance goals established in the district's plan under section 120B.11deleted text end new text begin The commissioner must establish clear criteria for evaluating a district's application to use a four-day school week plan, at least annually accept district applications to use a four-day school week plan, and determine whether each application meets the criterianew text end . The commissioner must give a school district one school year's notice before revoking approval of its flexible learning year program.new text begin Approval of a four-day school week plan may not be revoked for six years from the date it is granted.new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
(a) Upon application to, and approval by, the commissioner in accordance with the procedures and limits in subdivision 1, paragraphs (a) and (b), a district, as defined in this subdivision, may:
(1) purchase real or personal property under an installment contract or may lease real or personal property with an option to purchase under a lease purchase agreement, by which installment contract or lease purchase agreement title is kept by the seller or vendor or assigned to a third party as security for the purchase price, including interest, if any; and
(2) annually levy the amounts necessary to pay the district's obligations under the installment contract or lease purchase agreement.
(b) The obligation created by the installment contract or the lease purchase agreement must not be included in the calculation of net debt for purposes of section 475.53, and does not constitute debt under other law. An election is not required in connection with the execution of the installment contract or the lease purchase agreement.
(c) The proceeds of the levy authorized by this subdivision must not be used to acquire a facility to be primarily used for athletic or school administration purposes.
(d) For the purposes of this subdivision, "district" means:
(1) Special School District No. 1, Minneapolis, Independent School District No. 625, St. Paul, Independent School District No. 709, Duluth, or Independent School District No. 535, Rochester, if the district's deleted text begin desegregationdeleted text end new text begin achievement and integrationnew text end plan has been determined by the commissioner to be in compliance with Department of Education rules relating to equality of educational opportunity and where the acquisitionnew text begin , as defined in section 475.51, subdivision 7,new text end of property under this subdivision is deleted text begin determineddeleted text end new text begin approved in the form and manner prescribednew text end by the commissioner to contribute to the implementation of the deleted text begin desegregationdeleted text end new text begin approved achievement and integrationnew text end plan; or
(2) other districts eligible for revenue under section 124D.862 if the facility acquired under this subdivision is to be primarily used for a joint program deleted text begin for interdistrict deleted text end deleted text begin desegregation anddeleted text end the commissioner determines deleted text begin that the joint programs aredeleted text end new text begin isnew text end being undertaken to implement the districts' deleted text begin desegregationdeleted text end new text begin approved achievement and integrationnew text end plan.
(e) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, the prohibition against a levy by a district to lease or rent a district-owned building to itself does not apply to levies otherwise authorized by this subdivision.
(f) For the purposes of this subdivision, any references in subdivision 1 to building or land shall include personal property.
(g) Projects funded under this subdivision are subject to review and comment under section 123B.71, subdivision 8, in the deleted text begin same manner as other school construction projectsdeleted text end new text begin form and manner prescribed by the commissionernew text end .
new text begin The revisor of statutes shall remove the term "state-approved" wherever it appears in Minnesota Statutes, sections 125A.15, 125A.51, and 125A.515, for education in care and treatment facilities. new text end
(a) Educational data designated as directory information is public data on individuals to the extent required under federal law. Directory information must be designated pursuant to the provisions of:
(1) this subdivision; and
(2) United States Code, title 20, section 1232g, and Code of Federal Regulations, title 34, section 99.37, which were in effect on January 3, 2012.
(b) When conducting the directory information designation and notice process required by federal law, an educational agency or institution shall give parents and students notice of the right to refuse to let the agency or institution designate specified data about the student as directory information. This notice may be given by any means reasonably likely to inform the parents and students of the right.
(c) An educational agency or institution may not designate a student's home address, telephone number, email address, or other personal contact information as directory information under this subdivision. This paragraph does not apply to a postsecondary institution.
(d) When requested, educational agencies or institutions must share personal student contact information and directory information, whether public or private, with the Minnesota Department of Education, as required for federal reporting purposes.
new text begin (e) When requested, educational agencies or institutions may share personal student contact information and directory information for students served in special education with postsecondary transition planning and services under section 125A.08, paragraph (b), clause (1), whether public or private, with the Department of Employment and Economic Development, as required for coordination of services to students with disabilities under sections 125A.08, paragraph (b), clause (1); 125A.023; and 125A.027. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
Reasonable efforts must be made by a school district to accommodate any pupil who wishes to be excused from a curricular activity for a religious observancenew text begin or American Indian cultural practice, observance, or ceremonynew text end . A school board must provide annual notice to parents of the school district's policy relating to a pupil's absence from school deleted text begin for religious observancedeleted text end new text begin under this sectionnew text end .
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
(a) The following subject areas are required for statewide accountability:
(1) language arts;
(2) mathematics, encompassing algebra II, integrated mathematics III, or an equivalent in high school, and to be prepared for the three credits of mathematics in grades 9 through 12, the grade 8 standards include completion of algebra;
(3) science, including earth and space science, life science, and the physical sciences, including chemistry and physics;
(4) social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government and citizenship that includes civics;
(5) physical education;
(6) health, for which locally developed academic standards apply; and
(7) the arts. Public elementary and middle schools must offer at least three and require at least two of the following five arts areas: dance; media arts; music; theater; and visual arts. Public high schools must offer at least three and require at least one of the following five arts areas: media arts; dance; music; theater; and visual arts.
(b) For purposes of applicable federal law, the academic standards for language arts, mathematics, and science apply to all public school students, except the very few students with extreme cognitive or physical impairments for whom an individualized education program team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate. An individualized education program team that makes this determination must establish alternative standards.
deleted text begin (c) The department may modify SHAPE America (Society of Health and Physical Educators) standards and adapt the national standards to accommodate state interest. The modification and adaptations must maintain the purpose and integrity of the national standards. The department must make available sample assessments, which school districts may use as an alternative to local assessments, to assess students' mastery of the physical education standards beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. deleted text end
deleted text begin (d)deleted text end new text begin (c)new text end A school district may include child sexual abuse prevention instruction in a health curriculum, consistent with paragraph (a), clause (6). Child sexual abuse prevention instruction may include age-appropriate instruction on recognizing sexual abuse and assault, boundary violations, and ways offenders groom or desensitize victims, as well as strategies to promote disclosure, reduce self-blame, and mobilize bystanders. A school district may provide instruction under this paragraph in a variety of ways, including at an annual assembly or classroom presentation. A school district may also provide parents information on the warning signs of child sexual abuse and available resources.
deleted text begin (e)deleted text end new text begin (d)new text end District efforts to develop, implement, or improve instruction or curriculum as a result of the provisions of this section must be consistent with sections 120B.10, 120B.11, and 120B.20.
(a) World languages teachers and other school staff should develop and implement world languages programs that acknowledge and reinforce the language proficiency and cultural awareness that non-English language speakers already possess, and encourage students' proficiency in multiple world languages. Programs under this section must encompass Indigenous American Indian languages and cultures, among other world languages and cultures. The department shall consult with postsecondary institutions in developing related professional development opportunities for purposes of this section.
(b) Any Minnesota public, charter, or nonpublic school may award Minnesota World Language Proficiency Certificates consistent with this subdivision.
(c) The Minnesota World Language Proficiency Certificate recognizes students who demonstrate deleted text begin listening, speaking, reading, and writing language skills atdeleted text end new text begin an overall intermediate-low or intermediate-mid level of proficiency onnew text end the deleted text begin American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' Intermediate-Low leveldeleted text end new text begin ACTFL's scale of levels of proficiency. A student's level of proficiency is derived from assessment in the domains of listening, reading, speaking, and writing new text end on a valid and reliable assessment tool.
(a) Consistent with efforts to strive for the world's best workforce under sections 120B.11 and 124E.03, subdivision 2, paragraph (i), and close the academic achievement and opportunity gap under sections 124D.861 and 124D.862, voluntary state bilingual and multilingual seals are established to recognize new text begin graduating new text end high school students in any school district, charter school, or nonpublic school who demonstrate deleted text begin an Advanced-Low level or an intermediate high level of functionaldeleted text end new text begin particular levels of proficiency in one or more languages other than English. The levels of proficiency established under this subdivision are based on the ACTFL's proficiency guidelines. A student is eligible for a seal in a language other than English if the student demonstratesnew text end proficiency deleted text begin in listening, speaking, reading, and writing on either assessmentsdeleted text end new text begin derived from assessment in the domains of listening, reading, speaking, and writing on an assessmentnew text end aligned with deleted text begin American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' (ACTFL)deleted text end new text begin ACTFLnew text end proficiency guidelines or onnew text begin annew text end equivalent valid and reliable deleted text begin assessments in one or more languages in addition to Englishdeleted text end new text begin assessment at a level required under paragraph (c)new text end . new text begin Indigenous American Indian languages and new text end American Sign Language deleted text begin is a languagedeleted text end new text begin are languagesnew text end other than English for purposes of this subdivision and deleted text begin adeleted text end world deleted text begin languagedeleted text end new text begin languagesnew text end for purposes of subdivision 1a.
(b) In addition to paragraph (a), to be eligible to receive a sealdeleted text begin :deleted text end
deleted text begin (1)deleted text end students must satisfactorily complete all required English language arts creditsdeleted text begin ; anddeleted text end new text begin .new text end
deleted text begin (2) students must demonstrate mastery of Minnesota's English language proficiency standards. deleted text end
(c) Consistent with this subdivision, a high school student who demonstrates an new text begin overall new text end intermediate high ACTFL level of deleted text begin functionaldeleted text end proficiency new text begin derived from assessment in the domains of listening, reading, speaking, and writing new text end in one language in addition to English is eligible to receive the state bilingual gold seal. A high school student who demonstrates an new text begin overall new text end intermediate high ACTFL level of deleted text begin functional nativedeleted text end proficiency new text begin derived from assessment in the domains of listening, reading, speaking, and writing new text end in more than one language in addition to English is eligible to receive the state multilingual gold seal. A high school student who demonstrates an new text begin overall new text end advanced-low new text begin or above new text end ACTFL level of deleted text begin functionaldeleted text end proficiency new text begin derived from assessment in the domains of listening, reading, speaking, and writing new text end in one language in addition to English is eligible to receive the state bilingual platinum seal. A high school student who demonstrates an new text begin overall new text end advanced-low new text begin or above new text end ACTFL level of deleted text begin functionaldeleted text end proficiency new text begin derived from assessment in the domains of listening, reading, speaking, and writing new text end in more than one language in addition to English is eligible to receive the state multilingual platinum seal.
(d) School districts and charter schools may give students periodic opportunities to demonstrate their level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in a language in addition to English. Where valid and reliable assessments are unavailable, a school district or charter school may rely on evaluators trained in assessing under ACTFL proficiency guidelines to assess a student's level of deleted text begin foreign, heritage, or Indigenousdeleted text end new text begin non-Englishnew text end language proficiency under this section. School districts and charter schools must maintain appropriate records to identify high school students eligible to receive the state bilingual or multilingual gold and platinum sealsnew text begin upon graduationnew text end . The school district or charter school must deleted text begin affixdeleted text end new text begin notatenew text end the appropriate seal to the transcript of each high school student who meets the requirements of this subdivision and may affix the seal to the student's diploma. A school district or charter school must not charge the high school student a fee for this seal.
(e) A school district or charter school may award elective course credits in world languages to a student who demonstrates the requisite proficiency in a language other than English under this section.
(f) A school district or charter school may award community service credit to a student who demonstrates an new text begin overall new text end intermediate high deleted text begin or advanced-lowdeleted text end new text begin or above new text end ACTFL level of deleted text begin functionaldeleted text end proficiency deleted text begin in listening, speaking, reading, and writingdeleted text end new text begin derived from assessment in the domains of listening, reading, speaking, and writingnew text end in a language other than English and who participates in community service activities that are integrated into the curriculum, involve the participation of teachers, and support biliteracy in the school or local community.
(g) The commissioner must list on the web page deleted text begin thosedeleted text end new text begin thenew text end assessments that are aligned to ACTFL proficiency guidelinesnew text begin , and establish guidelines on interpreting the scores or ratings from approved assessmentsnew text end .
(h) By August 1, 2015, the colleges and universities of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system must establish criteria to translate the seals into college credits based on the world language course equivalencies identified by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities faculty and staff and, upon request from an enrolled student, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities may award foreign language credits to a student who deleted text begin receivesdeleted text end new text begin receivednew text end a Minnesota World Language Proficiency Certificate new text begin or Minnesota Bilingual or Multilingual Seals new text end under subdivision 1a. A student who demonstrated the requisite level of language proficiency in grade 10, 11, or 12 to receive a seal or certificate and is enrolled in a Minnesota State Colleges and Universities institution must request college credits for the student's seal or proficiency certificate within three academic years after graduating from high school. The University of Minnesota is encouraged to award students foreign language academic credits consistent with this paragraph.
(a) Students must successfully complete the following high school level credits for graduation:
(1) four credits of language arts sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in English language arts;
(2) three credits of mathematics sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in mathematics;
(3) three credits of science, including one credit to satisfy all the earth and space science standards for grades 9 through 12, one credit to satisfy all the life science standards for grades 9 through 12, and one credit to satisfy all the chemistry or physics standards for grades 9 through 12;
(4) three and one-half credits of social studies, including credit for a course in government and citizenship in either grade 11 or 12 for students beginning grade 9 in the deleted text begin 2024-2025deleted text end new text begin 2025-2026new text end school year and later or an advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or other rigorous course on government and citizenship under section 120B.021, subdivision 1a, and a combination of other credits encompassing at least United States history, geography, government and citizenship, world history, and economics sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in social studies;
(5) one credit of the arts sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in the arts;new text begin new text end
(6) deleted text begin creditsdeleted text end new text begin creditnew text end sufficient to satisfy the state standards in physical education; and
(7) a minimum of seven elective credits.
(b) Students who begin grade 9 in the 2024-2025 school year and later must successfully complete a course for credit in personal finance in grade 10, 11, or 12. A teacher of a personal finance course that satisfies the graduation requirement must have a field license or out-of-field permission in agricultural education, business, family and consumer science, social studies, or math.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
For the purposes of this section and section 120B.10, the following terms have the meanings given them.
(a) "Instruction" means methods of providing learning experiences that enable a student to meet state and district academic standards and graduation requirements including applied and experiential learning.
(b) "Curriculum" means district or school adopted programs and written plans for providing students with learning experiences that lead to expected knowledge and skills and career and college readiness.
(c) deleted text begin "World's best workforce"deleted text end new text begin "Comprehensive achievement and civic readiness"new text end means striving to: meet school readiness goals; close the academic achievement gap among all racial and ethnic groups of students and between students living in poverty and students not living in poverty; have all students attain career and college readiness before graduating from high school; deleted text begin anddeleted text end have all students graduate from high schoolnew text begin ; and prepare students to be lifelong learnersnew text end .
(d) "Experiential learning" means learning for students that includes career exploration through a specific class or course or through work-based experiences such as job shadowing, mentoring, entrepreneurship, service learning, volunteering, internships, other cooperative work experience, youth apprenticeship, or employment.
(e) "Ethnic studies" as defined in section 120B.25 has the same meaning for purposes of this section. Ethnic studies curriculum may be integrated in existing curricular opportunities or provided through additional curricular offerings.
(f) "Antiracist" means actively working to identify and eliminate racism in all forms in order to change policies, behaviors, and beliefs that perpetuate racist ideas and actions.
(g) "Culturally sustaining" means integrating content and practices that infuse the culture and language of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities who have been and continue to be harmed and erased through the education system.
(h) "Institutional racism" means structures, policies, and practices within and across institutions that produce outcomes that disadvantage those who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
Measures to determine school district and school site progress in striving deleted text begin to create the world's best workforcedeleted text end new text begin for comprehensive achievement and civic readinessnew text end must include at least:
(1) the size of the academic achievement gap, rigorous course taking under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), clause (2), and enrichment experiences by student subgroup;
(2) student performance on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments;
(3) high school graduation rates; and
(4) career and college readiness under section 120B.307.
(a) A school board, at a public meeting, must adopt a comprehensive, long-term strategic plan to support and improve teaching and learning that is aligned with creating deleted text begin the world's best workforcedeleted text end new text begin comprehensive achievement and civic readinessnew text end and includes:
(1) clearly defined district and school site goals and benchmarks for instruction and student achievement for all student subgroups identified in section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2);
(2) a process to assess and evaluate each student's progress toward meeting state and local academic standards, assess and identify students to participate in gifted and talented programs and accelerate their instruction, and adopt early-admission procedures consistent with section 120B.15, and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of instruction in pursuit of student and school success and curriculum affecting students' progress and growth toward career and college readiness and leading to deleted text begin the world's best workforcedeleted text end new text begin comprehensive achievement and civic readinessnew text end ;
(3) a system to periodically review and evaluate the effectiveness of all instruction and curriculum, taking into account strategies and best practices, student outcomes, school principal evaluations under section 123B.147, subdivision 3, students' access to effective teachers who are members of populations underrepresented among the licensed teachers in the district or school and who reflect the diversity of enrolled students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), and teacher evaluations under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5;
(4) strategies for improving instruction, curriculum, and student achievement, including the English and, where practicable, the native language development and the academic achievement of English learners;
(5) a process to examine the equitable distribution of teachers and strategies to ensure children in low-income families, children in families of People of Color, and children in American Indian families are not taught at higher rates than other children by inexperienced, ineffective, or out-of-field teachers;
(6) education effectiveness practices that:
(i) integrate high-quality instruction, technology, and curriculum that is rigorous, accurate, antiracist, and culturally sustaining;
(ii) ensure learning and work environments validate, affirm, embrace, and integrate cultural and community strengths for all students, families, and employees; and
(iii) provide a collaborative professional culture that seeks to retain qualified, racially and ethnically diverse staff effective at working with diverse students while developing and supporting teacher quality, performance, and effectiveness;
(7) an annual budget for continuing to implement the district plan; and
(8) identifying a list of suggested and required materials, resources, sample curricula, and pedagogical skills for use in kindergarten through grade 12 that accurately reflect the diversity of the state of Minnesota.
(b) A school district is not required to include information regarding literacy in a plan or report required under this section, except with regard to the academic achievement of English learners.
Each school board must establish an advisory committee to ensure active community participation in all phases of planning and improving the instruction and curriculum affecting state and district academic standards, consistent with subdivision 2. A district advisory committee, to the extent possible, must reflect the diversity of the district and its school sites, include teachers, parents, support staff, students, and other community residents, and provide translation to the extent appropriate and practicable. The district advisory committee must pursue community support to accelerate the academic and native literacy and achievement of English learners with varied needs, from young children to adults, consistent with section 124D.59, subdivisions 2 and 2a. The district may establish site teams as subcommittees of the district advisory committee under subdivision 4. The district advisory committee must recommend to the school board: rigorous academic standards; student achievement goals and measures consistent with subdivision 1a and sections 120B.022, subdivisions 1a and 1b, and 120B.35; district assessments; means to improve students' equitable access to effective and more diverse teachers; strategies to ensure the curriculum is rigorous, accurate, antiracist, culturally sustaining, and reflects the diversity of the student population; strategies to ensure that curriculum and learning and work environments validate, affirm, embrace, and integrate the cultural and community strengths of all racial and ethnic groups; and program evaluations. School sites may expand upon district evaluations of instruction, curriculum, assessments, or programs. Whenever possible, parents and other community residents must comprise at least two-thirds of advisory committee members.
A school must establish a site team to develop and implement strategies and education effectiveness practices to improve instruction, curriculum, cultural competencies, including cultural awareness and cross-cultural communication, and student achievement at the school site, consistent with subdivision 2. The site team must include an equal number of teachers and administrators and at least one parent. The site team advises the board and the advisory committee about developing the annual budget and creates an instruction and curriculum improvement plan to align curriculum, assessment of student progress, and growth in meeting state and district academic standards and instruction.
Consistent with requirements for school performance reports under section 120B.36, subdivision 1, the school board shall publish a report in the local newspaper with the largest circulation in the district, by mail, or by electronic means on the district website. The school board shall hold an annual public meeting to review, and revise where appropriate, student achievement goals, local assessment outcomes, plans, strategies, and practices for improving curriculum and instruction and cultural competency, and efforts to equitably distribute diverse, effective, experienced, and in-field teachers, and to review district success in realizing the previously adopted student achievement goals and related benchmarks and the improvement plans leading to deleted text begin the world's best workforcedeleted text end new text begin comprehensive achievement and civic readinessnew text end . The school board must transmit an electronic summary of its report to the commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner determines.
Each school district shall periodically survey affected constituencies, in their native languages where appropriate and practicable, about their connection to and level of satisfaction with school. The district shall include the results of this evaluation in the summary report required under subdivision 5.
(a) The commissioner must identify effective strategies, practices, and use of resources by districts and school sites in striving for deleted text begin the world's best workforcedeleted text end new text begin comprehensive achievement and civic readinessnew text end . The commissioner must assist districts and sites throughout the state in implementing these effective strategies, practices, and use of resources.
(b) The commissioner must identify those districts in any consecutive three-year period not making sufficient progress toward improving teaching and learning for all students, including English learners with varied needs, consistent with section 124D.59, subdivisions 2 and 2a, and striving for deleted text begin the world's best workforcedeleted text end new text begin comprehensive achievement and civic readinessnew text end . The commissioner, in collaboration with the identified district, may require the district to use up to two percent of its basic general education revenue per fiscal year during the proximate three school years to implement commissioner-specified strategies and practices, consistent with paragraph (a), to improve and accelerate its progress in realizing its goals under this section. In implementing this section, the commissioner must consider districts' budget constraints and legal obligations.
(c) The commissioner shall report by January 25 of each year to the committees of the legislature having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education the list of school districts that have not submitted their report to the commissioner under subdivision 5 and the list of school districts not achieving their performance goals established in their plan under subdivision 2.
(a) Consistent with sections 120B.13, 120B.131, 120B.132, 120B.14, 120B.15, 120B.303, subdivision 1, 125A.08, and other related sections, school districts, beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, must assist all students by no later than grade 9 to explore their educational, college, and career interests, aptitudes, and aspirations and develop a plan for a smooth and successful transition to postsecondary education or employment. All students' plans must:
(1) provide a comprehensive plan to prepare for and complete a career and college ready curriculum by meeting state and local academic standards and developing career and employment-related skills such as team work, collaboration, creativity, communication, critical thinking, and good work habits;
(2) emphasize academic rigor and high expectations and inform the student, and the student's parent or guardian if the student is a minor, of the student's achievement level score on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments that are administered during high school;
(3) help students identify interests, aptitudes, aspirations, and personal learning styles that may affect their career and college ready goals and postsecondary education and employment choices;
(4) set appropriate career and college ready goals with timelines that identify effective means for achieving those goals;
(5) help students access education and career options;
(6) integrate strong academic content into career-focused courses and applied and experiential learning opportunities and integrate relevant career-focused courses and applied and experiential learning opportunities into strong academic content;
(7) help identify and access appropriate counseling and other supports and assistance that enable students to complete required coursework, prepare for postsecondary education and careers, and obtain information about postsecondary education costs and eligibility for financial aid and scholarship;
(8) help identify collaborative partnerships among prekindergarten through grade 12 schools, postsecondary institutions, economic development agencies, and local and regional employers that support students' transition to postsecondary education and employment and provide students with applied and experiential learning opportunities; and
(9) be reviewed and revised at least annually by the student, the student's parent or guardian, and the school or district to ensure that the student's course-taking schedule keeps the student new text begin on track for graduation, new text end making adequate progress to meet state and local academic standards and high school graduation requirements and with a reasonable chance to succeed with employment or postsecondary education without the need to first complete remedial course work.
