Minnesota Session Laws - 2010, Regular Session

CHAPTER 396--S.F.No. 2908

An act

relating to state government; making changes to school district health and wellness provisions; requiring an additional local share for certain nursing facilities; allowing an alternative to the nursing facility rate phase-in; changing the name of an act; making changes to physical education standards; creating a healthy kids program;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 120B.021, subdivision 1; 256B.19, by adding a subdivision; 256B.441, by adding a subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, sections 120B.023, subdivision 2; 402A.01; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 121A.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.021, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Required academic standards.

The following subject areas are required for statewide accountability:

(1) language arts;

(2) mathematics;

(3) science;

(4) social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government and citizenship;

(5) new text begin physical education; new text end

new text begin (6) new text end health deleted text begin and physical education deleted text end , for which locally developed academic standards apply; and

deleted text begin (6) deleted text end new text begin (7) new text end the arts, for which statewide or locally developed academic standards apply, as determined by the school district. Public elementary and middle schools must offer at least three and require at least two of the following four arts areas: dance; 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.

The commissioner must submit proposed standards in science and social studies to the legislature by February 1, 2004.

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 plan team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate. An individualized education plan team that makes this determination must establish alternative standards.

A school district, no later than the 2007-2008 school year, must adopt graduation requirements that meet or exceed state graduation requirements established in law or rule. A school district that incorporates these state graduation requirements before the 2007-2008 school year must provide students who enter the 9th grade in or before the 2003-2004 school year the opportunity to earn a diploma based on existing locally established graduation requirements in effect when the students entered the 9th grade. 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.

The commissioner must include the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities as they relate to the academic standards during the review and revision of the required academic standards.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to all school districts and charter schools beginning in the 2012-2013 school year and later. new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, section 120B.023, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Revisions and reviews required.

(a) The commissioner of education must revise and appropriately embed technology and information literacy standards consistent with recommendations from school media specialists into the state's academic standards and graduation requirements and implement a review cycle for state academic standards and related benchmarks, consistent with this subdivision. During each review cycle, the commissioner also must examine the alignment of each required academic standard and related benchmark with the knowledge and skills students need for college readiness and advanced work in the particular subject area.

(b) The commissioner in the 2006-2007 school year must revise and align the state's academic standards and high school graduation requirements in mathematics to require that students satisfactorily complete the revised mathematics standards, beginning in the 2010-2011 school year. Under the revised standards:

(1) students must satisfactorily complete an algebra I credit by the end of eighth grade; and

(2) students scheduled to graduate in the 2014-2015 school year or later must satisfactorily complete an algebra II credit or its equivalent.

The commissioner also must ensure that the statewide mathematics assessments administered to students in grades 3 through 8 and 11 are aligned with the state academic standards in mathematics, consistent with section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (b). The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in mathematics beginning in the 2015-2016 school year.

(c) The commissioner in the 2007-2008 school year must revise and align the state's academic standards and high school graduation requirements in the arts to require that students satisfactorily complete the revised arts standards beginning in the 2010-2011 school year. The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in arts beginning in the 2016-2017 school year.

(d) The commissioner in the 2008-2009 school year must revise and align the state's academic standards and high school graduation requirements in science to require that students satisfactorily complete the revised science standards, beginning in the 2011-2012 school year. Under the revised standards, students scheduled to graduate in the 2014-2015 school year or later must satisfactorily complete a chemistry or physics credit. The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in science beginning in the 2017-2018 school year.

(e) The commissioner in the 2009-2010 school year must revise and align the state's academic standards and high school graduation requirements in language arts to require that students satisfactorily complete the revised language arts standards beginning in the 2012-2013 school year. The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in language arts beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.

(f) The commissioner in the 2010-2011 school year must revise and align the state's academic standards and high school graduation requirements in social studies to require that students satisfactorily complete the revised social studies standards beginning in the 2013-2014 school year. The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related benchmarks in social studies beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.

(g) School districts and charter schools must revise and align local academic standards and high school graduation requirements in health, deleted text begin physical education, deleted text end world languages, and career and technical education to require students to complete the revised standards beginning in a school year determined by the school district or charter school. School districts and charter schools must formally establish a periodic review cycle for the academic standards and related benchmarks in health, deleted text begin physical education, deleted text end world languages, and career and technical education.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to all school districts and charter schools beginning in the 2012-2013 school year and later. new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [121A.215] LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WELLNESS POLICIES; WEB SITE. new text end

new text begin When available, a school district must post its current local school wellness policy on its Web site. new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2010. new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 256B.19, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 1e. new text end

new text begin Additional local share of certain nursing facility costs. new text end

new text begin Beginning January 1, 2011, local government entities that own the physical plant or are the license holders of nursing facilities receiving rate adjustments under section 256B.441, subdivision 55a, shall be responsible for paying the portion of nonfederal costs calculated under section 256B.441, subdivision 55a, paragraph (d). Payments of the nonfederal share shall be made monthly to the commissioner in amounts determined in accordance with section 256B.441, subdivision 55a, paragraph (d). Payments for each month beginning in January 2011 through September 2015 shall be due by the 15th day of the following month. If any provider obligated to pay an amount under this subdivision is more than two months delinquent in the timely payment of the monthly installment, the commissioner may withhold payments, penalties, and interest in accordance with the methods outlined in section 256.9657, subdivision 7a. new text end

