1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to family and early childhood education; 
  1.3             allowing adult basic education programs to apply for 
  1.4             telecommunications access grants; allowing adult basic 
  1.5             education programs to apply for telecommunications 
  1.6             access revenue; appropriating money; amending 
  1.7             Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 125B.20, 
  1.8             subdivisions 1, 2, 4; 125B.25, subdivision 7; 
  1.9             proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.10            chapter 124D; repealing Laws 1997, First Special 
  1.11            Session chapter 4, article 9, section 13, as amended. 
  1.12  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.13     Section 1.  [124D.535] [ADULT BASIC EDUCATION SPECIAL NEEDS 
  1.14  AID.] 
  1.15     (a) Adult basic education programs may apply to the 
  1.16  commissioner of children, families, and learning for adult basic 
  1.17  education special needs aid. 
  1.18     (b) The commissioner may establish criteria for adult basic 
  1.19  education programs to apply to provide services under this 
  1.20  section.  Adult basic education programs must apply to the 
  1.21  commissioner according to the timelines and on the forms 
  1.22  provided by the commissioner. 
  1.23     (c) Adult basic education special needs aid may be used for 
  1.24  the following: 
  1.25     (1) staff training in the unique learning needs of 
  1.26  individuals with disabilities, effective instructional methods, 
  1.27  and curriculum adaptation; 
  1.28     (2) lower student-teacher ratios, interpreters, or 
  2.1   education assistants; and 
  2.2      (3) adapted technology including hardware, software, 
  2.3   specialized keyboards, trackballs, screen enlargement programs, 
  2.4   audio tapes, braille, and taped texts. 
  2.5      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 125B.20, 
  2.6   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  2.7      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE.] The purpose of 
  2.8   developing a statewide school district telecommunications 
  2.9   network is to expand the availability of a broad range of 
  2.10  courses and degrees to students throughout the state, to share 
  2.11  information resources to improve access, quality, and 
  2.12  efficiency, to improve learning, and distance cooperative 
  2.13  learning opportunities, and to promote the exchange of ideas 
  2.14  among students, parents, teachers, media generalists, 
  2.15  librarians, and the public.  In addition, through the 
  2.16  development of this statewide telecommunications network 
  2.17  emphasizing cost-effective, competitive connections, all 
  2.18  Minnesotans will benefit by enhancing access to 
  2.19  telecommunications technology throughout the state.  Network 
  2.20  connections for school districts and public libraries are 
  2.21  coordinated and fully integrated into the existing state 
  2.22  telecommunications and interactive television networks to 
  2.23  achieve comprehensive and efficient interconnectivity of school 
  2.24  districts and libraries to higher education institutions, state 
  2.25  agencies, other governmental units, agencies, and institutions 
  2.26  throughout Minnesota.  A school district or an adult basic 
  2.27  education program may apply to the commissioner for a grant 
  2.28  under subdivision 2, and a regional public library may apply 
  2.29  under subdivision 3.  The Minnesota education telecommunications 
  2.30  council established in Laws 1995, First Special Session chapter 
  2.31  3, article 12, section 7, shall establish priorities for 
  2.32  awarding grants, making grant awards, and being responsible for 
  2.33  the coordination of networks. 
  2.34     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 125B.20, 
  2.35  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  2.36     Subd. 2.  [SCHOOL DISTRICT OR ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM 
  3.1   TELECOMMUNICATIONS GRANT.] (a) Priority will be given to a 
  3.2   school district or an adult basic education program that has not 
  3.3   received access to interactive video, data connection, or both 
  3.4   under the telecommunications access grant program.  Districts or 
  3.5   adult basic education programs may apply for a grant under this 
  3.6   subdivision to:  (1) establish connections among school 
  3.7   districts, and between school districts and the state 
  3.8   information infrastructure administered by the department of 
  3.9   administration under section 16B.465; or (2) if such a 
  3.10  connection meeting minimum electronic connectivity standards is 
  3.11  already established, enhance telecommunications capacity for a 
  3.12  school district or an adult basic education program.  A district 
  3.13  or adult basic education program may submit a grant application 
  3.14  for interactive television with higher capacity connections in 
  3.15  order to maintain multiple simultaneous connections.  To ensure 
  3.16  coordination among school districts, a school district must 
  3.17  submit its grant application to the council through the 
  3.18  telecommunications access grant cluster of which the district is 
  3.19  a member.  