(b) A school district may develop grade-level curricula or provide instruction that introduces students to various careers, but must not require any curriculum, instruction, or employment-related activity that obligates an elementary or secondary student to involuntarily select or pursue a career, career interest, employment goals, or related job training.
(c) Educators must possess the knowledge and skills to effectively teach all English learners in their classrooms. School districts must provide appropriate curriculum, targeted materials, professional development opportunities for educators, and sufficient resources to enable English learners to become career and college ready.
(d) When assisting students in developing a plan for a smooth and successful transition to postsecondary education and employment, districts must recognize the unique possibilities of each student and ensure that the contents of each student's plan reflect the student's unique talents, skills, and abilities as the student grows, develops, and learns.
(e) If a student with a disability has an individualized education program (IEP) or standardized written plan that meets the plan components of this section, the IEP satisfies the requirement and no additional transition plan is needed.
(f) Students who do not meet or exceed Minnesota academic standards, as measured by the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments that are administered during high school, shall be informed that admission to a public school is free and available to any resident under 21 years of age or who meets the requirements of section 120A.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (c). A student's plan under this section shall continue while the student is enrolled.
new text begin (a) new text end The commissioner shall submit the following information on rigorous course taking, disaggregated by student subgroup, school district, and postsecondary institution, to the education committees of the legislature new text begin by July 1, 2025, and new text end each new text begin subsequent new text end year by deleted text begin Februarydeleted text end new text begin Julynew text end 1:
(1) the number of pupils enrolled in postsecondary enrollment options under section 124D.09, including concurrent enrollment, career and technical education courses offered as a concurrent enrollment course, advanced placement, and international baccalaureate courses in each school district;
(2) the number of teachers in each district attending training programs offered by the college board, International Baccalaureate North America, Inc., or Minnesota concurrent enrollment programs;
(3) the number of teachers in each district participating in support programs;
(4) recent trends in the field of postsecondary enrollment options under section 124D.09, including concurrent enrollment, advanced placement, and international baccalaureate programs;
(5) expenditures for each category in this section and under sections 124D.09 and 124D.091, including career and technical education courses offered as a concurrent enrollment course; and
(6) other recommendations for the state program or the postsecondary enrollment options under section 124D.09, including concurrent enrollment.
new text begin (b) The commissioner must include data from the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years in the report due on July 1, 2025. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
A student who demonstrates attainment of required state academic standards, which include career and college readiness benchmarks, on high school assessments under deleted text begin subdivision 1adeleted text end new text begin section 120B.302new text end is academically ready for a career or college and is encouraged to participate in courses awarding college credit to high school students. Such courses and programs may include sequential courses of study within broad career areas and technical skill assessments that extend beyond course grades.
deleted text begin (a) Consistent with applicable federal law, the commissioner must include appropriate, technically sound accommodations or alternative assessments for the very few students with disabilities for whom statewide assessments are inappropriate and for English learners. deleted text end
deleted text begin (b)deleted text end new text begin (a)new text end The Department of Education shall contract for professional and technical services according to competitive solicitation procedures under chapter 16C for purposes of this section.
deleted text begin (c)deleted text end new text begin (b)new text end A proposal submitted under this section must include disclosures containing:
(1) comprehensive information regarding test administration monitoring practices; and
(2) data privacy safeguards for student information to be transmitted to or used by the proposing entity.
deleted text begin (d)deleted text end new text begin (c)new text end Information provided in the proposal is not security information or trade secret information for purposes of section 13.37.
new text begin An employee who discloses information to the commissioner or a parent or guardian about service disruptions or technical interruptions related to administering assessments under this section is protected under section 181.932, governing disclosure of information by employees. new text end
For purposes of conforming with existing federal educational accountability requirements, the commissioner must develop and implement computer-adaptive reading and mathematics assessments for grades 3 through 8, state-developed high school reading and mathematics tests aligned with state academic standards, a high school writing test aligned with state standards when it becomes available, and science assessments deleted text begin under clause (2)deleted text end that districts and sites must use to monitor student growth toward achieving those standards. The commissioner mustnew text begin :new text end
new text begin (1)new text end not develop statewide assessments for academic standards in social studies, health and physical education, and the artsdeleted text begin . The commissioner must require:deleted text end new text begin ; andnew text end
deleted text begin (1) annual computer-adaptive reading and mathematics assessments in grades 3 through 8, and high school reading, writing, and mathematics tests; and deleted text end
(2) new text begin require new text end annual science assessments in one grade in the grades 3 through 5 span, the grades 6 through 8 span, and a life sciences assessment in the grades 9 through 12 span, and the commissioner must not require students to achieve a passing score on high school science assessments as a condition of receiving a high school diploma.
The commissioner, with advice from experts with appropriate technical qualifications and experience and stakeholders, deleted text begin consistent with subdivision 1a,deleted text end must include new text begin state-developed tests new text end in the comprehensive assessment systemdeleted text begin , for each grade level to be tested, state-constructed tests developed as computer-adaptive reading and mathematics assessments for students that are aligned with the state's required academic standards under section 120B.021, include multiple choice questions, and are administered annually to all students in grades 3 through 8deleted text end . State-developed deleted text begin high schooldeleted text end tests deleted text begin aligned with the state's required academic standards under section 120B.021 anddeleted text end administered to all deleted text begin high schooldeleted text end students in a subject other than writing must include multiple choice questions. deleted text begin The commissioner must establish a testing period as late as possible each school year during which schools must administer the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments to students. The commissioner must publish the testing schedule at least two years before the beginning of the testing period.deleted text end
(a) The state assessment system must be aligned to the most recent revision of academic standards deleted text begin as described in section deleted text end deleted text begin 120B.023deleted text end deleted text begin in the following manner:deleted text end new text begin .new text end
deleted text begin (1) mathematics; deleted text end
deleted text begin (i) grades 3 through 8 beginning in the 2010-2011 school year; and deleted text end
deleted text begin (ii) high school level beginning in the 2013-2014 school year; deleted text end
deleted text begin (2) science; grades 5 and 8 and at the high school level beginning in the 2011-2012 school year; and deleted text end
deleted text begin (3) language arts and reading; grades 3 through 8 and high school level beginning in the 2012-2013 school year. deleted text end
deleted text begin (b) The grades 3 through 8 computer-adaptive assessments and high school tests must be aligned with state academic standards. The commissioner must determine the testing process and the order of administration. The statewide results must be aggregated at the site and district level, consistent with subdivision 1a. deleted text end
deleted text begin (c) The commissioner must ensure that for annual computer-adaptive assessments: deleted text end
deleted text begin (1) individual student performance data and achievement reports are available within three school days of when students take an assessment except in a year when an assessment reflects new performance standards; deleted text end
deleted text begin (2) growth information is available for each student from the student's first assessment to each proximate assessment using a constant measurement scale; deleted text end
deleted text begin (3) parents, teachers, and school administrators are able to use elementary and middle school student performance data to project students' secondary and postsecondary achievement; and deleted text end
deleted text begin (4) useful diagnostic information about areas of students' academic strengths and weaknesses is available to teachers and school administrators for improving student instruction and indicating the specific skills and concepts that should be introduced and developed for students at given performance levels, organized by strands within subject areas, and aligned to state academic standards. deleted text end
deleted text begin (d)deleted text end new text begin (b)new text end The commissioner must ensure that all state tests administered to elementary and secondary students measure students' academic knowledge and skills and not students' values, attitudes, and beliefs.
new text begin A school, school district, and charter school must administer statewide assessments under this section as the assessments become available to evaluate student progress toward career and college readiness in the context of the state's academic standards. A school, school district, or charter school may use a student's performance on a statewide assessment as one of multiple criteria to determine grade promotion or retention. A school, school district, or charter school may use a high school student's performance on a statewide assessment as a percentage of the student's final grade in a course or place a student's assessment score on the student's transcript. new text end
deleted text begin A school, school district, and charter school must administer statewide assessments under this section, as the assessments become available, to evaluate student progress toward career and college readiness in the context of the state's academic standards. A school, school district, or charter school may use a student's performance on a statewide assessment as one of multiple criteria to determine grade promotion or retention. A school, school district, or charter school may use a high school student's performance on a statewide assessment as a percentage of the student's final grade in a course, or place a student's assessment score on the student's transcript. deleted text end
(a) Reporting of state assessment results must:
(1) provide timely, useful, and understandable information on the performance of individual students, schools, school districts, and the state;
(2) include a growth indicator of student achievement; and
(3) determine whether students have met the state's academic standards.
(b) deleted text begin The 3rd through 8th grade computer-adaptive assessment results and high school test results must be available to districts for diagnostic purposes affecting student learning and district instruction and curriculum, and for establishing educational accountability.deleted text end new text begin The commissioner must ensure that for annual computer-adaptive assessments:new text end
new text begin (1) individual student performance data and achievement reports are available within three school days of when students take an assessment except in a year when an assessment reflects new performance standards; new text end
new text begin (2) growth information is available for each student from the student's first assessment to each proximate assessment using a constant measurement scale; new text end
new text begin (3) parents, teachers, and school administrators are able to use elementary and middle school student performance data to project students' secondary and postsecondary achievement; and new text end
new text begin (4) useful diagnostic information about areas of students' academic strengths and weaknesses is available to teachers and school administrators for improving student instruction and indicating the specific skills and concepts that should be introduced and developed for students at given performance levels, organized by strands within subject areas, and aligned to state academic standards. new text end
new text begin (c)new text end The commissioner, in consultation with the chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, must establish empirically derived benchmarks on the high school tests that reveal a trajectory toward career and college readiness consistent with section 136F.302, subdivision 1a. The commissioner must disseminate to the public the computer-adaptive assessments and high school test results upon receiving those results.
new text begin (d) A school, school district, or charter school may provide a student's parent access to the student's individual student performance data and achievement report that is made available under paragraph (b), clause (1), when the performance data and report is available to the school, school district, or charter school. new text end
(a) The commissioner must include the following components in the statewide public reporting system:
(1) uniform statewide computer-adaptive assessments of all students in grades 3 through 8 and testing at the high school levels that provides appropriate, technically sound accommodations or alternate assessments;
(2) educational indicators that can be aggregated and compared across school districts and across time on a statewide basis, including consistent attendance, high school graduation rates, and high school drop-out rates by age and grade level;
(3) state results on the ACT test; deleted text begin anddeleted text end
(4) state results from participation in the National Assessment of Educational Progress so that the state can benchmark its performance against the nation and other states, and, where possible, against other countries, and contribute to the national effort to monitor achievementdeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin ; andnew text end
new text begin (5) comparison of statewide assessment results among school sites and school districts. new text end
(b) The commissioner shall report test results publicly and to stakeholders, including the performance achievement levels developed from students' unweighted test scores in each tested subject and a listing of demographic factors that strongly correlate with student performance, including student homelessness, as data are available, among other factors. The test results must not include personally identifiable information as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 34, section 99.3. deleted text begin The commissioner shall also report data that compares performance results among school sites, school districts, Minnesota and other states, and Minnesota and other nations.deleted text end The commissioner shall disseminate to schools and school districts a more comprehensive report containing testing information that meets local needs for evaluating instruction and curriculum. The commissioner shall disseminate to charter school authorizers a more comprehensive report containing testing information that contains anonymized data where cell count data are sufficient to protect student identity and that meets the authorizer's needs in fulfilling its obligations under chapter 124E.
deleted text begin (c) The grades 3 through 8 computer-adaptive assessments and high school tests must be aligned with state academic standards. The commissioner must determine the testing process and the order of administration. The statewide results must be aggregated at the site and district level, consistent with subdivision 1a. deleted text end
In developing policies and assessment processes to hold schools and districts accountable for high levels of academic standards under section 120B.021, the commissioner shall deleted text begin aggregate and disaggregate student data over time to report summary student performance and growth levels and, under section 120B.11, subdivision 2, clause (2), student learning and outcome data measured at the school, school district, and statewide level. The commissioner shalldeleted text end use the student categories identified under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as most recently reauthorized, and student categories of:
(1) homelessness;
(2) ethnicity under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clause (2);
(3) race under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clause (2);
(4) home language;
(5) English learners under section 124D.59;
(6) free or reduced-price meals; and
(7) other categories designated by federal law to organize and report the data so that state and local policy makers can understand the educational implications of changes in districts' demographic profiles over time as data are available.
Any report the commissioner disseminates containing summary data on student performance must integrate student performance and the demographic factors that strongly correlate with that performance.
(a) The commissioner shall report:
(1) student academic performance data under section 120B.35, subdivisions 2 and 3;
(2) academic progress consistent with federal expectations;
(3) school safety and student engagement and connection under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (d);
(4) rigorous coursework under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (c);
(5) the percentage of students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), whose progress and performance levels are meeting career and college readiness benchmarks under sections 120B.307 and 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (e);
(6) longitudinal data on the progress of eligible districts in reducing disparities in students' academic achievement and realizing racial and economic integration under section 124D.861;
(7) the acquisition of English, and where practicable, native language academic literacy, including oral academic language, and the academic progress of all English learners enrolled in a Minnesota public school course or program who are currently or were previously counted as English learners under section 124D.59;
(8) two separate student-to-teacher ratios that clearly indicate the definition of teacher consistent with sections 122A.06 and 122A.15 for purposes of determining these ratios;
(9) staff characteristics excluding salaries;
(10) student enrollment demographics;
(11) foster care status, including all students enrolled in a Minnesota public school course or program who are currently or were previously in foster care, student homelessness, and district mobility; and
(12) extracurricular activities.
(b) The school performance report for a school site and a school district must include school performance reporting information and calculate proficiency rates as required by the most recently reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
(c) The commissioner shall develop, annually update, and post on the department website school performance reports consistent with paragraph (a) and section 120B.11.
(d) The commissioner must make available performance reports by the beginning of each school year.
(e) A school or district may appeal its results in a form and manner determined by the commissioner and consistent with federal law. The commissioner's decision to uphold or deny an appeal is final.
(f) School performance data are nonpublic data under section 13.02, subdivision 9, until the commissioner publicly releases the data. The commissioner shall annually post school performance reports to the department's public website no later than September 1, except deleted text begin thatdeleted text end in years when the reports reflect new performance standardsdeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin .new text end The commissioner shall post the school performance reports no later than October 1new text begin in years with new performance standards for academic standards-based assessments, and no later than November 1 in years with new performance standards adopted under Minnesota Rules, part 3501.1200, for English language proficiency assessmentsnew text end .
(a) Starting September 1, deleted text begin 2025deleted text end new text begin 2026new text end , a public school may not have or adopt a name, symbol, or image that depicts or refers to an American Indian Tribe, individual, custom, or tradition to be used as a mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name of the school, district, or school within the district, unless the school has obtained an exemption under subdivision 3.
(b) The prohibition in paragraph (a) does not apply to a public school located within the reservation of a federally recognized Tribal Nation in Minnesota, where at least 95 percent of students meet the state definition of American Indian student.
new text begin (c) A school district with a prohibited American Indian mascot according to paragraph (a), that has not received an exemption according to subdivision 3, must report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education policy by February 14, 2025, and again by February 1, 2026, on the district's progress to comply with this section; and the district must submit copies of the reports to the Legislative Reference Library. The reports must include the following: new text end
new text begin (1) confirmation that the district has removed the American Indian mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name from the district website; new text end
new text begin (2) confirmation that the board of the district has approved a new mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name; new text end
new text begin (3) a summary of the district's progress on removing the American Indian mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name from uniforms, equipment, signs, elements of facilities, and other district items; and new text end
new text begin (4) a summary of resources necessary to comply with the prohibition in paragraph (a) and the district's plan to raise and allocate any necessary funds. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
A public school may seek an exemption to subdivision 2 by submitting a request in writing to all 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations in Minnesota and to the Tribal Nations Education Committee by September 1, 2023. The exemption is denied if any of the 11 Tribal Nations or the Tribal Nations Education Committee oppose the exemption by December 15, 2023. A public school whose request for an exemption is denied must comply with subdivision 2 by September 1, deleted text begin 2025deleted text end new text begin 2026new text end .
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
new text begin An American Indian student or staff member may use tobacco, sage, sweetgrass, and cedar to conduct individual or group smudging in a public school. The process for conducting smudging is determined by the building or site administrator. Smudging must be conducted under the direct supervision of an appropriate staff member, as determined by the building or site administrator. new text end
new text begin A school district or charter school must consult the exclusive representative for employees receiving this training before creating or planning the training required under this section. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given. new text end
new text begin (b) "School-sponsored media" means material that is: new text end
new text begin (1) prepared, wholly or substantially written, published, broadcast, or otherwise disseminated by a student journalist enrolled in a school district or charter school; new text end
new text begin (2) distributed or generally made available to students in the school; and new text end
new text begin (3) prepared by a student journalist under the supervision of a student media adviser. new text end
new text begin School-sponsored media does not include material prepared solely for distribution or transmission in the classroom in which the material is produced, or a yearbook. new text end
new text begin (c) "School official" means a school principal under section 123B.147 or other person having administrative control or supervision of a school. new text end
new text begin (d) "Student journalist" means a school district or charter school student in grades 6 through 12 who gathers, compiles, writes, edits, photographs, records, or otherwise prepares information for dissemination in school-sponsored media. new text end
new text begin (e) "Student media adviser" means a qualified teacher, as defined in section 122A.16, that a school district or charter school employs, appoints, or designates to supervise student journalists or provide instruction relating to school-sponsored media. new text end
new text begin (a) Except as provided in subdivision 3, a student journalist has the right to exercise freedom of speech and freedom of the press in school-sponsored media regardless of whether the school-sponsored media receives financial support from the school or district, uses school equipment or facilities in its production, or is produced as part of a class or course in which the student journalist is enrolled. Freedom of speech includes freedom to express political viewpoints. Consistent with subdivision 3, a student journalist has the right to determine the news, opinion, feature, and advertising content of school-sponsored media. A school district or charter school must not discipline a student journalist for exercising rights or freedoms under this paragraph or the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. new text end
new text begin (b) A school district or charter school must not retaliate or take adverse employment action against a student media adviser for supporting a student journalist exercising rights or freedoms under paragraph (a) or the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. new text end
new text begin (c) Notwithstanding the rights or freedoms of this subdivision or the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, nothing in this section inhibits a student media adviser from teaching professional standards of English and journalism to student journalists. new text end
new text begin (a) This section does not authorize or protect student expression that: new text end
new text begin (1) is defamatory; new text end
new text begin (2) is profane, harassing, threatening, or intimidating; new text end
new text begin (3) constitutes an unwarranted invasion of privacy; new text end
new text begin (4) violates federal or state law; new text end
new text begin (5) causes a material and substantial disruption of school activities; or new text end
new text begin (6) is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action on school premises or the violation of lawful school policies or rules, including a policy adopted in accordance with section 121A.03 or 121A.031. new text end
new text begin (b) Nothing in this section authorizes the publication of an advertisement by school-sponsored media that promotes the purchase of a product or service that is unlawful for purchase or use by minors. new text end
new text begin (c) A school or district must not authorize any prior restraint of school-sponsored media except under this subdivision. new text end
new text begin School districts and charter schools must adopt and post on the district or charter school website a student journalist policy consistent with this section. new text end
new text begin This section is effective for the 2024-2025 school year and later. new text end
new text begin Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, during a regularly scheduled public board hearing, a school board must adopt a language access plan that specifies the district's process and procedures to render effective language assistance to students and adults who communicate in a language other than English. The language access plan must be available to the public and included in the school's handbook. new text end
new text begin The language access plan must include how the district and its schools will use trained or certified spoken language interpreters for communication related to academic outcomes, progress, determinations, and placement of students in specialized programs and services; and how families and communities will be notified of their rights under this plan. new text end
new text begin The board must review the plan every two years and update the plan as appropriate. new text end
No pupil's rights or privileges, including the receipt of grades or diplomas may be denied or abridged for nonpayment of fees; but this provision does not prohibit a district from maintaining any action provided by law for the collection of fees authorized by sections 123B.36 and 123B.38.new text begin This provision applies to all Minnesota district school boards, charter school boards, and Tribal contract schools.new text end
By the earlier of (1) three weeks prior to the date by which a student must register for district courses for the following school year, or (2) March 1 of each year, a district must provide up-to-date information on the district's website and in materials that are distributed to parents and students about the program, including information about enrollment requirements and the ability to earn postsecondary credit to all pupils in grades 8, 9, 10, and 11. To assist the district in planning, a pupil must inform the district bynew text begin October 30 ornew text end May 30 of each year of the pupil's intent to enroll in postsecondary courses during the following deleted text begin school yeardeleted text end new text begin academic termnew text end . A pupil is bound by notifying or not notifying the district by new text begin October 30 or new text end May 30.
(a) An eligible pupil, according to subdivision 5, may enroll in a nonsectarian course taught by a secondary teacher or a postsecondary faculty member and offered at a secondary school, or another location, according to an agreement between a public school board and the governing body of an eligible public postsecondary system or an eligible private postsecondary institution, as defined in subdivision 3. All provisions of this section apply to a pupil, public school board, district, and the governing body of a postsecondary institution, except as otherwise provided.new text begin A secondary school and a postsecondary institution that enrolls eligible pupils in courses according to agreements must annually report to the commissioner the participation rates of pupils enrolled in courses according to agreements, including the number of pupils enrolled and the number of courses taken for postsecondary or dual credit.new text end
(b) To encourage students, especially American Indian students and students of color, to consider teaching as a profession, participating schools, school districts, and postsecondary institutions are encouraged to develop and offer an "Introduction to Teaching" or "Introduction to Education" course under this subdivision. For the purpose of applying for grants under this paragraph, "eligible institution" includes schools and districts that partner with an accredited college or university in addition to postsecondary institutions identified in subdivision 3, paragraph (a). Grant recipients under this paragraph must annually report to the commissioner in a form and manner determined by the commissioner on the participation rates of students in courses under this paragraph, including the number of students who apply for admission to colleges or universities with teacher preparation programs and the number of students of color and American Indian students who earned postsecondary credit. Grant recipients must also describe recruiting efforts intended to ensure that the percentage of participating students who are of color or American Indian meets or exceeds the overall percentage of students of color or American Indian students in the school.
(a) A postsecondary institution offering courses taught by the secondary teacher according to subdivision 10 must establish an advisory board. The purpose of the advisory board is to engage stakeholders in concurrent enrollment decisions. The duties of the board must include the following:
(1) providing strategic advice and input relating to concurrent enrollment issues;
(2) recommend and review proposals for concurrent enrollment course offerings;
(3) serve as a coordinating entity between secondary education and postsecondary institutions; and
(4) increase the understanding and collaboration among concurrent enrollment partners, stakeholders, the legislature, and the public.
