1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; appropriating money to the
1.3 	Office of Educational Accountability through the
1.4 	University of Minnesota; amending Minnesota Statutes
1.5 	2004, section 120B.31, subdivision 3.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 120B.31,
1.8 	subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.9 		Subd. 3.Educational accountability.  (a) The Independent
1.10 	Office of Educational Accountability, as authorized by Laws
1.11 	1997, First Special Session chapter 4, article 5, section 28,
1.12 	subdivision 2, is established, and shall be funded through the
1.13 	Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota.  The office
1.14 	shall advise the education committees of the legislature and the
1.15 	commissioner of education, at least on a biennial basis, on the
1.16 	degree to which the statewide educational accountability and
1.17 	reporting system includes a comprehensive assessment framework
1.18 	that measures school accountability for students achieving the
1.19 	goals described in the state's results-oriented graduation
1.20 	rule.  The office shall consider whether the statewide system of
1.21 	educational accountability utilizes multiple indicators to
1.22 	provide valid and reliable comparative and contextual data on
1.23 	students, schools, districts, and the state, and if not,
1.24 	recommend ways to improve the accountability reporting system.
1.25 	(b) When the office reviews the statewide educational
2.1 	accountability and reporting system, it shall also consider:
2.2 	(1) the objectivity and neutrality of the state's
2.3 	educational accountability system; and
2.4 	(2) the impact of a testing program on school curriculum
2.5 	and student learning.
2.6 	
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day
2.7 	following final enactment.

2.8 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL
2.9 	ACCOUNTABILITY.
 2.10 	$....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2006 and $.......
2.11 	in fiscal year 2007 from the general fund to the Board of
2.12 	Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Office of
2.13 	Educational Accountability under Minnesota Statutes, section
2.14 	120B.31, subdivision 3.  The base appropriation for the Office
2.15 	of Educational Accountability in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 is
2.16 	$....... each year.