1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education finance; creating a process for
1.3 	the commissioner of education to contract for the
1.4 	creation of a unified, Internet-based student
1.5 	information and reporting system; appropriating money.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. STATEWIDE STUDENT INFORMATION AND REPORTING
1.8 	SYSTEM.
 1.9 		Subdivision 1.Working group convened. The commissioner
1.10 	of education must convene a working group composed of:  (1)
1.11 	representatives from school districts, charter schools, and area
1.12 	learning centers chosen by the commissioner to reflect the
1.13 	diverse size and geographic diversity of Minnesota's schools;
1.14 	(2) officials from the Department of Administration Materials
1.15 	Management Division; and (3) at least three citizens with a
1.16 	demonstrated expertise in Web-based student information
1.17 	systems.  The working group must develop a plan to improve the
1.18 	quality and decrease the cost of Minnesota's student information
1.19 	systems.
1.20 		Subd. 2.Request for proposals. The working group shall
1.21 	develop the framework for a request for proposal or "RFP" for
1.22 	the student information and reporting system.  The RFP must
1.23 	require the vendor to implement a system that:
1.24 	(1) meets all of the data collection and reporting
1.25 	requirements of the Minnesota Automated Reporting Student
2.1 	System;
2.2 	(2) enhances state and federal student data collection;
2.3 	(3) facilitates value-added assessment systems;
2.4 	(4) ensures that the system has secure Web-based
2.5 	capabilities for entering and editing data; and 
2.6 	(5) provides robust data management tools including report
2.7 	features.
2.8 		Subd. 3.Rfp award. The commissioner of education must
2.9 	issue an RFP based on the criteria established in subdivision 2
2.10 	and award a master contract to a vendor to provide the necessary
2.11 	software licenses, services, and training.
2.12 		Subd. 4.School district participation. A school
2.13 	district's participation in the project is voluntary.
2.14 		Subd. 5.Regional management information centers. The
2.15 	vendor that receives the contract under subdivision 3 may
2.16 	subcontract with regional management information centers
2.17 	established under Minnesota Statutes, section 123A.23, to
2.18 	provide the training and services required by this section.

2.19 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.20 		Subdivision 1.Grant award. $....... is appropriated in
2.21 	fiscal year 2006 from the general fund to the commissioner of
2.22 	education for the purpose of awarding a grant under section 1.
2.23 	This appropriation does not cancel but is available until June
2.24 	30, 2010.
2.25 		Subd. 2.Conversion costs. $....... is appropriated in
2.26 	fiscal year 2006 from the general fund to the commissioner of
2.27 	education for system conversion and training costs.  This
2.28 	appropriation does not cancel but is available until June 30,
2.29 	2007.