(b) The advisory board at each institution must consist of 16 members in addition to a concurrent enrollment faculty coordinator who shall serve as the chair and convene the meetings. A postsecondary institution may elect to have an advisory board of less than 16 members if the institution determines that the extent of its concurrent program warrants a smaller board. Except for the original members, advisory board members must serve three-year staggered terms. Advisory board members, appointed by the postsecondary institution, must be balanced based on geography and school size, and include, if practical, representatives from the following:
(1) postsecondary faculty members;
(2) school superintendents;
new text begin (3) secondary and postsecondary students; new text end
deleted text begin (3)deleted text end new text begin (4)new text end high school principals;
deleted text begin (4)deleted text end new text begin (5)new text end concurrent enrollment teachers;
deleted text begin (5)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end high school counselors;
deleted text begin (6)deleted text end new text begin (7)new text end charter school administrators;
deleted text begin (7)deleted text end new text begin (8)new text end school board members;
deleted text begin (8)deleted text end new text begin (9)new text end secondary academic administrators;
deleted text begin (9)deleted text end new text begin (10)new text end parents; and
deleted text begin (10)deleted text end new text begin (11)new text end other local organizations.
(c) Members of the board serve without compensation.
(d) The board shall report to the postsecondary institution periodically as requested by the postsecondary institution to provide advice and proposals described in paragraph (a).
(e) The postsecondary institution shall provide administrative services and meeting space for the board to do its work.
(f) A board established under this section expires when the postsecondary institution no longer offers concurrent enrollment course offerings.
(g) The postsecondary institution shall appoint the first members to the advisory board by October 31, 2015, or by October 15 following the year it establishes a concurrent enrollment program. The postsecondary institution shall designate the terms of the first members so that an approximately equal number serve terms of two, three, and four years.
(a) A pupil must not audit a course under this section.
(b) A district must grant academic credit to a pupil enrolled in a course for secondary credit if the pupil successfully completes the course. Seven quarter or four semester college credits equal at least one full year of high school credit. Fewer college credits may be prorated. A district must also grant academic credit to a pupil enrolled in a course for postsecondary credit if secondary credit is requested by a pupil. If no comparable course is offered by the district, the district must, as soon as possible, notify the commissioner, who must determine the number of credits that must be granted to a pupil who successfully completes a course. If a comparable course is offered by the district, the school board must grant a comparable number of credits to the pupil. If there is a dispute between the district and the pupil regarding the number of credits granted for a particular course, the pupil may appeal the board's decision to the commissioner. The commissioner's decision regarding the number of credits is final.
(c) A school board must adopt a policy regarding weighted grade point averages for any high school or dual enrollment course. new text begin A school board must adopt an identical policy regarding weighted grade point averages for credits earned via postsecondary coursework as it gives to credits earned via concurrent enrollment coursework. new text end The policy must state whether the district offers weighted grades. A school board must annually publish on its website a list of courses for which a student may earn a weighted grade.
(d) The secondary credits granted to a pupil must be counted toward the graduation requirements and subject area requirements of the district. Evidence of successful completion of each course and secondary credits granted must be included in the pupil's secondary school record. A pupil must provide the school with a copy of the pupil's grades in each course taken for secondary credit under this section, including interim or nonfinal grades earned during the academic term. Upon the request of a pupil, the pupil's secondary school record must also include evidence of successful completion and credits granted for a course taken for postsecondary credit. In either case, the record must indicate that the credits were earned at a postsecondary institution.
(e) If a pupil enrolls in a postsecondary institution after leaving secondary school, the postsecondary institution must award postsecondary credit for any course successfully completed for secondary credit at that institution. Other postsecondary institutions may award, after a pupil leaves secondary school, postsecondary credit for any courses successfully completed under this section. An institution may not charge a pupil for the award of credit.
(f) The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota must, and private nonprofit and proprietary postsecondary institutions should, award postsecondary credit for any successfully completed courses in a program certified by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships offered according to an agreement under subdivision 10. Consistent with section 135A.101, subdivision 3, all MnSCU institutions must give full credit to a secondary pupil who completes for postsecondary credit a postsecondary course or program that is part or all of a goal area or a transfer curriculum at a MnSCU institution when the pupil enrolls in a MnSCU institution after leaving secondary school. Once one MnSCU institution certifies as completed a secondary student's postsecondary course or program that is part or all of a goal area or a transfer curriculum, every MnSCU institution must consider the student's course or program for that goal area or the transfer curriculum as completed.
Within deleted text begin tendeleted text end new text begin 30 calendarnew text end days after the deleted text begin enrollment of any pupil in an instructional program for English learnersdeleted text end new text begin beginning of the school yearnew text end , the districtnew text begin or charter schoolnew text end in which the deleted text begin pupil residesdeleted text end new text begin English learner identified for participation in an instructional program for English learners is enrollednew text end must notify the deleted text begin parent by maildeleted text end new text begin parentsnew text end . new text begin For those children who have not been identified as English learners prior to the beginning of the school year but are identified as English learners during that school year, the district or charter school shall notify the children's parents during the first two weeks of the child being placed in a language instruction educational program. new text end This notice must:
(1) be in writing in English and in the primary language of the pupil's parents;
(2) inform the parents that their child has been enrolled in an instructional program for English learners;
(3) contain a simple, nontechnical description of the purposes, method and content of the program;
(4) inform the parents that they have the right to visit the educational program for English learners in which their child is enrolled;
(5) inform the parents of the time and manner in which to request and receive a conference for the purpose of explaining the nature and purpose of the program; and
(6) inform the parents of their rights to withdraw their child from an educational program for English learners and the time and manner in which to do so.
The department shall, at the request of the district, prepare the notice in the primary language of the parent.
A district that enrolls one or more English learners must implement an educational program that includes at a minimum the following requirements:
(1) identification and reclassification criteria for English learners and program entrance and exit criteria for English learners must be documented by the district, applied uniformly to English learners, and made available to parents and other stakeholders upon request;
new text begin (2) language development instruction that is designed to effectively increase the language proficiency of English learners and that addresses Minnesota's English language development standards under Minnesota Rules, parts 3501.1200 and 3501.1210; new text end
deleted text begin (2)deleted text end new text begin (3)new text end a written plan of services that describes programming by English proficiency level made available to parents upon request. The plan must articulate the amount and scope of service offered to English learners through an educational program for English learners;
deleted text begin (3)deleted text end new text begin (4)new text end professional development opportunities for ESL, bilingual education, mainstream, and all staff working with English learners which are: (i) coordinated with the district's professional development activities; (ii) related to the needs of English learners; and (iii) ongoing;
deleted text begin (4)deleted text end new text begin (5)new text end to the extent possible, avoid isolating English learners for a substantial part of the school day; and
deleted text begin (5)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end in predominantly nonverbal subjects, such as art, music, and physical education, permit English learners to participate fully and on an equal basis with their contemporaries in public school classes provided for these subjects. To the extent possible, the district must assure to pupils enrolled in a program for English learners an equal and meaningful opportunity to participate fully with other pupils in all extracurricular activities.
new text begin Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the following school districts may publish their official proceedings on their websites instead of publishing them in a newspaper: Independent School District No. 720, Shakopee; Independent School District No. 717, Jordan; Independent School District No. 719, Prior Lake-Savage; and Independent School District No. 112, Eastern Carver County. This section expires August 1, 2026. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
new text begin In Minnesota Statutes, the revisor of statutes must substitute the term "comprehensive achievement and civic readiness" for "world's best workforce" wherever the term refers to Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.11. The revisor shall also make grammatical changes related to the change in terms. new text end
new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 120B.31, subdivisions 2 and 6, new text end new text begin are repealed. new text end
deleted text begin Beginning in 2024 and every even-numbered year thereafter,deleted text end The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must collaborate with the Department of Education and the Office of Higher Education to publish a summary report of each of the programs they administer and any other programs receiving state appropriations that have or include an explicit purpose of increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of the state's teacher workforce to more closely reflect the diversity of students. The report must include programs under sections 122A.59, 122A.63, 122A.635, 122A.70, 122A.73, 124D.09, 124D.861, 136A.1274, 136A.1276, and 136A.1791, along with any other programs or initiatives that receive state appropriations to address the shortage of teachers of color and American Indian teachers. The board must, in coordination with the Office of Higher Education and Department of Education, provide policy and funding recommendations related to state-funded programs to increase the recruitment, preparation, licensing, hiring, and retention of racially and ethnically diverse teachers and the state's progress toward meeting or exceeding the goals of this section. The report must include recommendations for state policy and funding needed to achieve the goals of this section, plans for sharing the report and activities of grant recipients, and opportunities among grant recipients of various programs to share effective practices with each other. The deleted text begin 2024deleted text end new text begin initialnew text end report mustnew text begin alsonew text end include a recommendation of whether a state advisory council should be established to address the shortage of racially and ethnically diverse teachers and what the composition and charge of such an advisory council would be if established. The board must consult with the Indian Affairs Council and other ethnic councils along with other community partners, including students of color and American Indian students, in developing the report. deleted text begin By November 3 of each odd-numbered year,deleted text end The board must submit the report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over education and higher education policy and financenew text begin by November 3, 2025, for the initial report, and by November 3 each even-numbered year thereafternew text end . The report must be available to the public on the board's website.
deleted text begin (a)deleted text end The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must deleted text begin survey the state's school districts and teacher preparation programs anddeleted text end new text begin submit anew text end report to the education committees of the legislature by deleted text begin February 1, 2019, and each odd-numbereddeleted text end new text begin November 1, 2025, and November 1 of each even-numberednew text end year thereafter, on the deleted text begin status of teacher earlydeleted text end new text begin supply and demand of teachers. The report must be made available on the board's website. The report must include data regarding:new text end
new text begin (1)new text end retirement patternsdeleted text begin , the access to effective and more diverse teachers who reflect the students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), enrolled in a district or school,deleted text end new text begin ;new text end
new text begin (2) teacher licensure; new text end
new text begin (3) teacher diversity, including whether the state's teacher workforce reflects the diversity of the state's student population; new text end
new text begin (4) new text end the teacher shortage, and the substitute teacher shortage, including patterns and shortages in licensure field areas and the economic development regions of the statedeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin ;new text end
new text begin (5) survey data from school districts and teacher preparation programs; and new text end
deleted text begin (b) The report must also include: deleted text end
deleted text begin (1) aggregate data on teachers' self-reported race and ethnicity; deleted text end
deleted text begin (2) data on howdeleted text end new text begin (6) whethernew text end districts are making progress in hiring teachers and substitute teachers in the areas of shortagedeleted text begin ; anddeleted text end new text begin .new text end
deleted text begin (3) a five-year projection of teacher demand for each district, taking into account the students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), expected to enroll in the district during that five-year period. deleted text end
new text begin A teacher preparation program is encouraged to include instruction for teacher candidates on ableism and disability justice, provided by a person with a disability and expertise related to ableism and disability justice. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
(a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must issue the following teacher licenses to applicants who meet the qualifications prescribed by this chapter:
(1) Tier 1 license under section 122A.181;
(2) Tier 2 license under section 122A.182;
(3) Tier 3 license under section 122A.183; and
(4) Tier 4 license under section 122A.184.
(b) The Board of School Administrators must license supervisory personnel as defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 2, except for athletic coaches.
(c) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board and the Department of Education must enter into a data sharing agreement to share:
(1) educational data at the E-12 level for the limited purpose of program approval and improvement for teacher education programs. The program approval process must include targeted redesign of teacher preparation programs to address identified E-12 student areas of concern; and
(2) data in the staff automated reporting system for the limited purpose of managing and processing funding to school districts and other entities.new text begin The board has authority to collect and retain nonlicensed staff data on behalf of the Department of Education. The board must share licensed and nonlicensed staff data with the department as outlined in the data sharing agreement required under section 122A.18, subdivision 1, paragraph (d). The department may access and use the data as required under federal or state law and for the purposes outlined in the data sharing agreement.new text end
(d) The Board of School Administrators and the Department of Education must enter into a data sharing agreement to share educational data at the E-12 level for the limited purpose of program approval and improvement for education administration programs. The program approval process must include targeted redesign of education administration preparation programs to address identified E-12 student areas of concern.
(e) For purposes of the data sharing agreements under paragraphs (c) and (d), the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, Board of School Administrators, and Department of Education may share private data, as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12, on teachers and school administrators. The data sharing agreements must not include educational data, as defined in section 13.32, subdivision 1, but may include summary data, as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 19, derived from educational data.
new text begin (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must approve an application for a Tier 1 license in a special education field if: new text end
new text begin (1) the application meets all the requirements under subdivision 1; new text end
new text begin (2) the district or charter school affirms that the applicant will receive high-quality professional development that is sustained, intensive, and classroom focused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction, before and while teaching; new text end
new text begin (3) the district or charter school affirms that the applicant will participate in a program of intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance and regular ongoing support for teachers or a teacher mentoring program; and new text end
new text begin (4) the applicant demonstrates satisfactory progress toward professional licensure. new text end
new text begin (b) A teacher with a Tier 1 license in a special education field may assume the functions as a teacher for a period of time not to exceed three years. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
deleted text begin (a)deleted text end An applicant for a Tier 1 license must have a bachelor's degree deleted text begin to teach a class or course outside a career and technical education or career pathways course of studydeleted text end new text begin , unless the applicant meets an exemption identified in subdivision 2anew text end .
deleted text begin (b) An applicant for a Tier 1 license must have one of the following credentials in a relevant content area to teach a class in a career and technical education or career pathways course of study: deleted text end
deleted text begin (1) an associate's degree; deleted text end
deleted text begin (2) a professional certification; or deleted text end
deleted text begin (3) five years of relevant work experience. deleted text end
new text begin The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must approve an application for a Tier 2 license in a special education field if: new text end
new text begin (1) the application meets all the requirements under subdivision 1; new text end
new text begin (2) the district or charter school affirms that the applicant will receive high-quality professional development that is sustained, intensive, and classroom focused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction, before and while teaching; new text end
new text begin (3) the district or charter school affirms that the applicant will participate in a program of intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance and regular ongoing support for teachers or a teacher mentoring program; and new text end
new text begin (4) the applicant demonstrates satisfactory progress toward professional licensure. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
An applicant for a Tier 3 license must meet the coursework requirement by demonstrating one of the following:
(1) completion of a Minnesota-approved teacher preparation program;
(2) completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program that includes field-specific student teaching equivalent to field-specific student teaching in Minnesota-approved teacher preparation programs. The field-specific student teaching requirement does not apply to an applicant that has two years of field-specific teaching experience;
(3) deleted text begin submission of a content-specificdeleted text end new text begin a recommendation for licensure through thenew text end licensure new text begin via new text end portfolionew text begin processnew text end ;
(4) a professional teaching license from another state, evidence that the applicant's license is in good standing, and two years of field-specific teaching experience; or
(5) three years of teaching experience under a Tier 2 license and evidence of summative teacher evaluations that did not result in placing or otherwise keeping the teacher on an improvement process pursuant to section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5.
The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must issue a Tier 4 license to an applicant who provides information sufficient to demonstrate all of the following:
(1) the applicant meets all requirements for a Tier 3 license under section 122A.183, andnew text begin :new text end new text begin (i) new text end has completed a teacher preparation program under section 122A.183, subdivision 2, clause (1) or (2)new text begin ; (ii) obtained licensure through the licensure via portfolio process under section 122A.183, subdivision 2, clause (3); or (iii) holds national board certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standardsnew text end ;
(2) the applicant has at least three years of field-specific teaching experience as a teacher of record;
(3) the applicant has obtained a passing score on all required licensure exams under section 122A.185; and
(4) if the applicant previously held a Tier 3 license under section 122A.183, the applicant has completed the renewal requirements in section 122A.187.
(a) The board must adopt rules requiring applicants for Tier 3 and Tier 4 licenses to pass an examination or performance assessment of general pedagogical knowledge and examinations or assessments of licensure field specific content. An applicant is exempt from the examination requirements if the applicant deleted text begin completeddeleted text end :
(1) new text begin completed new text end a board-approved teacher preparation program;
(2) new text begin completed new text end licensure via portfolio pursuant to section 122A.18, subdivision 10, and the portfolio has been deleted text begin approveddeleted text end new text begin recommendednew text end ; deleted text begin ordeleted text end
new text begin (3) obtained national board certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; or new text end
deleted text begin (3)deleted text end new text begin (4) completednew text end a state-approved teacher preparation program in another state and passed licensure examinations in that state, if applicable. The content examination requirement does not apply if no relevant content exam exists.
(b) All testing centers in the state must provide monthly opportunities for untimed content and pedagogy examinations. These opportunities must be advertised on the test registration website. The board must require the exam vendor to provide other equitable opportunities to pass exams, including: (1) waiving testing fees for test takers who qualify for federal grants; (2) providing free, multiple, full-length practice tests for each exam and free, comprehensive study guides on the test registration website; (3) making content and pedagogy exams available in languages other than English for teachers seeking licensure to teach in language immersion programs; and (4) providing free, detailed exam results analysis by test objective to assist applicants who do not pass an exam in identifying areas for improvement. Any applicant who has not passed a required exam after two attempts must be allowed to retake the exam, including new versions of the exam, without being charged an additional fee.
The board and the entity administering the contentdeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin andnew text end pedagogydeleted text begin , and skillsdeleted text end examinations must allow any individual who produces documentation of a disability in the form of an evaluation, 504 plan, or individual education program (IEP) to receive the same testing accommodations on the contentdeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin andnew text end pedagogydeleted text begin , and skillsdeleted text end examinations that the applicant received during the applicant's secondary or postsecondary education.
new text begin A school district or charter school may not place a teacher in a teaching assignment if the teacher has been criminally charged in state or federal court with any of the offenses listed in subdivision 1, paragraph (b), or is charged with any other offense not listed in this section that requires the person to register as a predatory offender under section 243.166, or a crime under a similar law of another state or the United States. new text end
new text begin (a) new text end Notwithstanding section 122A.58, a person employed as a head varsity coach has an annual contract as a coach that the school board may or may not renew as the board sees fit.
new text begin (b) A school board must provide written notice to a coach whose contract the school board declines to renew for the following school year no more than 60 days after the end of the regular season for the activity, as established by the high school league under chapter 128C. The notice requirement of this paragraph does not apply if the school board declines to renew the contract based on the coach's misconduct or failure to perform duties, or the district's financial limitations. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
(a) To improve student learning and success, a school board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in the district, consistent with paragraph (b), may develop a teacher evaluation and peer review process for probationary and continuing contract teachers through joint agreement. If a school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers do not agree to an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process, then the school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers must implement the state teacher evaluation plan under paragraph (c). The process must include having trained observers serve as peer coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning communities, consistent with paragraph (b).
(b) To develop, improve, and support qualified teachers and effective teaching practices, improve student learning and success, and provide all enrolled students in a district or school with improved and equitable access to more effective and diverse teachers, the annual evaluation process for teachers:
(1) must, for probationary teachers, provide for all evaluations required under subdivision 5;
(2) must establish a three-year professional review cycle for each teacher that includes an individual growth and development plan, a peer review process, and at least one summative evaluation performed by a qualified and trained evaluator such as a school administrator. For the years when a tenured teacher is not evaluated by a qualified and trained evaluator, the teacher must be evaluated by a peer review;
(3) must include a rubric of performance standards for teacher practice that: (i) is based on deleted text begin professional teaching standards established in ruledeleted text end new text begin the standards of effective practice in Minnesota Rules, part 8710.2000new text end ; (ii) includes culturally responsive methodologies; and (iii) provides common descriptions of effectiveness using at least three levels of performance;
(4) must coordinate staff development activities under sections 122A.60 and 122A.61 with this evaluation process and teachers' evaluation outcomes;
(5) may provide time during the school day and school year for peer coaching and teacher collaboration;
(6) may include job-embedded learning opportunities such as professional learning communities;
(7) may include mentoring and induction programs for teachers, including teachers who are members of populations underrepresented among the licensed teachers in the district or school and who reflect the diversity of students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), who are enrolled in the district or school;
(8) must include an option for teachers to develop and present a portfolio demonstrating evidence of reflection and professional growth, consistent with section 122A.187, subdivision 3, and include teachers' own performance assessment based on student work samples and examples of teachers' work, which may include video among other activities for the summative evaluation;
(9) must use data from valid and reliable assessments aligned to state and local academic standards and must use state and local measures of student growth and literacy that may include value-added models or student learning goals to determine 35 percent of teacher evaluation results;
(10) must use longitudinal data on student engagement and connection, and other student outcome measures explicitly aligned with the elements of curriculum for which teachers are responsible, including academic literacy, oral academic language, and achievement of content areas of English learners;
(11) must require qualified and trained evaluators such as school administrators to perform summative evaluations and ensure school districts and charter schools provide for effective evaluator training specific to teacher development and evaluation;
(12) must give teachers not meeting professional teaching standards under clauses (3) to (11) support to improve through a teacher improvement process that includes established goals and timelines; and
(13) must discipline a teacher for not making adequate progress in the teacher improvement process under clause (12) that may include a last chance warning, termination, discharge, nonrenewal, transfer to a different position, a leave of absence, or other discipline a school administrator determines is appropriate.
Data on individual teachers generated under this subdivision are personnel data under section 13.43. The observation and interview notes of peer coaches may only be disclosed to other school officials with the consent of the teacher being coached.
(c) The department, in consultation with parents who may represent parent organizations and teacher and administrator representatives appointed by their respective organizations, representing the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, the Minnesota School Boards Association, the Minnesota Elementary and Secondary Principals Associations, Education Minnesota, and representatives of the Minnesota Assessment Group, the Minnesota Business Partnership, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and Minnesota postsecondary institutions with research expertise in teacher evaluation, must create and publish a teacher evaluation process that complies with the requirements in paragraph (b) and applies to all teachers under this section and section 122A.41 for whom no agreement exists under paragraph (a) for an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process. The teacher evaluation process created under this subdivision does not create additional due process rights for probationary teachers under subdivision 5.
(d) Consistent with the measures of teacher effectiveness under this subdivision:
(1) for students in kindergarten through grade 4, a school administrator must not place or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school teaches that grade; and
(2) for students in grades 5 through 12, a school administrator must not place or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school teaches that subject area and grade.
All data created and used under this paragraph retains its classification under chapter 13.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2025. new text end
(a) To improve student learning and success, a school board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in the district, consistent with paragraph (b), may develop an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process for probationary and nonprobationary teachers through joint agreement. If a school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers in the district do not agree to an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process, then the school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers must implement the state teacher evaluation plan developed under paragraph (c). The process must include having trained observers serve as peer coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning communities, consistent with paragraph (b).