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 256B.441, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 55a. new text end

new text begin Alternative to phase-in for publicly owned nursing facilities. new text end

new text begin (a) For operating payment rates implemented between January 1, 2011, and September 30, 2015, the commissioner shall allow nursing facilities whose physical plant is owned or whose license is held by a city, county, or hospital district to apply for a higher payment rate under this section if the local government entity agrees to pay a specified portion of the nonfederal share of medical assistance costs. Nursing facilities that apply shall be eligible to select an operating payment rate, with a weight of 1.00, up to the rate calculated in subdivision 54, without application of the phase-in under subdivision 55. The rates for the other RUG's levels shall be computed as provided under subdivision 54. new text end

new text begin (b) Rates determined under this subdivision shall take effect beginning January 1, 2011, based on cost reports for the rate year ending September 30, 2009, and in future rate years, rates determined for nursing facilities participating under this subdivision shall take effect on October 1 of each year, based on the most recent available cost report. new text end

new text begin (c) Eligible nursing facilities that wish to participate under this subdivision shall make an application to the commissioner by September 30, 2010. Participation under this subdivision is irrevocable. If paragraph (a) does not result in a rate greater than what would have been provided without application of this subdivision, a facility's rates shall be calculated as otherwise provided and no payment by the local government entity shall be required under paragraph (d). new text end

new text begin (d) For each participating nursing facility, the public entity that owns the physical plant or is the license holder of the nursing facility shall pay to the state the entire nonfederal share of medical assistance payments received as a result of the difference between the nursing facility's payment rate under subdivision 54, paragraph (a), and the rates that the nursing facility would otherwise be paid without application of this subdivision under subdivision 55 as determined by the commissioner. new text end

new text begin (e) The commissioner may, at any time, reduce the payments under this subdivision based on the commissioner's determination that the payments shall cause nursing facility rates to exceed the state's Medicare upper payment limit or any other federal limitation. If the commissioner determines a reduction is necessary, the commissioner shall reduce all payment rates for participating nursing facilities by a percentage applied to the amount of increase they would otherwise receive under this subdivision and shall notify participating facilities of the reductions. If payments to a nursing facility are reduced, payments under section 256B.19, subdivision 1e, shall be reduced accordingly. new text end

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, section 402A.01, is amended to read:

402A.01 CITATION.

Sections 402A.01 to 402A.50 may be cited as the "State-County Results, Accountability, and Service Delivery deleted text begin Reform deleted text end new text begin Redesign new text end Act."

Sec. 7.

new text begin DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Recess guidelines. new text end

new text begin The department is encouraged to develop guidelines that school districts can adopt that promote quality recess practices and behaviors that engage all students, increase their activity levels, build social skills, and decrease behavioral issues. new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Common course catalogue. new text end

new text begin The department is encouraged to include all physical education classes, district physical education standards, and local physical education graduation requirements that districts offer as part of the Minnesota common course catalogue. new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Standards adoption. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections 120B.021, subdivision 2, and 120B.023, any statutory criteria required when reviewing or revising standards and benchmarks and any requirements governing the content of statewide standards or any other law to the contrary, the commissioner of education shall initially adopt the most recent standards developed by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education for physical education in grades kindergarten through 12. new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end

Sec. 8.

new text begin [124D.955] HEALTHY KIDS AWARDS PROGRAM. new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The healthy kids awards program is established to reward kindergarten through grade 12 schools that implement policies and practices that create opportunities for students to be physically active and make healthy food choices throughout the day. The program seeks to integrate physical activity into nonphysical education classes, recess, and extracurricular activities throughout the day in addition to the physical education received in physical education classes. The program also seeks to integrate nutrition education and healthy food and beverage choices throughout the school environment, including classrooms, cafeteria, vending, school stores, and fund-raising. The program requirements align with the Institute of Medicine's guidelines for school food and beverages. new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Participation by school districts. new text end

new text begin School districts may submit letters of intent to participate in the healthy kids awards program to the commissioner of education by September 15 of each school year. Schools that report to the commissioner of education and meet the program criteria developed by the commissioner will have a "Healthy Kids Award" indicator placed on the school report card. new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies beginning in the 2010-2011 school year and later. new text end

Sec. 9.

new text begin EFFECTIVE UPON FEDERAL APPROVAL. new text end

new text begin Sections 4 and 5 shall be implemented only upon federal approval. The commissioner of human services shall delay the effective date of sections 4 and 5 if necessary in order to avoid loss of enhanced federal Medicaid matching funds as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and extended by any subsequent law. new text end

Presented to the governor May 18, 2010

Signed by the governor May 25, 2010, 11:27 a.m.