  3.20     (b) The application must, at a minimum, contain information 
  3.21  to document for each applicant school district or adult basic 
  3.22  education program the following: 
  3.23     (1) that the proposed connection meets the minimum 
  3.24  standards and employs an open network architecture that will 
  3.25  ensure interconnectivity and interoperability with other 
  3.26  education institutions and libraries; 
  3.27     (2) that the proposed connection and system will be 
  3.28  connected to the state information infrastructure through the 
  3.29  department of administration under section 16B.465; 
  3.30     (3) that the proposed connection and system will be 
  3.31  connected to the higher education telecommunication network and 
  3.32  that a governance agreement has been adopted which includes 
  3.33  agreements between the school district system, a higher 
  3.34  education regional council, libraries, and coordinating 
  3.35  entities; 
  3.36     (4) the telecommunication vendor selected to provide 
  4.1   service from the district to a state information infrastructure 
  4.2   hub or to a more cost-effective connection point to the state 
  4.3   information infrastructure; and 
  4.4      (5) other information, as determined by the commissioner in 
  4.5   consultation with the education telecommunications council, to 
  4.6   ensure that connections are coordinated, meet state standards 
  4.7   and are cost-effective, and that service is provided in an 
  4.8   efficient and cost-effective manner. 
  4.9      (c) A school district may include, in its grant 
  4.10  application, telecommunications access for collaboration with 
  4.11  nonprofit arts organizations for the purpose of educational 
  4.12  programs, or access for a secondary media center that:  (1) is a 
  4.13  member of a multitype library system; (2) is open during periods 
  4.14  of the year when classroom instruction is occurring; and (3) has 
  4.15  licensed school media staff on site. 
  4.16     (d) The Minnesota education telecommunications council 
  4.17  shall award grants and the funds shall be dispersed by the 
  4.18  commissioner.  Grant applications must be submitted to the 
  4.19  commissioner by a telecommunications access grant cluster 
  4.20  organization.  For the purposes of the grant, a school district 
  4.21  may include a charter school under section 124D.10, or the 
  4.22  Minnesota state academies.  Based on the award made by the 
  4.23  council, all grants under this subdivision shall be paid by the 
  4.24  commissioner directly to a school district or an adult basic 
  4.25  education program (unless this application requests that the 
  4.26  funds be paid to the coordinating agency).  Nonpublic schools as 
  4.27  defined in section 237.065, subdivision 2, located within the 
  4.28  district may access the network.  The nonpublic school is 
  4.29  responsible for actual costs for connection from the school to 
  4.30  the access site. 
  4.31     (e) Money awarded under this section may be used only for 
  4.32  the purposes explicitly stated in the grant application. 
  4.33     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 125B.20, 
  4.34  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  4.35     Subd. 4.  [AWARD OF GRANTS.] The council shall develop 
  4.36  application forms and procedures for telecommunication access 
  5.1   grants.  The council shall select the grant recipient and shall 
  5.2   promptly notify any applicant that is found not to be 
  5.3   qualified.  The commissioner shall make the grant payments 
  5.4   directly to the school district, adult basic education program, 
  5.5   or regional library system.  At the request of the district, 
  5.6   adult basic education program, or regional library system, the 
  5.7   commissioner may make the grant payment directly to the 
  5.8   coordinating organization.  
  5.9      Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 125B.25, 
  5.10  subdivision 7, is amended to read: 
  5.11     Subd. 7.  [TELECOMMUNICATION ACCESS SERVICES FOR ADULT 
  5.12  BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS.] (a) Districts 
  5.13  shall provide each year upon formal request by or on behalf of a 
  5.14  an adult basic education program or nonpublic school, not 
  5.15  including home schools, located in that district or area, 
  5.16  ongoing or recurring telecommunication access services to 
  5.17  the adult basic education program or nonpublic school either 
  5.18  through existing district providers or through separate 
  5.19  providers. 