(b) To develop, improve, and support qualified teachers and effective teaching practices and improve student learning and success, and provide all enrolled students in a district or school with improved and equitable access to more effective and diverse teachers, the annual evaluation process for teachers:
(1) must, for probationary teachers, provide for all evaluations required under subdivision 2;
(2) must establish a three-year professional review cycle for each teacher that includes an individual growth and development plan, a peer review process, and at least one summative evaluation performed by a qualified and trained evaluator such as a school administrator;
(3) must include a rubric of performance standards for teacher practice that: (i) is based on deleted text begin professional teaching standards established in ruledeleted text end new text begin the standards of effective practice in Minnesota Rules, part 8710.2000new text end ; (ii) includes culturally responsive methodologies; and (iii) provides common descriptions of effectiveness using at least three levels of performance;
(4) must coordinate staff development activities under sections 122A.60 and 122A.61 with this evaluation process and teachers' evaluation outcomes;
(5) may provide time during the school day and school year for peer coaching and teacher collaboration;
(6) may include job-embedded learning opportunities such as professional learning communities;
(7) may include mentoring and induction programs for teachers, including teachers who are members of populations underrepresented among the licensed teachers in the district or school and who reflect the diversity of students under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), who are enrolled in the district or school;
(8) must include an option for teachers to develop and present a portfolio demonstrating evidence of reflection and professional growth, consistent with section 122A.187, subdivision 3, and include teachers' own performance assessment based on student work samples and examples of teachers' work, which may include video among other activities for the summative evaluation;
(9) must use data from valid and reliable assessments aligned to state and local academic standards and must use state and local measures of student growth and literacy that may include value-added models or student learning goals to determine 35 percent of teacher evaluation results;
(10) must use longitudinal data on student engagement and connection and other student outcome measures explicitly aligned with the elements of curriculum for which teachers are responsible, including academic literacy, oral academic language, and achievement of English learners;
(11) must require qualified and trained evaluators such as school administrators to perform summative evaluations and ensure school districts and charter schools provide for effective evaluator training specific to teacher development and evaluation;
(12) must give teachers not meeting professional teaching standards under clauses (3) to (11) support to improve through a teacher improvement process that includes established goals and timelines; and
(13) must discipline a teacher for not making adequate progress in the teacher improvement process under clause (12) that may include a last chance warning, termination, discharge, nonrenewal, transfer to a different position, a leave of absence, or other discipline a school administrator determines is appropriate.
Data on individual teachers generated under this subdivision are personnel data under section 13.43. The observation and interview notes of peer coaches may only be disclosed to other school officials with the consent of the teacher being coached.
(c) The department, in consultation with parents who may represent parent organizations and teacher and administrator representatives appointed by their respective organizations, representing the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, the Minnesota School Boards Association, the Minnesota Elementary and Secondary Principals Associations, Education Minnesota, and representatives of the Minnesota Assessment Group, the Minnesota Business Partnership, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and Minnesota postsecondary institutions with research expertise in teacher evaluation, must create and publish a teacher evaluation process that complies with the requirements in paragraph (b) and applies to all teachers under this section and section 122A.40 for whom no agreement exists under paragraph (a) for an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process. The teacher evaluation process created under this subdivision does not create additional due process rights for probationary teachers under subdivision 2.
(d) Consistent with the measures of teacher effectiveness under this subdivision:
(1) for students in kindergarten through grade 4, a school administrator must not place or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school teaches that grade; and
(2) for students in grades 5 through 12, a school administrator must not place or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school teaches that subject area and grade.
All data created and used under this paragraph retains its classification under chapter 13.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2025. new text end
new text begin A school district or charter school is encouraged to include training on ableism and disability justice provided by a person with a disability and expertise related to ableism and disability justice in its professional development activities for teachers and paraprofessionals, Title I aides, and other instructional support staff. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
"Heritage language and culture deleted text begin teachersdeleted text end new text begin teachernew text end " means deleted text begin teachersdeleted text end new text begin a teacher new text end with a new text begin familial new text end connection to deleted text begin adeleted text end new text begin theirnew text end community's language and culturenew text begin ,new text end who deleted text begin usedeleted text end new text begin is proficient in the language and engaged in the culture, and usesnew text end this connection to support students as they learn academic content deleted text begin ordeleted text end new text begin , become proficient innew text end the languagenew text begin ,new text end andnew text begin engage with thenew text end culture of that particular community.new text begin For the purposes of this section, a heritage language and culture teacher of American Sign Language is a teacher with a childhood connection to American Sign Language and whose primary language is American Sign Language.new text end
(a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board shall develop a program to support initial and additional licensure for heritage language and culture teachers. new text begin The board may prioritize the participation of heritage language and culture teachers whose own heritage language is within the most common languages spoken by Minnesota students, as indicated by the Department of Education report on primary home languages, and for which there are fewer teacher preparation programs for that licensure area or fewer teachers that hold a license in that area. new text end The program must include:
(1) a yearlong mentorship program;
(2) monthly meetings where applicants receive guidance on completing the portfolio process from a portfolio liaison, dedicated specifically to facilitating this program;
(3) a stipend to cover substitute teachers when meetings take place during the school day;
(4) a waiver for all portfolio and licensure testing fees; and
(5) a portfolio review committee created by the board.
(b) For applicants seeking an initial license in a world language and culture, the applicant must demonstrate meeting the standards of effective practice in Minnesota Rules, part 8710.2000, and content-specific pedagogical standards in Minnesota Rules, part 8710.4950, through the portfolio process.
(c) For applicants seeking a dual license, the applicant must demonstrate meeting the standards of effective practice in Minnesota Rules, part 8710.2000, content-specific pedagogical standards in Minnesota Rules, part 8710.4950, and all standards for the chosen dual license through the portfolio process.
(d) For applicants seeking an additional license in a world language and culture, the applicant must demonstrate meeting the content-specific pedagogical standards in Minnesota Rules, part 8710.4950.
new text begin (a) new text end The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must make grant application forms available to sites interested in developing, sustaining, or expanding a mentorship program.
new text begin (b) The following applicants are eligible for a program grant: new text end
new text begin (1) new text end a school district deleted text begin or group of school districts, a school or coalition of schools, or a coalition of teachers may apply for a program grant.deleted text end new text begin , charter school, or cooperative unit, on behalf of its participating schools sites;new text end
new text begin (2) a Tribal contract school; new text end
new text begin (3) a coalition of teachers; and new text end
new text begin (4) a coalition of two or more applicants that are individually eligible for a grant. new text end
A higher education institution or nonprofit organization may partner with deleted text begin adeleted text end new text begin an eligiblenew text end grant applicant but is not eligible as a sole applicant for grant funds.
new text begin (c)new text end The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, in consultation with the teacher mentoring task force, must approve or disapprove the applications. To the extent possible, the approved applications must reflect effective mentoring, professional development, and retention components, and be geographically distributed throughout the state. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must encourage the selected sites to consider the use of its assessment procedures.
new text begin (a) new text end new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 122A.2451, subdivision 9, new text end new text begin is repealed. new text end
new text begin (b) new text end new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 122A.185, subdivision 4, new text end new text begin is repealed. new text end
Sections deleted text begin 120B.1117deleted text end new text begin 120B.118new text end to 120B.124 may be cited as the "Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act" or the "Read Act."
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
new text begin "Certified trained facilitator" means a person employed by a district or regional literacy network who has completed professional development approved by the Department of Education in structured literacy, completed the vendor's certification prerequisites and facilitator training requirements, completed the vendor's annual recertification requirements, remains in good standing with the sponsoring agency and vendor, uses the vendor's training materials with fidelity, and participates in mentoring or coaching provided by CAREI and the Department of Education on facilitating literacy training. A literacy lead who meets the requirements under this subdivision may be a certified trained facilitator. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
"Literacy specialist" means a person licensed by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board as a teacher of reading, a special education teacher, or a kindergarten through grade 6 teacher, who has completed professional development approved by the Department of Education in structured literacy. deleted text begin A literacy specialist employed by the department under section 120B.123, subdivision 7, or by a district as a literacy lead, is not required to complete the approved training before August 30, 2025.deleted text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
"Oral language," also called "spoken language," includes speaking and listening, and consists of five components: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.new text begin Oral language also includes sign language, in which speaking and listening skills are defined as expressive and receptive skills, and consists of phonology, including sign language phonological awareness, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
(a) The legislature seeks to have every child reading at or above grade level every year, beginning in kindergarten, and to support multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in achieving their individualized reading goalsnew text begin in order to meet grade-level proficiencynew text end . By the 2026-2027 school year, districts must provide evidence-based reading instruction through a focus on student mastery of the foundational reading skills of phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency, as well as the development of oral language, vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills. Students must receive evidence-based instruction that is proven to effectively teach children to read, consistent with sections deleted text begin 120B.1117deleted text end new text begin 120B.118new text end to 120B.124.
(b) To meet this goal, each district must provide teachers and instructional support staff with responsibility for teaching reading with training on evidence-based reading instruction that is approved by the Department of Education by the deadlines provided in deleted text begin this subdivisiondeleted text end new text begin section 120B.123, subdivision 5new text end . deleted text begin The commissioner may grant a district an extension to the deadlines in this paragraph. Beginning July 1, 2024, a district must provide access to the training required under section 120B.123, subdivision 5, to:deleted text end
deleted text begin (1) intervention teachers working with students in kindergarten through grade 12; deleted text end
deleted text begin (2) all classroom teachers of students in kindergarten through grade 3 and children in prekindergarten programs; deleted text end
deleted text begin (3) special education teachers; deleted text end
deleted text begin (4) curriculum directors; deleted text end
deleted text begin (5) instructional support staff who provide reading instruction; and deleted text end
(deleted text begin 6) employees who select literacy instructional materials for a district.deleted text end
deleted text begin (c) All other teachers and instructional staff required to receive training under the Read Act must complete the training no later than July 1, 2027. deleted text end
deleted text begin (d)deleted text end new text begin (c)new text end Districts are strongly encouraged to adopt a MTSS framework. The framework should include a process for monitoring student progress, evaluating program fidelity, and analyzing student outcomes and needs in order to design and implement ongoing evidenced-based instruction and interventions.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
(a) deleted text begin Twice per year,deleted text end Each school district must screen every student enrolled in kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 using a screening tool approved by the Department of Educationnew text begin three times each school year: (1) within the first six weeks of the school year; (2) by February 15 each year; and (3) within the last six weeks of the school yearnew text end . Students enrolled in kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3, including multilingual learners and students receiving special education services, must be universally screened for mastery of foundational reading skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, oral language, and for characteristics of dyslexia as measured by a screening tool approved by the Department of Education. The screening for characteristics of dyslexia may be integrated with universal screening for mastery of foundational skills and oral language. A district must submit data on student performance in kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 on foundational reading skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, and oral language to the Department of Education in the annual local literacy plan submission due on June 15.
(b) Students in grades 4 and above, including multilingual learners and students receiving special education services, who do not demonstrate mastery of foundational reading skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, and oral language, must be screened using a screening tool approved by the Department of Education for characteristics of dyslexia, and must continue to receive evidence-based instruction, interventions, and progress monitoring until the students achieve grade-level proficiency. A parent, in consultation with a teacher, may opt a student out of the literacy screener if the parent and teacher decide that continuing to screen would not be beneficial to the student. In such limited cases, the student must continue to receive progress monitoring and literacy interventions.
(c) Reading screeners in English, and in the predominant languages of district students where practicable, must identify and evaluate students' areas of academic need related to literacy. The district also must monitor the progress and provide reading instruction appropriate to the specific needs of multilingual learners. The district must use an approved, developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive screener and annually report summary screener results to the commissioner by June 15 in the form and manner determined by the commissioner.
(d) The district also must include in its literacy plan under subdivision 4a, a summary of the district's efforts to screen, identify, and provide interventions to students who demonstrate characteristics of dyslexia as measured by a screening tool approved by the Department of Education. Districts are strongly encouraged to use deleted text begin thedeleted text end new text begin anew text end MTSS framework. With respect to students screened or identified under paragraph (a), the report must include:
(1) a summary of the district's efforts to screen for dyslexia;
(2) the number of students universally screened for that reporting year;
(3) the number of students demonstrating characteristics of dyslexia for that year; and
(4) an explanation of how students identified under this subdivision are provided with alternate instruction and interventions under section 125A.56, subdivision 1.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
A district must administer deleted text begin adeleted text end new text begin an approvednew text end reading screener to students in kindergarten through grade 3 within the first six weeks of the school year,new text begin by February 15 each year,new text end and again within the last six weeks of the school year. Schools, deleted text begin at least biannuallydeleted text end after administering each screener, must give the parent of each student who is not reading at or above grade level timely information about:
(1) the student's reading proficiency as measured by a screener approved by the Department of Education;
(2) reading-related services currently being provided to the student and the student's progress; and
(3) strategies for parents to use at home in helping their student succeed in becoming grade-level proficient in reading in English and in their native language.
A district may not use this section to deny a student's right to a special education evaluation.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
(a) For each student identified under subdivision 2, the district shall provide reading intervention to accelerate student growth and reach the goal of reading at or above grade level by the end of the current grade and school year. A district is encouraged to provide reading intervention through a MTSS framework. If a student does not read at or above grade level by the end of the current school year, the district must continue to provide reading intervention until the student reads at grade level. District intervention methods shall encourage family engagement and, where possible, collaboration with appropriate school and community programs that specialize in evidence-based instructional practices and measure mastery of foundational reading skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, and oral language. deleted text begin By the 2025-2026 school year, intervention programs must be taught by an intervention teacher or special education teacher who has successfully completed training in evidence-based reading instruction approved by the Department of Education.deleted text end Intervention may include but is not limited to requiring student attendance in summer school, intensified reading instruction that may require that the student be removed from the regular classroom for part of the school day, extended-day programs, or programs that strengthen students' cultural connections.
(b) A district or charter school is strongly encouraged to provide a personal learning plan for a student who is unable to demonstrate grade-level proficiency, as measured by the statewide reading assessment in grade 3 or a screener identified by the Department of Education under section 120B.123. The district or charter school must determine the format of the personal learning plan in collaboration with the student's educators and other appropriate professionals. The school must develop the learning plan in consultation with the student's parent or guardian. The personal learning plan must include targeted instruction that is evidence-based and ongoing progress monitoring, and address knowledge gaps and skill deficiencies through strategies such as specific exercises and practices during and outside of the regular school day, group interventions, periodic assessments or screeners, and reasonable timelines. The personal learning plan may include grade retention, if it is in the student's best interest; a student may not be retained solely due to delays in literacy or not demonstrating grade-level proficiency. A school must maintain and regularly update and modify the personal learning plan until the student reads at grade level. This paragraph does not apply to a student under an individualized education program.
new text begin (c) Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, a district must use only evidence-based literacy interventions. Districts are strongly encouraged to use intervention materials approved by the Department of Education under the Read Act. new text end
new text begin (d) Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, to provide a Tier 2 literacy intervention, a paraprofessional or other unlicensed person, including a volunteer, must be supervised by a licensed teacher who has completed training in evidence-based reading instruction approved by the Department of Education, and has completed evidence-based training developed under the Read Act by CAREI or the regional literacy networks under section 120B.124, subdivision 4, or a training that the department has determined meets or exceeds the requirements of section 120B.124, subdivision 4. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
(a) A district must provide training on evidence-based deleted text begin readingdeleted text end new text begin structured literacynew text end instruction to teachers and instructional staff in accordance with subdivision 1, deleted text begin paragraphdeleted text end new text begin paragraphsnew text end (b)new text begin and (c)new text end . The training must include teaching in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy.
(b) Each district shall use the data under subdivision 2 to identify the staff development needs so that:
(1) elementary teachers are able to implement explicit, systematic, evidence-based instruction in the five reading areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension with emphasis on mastery of foundational reading skills as defined in section deleted text begin 120B.1118deleted text end new text begin 120B.119new text end and other literacy-related areas including writing until the student achieves grade-level reading and writing proficiency;
(2) elementary teachers deleted text begin have sufficientdeleted text end new text begin receivenew text end training to provide students with evidence-based reading and oral language instruction that meets students' developmental, linguistic, and literacy needs using the intervention methods or programs selected by the district for the identified students;
(3) licensed teachers employed by the district have deleted text begin regulardeleted text end opportunities to improve reading and writing instructionnew text begin through approved professional development identified in the local literacy plannew text end ;
(4) licensed teachers recognize students' diverse needs in cross-cultural settings and are able to serve the oral language and linguistic needs of students who are multilingual learners by maximizing strengths in their native languages in order to cultivate students' English language development, including oral academic language development, and build academic literacy; and
(5) licensed teachers are deleted text begin welldeleted text end trained in culturally responsive pedagogy that enables students to master content, develop skills to access content, and build relationships.
(c) A district new text begin that offers early childhood programs, including voluntary prekindergarten for eligible four-year-old children, early childhood special education, and school readiness programs, new text end must provide deleted text begin staffdeleted text end new text begin classroom teachersnew text end in early childhood programs deleted text begin sufficientdeleted text end training new text begin approved by the Department of Education new text end to provide children in early childhood programs with explicit, systematic instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness; oral language, including listening comprehension; vocabulary; and letter-sound correspondence.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
(a) Consistent with this section, a school district must adopt a local literacy plan to have every child reading at or above grade level every year beginning in kindergarten and to support multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in achieving their individualized reading goals. A district must update and submit the plan to the commissioner by June 15 each year. The plan must be consistent with the Read Act, and include the following:
(1) a process to assess students' foundational reading skills, oral language, and level of reading proficiency and the new text begin approved new text end screeners used, by school site and grade level, under section 120B.123;
(2) a process to notify and involve parents;
(3) a description of how schools in the district will determine the targeted reading instruction that is evidence-based and includes an intervention strategy for a student and the process for intensifying or modifying the reading strategy in order to obtain measurable reading progress;
(4) evidence-based intervention methods for students who are not reading at or above grade level and progress monitoring to provide information on the effectiveness of the intervention;
(5) identification of staff development needs, including a plan to meet those needs;
(6) the curricula used by school site and grade levelnew text begin and, if applicable, the district plan and timeline for adopting approved curricula and materials starting in the 2025-2026 school yearnew text end ;
(7) a statement of whether the district has adopted a MTSS framework;
(8) student data using the measures of foundational literacy skills and mastery identified by the Department of Education for the following students:
(i) students in kindergarten through grade 3;
(ii) students who demonstrate characteristics of dyslexia; and
(iii) students in grades 4 to 12 who are identified as not reading at grade level; deleted text begin anddeleted text end
(9) the number of teachers and other staff deleted text begin thatdeleted text end new text begin whonew text end have completed training approved by the departmentdeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin ;new text end
new text begin (10) the number of teachers and other staff proposed for training in structured literacy; and new text end
new text begin (11) how the district used funding provided under the Read Act to implement the requirements of the Read Act. new text end
(b) The district must post its literacy plan on the official school district website and submit it to the commissioner of education using the template developed by the commissioner of education beginning June 15, 2024.
(c) By March 1, 2024, the commissioner of education must develop a streamlined template for local literacy plans that meets the requirements of this subdivision and requires all reading instruction and teacher training in reading instruction to be evidence-based. The template must require a district to report information using the student categories required in the commissioner's report under paragraph (d). The template must focus district resources on improving students' foundational reading skills while reducing paperwork requirements for teachers.
(d) By December 1, 2025, the commissioner of education must submit a report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over prekindergarten through grade 12 education summarizing the local literacy plans submitted to the commissioner. The summary must include the following information:
(1) the number of teachers and other staff deleted text begin thatdeleted text end new text begin whonew text end have completed training approved by the Department of Education;
new text begin (2) the number of teachers and other staff required to complete the training under section 120B.123, subdivision 5, who have not completed the training; new text end
new text begin (3) the number of teachers exempt under section 120B.123, subdivision 5, from completing training approved by the Department of Education; new text end
deleted text begin (2)deleted text end new text begin (4)new text end by school site and grade, the new text begin approved new text end screeners deleted text begin used at the beginning and end of the school yeardeleted text end and the reading curriculum used; and
deleted text begin (3)deleted text end new text begin (5)new text end by school site and grade, using the measurements of foundational literacy skills and mastery identified by the department, both aggregated data and disaggregated datanew text begin on student performance on the approved screenersnew text end using the student categories under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clause (2).
new text begin (e) By December 1, 2026, and December 1, 2027, the commissioner of education must submit updated reports containing the information required under paragraph (d) to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over prekindergarten through grade 12 education. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
new text begin (a) new text end A district must administer an approved evidence-based reading screener to students in kindergarten through grade 3 within the first six weeks of the school year, new text begin by February 15 each year, new text end and again within the last six weeks of the school year. The screener must be one of the screening tools approved by the Department of Education. A district must identify any screener it uses in the district's annual literacy plan, and submit screening data with the annual literacy plan by June 15.
new text begin (b) Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, district staff, contractors, and volunteers may only use screeners that have been approved by the Department of Education. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
A district must implement progress monitoring, as defined in section deleted text begin 120B.1118deleted text end new text begin 120B.119new text end , for a student not reading at grade level.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
new text begin (a) new text end A district must provide training from a menu of approved evidence-based training programs to deleted text begin alldeleted text end new text begin the following teachers and staff by July 1, 2026:new text end
new text begin (1)new text end reading intervention teachersdeleted text begin , literacy specialists, and other teachers and staff identified in section 120B.12, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), by July 1, 2025; and by July 1, 2027, to other teachers in the district, prioritizing teachers who work with students with disabilities, English learners, and students who qualify for the graduation incentives program under section 124D.68.deleted text end new text begin working with students in kindergarten through grade 12;new text end
new text begin (2) all classroom teachers of students in kindergarten through grade 3 and children in prekindergarten programs; new text end
new text begin (3) special education teachers; new text end
new text begin (4) curriculum directors; new text end
new text begin (5) instructional support staff, contractors, and volunteers who assist in providing Tier 2 interventions; new text end
new text begin (6) employees who select literacy instructional materials for a district; and new text end
new text begin (7) teachers licensed to teach English to multilingual learners. new text end
new text begin (b) A district must provide training from a menu of approved evidence-based training programs to the following teachers by July 1, 2027: new text end
new text begin (1) teachers who provide reading instruction to students in grades 4 to 12; and new text end
new text begin (2) teachers who provide instruction to students in a state-approved alternative program. new text end
new text begin (c)new text end The commissioner of education may grant a district an extension to the deadlines in this subdivision.
new text begin (d) Training provided by a department-approved certified trained facilitator may satisfy the professional development requirements under this subdivision. new text end
new text begin (e) For the 2024-2025 school year only, the hours of instruction requirement under section 120A.41 for students in an elementary school, as defined in section 120A.05, subdivision 9, is reduced by 5-1/2 hours for a district that enters into an agreement with the exclusive representative of the teachers that requires teachers to receive at least 5-1/2 hours of approved evidence-based training required under this subdivision, on a day when other students in the district receive instruction. If a charter school's teachers are not represented by an exclusive representative, the charter school may reduce the number of instructional hours for students in an elementary school, as defined in section 120A.05, subdivision 9, by 5-1/2 hours after consulting with its teachers in order to provide teachers with at least 5-1/2 hours of evidence-based training required under this subdivision on a day when other students receive instruction. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
(a) By July 1, 2023, the department must make available to districts a list of approved evidence-based screeners in accordance with section 120B.12. A district must use an approved screener to assess students' mastery of foundational reading skills in accordance with section 120B.12.
(b) The Department of Education must partner with CAREI as required under section 120B.124 to approve professional development programs, subject to final determination by the department. After the implementation partnership under section 120B.124 ends, the department must continue to regularly provide districts with information about professional development opportunities available throughout the state on reading instruction that is evidence-based.
(c) The department new text begin and CAREI new text end must identify training required for a literacy lead and literacy specialist employed by a district or Minnesota service cooperatives.
(d) The department must employ deleted text begin adeleted text end new text begin one or morenew text end literacy deleted text begin specialistdeleted text end new text begin specialistsnew text end to provide support to districts implementing the Read Act and coordinate duties assigned to the department under the Read Act. The literacy specialist must work on state efforts to improve literacy tracking and implementation.
(e) The department must develop a template for a local literacy plan in accordance with section 120B.12, subdivision 4a.
new text begin (f) The department must partner with CAREI as required under section 120B.124 to approve literacy intervention models, subject to final determination by the department. The department must make a list of the 15 approved evidence-based intervention models available to districts as they are approved by CAREI, starting November 1, 2025. Upon approval of the evidence-based intervention models, the department must ensure the models are reviewed by a contracted third party for culturally responsive guidance and materials, and make those findings available to districts once the review process is complete. The department must notify districts of the two-step review process for all materials approved under the Read Act for effectiveness as evidence-based structured literacy, and for cultural responsiveness. new text end
new text begin (g) The department and CAREI must provide ongoing coaching, mentoring, and support to certified trained facilitators. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
new text begin (a) new text end The department and CAREI must provide districts an opportunity to request that the department and CAREI add to the list of curricula or professional development programs a specific curriculum or professional development program. The department must publish the request for reconsideration procedure on the department website. A request for reconsideration must demonstrate that the curriculum or professional development program meets the requirements of the Read Act, is evidence-based, and has structured literacy componentsdeleted text begin ; or that the screener accurately measures literacy growth, monitors progress, and accurately assesses effective reading, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehensiondeleted text end . The department and CAREI must review the request for reconsideration and approve or deny the request within 60 days.
new text begin (b) The department and CAREI must conduct a final curriculum review of previously submitted curriculum by March 3, 2025, to review curriculum that is available to districts at no cost. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
new text begin The department may partner with one or more institutions of higher education to conduct independent and objective reviews of curriculum and intervention materials. The department must determine whether it will partner with an institution of higher education to conduct ongoing reviews of literacy materials by June 1, 2026. A publisher may submit curriculum or intervention materials for review. The publisher is responsible for paying the cost of the review directly to the institution of higher education. The review must use the rubric used to approve curriculum under subdivision 1. The department and institution of higher education may approve the curriculum or intervention materials if they determine that the curriculum or intervention materials are evidence-based, focused on structured literacy, culturally and linguistically responsive, and reflect diverse populations. The department must add the approved curriculum or intervention materials to the list of curricula and materials approved under the Read Act. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
new text begin Starting in 2033, the department and an institution of higher education may partner to conduct a comprehensive review of curriculum and intervention materials to identify literacy curriculum and supporting materials, and intervention materials that are evidence-based, focused on structured literacy, culturally and linguistically responsive, and reflect diverse populations. The department must revise the list of approved curriculum and supporting materials, and intervention materials based on the findings of the review. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
(a) A Minnesota reading corps program is established to provide ServeMinnesota AmeriCorps members with a data-based problem-solving model of literacy instruction to use in helping to train local Head Start program providers, other prekindergarten program providers, and staff in schools with students in kindergarten through grade 3 to evaluate and teach early literacy skills, including evidence-based literacy instruction under sections 120B.1117 to 120B.124, to children age 3 to grade 3 and interventions for children in kindergarten to grade deleted text begin 12deleted text end new text begin 3new text end .
(b) Literacy programs under this subdivision must comply with the provisions governing literacy program goals and data use under section 119A.50, subdivision 3, paragraph (b).
new text begin (c) Literacy programs under this subdivision must use evidence-based reading instruction and interventions focused on structured literacy. ServeMinnesota must demonstrate to the department that the training AmeriCorps members receive meets or exceeds the requirements of section 120B.124, subdivision 4, for volunteers. Minnesota Reading Corps AmeriCorps members are not required to complete the training under section 120B.24, subdivision 4. new text end
deleted text begin (c)deleted text end new text begin (d)new text end The commission must submit a biennial report to the committees of the legislature with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education that records and evaluates program data to determine the efficacy of the programs under this subdivision.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
new text begin (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must conduct an audit that evaluates whether and how approved teacher training programs for candidates for the following licensure areas meet subject matter standards for reading: new text end
new text begin (1) early childhood education in accordance with Minnesota Rules, part 8710.3000; new text end
new text begin (2) elementary education in accordance with Minnesota Rules, part 8710.3200; and new text end
new text begin (3) special education in accordance with Minnesota Rules, part 8710.5000. new text end
new text begin (b) The board must submit an initial report with its findings to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 and higher education by January 15, 2025, and a final report by August 1, 2026. Each report must: new text end
new text begin (1) identify the reading standards for each licensure area; identify how they are aligned to the requirements of the Read Act, including requirements on evidence-based instruction, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency, and reading comprehension; and identify how they are aligned to the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.092, subdivision 5; new text end
new text begin (2) describe how the board conducted the audit; new text end
new text begin (3) identify the results of the audit; and new text end
new text begin (4) summarize the program effectiveness reports for continuing approval related to reading standards reviewed by the board, including the board determinations under Minnesota Rules, part 8705.2200. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
new text begin The revisor of statutes shall renumber each section of Minnesota Statutes listed in column A with the number listed in column B. The revisor shall also make necessary cross-reference changes consistent with the renumbering. The revisor shall also make any technical and other changes necessitated by the renumbering and cross-reference changes in this act. new text end
new text begin Column A new text end | new text begin Column B new text end | |
new text begin 120B.1117 new text end | new text begin 120B.118 new text end | |
new text begin 120B.1118 new text end | new text begin 120B.119 new text end |
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
In addition to subdivision 1, every child under age threedeleted text begin ,deleted text end andnew text begin ,new text end at local district discretionnew text begin , every childnew text end from age three deleted text begin todeleted text end new text begin throughnew text end age deleted text begin seven,deleted text end new text begin sixnew text end who needs special instruction and services, as determined by the rules of the commissioner of children, youth, and families for children deleted text begin from birth throughdeleted text end new text begin undernew text end age deleted text begin twodeleted text end new text begin threenew text end and by the rules of the commissioner of education for children ages three through deleted text begin sevendeleted text end new text begin sixnew text end , because the child has a substantial delay or deleted text begin has an identifiabledeleted text end new text begin a diagnosednew text end physical or mental condition deleted text begin known to hinder normal developmentdeleted text end new text begin or disorder with a high probability of resulting in developmental delaynew text end is a child with a disability.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
(a) At the beginning of each school year, each school district shall have in effect, for each child with a disability, an individualized education program.
(b) As defined in this section, every district must ensure the following:
(1) all students with disabilities are provided the special instruction and services which are appropriate to their needs. Where the individualized education program team has determined appropriate goals and objectives based on the student's needs, including the extent to which the student can be included in the least restrictive environment, and where there are essentially equivalent and effective instruction, related services, or assistive technology devices available to meet the student's needs, cost to the district may be among the factors considered by the team in choosing how to provide the appropriate services, instruction, or devices that are to be made part of the student's individualized education program. The individualized education program team shall consider and may authorize services covered by medical assistance according to section 256B.0625, subdivision 26. Before a school district evaluation team makes a determination of other health disability under Minnesota Rules, part 3525.1335, subparts 1 and 2, item A, subitem (1), the evaluation team must seek written documentation of the student's medically diagnosed chronic or acute health condition signed by a licensed physician or a licensed health care provider acting within the scope of the provider's practice. The student's needs and the special education instruction and services to be provided must be agreed upon through the development of an individualized education program. The program must address the student's need to develop skills to live and work as independently as possible within the community. The individualized education program team must consider positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports that address behavior needs for children. During grade 9, the program must address the student's needs for transition from secondary services to postsecondary education and training, employment, community participation, recreation, and leisure and home living. In developing the program, districts must inform parents of the full range of transitional goals and related services that should be considered. The program must include a statement of the needed transition services, including a statement of the interagency responsibilities or linkages or both before secondary services are concluded. If the individualized education program meets the plan components in section 120B.125, the individualized education program satisfies the requirement and no additional transition plan is needed;
(2) children with a disability under age five and their families are provided special instruction and services appropriate to the child's level of functioning and needs;
(3) children with a disability and their parents or guardians are guaranteed procedural safeguards and the right to participate in decisions involving identification, assessment including assistive technology assessment, and educational placement of children with a disability;
(4) eligibility and needs of children with a disability are determined by an initial evaluation or reevaluation, which may be completed using existing data under United States Code, title 20, section 33, et seq.;
(5) to the maximum extent appropriate, children with a disability, including those in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with a disability from the regular educational environment occurs only when and to the extent that the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary services cannot be achieved satisfactorily;
(6) in accordance with recognized professional standards, testing and evaluation materials, and procedures used for the purposes of classification and placement of children with a disability are selected and administered so as not to be racially or culturally discriminatory; and
(7) the rights of the child are protected when the parents or guardians are not known or not available, or the child is a ward of the state.
deleted text begin (c)deleted text end For all paraprofessionals employed to work in programs whose role in part is to provide direct support to students with disabilities, the school board in each district shall ensure that:
(1) before or beginning at the time of employment, each paraprofessional must develop sufficient knowledge and skills in emergency procedures, building orientation, roles and responsibilities, confidentiality, vulnerability, and reportability, among other things, to begin meeting the needs, especially disability-specific and behavioral needs, of the students with whom the paraprofessional works;
(2) within five days of beginning to work alone with an individual student with a disability, the assigned paraprofessional must be either given paid time, or time during the school day, to review a student's individualized education program or be briefed on the student's specific needs by appropriate staff;
(3) annual training opportunities are required to enable the paraprofessional to continue to further develop the knowledge and skills that are specific to the students with whom the paraprofessional works, including understanding disabilities, the unique and individual needs of each student according to the student's disability and how the disability affects the student's education and behavior, following lesson plans, and implementing follow-up instructional procedures and activities; and
(4) a districtwide process obligates each paraprofessional to work under the ongoing direction of a licensed teacher and, where appropriate and possible, the supervision of a school nurse.
deleted text begin (d)deleted text end A school district may conduct a functional behavior assessment as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 3525.0210, subpart 22, as a stand-alone evaluation without conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the student in accordance with prior written notice provisions in section 125A.091, subdivision 3a. A parent or guardian may request that a school district conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the parent's or guardian's student.
new text begin A school district may conduct an assessment for developmental adapted physical education, as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 3525.1352, as a stand-alone evaluation without conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the student in accordance with prior written notice provisions in section 125A.091, subdivision 3a. A parent or guardian may request that a school district conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the parent's or guardian's student. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
"Eligibility for Part C" means eligibility for infant and toddler intervention services under section 125A.02 and Minnesota Rulesnew text begin , part 3525.1350new text end .
(a) Before a pupil new text begin in kindergarten through grade 12 new text end is referred for a special education evaluation, the district must conduct and document at least two instructional strategies, alternatives, or interventions using a system of scientific, research-based instruction and intervention in academics or behavior, based on the pupil's needs, while the pupil is in the regular classroom. The pupil's teacher must document the results. A special education evaluation team may waive this requirement when it determines the pupil's need for the evaluation is urgent. This section may not be used to deny a pupil's right to a special education evaluation.
(b) A school district shall use alternative intervention services, including the assurance of mastery program under section 124D.66, or an early intervening services program under subdivision 2 to serve at-risk pupils who demonstrate a need for alternative instructional strategies or interventions.
(c) A student identified as being unable to read at grade level under section 120B.12, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), must be provided with alternate instruction under this subdivision that is multisensory, systematic, sequential, cumulative, and explicit.
new text begin The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must establish a working group on special education licensure reciprocity. new text end
new text begin (a) The board must consult with the organizations identified in paragraph (b) before naming appointed members to the working group. new text end
new text begin (b) By July 1, 2024, the board must appoint the following members to the working group: new text end
new text begin (1) the executive director of the board or the executive director's designee; new text end
new text begin (2) one representative from the board; new text end
new text begin (3) two representatives from Minnesota Administrators for Special Education, consisting of one member from the seven-county metropolitan area and one member from outside the metropolitan area; new text end
new text begin (4) two representatives from the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, consisting of one member from the seven-county metropolitan area and one member from outside the metropolitan area; new text end
new text begin (5) two representatives from the Minnesota School Boards Association, consisting of one member from the seven-county metropolitan area and one member from outside the metropolitan area; new text end
new text begin (6) two representatives from Education Minnesota, consisting of one member from the seven-county metropolitan area and one member from outside the metropolitan area; new text end
new text begin (7) four licensed special education teachers, consisting of two members from the seven-county metropolitan area and two members from outside the metropolitan area; new text end
new text begin (8) two representatives from the Minnesota Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; new text end
new text begin (9) two representatives from alternative teacher preparation programs; and new text end
new text begin (10) one representative from the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools. new text end
new text begin The working group must meet on a regular basis and review current statutory and rule requirements for persons with a special education license from another state to qualify for a special education license in Minnesota, and make recommendations on statutory or rule changes necessary to streamline requirements for out-of-state applicants. The working group must submit its recommendations to the board for consideration for inclusion in the board's legislative priorities, and by February 1, 2025, must submit a report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education. new text end
new text begin (a) The executive director of the board, or the director's designee, must convene the initial meeting of the working group. Upon request of the working group, the board must provide meeting space and administrative services for the group. new text end
new text begin (b) Members of the working group serve without compensation or payment of expenses. new text end
new text begin (c) The working group expires February 1, 2025, or upon submission of the report to the legislature required under subdivision 3, whichever is earlier. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
new text begin (a) new text end The primary purpose ofnew text begin mission-drivennew text end charter schools is to improve deleted text begin all pupildeleted text end new text begin thenew text end learning deleted text begin and all studentdeleted text end new text begin ,new text end achievementnew text begin , and success of all studentsnew text end . deleted text begin Additional purposes include todeleted text end new text begin The additional purposes of charter schools are tonew text end :
(1) increase new text begin quality new text end learning opportunities for all deleted text begin pupilsdeleted text end new text begin studentsnew text end ;
(2) encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods;
(3) measure learning outcomes and create different and innovative forms of measuring outcomes;
(4) establish new forms of accountability for schools; or
(5) create new professional opportunities for teachers, including the opportunity to be responsible for the learning program at the school site.
new text begin (b) A charter school must identify the purposes it will address in the charter contract and document the implementation of those purposes in the school's annual report. Documentation of the implementation of those purposes shall be a component of the authorizer's performance review of the school. new text end
(a) For purposes of this chapter, the terms defined in this section have the meanings given them.
(b) "Affidavit" means a written statement the authorizer submits to the commissioner for approval to establish a charter school under section 124E.06, subdivision 4, attesting to its review and approval process before chartering a school.
(c) "Affiliate" means a person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another person.
(d) "Charter management organization" or "CMO" means deleted text begin anydeleted text end new text begin anew text end nonprofit deleted text begin or for-profitdeleted text end entity new text begin or organization new text end that deleted text begin contracts with a charter school board of directors to provide, manage, or overseedeleted text end new text begin operates or manages a charter school or a network of charter schools or can controlnew text end all or substantially all of a school's education program or a school's administrative, financial, business, or operational functions.
(e) "Control" means the ability to affect the management, operations, or policy actions or decisions of a person, whether by owning voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.
(f) "Educational management organization" or "EMO" means a deleted text begin nonprofit ordeleted text end for-profit entity new text begin or organization new text end that deleted text begin provides, manages or overseesdeleted text end new text begin operates or manages a charter school or a network of charter schools or can controlnew text end all or substantially all of deleted text begin thedeleted text end new text begin a school'snew text end education program, or deleted text begin thedeleted text end new text begin anew text end school's administrative, financial, business, or operational functions.
(g) "Immediate family member" means deleted text begin an individual whosedeleted text end new text begin anynew text end relationship by blood, marriage, adoption, or partnership deleted text begin is no more remote than first cousindeleted text end new text begin of spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings, children, first cousins, aunts, uncles, grandchildren, nieces, and nephewsnew text end .
(h) "Market need and demand study" means a study that includes the following for the proposed locations of the school or additional site:
(1) current and projected demographic information;
(2) student enrollment patterns;
(3) information on existing schools and types of educational programs currently available;
(4) characteristics of proposed students and families;
(5) availability of properly zoned and classified facilities; and
(6) quantification of existing demand for the school or site.
(i) "Person" means an individual or entity of any kind.
(j) "Related party" means an affiliate or immediate family member of the other interested party, an affiliate of an immediate family member who is the other interested party, or an immediate family member of an affiliate who is the other interested party.
(k) For purposes of this chapter, the terms defined in section 120A.05 have the same meanings.
(a) A charter school shall meet all federal, state, and local health and safety requirements applicable to school districts.
(b) A school must comply with statewide accountability requirements governing standards and assessments in chapter 120B.
(c) A charter school must comply with the Minnesota Public School Fee Law, sections 123B.34 to 123B.39.
(d) A charter school is a district for the purposes of tort liability under chapter 466.
(e) A charter school must comply with the Pledge of Allegiance requirement under section 121A.11, subdivision 3.
(f) A charter school and charter school board of directors must comply with chapter 181 governing requirements for employment.
(g) A charter school must comply with continuing truant notification under section 260A.03.
(h) A charter school must develop and implement a teacher evaluation and peer review process under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph (b), clauses (2) to (13), and place students in classrooms in accordance with section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph (d). The teacher evaluation process in this paragraph does not create any additional employment rights for teachers.
(i) A charter school must adopt a deleted text begin policy,deleted text end plan, budget, and process, consistent with section 120B.11, to review curriculum, instruction, and student achievement and strive for the world's best workforce.
(j) A charter school is subject to and must comply with the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 and 121A.575new text begin , 121A.60, 121A.61, and 121A.65new text end .
new text begin (a) new text end A charter school is subject to and must comply with the Education for English Learners Act under sections 124D.58 to 124D.64 as though the charter school were a district.
new text begin (b) A charter school must adopt and review a language access plan under section 123B.32 as though the charter school were a district. new text end
deleted text begin The authorizer must participate in department-approved training. deleted text end new text begin (a) The role of an authorizer is to ensure that a school it authorizes has the autonomy granted by statute, fulfills the purposes of a charter school, and is accountable to the agreed upon terms of the charter school contract in order to safeguard quality educational opportunities for students and maintain public trust and confidence. new text end
new text begin (b) An authorizer has the following responsibilities: new text end
new text begin (1) to review applications for new schools, determine whether a new school is ready to open, review applications for grade and site expansions, review applications for change in authorizers, and determine whether to approve or deny an application based on the authorizer's approved criteria; new text end
new text begin (2) to negotiate and execute the performance charter contracts with the schools it authorizes; new text end
new text begin (3) to conduct ongoing monitoring, oversight, and evaluation of the school's academic, operational, and financial performance during the term of the charter contract; new text end
new text begin (4) to evaluate the academic, operational, and financial performance of the school as defined in the charter contract prior to the end of the contract to determine the renewal, nonrenewal, or termination of the contract; and new text end
new text begin (5) to comply with authorizer requirements in chapter 124E. new text end
new text begin (c) An authorizer must document in the authorizer annual report under section 124E.16, subdivision 2, paragraph (b), the annual successful completion of training of its staff members during the previous year relative to chartering and an authorizer's role and responsibilities. new text end
new text begin (d) An authorizer must participate in department-approved training. new text end
(a) An eligible deleted text begin authorizerdeleted text end new text begin organizationnew text end under this section must apply to the commissioner for approval as an authorizer before submitting any affidavit to the commissioner to charter a school. The application for approval as a charter school authorizer must show the applicant's ability to implement the procedures and satisfy the criteria for chartering a school under this chapter. The commissioner must approve or disapprove the application within 45 business days of the deadline for that application period. If the commissioner disapproves the application, the commissioner must notify the applicant of the specific deficiencies in writing and the applicant then has 20 business days to address the deficiencies to the commissioner's satisfaction. After the 20 business days expire, the commissioner has 15 business days to make a final decision to approve or disapprove the application. Failing to address the deficiencies to the commissioner's satisfaction makes an applicant ineligible to be an authorizer. The commissioner, in establishing criteria to approve an authorizer, consistent with subdivision 4, must consider the applicant's:
(1) infrastructure and capacity to serve as an authorizer;
(2) application criteria and process;
(3) contracting process;
(4) ongoing oversight and evaluation processes; and
(5) renewal criteria and processes.
(b) A disapproved applicant under this section may resubmit an application during a future application period.
(a) The commissioner shall review an authorizer's performance every five years in a manner and form determined by the commissioner, subject to paragraphs (b) and (c), and may review an authorizer's performance more frequently at the commissioner's own initiative or at the request of a charter school deleted text begin operatordeleted text end new text begin chief administratornew text end , charter school board deleted text begin memberdeleted text end new text begin of directorsnew text end , or other interested party. The commissioner, after completing the review, shall transmit a report with findings to the authorizernew text begin and the schools authorized by the authorizernew text end .
(b) Consistent with this subdivision, the commissioner must:
deleted text begin (1) use criteria appropriate to the authorizer and the schools it charters to review the authorizer's performance; and deleted text end
deleted text begin (2) consult with authorizers, charter school operators, and other charter school stakeholders in developing review criteria under this paragraph. deleted text end
deleted text begin (c) The commissioner's form must use existing department data on the authorizer to minimize duplicate reporting to the extent practicable. When reviewing an authorizer's performance under this subdivision, the commissioner must not: deleted text end
deleted text begin (1) fail to credit; deleted text end
deleted text begin (2) withhold points; or deleted text end
deleted text begin (3) otherwise penalize an authorizer for failing to charter additional schools or for the absence of complaints against the authorizer's current portfolio of charter schools. deleted text end
new text begin (1) develop the criteria and process of the performance review system in consultation with authorizers, school administrators, charter school boards of directors, and other charter school stakeholders; new text end
new text begin (2) publish the authorizer performance review criteria and process at least 12 months before any change or process takes effect, except for changes required to take effect earlier in accordance with state or federal law or to make technical changes; new text end
new text begin (3) evaluate the authorizer's performance on adherence and implementation of the authorizer's policies, procedures, and processes that are subject to section 124E.05, subdivision 2, paragraph (b); new text end
new text begin (4) solicit feedback from the authorizer, charter school administrators, and charter school boards of directors; and new text end
new text begin (5) use existing department data on the authorizer to minimize duplicate reporting to the extent practicable. new text end
new text begin (c) Consistent with this subdivision the commissioner must not penalize in any way an authorizer for not chartering additional schools or for the absence of complaints against an authorizer or an authorizer's portfolio of schools. new text end
(a) An authorizer, after receiving an application from a charter school developer, may charter either a licensed teacher under section 122A.18, subdivision 1, or a group of individuals that includes one or more licensed teachers under section 122A.18, subdivision 1, to operate a school subject to the commissioner's approval of the authorizer's affidavit under subdivision 4.