  5.20     (b) The amount of district revenue for telecommunication 
  5.21  access services for each adult basic education program or 
  5.22  nonpublic school under this subdivision is equal to: 
  5.23     (1) $5; plus 
  5.24     (2) the per marginal cost pupil unit amount for the 
  5.25  district as determined in subdivision 5; times the number of 
  5.26  full-time equivalent students enrolled in the adult basic 
  5.27  education program or pupils who are enrolled at the nonpublic 
  5.28  school as of October 1 of the current school year. 
  5.29     (c) Each year, a district providing services under 
  5.30  paragraph (a) may claim up to five percent of the revenue 
  5.31  determined in paragraph (b) for costs of administering this 
  5.32  subdivision.  No district may expend an amount for these 
  5.33  telecommunication access services which exceeds the amount 
  5.34  allocated under this subdivision.  The adult basic education 
  5.35  program or nonpublic school is responsible for the 
  5.36  telecommunications access costs not covered by this section. 
  6.1      (d) At the request of a an adult basic education program or 
  6.2   nonpublic school, districts may allocate the amount determined 
  6.3   in paragraph (b) directly to the adult basic education program 
  6.4   or nonpublic school to pay for or offset the adult basic 
  6.5   education program's or nonpublic school's costs for 
  6.6   telecommunication access services, however, the amount allocated 
  6.7   directly to the adult basic education program or nonpublic 
  6.8   school may not exceed the actual amount of the program's or 
  6.9   school's ongoing or recurring telecommunication access costs.  
  6.10     Sec. 6.  [GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  6.11     Subdivision 1.  [DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND 
  6.12  LEARNING.] The sums indicated in this section are appropriated 
  6.13  from the general fund to the commissioner of children, families, 
  6.14  and learning for the fiscal years designated. 
  6.15     Subd. 2.  [ADULT BASIC EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICE 
  6.16  GRANTS.] For adult basic education supplemental service grants 
  6.17  according to Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.522: 
  6.18       $  700,000     .....     2002 
  6.19       $  700,000     .....     2003 
  6.20     Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is 
  6.21  available in the second year.  This appropriation is added to 
  6.22  the base for fiscal years 2004 and 2005. 
  6.23     Subd. 3.  [ADULT BASIC EDUCATION SPECIAL NEEDS AID.] For 
  6.24  adult basic education special needs according to Minnesota 
  6.25  Statutes, section 124D.535: 
  6.26       $  250,000     .....     2002 
  6.27       $  250,000     .....     2003 
  6.28     Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is 
  6.29  available in the second year.  This appropriation is added to 
  6.30  the base for fiscal years 2004 and 2005. 
  6.31     Subd. 4.  [TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACCESS GRANTS.] For 
  6.32  telecommunications access grants according to Minnesota 
  6.33  Statutes, section 125B.20: 
  6.34       $.,...,...     .....     2002 
  6.35       $.,...,...     .....     2003 
  6.36     Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is 
  7.1   available in the second year. 
  7.2      Subd. 5.  [GED TESTS.] For payment of 60 percent of the 
  7.3   costs of GED tests according to Laws 1993, chapter 224, article 
  7.4   4, section 44, subdivision 10: 
  7.5        $  180,000     .....     2002 
  7.6        $  180,000     .....     2003 
  7.7      Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is 
  7.8   available in the second year. 
  7.9      Sec. 7.  [REPEALER.] 
  7.10     Laws 1997, First Special Session chapter 4, article 9, 
  7.11  section 13, as amended by Laws 1999, chapter 241, article 4, 
  7.12  section 19, is repealed effective the day following final 
  7.13  enactment. 
  7.14     Sec. 8.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  7.15     Sections 1 to 6 are effective July 1, 2001.