(b) "Application" under this section means the charter school business plan a charter school developer submits to an authorizer for approval to establish a charter school. This application must include:
(1) the proposed school's:
(i) mission and vision statements;
(ii) purposes and goals;
(iii) educational program design and how the program will improve student learning, success, and achievement;
(iv) plan to address the social and emotional learning needs of students and student support services;
(v) plan to provide special education management and services;
(vi) plan for staffing the school with appropriately qualified and licensed personnel;
(vii) financial plan;
(viii) governance and management structure and plan;
(ix) market need and demand study; and
(x) plan for ongoing outreach and dissemination of information about the school's offerings and enrollment procedure to families that reflect the diversity of Minnesota's population and targeted groups under section 124E.17, subdivision 1, paragraph (a);
(2) the school developer's experience and background, including criminal history and bankruptcy background checks;new text begin andnew text end
(3) any other information the authorizer requestsdeleted text begin ; anddeleted text end new text begin .new text end
deleted text begin (4) a "statement of assurances" of legal compliance prescribed by the commissioner. deleted text end
(c) An authorizer shall not approve an application submitted by a charter school developer under paragraph (a) if the application does not comply with subdivision 3, paragraph (e), and section 124E.01, subdivision 1. The commissioner shall not approve an affidavit submitted by an authorizer under subdivision 4 if the affidavit does not comply with subdivision 3, paragraph (e), and section 124E.01, subdivision 1.
(a) Before an operator may establish and operate a school, the authorizer must file an affidavit with the commissioner stating its intent to charter a school. An authorizer must file a separate affidavit for each school it intends to charter. An authorizer must file an affidavit at least 14 months before July 1 of the year the new charter school plans to serve students. The affidavit must statedeleted text begin :deleted text end
deleted text begin (1)deleted text end the terms and conditions under which the authorizer would charter a school, including a market need and demand studydeleted text begin ; anddeleted text end new text begin .new text end
deleted text begin (2) how the authorizer intends to oversee: deleted text end
deleted text begin (i) the fiscal and student performance of the charter school; and deleted text end
deleted text begin (ii) compliance with the terms of the written contract between the authorizer and the charter school board of directors under section 124E.10, subdivision 1. deleted text end
(b) The commissioner must approve or disapprove the authorizer's affidavit within 60 business days of receiving the affidavit. If the commissioner disapproves the affidavit, the commissioner shall notify the authorizer of the deficiencies in the affidavit and the authorizer then has 20 business days to address the deficiencies. The commissioner must notify the authorizer of the commissioner's final approval or final disapproval within 15 business days after receiving the authorizer's response to the deficiencies in the affidavit. If the authorizer does not address deficiencies to the commissioner's satisfaction, the commissioner's disapproval is final. An authorizer who fails to obtain the commissioner's approval is precluded from chartering the school that is the subject of this affidavit.
new text begin (c) The grades and number of primary enrollment sites in an approved affidavit may only be modified under subdivision 5. new text end
(a) A charter school may apply to the authorizer to amend the school charter to add grades or primary enrollment sites beyond those defined in the original affidavit approved by the commissioner. After approving the school's application, the authorizer shall submit a supplemental affidavit in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. The authorizer must file a supplemental affidavit to the commissioner by October 1 to be eligible to add grades or sites in the next school year. The supplemental affidavit must document deleted text begin to the authorizer's satisfactiondeleted text end :
(1) deleted text begin the need for the additional grades or sites with supporting long-range enrollment projectionsdeleted text end new text begin for site expansion, a market need and demand study with long-range enrollment projectionsnew text end ;
(2) deleted text begin a longitudinal record of student academic performance and growth on statewide assessments under chapter deleted text end deleted text begin 120Bdeleted text end deleted text begin or on other academic assessments that measure longitudinal student performance and growth approved by the charter school's board of directors and agreed upon with the authorizerdeleted text end new text begin for grade expansion, the need for the additional grades with supporting long-range enrollment projectionsnew text end ;
(3) deleted text begin a history of sound school finances and a plan to add grades or sites that sustains the school's financesdeleted text end new text begin a longitudinal record of at least the three most recent years of student academic proficiency and growth on statewide assessments under chapter 120B or on other academic assessments that measure at least the three most recent years of longitudinal student proficiency and growth approved by the charter school's board of directors and agreed upon with the authorizernew text end ;
(4) deleted text begin board capacity to administer and manage the additional grades or sitesdeleted text end new text begin at least three years of sound school finances and a plan to add grades or sites that sustains the school's financesnew text end ; and
(5) deleted text begin for site expansion, a market need and demand studydeleted text end new text begin board capacity to administer and manage the additional grades or sitesnew text end .
(b) The commissioner shall have 30 business days to review and comment on the supplemental affidavit. The commissioner shall notify the authorizer in writing of any deficiencies in the supplemental affidavit and the authorizer then has 20 business days to address any deficiencies in the supplemental affidavit to the commissioner's satisfaction. The commissioner must notify the authorizer of final approval or final disapproval within 15 business days after receiving the authorizer's response to the deficiencies in the affidavit. The school may not add grades or sites until the commissioner has approved the supplemental affidavit. The commissioner's approval or disapproval of a supplemental affidavit is final.
Before entering into a contract or other agreement for professional or other services, goods, or facilities, the operators authorized to organize and operate a school must establish a board of directors composed of at least five members deleted text begin who are not related partiesdeleted text end . new text begin The initial board members must not be related parties. new text end The initial board continues to serve until a timely election for members of the ongoing charter school board of directors is held according to the school's articles and bylaws under subdivision 4.new text begin The initial board of directors and school developers must comply with the training requirements in subdivision 7 upon the incorporation of the school.new text end
deleted text begin The ongoing board must be elected before the school completes its third year of operation.deleted text end new text begin The initial board must begin the transition to the ongoing board structure by the end of the first year of operation and complete the transition by the end of the second year of operation. The terms of board members shall begin on July 1. Terms shall be no less than two years. The bylaws shall set the number of terms an individual may serve on the board and as an officer of the board.new text end Board elections must be held during the school year but may not be conducted on days when the school is closed.
(a) The ongoing charter school board of directors shall have at least five deleted text begin nonrelateddeleted text end members deleted text begin and include:deleted text end new text begin . The board members must not be related parties. The ongoing board must include:new text end (1) at least one licensed teacher deleted text begin who is employed as a teacher at the school or provides instruction under contract between the charter school and a cooperativedeleted text end ; (2) at least one parent or legal guardian of a student enrolled in the charter school who is not an employee of the charter school; and (3) at least one interested community member deleted text begin who resides in Minnesota, is not employed by the charter school, and does not have a child enrolled in the schooldeleted text end . new text begin A community member serving on the board must reside in Minnesota, must not have a child enrolled in the school, and must not be an employee of the charter school.new text end
new text begin (b) To serve as a licensed teacher on a charter school board, an individual must: new text end
new text begin (1) be employed by the school or provide at least 720 hours of service under a contract between the charter school and a teacher cooperative; new text end
new text begin (2) be a qualified teacher as defined under section 122A.16, either serving as a teacher of record in a field in which the individual has a field license, or providing services to students the individual is licensed to provide; and new text end
new text begin (3) not serve in an administrative or supervisory capacity for more than 240 hours in a school calendar year. new text end
new text begin (c) The board structure must be defined in the bylaws. new text end The board structure may deleted text begin includedeleted text end new text begin (1) benew text end a majority of teachers under deleted text begin thisdeleted text end paragraph deleted text begin ordeleted text end new text begin (b), (2) be a majority ofnew text end parents deleted text begin ordeleted text end new text begin , (3) be a majority ofnew text end community members, or deleted text begin it maydeleted text end new text begin (4)new text end have no clear majority.
new text begin (d)new text end The deleted text begin chief financial officer and thedeleted text end chief administrator may only serve as new text begin an new text end ex-officio nonvoting board deleted text begin membersdeleted text end new text begin membernew text end . No charter school employees shall serve on the board other than teachers under deleted text begin clause (1)deleted text end new text begin paragraph (b)new text end . deleted text begin Contractors providing facilities, goods, or services to a charter school shall not serve on the board of directors of the charter school.deleted text end
deleted text begin (b)deleted text end new text begin (e) A contractor providing facilities, goods, or services to a charter school must not serve on the board of directors. In addition, new text end an individual is prohibited from serving as a member of the charter school board of directors if: (1) the individual, an immediate family member, or the individual's partner is a full or part owner or principal with a for-profit or nonprofit entity or independent contractor with whom the charter school contracts, directly or indirectly, for professional services, goods, or facilities; or (2) an immediate family member is an employee of the school. An individual may serve as a member of the board of directors if no conflict of interest exists under this paragraph, consistent with this section.
deleted text begin (c)deleted text end new text begin (f)new text end A violation of paragraph deleted text begin (b)deleted text end new text begin (e)new text end renders a contract voidable at the option of the commissioner or the charter school board of directors. A member of a charter school board of directors who violates paragraph deleted text begin (b)deleted text end new text begin (e)new text end is individually liable to the charter school for any damage caused by the violation.
deleted text begin (d)deleted text end new text begin (g)new text end Any employee, agent, new text begin contractor, new text end or board member of the authorizer who participates in initially reviewing, approving, overseeing, evaluating, renewing, or not renewing the charter school is ineligible to serve on the board of directors of a school chartered by that authorizer.
new text begin (h) An individual is prohibited from serving on more than one charter school board at the same time in either an elected or ex-officio capacity, except that an individual serving as an administrator serving more than one school under section 124E.12, subdivision 2, paragraph (f), may serve on each board as an ex-officio member. new text end
Board bylaws shall outline the process and procedures for changing the board's governance structure, consistent with chapter 317A. A board may change its governance structure only:
(1) by a majority vote of the board of directors deleted text begin and a majority vote of the licensed teachers employed by the school as teachers, including licensed teachers providing instruction under a contract between the school and a cooperativedeleted text end ; deleted text begin anddeleted text end
new text begin (2) by a majority vote of the licensed teachers employed by the school as teachers who provide instruction to students, including licensed teachers providing instruction under a contract between the school and a cooperative; and new text end
deleted text begin (2)deleted text end new text begin (3)new text end with the authorizer's approval.
Any change in board governance structure must conform with the board composition established under this section.
new text begin (a) new text end Staff members employed at the school, including teachers providing instruction under a contract with a cooperative, members of the board of directors, and all parents or legal guardians of children enrolled in the school are the voters eligible to elect the members of the school's board of directors. deleted text begin A charter school must notify eligible voters of the school board election dates at least 30 days before the election.deleted text end
new text begin (b) The board of directors must establish and publish election policies and procedures on the school's website. new text end
new text begin (c) The board of directors must notify eligible voters of the school board election dates and voting procedures at least 30 calendar days before the election and post this information on the school's website. new text end
new text begin (d) The board of directors must notify eligible voters of the candidates' names, biographies, and candidate statements at least ten calendar days before the election and post this information on the school's website. new text end
new text begin (a) new text end The board of directors also shall decide and is responsible for new text begin all decision making on new text end policy matters related to operating the school, including budgeting, curriculum programming, personnel, and operating procedures. deleted text begin The board shall adopt a nepotism policy.deleted text end The board deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end adopt personnel evaluation policies and practices that, at a minimum:
(1) carry out the school's mission and goals;
(2) evaluate how charter contract goals and commitments are executed;
(3) evaluate student achievement, postsecondary and workforce readiness, and student engagement and connection goals;
(4) establish a teacher evaluation process under section 124E.03, subdivision 2, paragraph (h); and
(5) provide professional development related to the individual's job responsibilities.
new text begin (b) The board must adopt a nepotism policy that prohibits the employment of immediate family members of a board member, a school employee, or a teacher who provides instruction under a contract between the charter school and a cooperative. The board may waive this policy if: (1) the position is publicly posted for 20 business days; and (2) a two-thirds majority of the remaining board of directors who are not immediate family members of an applicant vote to approve the hiring. A board member, school employee, or teacher under contract with a cooperative must not be involved in an interview, selection process, hiring, supervision, or evaluation of an employee who is an immediate family member. new text end
deleted text begin Every charter school board member shall attend annual training throughout the member's term. All new board members shall attend initial training on the board's role and responsibilities, employment policies and practices, and financial management. A new board member who does not begin the required initial training within six months after being seated and complete that training within 12 months after being seated is automatically ineligible to continue to serve as a board member. The school shall include in its annual report the training each board member attended during the previous year. deleted text end
new text begin (a) Every charter school board member and nonvoting ex-officio member who is a charter school director or chief administrator must attend board training. new text end
new text begin (b) Prior to beginning their term, a new board member must complete training on a charter school board's role and responsibilities, open meeting law, and data practices law. An ex-officio member, who is a charter school director or chief administrator, must complete this training within three months of starting employment at the school. new text end
new text begin (c) A new board member must complete training on employment policies and practices under chapter 181; public school funding and financial management; and the board's roles and responsibilities regarding student success, achievement, and performance within 12 months of being seated on the board or the individual is automatically ineligible to continue to serve as a board member. A board member who does not complete training within the 12-month period is ineligible to be elected or appointed to a charter school board for a period of 18 months. new text end
new text begin (d) Every charter school board member must complete annual training throughout the member's term based on an annual assessment of the training needs of individual members and the full board. Ongoing training includes but is not limited to budgeting, financial management, recruiting and hiring a charter school director or chief administrator, evaluating a charter school director or chief administrator, governance-management relationships, student support services, student discipline, state standards, cultural diversity, succession planning, strategic planning, program oversight and evaluation, compensation systems, human resources policies, effective parent and community relationships, authorizer contract and relationships, charter school law, legal liability, board recruitment and elections, board meetings and operations, policy development and review, and school health and safety. new text end
new text begin (e) The organization or person providing training under paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) must certify the individual's completion of the training provided. new text end
new text begin (f) The charter school is responsible for covering the costs related to board training. The charter school must include in its annual report the training each board member completed during the previous year. new text end
new text begin (g) The board must ensure that an annual assessment of the board's performance is conducted and the results are reported in the school's annual report. new text end
(a) Board of director meetings must comply with chapter 13D governing open meetings.
(b) A charter school shall publish and maintain on the school's official website: (1) the meeting minutes of the board of directors and of members and committees having board-delegated authority, new text begin within 30 days following the earlier of the date of board approval or the next regularly scheduled meeting, and new text end for at least 365 days from the date of publication; (2) directory information for the board of directors and for the members of committees having board-delegated authority; and (3) identifying and contact information for the school's authorizer.
(c) A charter school must include identifying and contact information for the school's authorizer in other school materials it makes available to the public.
(a) A school must disclose to the commissioner any potential contract, lease, or purchase of service from deleted text begin andeleted text end new text begin the school'snew text end authorizernew text begin or a current board member, employee, contractor, volunteer, or agent of the school's authorizernew text end . The contract, lease, or purchase must be accepted through an open bidding process and be separate from the charter contract. The school must document the open bidding process. An authorizer must not enter into a contract to provide management and financial services to a school it authorizes, unless the school documents receiving at least two competitive bids. new text begin This paragraph does not apply to a charter school or an authorizer when contracting for legal services from a lawyer that provides professional services to the charter school or authorizer and who is subject to the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct.new text end
(b) An authorizer must not condition granting or renewing a charter on:
(1) the charter school being required to contract, lease, or purchase services from the authorizer; or
(2) the bargaining unit status of school employees.
(a) The duration of the contract with an authorizer must be for the term contained in the contract according to subdivision 1, paragraph (a). The authorizer may or may not renew a contract at the end of the term for any ground listed in paragraph (b). An authorizer may unilaterally terminate a contract during the term of the contract for any ground listed in paragraph (b). At least 60 business days before not renewing or terminating a contract, the authorizer shall notify the board of directors of the charter school of the proposed action in writing. The notice shall state the grounds for the proposed action in reasonable detail and describe the informal hearing process, consistent with this paragraph. The charter school's board of directors may request in writing an informal hearing before the authorizer within 15 business days after receiving notice of nonrenewal or termination of the contract. Failure by the board of directors to make a written request for an informal hearing within the 15-business-day period shall be treated as acquiescence to the proposed action. Upon receiving a timely written request for a hearing, the authorizer shall give ten business days' notice to the charter school's board of directors of the hearing date. new text begin The hearing must be recorded by audio recording, video recording, or a court reporter. The authorizer must preserve the recording for three years and make the recording available to the public. new text end The authorizer shall conduct an informal hearing before taking final action. The authorizer shall take final action to renew or not renew a contract no later than 20 business days before the proposed date for terminating the contract or the end date of the contract.
(b) An authorizer may terminate or not renew a contract upon any of the following grounds:
(1) failure to demonstrate satisfactory academic achievement for all students, including the requirements for pupil performance contained in the contract;
(2) failure to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management;
(3) violations of law; or
(4) other good cause shown.
If the authorizer terminates or does not renew a contract under this paragraph, the school must be dissolved according to the applicable provisions of chapter 317A.
(c) The commissioner, after providing reasonable notice to the board of directors of a charter school and the existing authorizer, and after providing an opportunity for a public hearing, may terminate the existing contract between the authorizer and the charter school board if the charter school has a history of:
(1) failure to meet pupil performance requirements, consistent with state law;
(2) financial mismanagement or failure to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management; or
(3) repeated or major violations of the law.
If the authorizer and the deleted text begin charter schooldeleted text end board of directors new text begin of a charter school serving enrolled students new text end mutually agree not to renew the contract, or if the governing board of an approved authorizer votes to withdraw as an approved authorizer for a reason unrelated to any cause under subdivision 4, a change in authorizers is allowed. The authorizer and the school board must jointly submit a written and signed letter of their intent to the commissioner to mutually not renew the contract. The authorizer that is a party to the existing contract must inform the proposed authorizer about the fiscal, operational, and student performance status of the school, including unmet contract outcomes and other outstanding contractual obligations. The charter contract between the proposed authorizer and the school must identify and provide a plan to address any outstanding obligations from the previous contract. The proposed authorizer must submit the proposed contract at least 105 business days before the end of the existing charter contract. The commissioner has 30 business days to review and make a determination on the change in authorizer. The proposed authorizer and the school have 15 business days to respond to the determination and address any issues identified by the commissioner. The commissioner must make a final determination no later than 45 business days before the end of the current charter contract. If the commissioner does not approve a change in authorizer, the school and the current authorizer may withdraw their letter of nonrenewal and enter into a new contract. If the commissioner does not approve a change in authorizer and the current authorizer and the school do not withdraw their letter and enter into a new contract, the school must be dissolved according to applicable law and the terms of the contract.
(a) A charter school, including its preschool or prekindergarten program established under section 124E.06, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), may limit admission to:
(1) pupils within an age group or grade level;
(2) pupils who are eligible to participate in the graduation incentives program under section 124D.68; or
(3) residents of a specific geographic area in which the school is located when the majority of students served by the school are members of underserved populations.
(b) A charter school, including its preschool or prekindergarten program established under section 124E.06, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), must enroll an eligible pupil who submits a timely application, unless the number of applications exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level, or building. In this case, pupils must be accepted by lot. The charter school must develop and publish, including on its website, a lottery policy and process that it must use when accepting pupils by lot.
(c) Admission to a charter school must be free to any eligible pupil who resides within the state. A charter school must give enrollment preference to a Minnesota resident pupil over pupils that do not reside in Minnesota. A charter school must require a pupil who does not reside in Minnesota to annually apply to enroll in accordance with paragraphs (a) to (f). A charter school must give enrollment preference to a sibling of an enrolled pupil and to a foster child of that pupil's parents and may give preference for enrolling children of the school's staff before accepting other pupils by lot. new text begin A staff member eligible for an enrollment preference for their child, including a foster child, must be an individual employed at the school whose employment is stipulated in advance to total at least 480 hours in a school calendar year. new text end A charter school that is located in Duluth township in St. Louis County and admits students in kindergarten through grade 6 must give enrollment preference to students residing within a five-mile radius of the school and to the siblings of enrolled children.
(d) A person may not be admitted to a charter school: (1) as a kindergarten pupil, unless the pupil is at least five years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year for which the pupil seeks admission commences; or (2) as a first grade student, unless the pupil is at least six years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year for which the pupil seeks admission commences or has completed kindergarten; except that a charter school may establish and publish on its website a policy for admission of selected pupils at an earlier age, consistent with the enrollment process in paragraphs (b) and (c).
(e) Except as permitted in paragraphs (d) and (i), a charter school, including its preschool or prekindergarten program established under section 124E.06, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), may not limit admission to pupils on the basis of intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, or athletic ability and may not establish any criteria or requirements for admission that are inconsistent with this section.
(f) The charter school new text begin or any agent of the school new text end must not distribute any services or goodsnew text begin , payments, or other incentivesnew text end of value to students, parents, or guardians as an inducement, term, or condition of enrolling a student in a charter school.
(g) Once a student who resides in Minnesota is enrolled in the school in kindergarten through grade 12, or in the school's free preschool or prekindergarten program under section 124E.06, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), the student is considered enrolled in the school until the student formally withdrawsnew text begin , the school receives a request for the transfer of educational records from another school, the school receives a written election by the parent or legal guardian of the student withdrawing the student,new text end ornew text begin the studentnew text end is expelled under the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act in sections 121A.40 to 121A.56.
(h) A charter school with at least 90 percent of enrolled students who are eligible for special education services and have a primary disability of deaf or hard-of-hearing may enroll prekindergarten pupils with a disability under section 126C.05, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), and must comply with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act under Code of Federal Regulations, title 34, section 300.324, subsection (2), clause (iv).
(i) A charter school serving at least 90 percent of enrolled students who are eligible for special education services and have a primary disability of deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing may give enrollment preference to students who are eligible for special education services and have a primary disability of deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing. The charter school may not limit admission based on the student's eligibility for additional special education services.
A charter school, excluding its preschool or prekindergarten program established under section 124E.06, subdivision 3, must employ or contract with necessary teachers, as defined by section 122A.06, subdivision 2, or contract with a cooperative formed under chapter 308A to provide necessary teachers, who hold valid licenses to perform the particular service for which they are employed in the school. new text begin A charter school may not contract with a CMO or EMO to provide necessary teachers. new text end A charter school's preschool or prekindergarten program must employ or contract with teachers knowledgeable in early childhood curriculum content, assessment, native and English language programs, and instruction established under section 124E.06, subdivision 3. The commissioner may reduce the charter school's state aid under section 127A.43 if the school employs a teacher who is not appropriately licensed or approved by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board. The school may employ necessary employees who are not required to hold teaching licenses to perform duties other than teaching and may contract for other services. The school may discharge teachers and nonlicensed employees. The charter school board is subject to section 181.932 governing whistle-blowers. When offering employment to a prospective employee, a charter school must give that employee a written description of the terms and conditions of employment and the school's personnel policies.
deleted text begin (a) A person, without holding a valid administrator's license, may perform administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership duties. The board of directors shall establish qualifications for all persons who hold administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership roles. The qualifications shall cover at least: instruction and assessment; human resource and personnel management; financial management; legal and compliance management; effective communication; and board, authorizer, and community relationships. The board of directors shall use those qualifications as the basis for job descriptions, hiring, and performance evaluations of those who hold administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership roles. deleted text end
deleted text begin (b) The board of directors and an individual who does not hold a valid administrative license and who serves in an administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership position shall develop a professional development plan. The school's annual report must include public personnel information documenting the professional development plan. deleted text end
new text begin (a) A charter school board of directors must establish qualifications for all persons who hold administrative, academic supervision, or instructional leadership positions. The qualifications must include a requirement that a person hold a minimum of a four-year degree from an accredited institution or equivalent experience. Other qualifications for these positions shall include, as appropriate for the specific position: instruction and assessment, curriculum design, human resource and personnel management, professional ethics, child development, financial management, legal and compliance management, special education oversight, contract management, effective communication, cultural competency, board and authorizer relationships, parent relationships, and community partnerships. A charter school board of directors must use those qualifications as the basis for the job description, hiring process, and performance evaluation of the charter school director or chief administrator. The charter school director or chief administrator must use those qualifications as the basis for the job descriptions, hiring, and performance reviews for the administrative staff, academic program supervisors, and instructional leaders who report to the charter school director or chief administrator. new text end
new text begin (b) A person who does not hold a valid administrator's license may perform administrative, academic supervision, or instructional leadership duties. A person without a valid administrator's license serving as a charter school director or chief administrator must complete a minimum of 25 hours annually of competency-based training corresponding to the individual's annual professional development needs and plan approved by the charter school board of directors. Training includes but is not limited to: instruction and curriculum; state standards; teacher and staff hiring, development, support, and evaluation; social-emotional learning; data collection and usage; assessment methodologies; use of technology for learning and management; charter school law and requirements; code of professional ethics; financial management and state accounting requirements; grant management; legal and compliance management; special education management; health and safety laws; restorative justice; cultural competencies; effective communication; parent relationships; board and management relationships; community partnerships; charter contract and authorizer relationships; and public accountability. new text end
new text begin (c) A person serving as a charter school director or chief administrator with a valid administrator's license must complete a minimum of ten hours of competency-based training during the first year of employment on the following: charter school law and requirements, board and management relationships, and charter contract and authorizer relationships. new text end
new text begin (d) The training a person must complete under paragraphs (b) and (c) may not be self-instructional. The organization or instructor providing the training must certify completion of the training. The person must submit the certification of completion of training to the charter school board of directors and certifications must be maintained in the personnel file. Completing required training must be a component of annual performance evaluations. new text end
new text begin (e) All professional development training completed by the charter school director or chief administrator in the previous academic year must be documented in the charter school's annual report. new text end
new text begin (f) No charter school administrator may serve as a paid administrator or consultant with another charter school without the knowledge and a two-thirds vote of approval of the boards of directors of the charter schools involved in such an arrangement. The boards of directors involved in such arrangements must send notice of this arrangement to authorizers upon approval by the boards. new text end
new text begin (g) No charter school administrator may serve on the board of directors of another charter school, except that an individual serving as an administrator serving more than one school under paragraph (f) may serve on each board as an ex-officio member. new text end
(a) No member of the board of directors, employee, officer, or agent of a charter school shall participate in selecting, awarding, or administering a contract if a conflict of interest exists. A conflict exists when:
(1) the board member, employee, officer, or agent;
(2) the immediate family member of the board member, employee, officer, or agent;
(3) the partner of the board member, employee, officer, or agent; or
(4) an organization that employs, or is about to employ any individual in clauses (1) to (3),
has a financial or other interest in the entity with which the charter school is contracting. A violation of this prohibition renders the contract void.
(b) The conflict of interest provisions under this section do not apply to compensation paid to a teacher employed as a teacher by the charter school or a teacher who provides instructional services to the charter school through a cooperative formed under chapter 308A when the teacher also serves on the charter school board of directors.
(c) A charter school board member, employee, or officer is a local official for purposes of section 471.895 with regard to receipt of gifts as defined under section 10A.071, subdivision 1, paragraph (b). A board member, employee, or officer must not receive compensation from a group health insurance provider.
new text begin (d) No charter school employee or board member may serve on the board or decision-making committee of the school's authorizer. An employee or school board member must disclose to the school's board of directors any paid compensation they receive from the school's authorizer. new text end
(a) A charter school is subject to the same financial audits, audit procedures, and audit requirements as a district, except as required under this subdivision. Audits must be conducted in compliance with generally accepted governmental auditing standards, the federal Single Audit Act, if applicable, and section 6.65 governing auditing procedures. deleted text begin A charter school is subject to and must comply with sections 15.054; 118A.01; 118A.02; 118A.03; 118A.04; 118A.05; 118A.06 governing government property and financial investments; and sections 471.38; 471.391; 471.392; and 471.425 governing municipal contracting.deleted text end The audit must comply with the requirements of sections 123B.75 to 123B.83 governing school district finance, except when the commissioner and authorizer approve a deviation made necessary because of school program finances. The commissioner, state auditor, legislative auditor, or authorizer may conduct financial, program, or compliance audits. A charter school in statutory operating debt under sections 123B.81 to 123B.83 must submit a plan under section 123B.81, subdivision 4.
(b) The charter school must submit an audit report to the commissioner and its authorizer annually by December 31.
(c) The charter school, with the assistance of the auditor conducting the audit, must include with the report, as supplemental information: (1) a copy of a new management agreement or an amendment to a current agreement with a CMO or EMO signed during the audit year; and (2) a copy of a service agreement or contract with a company or individual totaling over five percent of the audited expenditures for the most recent audit year. The agreements must detail the terms of the agreement, including the services provided and the annual costs for those services.
(d) A charter school independent audit report shall include audited financial data of an affiliated building corporation under section 124E.13, subdivision 3, or other component unit.
(e) If the audit report finds that a material weakness exists in the financial reporting systems of a charter school, the charter school must submit a written report to the commissioner explaining how the charter school will resolve that material weakness. An auditor, as a condition of providing financial services to a charter school, must agree to make available information about a charter school's financial audit to the commissioner and authorizer upon request.
(a) Charter schools must disseminate information about deleted text begin how to use the charter school offerings to targeted groups, among others. Targeted groups include low-income families and communities, students of color, and students who are at risk of academic failure.deleted text end new text begin the school's offerings and enrollment procedures to families that reflect the diversity of Minnesota's population and targeted groups. Targeted groups include low-income families and communities, students of color, students at risk of academic failure, and students underrepresented in the school's student body relative to Minnesota's population. The school must document its dissemination activities in the school's annual report. The school's dissemination activities must be a component of the authorizer's performance review of the school.new text end
(b) Authorizers and the commissioner must disseminate information to the public on how to form and operate a charter school. Authorizers, operators, and the commissioner also may disseminate information to interested stakeholders about the successful best practices in teaching and learning demonstrated by charter schools.
new text begin (a)new text end Upon request of an individual, the charter school must make available in a timely fashion financial statements showing all operations and transactions affecting the school's income, surplus, and deficit during the last annual accounting period; and a balance sheet summarizing assets and liabilities on the closing date of the accounting period. deleted text begin A charter school also must include that same information about its authorizer in other school materials that it makes available to the public.deleted text end
new text begin (b) Upon request of an individual, an authorizer must make available in a timely fashion financial statements showing all operations and transactions affecting the authorizer's income, surplus, and deficit during the last annual accounting period, and a balance sheet summarizing assets and liabilities on the closing date of the accounting period. new text end
A charter school may not use state money to purchase land or buildings. The charter school may own land and buildings if obtained through nonstate sources.
new text begin Prior to the expenditure of any state funds, a charter school must adopt a procurement policy consistent with subdivision 4. new text end
new text begin All purchases using state funds must be made consistent with the procurement policy adopted under subdivision 2. new text end
new text begin A charter school procurement policy must at a minimum include: new text end
new text begin (1) conflict of interest provisions consistent with section 124E.14; new text end
new text begin (2) thresholds for purchases by employees without board approval; new text end
new text begin (3) thresholds for purchases that require competitive bidding processes, except that a competitive bidding process must occur for any procurement estimated to exceed $25,000; and new text end
new text begin (4) a prohibition on breaking up a procurement into smaller components to avoid the thresholds established in clauses (2) and (3). new text end
new text begin If a charter school makes a purchase without a procurement policy adopted by the school's board or makes a purchase not in conformity with the school's procurement policy, the commissioner may reduce that charter school's state aid in an amount equal to the purchase. new text end
new text begin A charter school is subject to and must comply with sections 15.054 and 118A.01 to 118A.06 governing government property and financial investments and sections 471.38, 471.391, 471.392, and 471.425 governing municipal contracting. new text end
(a) The commissioner must post on the department's website eligibility criteria and application information for nonprofit organizations interested in applying to the commissioner for approval as a multisite sponsoring organization under the federal child and adult care food program and federal summer food service program. The posted criteria and information must inform interested nonprofit organizations about:
(1) the criteria the commissioner uses to approve or disapprove an application, including how an applicant demonstrates financial viability for the Minnesota program, among other criteria;
(2) the commissioner's process and time line for notifying an applicant when its application is approved or disapproved and, if the application is disapproved, the explanation the commissioner provides to the applicant; and
(3) any appeal or other recourse available to a disapproved applicant.
(b) The commissioner must evaluate financial eligibility as part of the application process. An organization applying to be a prospective deleted text begin sponsordeleted text end new text begin nonprofit multisite sponsoring organizationnew text end for the federal child and adult new text begin care new text end food deleted text begin caredeleted text end program or the federal summer food service program must provide documentation of financial viability as an organization. Documentation must include:
(1) evidence that the organization has operated for at least one year and has filed at least one tax return;
(2) the most recent tax return submitted by the organization and corresponding forms and financial statements;
(3) a profit and loss statement and balance sheet or similar financial information; and
(4) evidence that at least ten percent of the organization's operating revenue comes from sources other than the United States Department of Agriculture child nutrition program and that the organization has additional funds or a performance bond available to cover at least one month of reimbursement claims.
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
new text begin A public library must not ban, remove, or otherwise restrict access to a book or other material based solely on its viewpoint or the messages, ideas, or opinions it conveys. new text end
new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given. new text end
new text begin (b) "Public library" means: new text end
new text begin (1) a library that provides free access to all residents of a city or county, receives at least half of its financial support from public funds, and is organized under the provisions of this chapter, except that a library under this clause does not include libraries such as law, medical, or other libraries organized to serve a special group of persons and not the general public; new text end
new text begin (2) a library jointly operated by a city and a school district under section 134.195; new text end
new text begin (3) a school district or charter school library or media center under section 124D.991, including libraries operated by an intermediate school district or cooperative unit under section 123A.24, subdivision 2; or new text end
new text begin (4) a public higher education institution library. new text end
new text begin (c) "Governing body" means a group of persons that oversee the operations, budget, policies, and other administrative responsibilities of a regional public library system under section 134.20, subdivision 2; a multicounty, multitype library system under section 134.351, subdivision 4; a combination library under section 134.195, subdivision 7; a school library under section 124D.991, including libraries operated by an intermediate school district or cooperative unit under section 123A.24, subdivision 2; or any other public library under section 134.001, subdivision 2. new text end
new text begin (a) Nothing in this section limits a public library's authority to decline to purchase, lend, or shelve or to remove or restrict access to books or other materials legitimately based upon: new text end
new text begin (1) practical reasons, including but not limited to shelf space limitations, rare or antiquarian status, damage, or obsolescence; new text end
new text begin (2) legitimate pedagogical concerns, including but not limited to the appropriateness of potentially sensitive topics for the library's intended audience, the selection of books and materials for a curated collection, or the likelihood of causing a material and substantial disruption of the work and discipline of the school; or new text end
new text begin (3) compliance with state or federal law. new text end
new text begin (b) Nothing in this section impairs or limits the rights of a parent, guardian, or an adult student under section 120B.20. new text end
new text begin A governing body of a public library or any other public body with personnel authority for a public library may not discriminate against or discipline an employee for complying with this section. new text end
new text begin (a) A governing body of a public library must adopt a policy that establishes procedures for selection of, challenges to, and reconsideration of library materials in accordance with this section. new text end
new text begin (b) The policy must not impair or limit the rights of a parent, guardian, or adult student under section 120B.20. new text end
new text begin (c) The policy must establish that the procedures for selection and reconsideration will be administered by: new text end
new text begin (1) a licensed library media specialist under Minnesota Rules, part 8710.4550; new text end
new text begin (2) an individual with a master's degree in library science or library and information science; or new text end
new text begin (3) a professional librarian or a person trained in library collection management. new text end
new text begin (d) Upon the completion of a content challenge or reconsideration process in accordance with the governing body's adopted policy, the governing body must submit a report of the challenge to the commissioner of education that includes: new text end
new text begin (1) the title, author, and other relevant identifying information about the material being challenged; new text end
new text begin (2) the date, time, and location of any public hearing held on the challenge in question, including minutes or transcripts; new text end
new text begin (3) the result of the challenge or reconsideration request; and new text end
new text begin (4) accurate and timely information on who from the governing body the Department of Education may contact with questions or follow-up. new text end
new text begin (a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Rules, part 3530.1000, item A, between April 1, 2024, and June 30, 2027, the Metropolitan Library Service Agency may employ an executive director who has not received a master's degree in library science if the job posting for the position listed a master's degree in library science as a preferred qualification. new text end
new text begin (b) The Metropolitan Library Service Agency may not terminate an executive director who begins employment between April 1, 2024, and June 30, 2027, on the sole basis that the executive director has not received a master's degree in library science. new text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
(a) A parent, guardian, or other person having control of a child may apply to a school district to have the child excused from attendance for the whole or any part of the time school is in session during any school year. Application may be made to any member of the board, a truant officer, a principal, or the superintendent. The school district may state in its school attendance policy that it may ask the student's parent or legal guardian to verify in writing the reason for the child's absence from school. A note from a physician or a licensed mental health professional stating that the child cannot attend school is a valid excuse. The board of the district in which the child resides may approve the application upon the following being demonstrated to the satisfaction of that board:
(1) that the child's physical or mental health is such as to prevent attendance at school or application to study for the period required, which includes:
(i) child illness, medical, dental, orthodontic, or counseling appointmentsnew text begin , including appointments conducted through telehealthnew text end ;
(ii) family emergencies;
(iii) the death or serious illness or funeral of an immediate family member;
(iv) active duty in any military branch of the United States;
(v) the child has a condition that requires ongoing treatment for a mental health diagnosis; or
(vi) other exemptions included in the district's school attendance policy;
(2) that the child has already completed state and district standards required for graduation from high school; or
(3) that it is the wish of the parent, guardian, or other person having control of the childdeleted text begin ,deleted text end that the child attendnew text begin ,new text end for a period or periods not exceeding in the aggregate three hours in any week,new text begin instruction conducted by a Tribal spiritual or cultural advisor, ornew text end a school for religious instruction conducted and maintained by deleted text begin somedeleted text end new text begin anew text end church, or association of churches, or any Sunday school association incorporated under the laws of this state, or any auxiliary thereof. This deleted text begin school for religiousdeleted text end instruction must be conducted and maintained in a place other than a public school building, and it must not, in whole or in part, be conducted and maintained at public expense. deleted text begin However,deleted text end A child may be absent from school on deleted text begin suchdeleted text end days deleted text begin asdeleted text end new text begin thatnew text end the child attends upon instruction according to deleted text begin the ordinances of some churchdeleted text end new text begin this clausenew text end .
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision 6, paragraph (a), a parent may withdraw a child from an all-day, every day kindergarten program and put their child in a half-day program, if offered, or an alternate-day program without being truant. A school board must excuse a kindergarten child from a part of a school day at the request of the child's parent.
new text begin This section is effective for the 2024-2025 school year and later. new text end
new text begin (a) new text end School districts and charter schools are encouraged to provide mental health instruction for students in grades 4 through 12 aligned with local health standards and integrated into existing programs, curriculum, or the general school environment of a district or charter school. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of human services, commissioner of health, and mental health organizations, must, by July 1, 2020, and July 1 of each even-numbered year thereafter, provide districts and charter schools with resources gathered by Minnesota mental health advocates, including:
(1) age-appropriate model learning activities for grades 4 through 12 that encompass the mental health components of the National Health Education Standards and the benchmarks developed by the department's quality teaching network in health and best practices in mental health education; and
(2) a directory of resources for planning and implementing age-appropriate mental health curriculum and instruction in grades 4 through 12 that includes resources on suicide and self-harm prevention. A district or charter school providing instruction or presentations on preventing suicide or self-harm must use either the resources provided by the commissioner or other evidence-based instruction.
new text begin (b) Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, school districts and charter schools must provide mental health instruction in accordance with paragraph (a). new text end
For purposes of this section, "health services specialist" means a professional registered nurse who:
(1) is licensed as a public health nurse in Minnesota;
(2) is licensed as a school nurse in Minnesota;
(3) has a minimum of three years of experience in school nursing services or as a public health nurse serving schools;new text begin andnew text end
(4) has experience in managing a districtwide health policydeleted text begin , overseeing a budget, and supervising personnel; anddeleted text end new text begin .new text end
deleted text begin (5) has a graduate degree in nursing, public health, education, or a related field. deleted text end
new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end
new text begin (a) Beginning October 1, 2024, to the extent space is available, a school district or charter school must provide an enrolled secondary school student with access during regular school hours, and to the extent staff is available, before or after the school day on days when students receive instruction at school, to space at the school site that a student may use to receive mental health care through telehealth from a student's licensed mental health provider. A secondary school must develop a plan with procedures to receive requests for access to the space. new text end
new text begin (b) The space must provide a student privacy to receive mental health care. new text end
new text begin (c) A student may use a school-issued device to receive mental health care through telehealth if such use is consistent with the district or school policy governing acceptable use of the school-issued device. new text end
new text begin (d) A school may require a student requesting access to space under this section to submit to the school a signed and dated consent from the student's parent or guardian, or from the student if the student is age 16 or older, authorizing the student's licensed mental health provider to release information from the student's health record that is requested by the school to confirm the student is currently receiving mental health care from the provider. Such a consent is valid for the school year in which it is submitted. new text end
new text begin This section is effective for the 2024-2025 school year and later. new text end
In addition, this section does not apply to drugs or medicine that are:
(1) purchased without a prescription;
(2) used by a pupil who is 18 years old or older;
(3) used in connection with services for which a minor may give effective consent, including section 144.343, subdivision 1, and any other law;
(4) used in situations in which, in the judgment of the school personnelnew text begin , including a licensed nurse,new text end who are present or available, the risk to the pupil's life or health is of such a nature that drugs or medicine should be given without delay;
(5) used off the school grounds;
(6) used in connection with athletics or extra curricular activities;
(7) used in connection with activities that occur before or after the regular school day;
(8) provided or administered by a public health agency to prevent or control an illness or a disease outbreak as provided for in sections 144.05 and 144.12;
(9) prescription asthma or reactive airway disease medications self-administered by a pupil with an asthma inhaler, consistent with section 121A.221, if the district has received a written authorization from the pupil's parent permitting the pupil to self-administer the medication, the inhaler is properly labeled for that student, and the parent has not requested school personnel to administer the medication to the pupil. The parent must submit written authorization for the pupil to self-administer the medication each school year; or
(10) epinephrine auto-injectors, consistent with section 121A.2205, if the parent and prescribing medical professional annually inform the pupil's school in writing that (i) the pupil may possess the epinephrine or (ii) the pupil is unable to possess the epinephrine and requires immediate access to epinephrine auto-injectors that the parent provides properly labeled to the school for the pupil as needed.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
Drugs and medicine subject to this section must be administered in a manner consistent with instructions on the label. Drugs and medicine subject to this section must be administered, to the extent possible, according to school board procedures that must be developed in consultation:
(1) with a deleted text begin schooldeleted text end new text begin licensednew text end nurse, in a district that employs a deleted text begin schooldeleted text end new text begin licensednew text end nursenew text begin under section 148.171new text end ;
(2) with a licensed school nurse, in a district that employs a licensed school nursenew text begin licensed under Minnesota Rules, part 8710.6100new text end ;
(3) with a public or private health or health-related organization, in a district that contracts with a public or private health or health-related organization, according to section 121A.21; or
(4) with the appropriate party, in a district that has an arrangement approved by the commissioner of education, according to section 121A.21.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
new text begin (a) new text end Notwithstanding section 151.37, districts and schools may obtain and possess epinephrine auto-injectors to be maintained and administered by school personnelnew text begin , including a licensed nurse,new text end to a student or other individual if, in good faith, it is determined that person is experiencing anaphylaxis regardless of whether the student or other individual has a prescription for an epinephrine auto-injector. The administration of an epinephrine auto-injector in accordance with this section is not the practice of medicine.
new text begin (b) Registered nurses may administer epinephrine auto-injectors in a school setting according to a condition-specific protocol as authorized under section 148.235, subdivision 8. Notwithstanding any limitation in sections 148.171 to 148.285, licensed practical nurses may administer epinephrine auto-injectors in a school setting according to a condition-specific protocol that does not reference a specific patient and that specifies the circumstances under which the epinephrine auto-injector is to be administered, when caring for a patient whose condition falls within the protocol. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
"School" means any school defined in section 120A.05, subdivisions 9, 11, 13, and 17.new text begin "School" also means a charter school.new text end
new text begin (a) A public school is encouraged to adopt a school policy on parental notification for unscheduled student removal from class. The public school must consult with child abuse prevention experts to incorporate best practices into the school policy. A public school with a policy on parental notification must include the policy in the employee handbook and disseminate information to school staff regarding child abuse prevention in a school setting. new text end
new text begin (b) A nonpublic school under section 123B.41, subdivision 9, or a Tribal contract school is encouraged to adopt a policy consistent with this section. new text end
new text begin This section is effective for the 2024-2025 school year and later. new text end
new text begin The league must provide school coaches with eating disorder prevention education resources developed specifically for school coaches about the nature and risks of eating disorders, including the risk factors, mitigation strategies, effects, and risks of undiagnosed and untreated eating disorders, consistent with current medical research. new text end
(a) The local welfare agency is the agency responsible for investigating allegations of maltreatment in child foster care, family child care, legally nonlicensed child care, and reports involving children served by an unlicensed personal care provider organization under section 256B.0659. Copies of findings related to personal care provider organizations under section 256B.0659 must be forwarded to the Department of Human Services provider enrollment.
(b) The Department of Human Services is the agency responsible for screening and investigating allegations of maltreatment in juvenile correctional facilities listed under section 241.021 located in the local welfare agency's county and in facilities licensed or certified under chapters 245A and 245D.
(c) The Department of Health is the agency responsible for screening and investigating allegations of maltreatment in facilities licensed under sections 144.50 to 144.58 and 144A.43 to 144A.482 or chapter 144H.
(d) The Department of Education is the agency responsible for screening and investigating allegations of maltreatment in a school as defined in section 120A.05, subdivisions 9, 11, and 13, and chapter 124E. The Department of Education's responsibility to screen and investigate includes allegations of maltreatment involving students 18 deleted text begin todeleted text end new text begin throughnew text end 21 years of age, including students receiving special education services, up to and including graduation and the issuance of a secondary or high school diploma.
(e) A health or corrections agency receiving a report may request the local welfare agency to provide assistance pursuant to this section and sections 260E.20 and 260E.22.
(f) The Department of Children, Youth, and Families is the agency responsible for screening and investigating allegations of maltreatment in facilities or programs not listed in paragraph (a) that are licensed or certified under chapters 142B and 142C.
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024. new text end
"Kindergarten" means a program designed for pupils five years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year commences that prepares pupils to enter first grade the following school year. deleted text begin A program designed for pupils younger than five years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year commences that prepares pupils to enter kindergarten the following school year is a prekindergarten program.deleted text end
new text begin "Prekindergarten" means a program designed for pupils younger than five years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year commences that prepares pupils to enter kindergarten the following school year. new text end
A district, a charter school, a group of districts, a group of charter schools, or a group of districts and charter schools may establish a voluntary prekindergarten programnew text begin for eligible four-year-old childrennew text end . The purpose of a voluntary prekindergarten program is to deleted text begin preparedeleted text end new text begin supportnew text end children new text begin and their families and prepare them new text end for success deleted text begin as they enterdeleted text end new text begin innew text end kindergarten deleted text begin in the following yeardeleted text end new text begin and beyondnew text end .
(a) A voluntary prekindergarten program provider must:
(1) provide instruction through play-based learning to foster children's social and emotional development, cognitive development, physical and motor development, and language and literacy skills, including the native language and literacy skills of English learners, to the extent practicable;
(2) deleted text begin measuredeleted text end new text begin assessnew text end each child's deleted text begin cognitive and social skills using a formative measure aligned todeleted text end new text begin progress towardnew text end the state's early learning standards when the child enters and again before the child leaves the programdeleted text begin , screening and progress monitoring measures, and other age-appropriate versions from the state-approved menu of kindergarten entry profile measuresdeleted text end new text begin using a commissioner-approved formative, developmentally appropriate assessment and report results and demographic data to the department in a form and manner prescribed by the commissionernew text end ;
(3) provide comprehensive program content new text begin aligned with the state early learning standards, new text end including the implementation of curriculum, assessment, and new text begin intentional new text end instructional strategies deleted text begin aligned with the state early learning standards, and kindergartendeleted text end new text begin that support transition to kindergartennew text end through grade 3 academic standards;
(4) provide instructional content and activities that are of sufficient length and intensity to address learning needs including offering a program with at least 350 hours of instruction per school year for a prekindergarten student;
(5) provide voluntary prekindergarten instructional staff salaries comparable to the salaries of local kindergarten through grade 12 instructional staff;
(6) coordinate appropriate kindergarten transition with families, deleted text begin community-baseddeleted text end prekindergarten programsdeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin offered by Head Start, licensed center and licensed family child care, community-based organizations,new text end and school district kindergarten programs;
(7) involve parents in program deleted text begin planningdeleted text end new text begin decision-makingnew text end and transition planning by implementing parent engagement strategies that include culturally and linguistically responsive activities in prekindergarten through third grade that are aligned with early childhood family education under section 124D.13;
(8) coordinate with relevant community-based services, including health and social service agencies, to ensure children have access to comprehensive services;
(9) coordinate with all relevant school district programs and services including early childhood special education, homeless students, and English learners;
(10) ensure staff-to-child ratios of one-to-ten and a maximum group size of 20 children;
(11) provide high-quality coordinated professional development, training, and coaching for deleted text begin bothdeleted text end new text begin staff innew text end school deleted text begin district and community-based early learningdeleted text end new text begin districts and in prekindergarten programs offered by Head Start, licensed center and licensed family child carenew text end providersnew text begin , and community-based organizationsnew text end that is informed by a measure of adult-child interactions and enables teachers to be highly knowledgeable in early childhood curriculum content, assessment, native and English language development programs, and instruction; and
(12) implement strategies that support the alignment of professional development, instruction, assessments, and prekindergarten through grade 3 curricula.
(b) A voluntary prekindergarten program must have teachers knowledgeable in early childhood curriculum content, assessment, native and English language programs, and instructionnew text begin , and licensed according to section 122A.261new text end .
deleted text begin (c) Districts and charter schools must include their strategy for implementing and measuring the impact of their voluntary prekindergarten program under section 120B.11 deleted text end deleted text begin and provide results in their world's best workforce annual summary to the commissioner of education. deleted text end
A district or charter school may contract with a charter school, Head Start deleted text begin or child care centers, family child care programs licensed under section 245A.03deleted text end new text begin program, licensed center and licensed family child carenew text end , or a community-based organization to provide eligible children with developmentally appropriate services that meet the program requirements in subdivision 2. Components of a mixed-delivery plan include strategies for recruitment, contracting, and monitoring of fiscal compliance and program quality.
deleted text begin Adeleted text end new text begin (a) An eligiblenew text end child new text begin means a child new text end whonew text begin :new text end
new text begin (1)new text end is four years of age as of September 1 in the calendar year in which the school year commences deleted text begin is eligible to participate in a voluntary prekindergarten program free of charge. An eligible four-year-old child served in a mixed-delivery system by a child care center, family child care program licensed under section 245A.03, or community-based organization may be charged a fee as long as the mixed-delivery partner was not awarded a seat for that child.deleted text end new text begin ; andnew text end
new text begin (2) meets at least one of the following criteria: new text end
new text begin (i) qualifies for free or reduced-priced meals; new text end
new text begin (ii) qualifies for the rate at application specified in section 119B.09, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (2), in the current calendar year; new text end
new text begin (iii) is an English language learner as defined by section 124D.59, subdivision 2; new text end
new text begin (iv) is American Indian; new text end
new text begin (v) has experienced homelessness in the last 24 months, as defined under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, United States Code, title 42, section 1143a; new text end
new text begin (vi) was identified as having a potential risk factor that may influence learning through health and developmental screening under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19; new text end
new text begin (vii) is in foster care; is in kinship care, including children receiving Northstar kinship care assistance under chapter 256N; or is in need of child protection services; new text end
new text begin (viii) has a parent who is a migrant or seasonal agricultural laborer under section 181.85; new text end
new text begin (ix) has a parent who is incarcerated; or new text end
new text begin (x) is defined as at-risk by the school district. new text end
new text begin (b) School districts and charter schools must use state funding for eligible children to the extent it is available. A child may participate in a voluntary prekindergarten program on a fee-for-service basis if the child does not meet the eligibility criteria in paragraph (a) or state funding is not available. A school district or charter school must adopt a sliding-fee schedule based upon family income and must waive a fee for a participant unable to pay. new text end
new text begin (c)new text end Each eligible child must complete a health and developmental screening within 90 days of program enrollment under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, and provide documentation of required immunizations under section 121A.15.
new text begin (d) A child with an individualized education program may not be excluded from participation in a program under this section if all other eligibility requirements are satisfied and the individualized education program team determines that with reasonable accommodations the child can fully participate and make progress toward their goals and objectives. new text end
(a) To qualify for program approvalnew text begin for fiscal year 2026new text end , a district or charter school must submit an application to the commissioner by January 30new text begin , 2025. Thereafter, the commissioner must accept applications and approve programs every four years. To qualify for program approval after fiscal year 2026, a school district or charter school must submit an application to the commissioner by January 30new text end of the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the program will be implemented. The application must include:
(1) a description of the proposed program, including the number of hours per week the program will be offered at each school site or mixed-delivery location;
(2) an estimate of the number of eligible children to be served in the program at each school site or mixed-delivery location; and
(3) a statement of assurances signed by the superintendent or charter school director that the proposed program meets the requirements of subdivision 2.
(b) The commissioner must review all applications by March 1 of the fiscal year in which the applications are received and determine whether each application meets the requirements of paragraph (a).
(c) The commissioner must divide all applications for new or expanded voluntary prekindergarten programs under this section meeting the requirements of paragraph (a) and school readiness plus programs into deleted text begin fourdeleted text end new text begin fivenew text end groups as follows: the Minneapolis deleted text begin anddeleted text end new text begin school district; thenew text end St. Paul school deleted text begin districtsdeleted text end new text begin districtnew text end ; other school districts located in the metropolitan equity region as defined in section 126C.10, subdivision 28; school districts located in the rural equity region as defined in section 126C.10, subdivision 28; and charter schools. Within each group, the applications must be ordered by rank using a sliding scale based on the following criteria:
(1) concentration of kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price meals by school site on October 1 of the previous school year. A school site may contract to partner with a community-based provider or Head Start under subdivision 3 or establish an early childhood center and use the concentration of kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price meals from a specific school site as long as those eligible children are prioritized and guaranteed services at the mixed-delivery site or early education center. For school district programs to be operated at locations that do not have free and reduced-price meals concentration data for kindergarten programs for October 1 of the previous school year, including mixed-delivery programs, the school district average concentration of kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price meals must be used for the rank ordering;
(2) presence or absence of a three- or four-star Parent Aware rated program within the school district or close proximity of the district. School sites with the highest concentration of kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price meals that do not have a three- or four-star Parent Aware program within the district or close proximity of the district shall receive the highest priority, and school sites with the lowest concentration of kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price meals that have a three- or four-star Parent Aware rated program within the district or close proximity of the district shall receive the lowest priority; and
(3) whether the district has implemented a mixed delivery system.
deleted text begin (d) The limit on participation for the programs as specified in subdivision 6 must initially be allocated among the four groups based on each group's percentage share of the statewide kindergarten enrollment on October 1 of the previous school year. Within each group, the participation limit for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 must first be allocated to school sites approved for aid in the previous year to ensure that those sites are funded for the same number of participants as approved for the previous year. The remainder of the participation limit for each group must be allocated among school sites in priority order until that region's share of the participation limit is reached. If the participation limit is not reached for all groups, the remaining amount must be allocated to the highest priority school sites, as designated under this section, not funded in the initial allocation on a statewide basis. For fiscal year 2020 and later, the participation limit must first be allocated to school sites deleted text end deleted text begin approved for aid in fiscal year 2017, and then to school sites approved for aid in fiscal year 2018 based on the statewide rankings under paragraph (c). deleted text end
deleted text begin (e) Once a school site or a mixed delivery site under subdivision 3 is approved for aid under this subdivision, it shall remain eligible for aid if it continues to meet program requirements, regardless of changes in the concentration of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. deleted text end
deleted text begin (f) If the total number of participants approved based on applications submitted under paragraph (a) is less than the participation limit under subdivision 6, the commissioner must notify all school districts and charter schools of the amount that remains available within 30 days of the initial application deadline under paragraph (a), and complete a second round of allocations based on applications received within 60 days of the initial application deadline. deleted text end
deleted text begin (g) Procedures for approving applications submitted under paragraph (f) shall be the same as specified in paragraphs (a) to (d), except that the allocations shall be made to the highest priority school sites not funded in the initial allocation on a statewide basis. deleted text end
new text begin (a) Beginning July 1, 2024, the participation limit specified in subdivision 6 must be initially allocated as follows: new text end
new text begin (1) a school site or mixed delivery site must receive the same number of seats the site received in fiscal year 2024; and new text end
new text begin (2) the remaining seats must be allocated among the five groups identified under subdivision 5, paragraph (c), based on each group's percentage share of the statewide kindergarten enrollment on October 1 of the previous year. new text end
new text begin (b) Within each group: new text end
new text begin (1) the seats must be first allocated to any school sites and mixed delivery sites approved for aid in the previous year or allocation period; and new text end
new text begin (2) any remaining seats must be allocated among school sites in priority order, as determined under subdivision 5, paragraph (c), until the group's share of seats are allocated. new text end
new text begin (c) If a group's entire share of seats is not allocated under paragraphs (a) and (b), then the remaining seats must be allocated to the highest priority school sites and mixed delivery sites in the state, as designated under subdivision 5, paragraph (c), not funded in the allocation under paragraphs (a) and (b). new text end
new text begin (d) Once a school site or a mixed delivery site is approved for aid under subdivision 5 and is allocated seats under this subdivision, it shall remain eligible for aid and seats if it continues to meet program requirements, regardless of changes in the concentration of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. new text end
new text begin (e) If the total number of participants approved based on applications submitted under subdivision 5, paragraph (a), is less than the participation limit under subdivision 6, the commissioner must notify all school districts and charter schools of the amount that remains available within 30 days of the initial application deadline under subdivision 5, paragraph (a), and complete a second round of allocations based on applications received within 60 days of the initial application deadline. new text end
new text begin (f) Procedures for approving applications submitted under paragraph (e) shall be the same as specified in subdivision 5, and the allocations shall be made to the highest priority school sites in the state as designated under subdivision 5, paragraph (c), not funded in the initial allocation under paragraphs (a) and (b). new text end
new text begin (g) For nonapplication years, the commissioner must annually review the distribution of seat allocations and may redistribute them between sites within a district at their request and between districts for the year in which a district will not utilize their full allocation. new text end
(a) Notwithstanding section 126C.05, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), the pupil units for a voluntary prekindergarten program for an eligible school district or charter school must not exceed 60 percent of the kindergarten pupil units for that school district or charter school under section 126C.05, subdivision 1, paragraph (d).
(b) In reviewing applications under subdivision 5new text begin and allocating seats under subdivision 5anew text end , the commissioner must limit the total number of participants in the voluntary prekindergarten and school readiness plus programs under Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 8, section 9, to not more than 7,160 participants for fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025, and 12,360 participants for fiscal year 2026 and later.
An eligible school district or charter school must record expenditures attributable to voluntary prekindergarten pupils according to guidelines prepared by the commissioner of education under section 127A.17.
The commissioner and the commissioner of education shall enter into an agreement under which the commissioner of education shall distribute funds appropriated for programs under this section.
new text begin The amendments to subdivisions 1 to 4 and subdivision 5, paragraphs (a) and (b), are effective July 1, 2025. The amendments to subdivision 5, paragraphs (c) to (g), and subdivisions 5a and 6 are effective the day following final enactment. new text end
(a) For a family to receive an early learning scholarship, parents or guardians must have an eligible child and meet at least one of the following requirements:
(1) have income equal to or less than:
(i) the at-application rate specified in section 119B.09, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (2), in the current calendar year; or
(ii) beginning July 1, 2025, the rate specified in United States Code, title 42, section 9858n(4)(B), as adjusted for family size;
(2) be able to document their child's current participation in the free and reduced-price meals program or Child and Adult Care Food Program, National School Lunch Act, United States Code, title 42, sections 1751 and 1766; the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Food and Nutrition Act, United States Code, title 7, sections 2011-2036; Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007; Minnesota family investment program under chapter 256J; child care assistance programs under chapter 119B; the supplemental nutrition assistance program; or
(3) have new text begin or be new text end a child referred as in need of child protection services or placed in foster care under section 260C.212.
(b) An "eligible child" means a child who has not yet enrolled in kindergarten and is not yet five years of age on September 1 of the current school year.
(c) A child who has received a scholarship under this section must continue to receive a scholarship each year until that child is eligible for kindergarten under section 120A.20 and as long as funds are available.
(d) Early learning scholarships may not be counted as earned income for the purposes of medical assistance under chapter 256B, MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L, Minnesota family investment program under chapter 256J, child care assistance programs under chapter 119B, or Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007.
(e) A child from an adjoining state whose family resides at a Minnesota address as assigned by the United States Postal Service, who has received developmental screening under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, who intends to enroll in a Minnesota school district, and whose family meets the criteria of paragraph (a) is eligible for an early learning scholarship under this section.
(a) The commissioner shall establish application timelines and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships that meet the operational needs of eligible families and programs.
(b) The commissioner must give highest priority to applications from children who:
(1) are not yet four years of age;
(2) have a parent under age 21 who is pursuing a high school diploma or a course of study for a high school equivalency test;
(3) are in foster care;
(4) have been referred as in need of child protection services;
(5) have an incarcerated parent;
(6) new text begin are in or new text end have a parent in a substance use treatment program;
(7) new text begin are in or new text end have a parent in a mental health treatment program;
(8) have experienced domestic violence; deleted text begin ordeleted text end
new text begin (9) have an individualized education program or individualized family service plan; or new text end
deleted text begin (9)deleted text end new text begin (10)new text end have experienced homelessness in the last 24 months, as defined under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, United States Code, title 42, section 1143a.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), beginning July 1, 2025, the commissioner must give highest priority to applications from children in families with income equal to or less than the rate specified under subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (1), item (i), and within this group must prioritize children who meet one or more of the criteria listed in paragraph (b).
(d) The commissioner may prioritize applications on additional factors, including but not limited to availability of funding, family income, geographic location, and whether the child's family is on a waiting list for a publicly funded program providing early education or child care services.
new text begin The revisor of statutes shall remove the terms "school readiness plus" or "school readiness plus programs" wherever they appear in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 119B, 121A, 122A, 124D, 126C, or 179A. The revisor shall also make necessary cross-reference changes, technical language, and other changes necessitated by the changes in this act. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2025. new text end
new text begin Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 8, section 9, new text end new text begin is repealed. new text end
new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2025. new text end
(a) A P-20 education partnership is established to create a seamless system of education that maximizes achievements of all students, from early childhood through elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education, while promoting the efficient use of financial and human resources. The partnership shall consist of major statewide educational groups or constituencies or noneducational statewide organizations with a stated interest in P-20 education. The initial membership of the partnership includes the members serving on the Minnesota P-16 Education Partnership and four legislators appointed as follows:
(1) one senator from the majority party and one senator from the minority party, appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on Rules and Administration; and
(2) one member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house and one member appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.
(b) The chair of the P-16 education partnership must convene the first meeting of the P-20 partnership. Prospective members may be nominated by any partnership member and new members will be added with the approval of a two-thirds majority of the partnership. The partnership will also seek input from nonmember organizations whose expertise can help inform the partnership's work.
(c) Partnership members shall be represented by the chief executives, presidents, or other formally designated leaders of their respective organizations, or their designees. The partnership shall meet at least three times during each calendar year.
deleted text begin (d) The P-20 education partnership shall be the state council for the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children under section 127A.85 with the commissioner or commissioner's designee serving as the compact commissioner responsible for the administration and management of the state's participation in the compact. When conducting business required under section 127A.85, the P-20 partnership shall include a representative from a military installation appointed by the adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard. deleted text end
new text begin (a) A Military Interstate Children's Compact State Council is established to provide for the coordination among state agencies, local education agencies, and military installations concerning the state's participation in, and compliance with the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children established in section 127A.85, otherwise known as the Military Interstate Children's Compact, and Interstate Commission activities. new text end
new text begin (b) Council membership must include at least: new text end
new text begin (1) the commissioner; new text end
new text begin (2) a superintendent, appointed by the commissioner, of a school district or charter school with a high concentration of military children; new text end
new text begin (3) a representative from a military installation appointed by the adjutant general; new text end
new text begin (4) one member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house; new text end
new text begin (5) one member of the senate appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on Rules and Administration; and new text end
new text begin (6) other offices and stakeholder groups the council deems appropriate. new text end
new text begin If the commissioner determines there is not a school district deemed to contain a high concentration of military children, the commissioner may appoint a superintendent from another school district to represent local education agencies on the council. new text end
new text begin (c) The council must appoint or designate a military family education liaison to assist military families and the state in facilitating the implementation of section 127A.85. new text end
new text begin (d) The compact commissioner responsible for the administration and management of the state's participation in the compact must be appointed by the commissioner. new text end
new text begin (e) The compact commissioner and the military family education liaison designated herein shall be ex officio members of the council, unless either is already a full voting member of the council. new text end
new text begin (a) The council may develop recommendations to the governor and the legislature designed to facilitate successful educational transitions for children of military families under the compact. new text end
new text begin (b) The commissioner must schedule and hold a meeting of the council no less than once per state fiscal year. new text end
new text begin (c) The council must produce meeting agendas that are made publicly available before each meeting and maintain meeting minutes that are made publicly available once they are approved by the council. new text end
new text begin (d) By January 15 of each odd-numbered year, the council shall submit a report to the governor and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education policy and finance and military affairs that summarizes the council's progress in meeting its goals and identifies the need for any draft legislation to facilitate successful educational transitions for children of military families. new text end
new text begin (a) Notwithstanding section 127A.85, article III, and for the purposes of intrastate student transfers between Minnesota local education agencies, the provisions of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children in section 127A.85 apply to minor dependent children of members of the active and activated reserve components of the uniformed services, including but not limited to members of the Minnesota Army National Guard and the Minnesota Air National Guard. new text end
new text begin (b) This section does not apply to interstate transfers between Minnesota local education agencies and public or private schools in other states. new text end
new text begin (c) For the purposes of this section, the words defined in section 127A.85, article II, have the same meanings. new text end
new text begin For purposes of this section, "military-connected student" means a student who has an immediate family member, including a parent or sibling, who: (1) is currently a member of the armed forces serving as either a reservist or on active duty in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard; (2) is currently serving in the National Guard; (3) has recently retired from the armed forces; or (4) is the dependent of a member of the armed forces who was killed in the line of duty. new text end
new text begin (a) The commissioner of education may designate a school as a Purple Star School if the school: new text end
new text begin (1) has a designated staff member serving as a military liaison whose duties include: new text end
new text begin (i) identifying military-connected students enrolled at the school; new text end
new text begin (ii) serving as the point of contact between the school and military-connected students and families; new text end
new text begin (iii) determining appropriate school services available to military-connected students; and new text end
new text begin (iv) assisting in coordinating school programs relevant to military-connected students; new text end
new text begin (2) maintains easily accessible information on the school website that includes resources for military-connected students and families, including information regarding: new text end
new text begin (i) student relocation, student enrollment, student registration, and transfer of school records; new text end
new text begin (ii) academic planning, course offerings, and advanced classes available at the school; new text end
new text begin (iii) counseling and other support services available for military-connected students enrolled at the school; and new text end
new text begin (iv) the designated military liaison under clause (1); new text end
new text begin (3) offers a transition program led by students, where appropriate, that assists military-connected students in transitioning into the school; new text end
new text begin (4) offers professional development opportunities for staff members on issues related to military-connected students; and new text end
new text begin (5) offers at least one of the following: new text end
new text begin (i) a resolution showing support for military-connected students and families; new text end
new text begin (ii) recognition of the Month of the Military Child or Military Family Month with relevant events hosted by the school; or new text end
new text begin (iii) a partnership with a local military installation that provides opportunities for active duty military members to volunteer at the school, speak at an assembly, or host a field trip. new text end
new text begin (b) The commissioner must establish a process for schools to seek Purple Star School designation by July 1, 2026. The commissioner may award Purple Star School designations starting in the 2026-2027 school year, and on an ongoing basis as schools meet qualifications for the designation. new text end
Presented to the governor May 16, 2024
Signed by the governor May 17, 2024, 4:44 p.m.
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes