1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; integrating instruction about the contributions of Minnesota 
1.3 	American Indian tribes and communities into student learning and teacher 
1.4 	preparation and licensing requirements; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, 
1.5 	sections 120B.021, subdivision 1; 120B.024; 122A.09, subdivision 4.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 120B.021, subdivision 1, is amended to 
1.8 	read:
1.9 		Subdivision 1.Required academic standards. (a) The following subject areas 
1.10 	are required for statewide accountability:
1.11 	(1) language arts that at least include one primary school level, two intermediate or 
1.12 	middle school level, and three high school level instructional units on the contributions of 
1.13 	Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities in literature and language;
1.14 	(2) mathematics that at least include one primary school level, two intermediate or 
1.15 	middle school level, and three high school level instructional units on the contributions of 
1.16 	Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities in mathematics reflected in traditional 
1.17 	games, among other topics;
1.18 	(3) science that at least include one primary school level, two intermediate or 
1.19 	middle school level, and three high school level instructional units on the contributions 
1.20 	of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities in science reflected in traditional 
1.21 	plants and medicines, among other topics;
1.22 	(4) social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government and 
1.23 	citizenship that at least encompass one primary school level, two intermediate or middle 
1.24 	school level and three high school level instructional units on the contributions of 
1.25 	Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities in social studies reflected in American 
2.1 	Indians' unique sovereign status, traditional and contemporary economic structures, 
2.2 	treaty making and related implications and obligations, and the history and culture of 
2.3 	reservations, among other topics;
2.4 	(5) health and physical education, for which locally developed academic standards 
2.5 	apply that at least include one primary school level, two intermediate or middle school 
2.6 	level, and three high school level instructional units on the contributions of Minnesota 
2.7 	American Indian tribes and communities reflected in games, traditional foods, and 
2.8 	lifestyles, among other topics; and
2.9 	(6) the arts, for which statewide or locally developed academic standards apply, as 
2.10 	determined by the school district, that at least include one primary school level, two 
2.11 	intermediate or middle school level, and three high school level instructional units on the 
2.12 	contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities in art, traditional 
2.13 	and contemporary music, dance and theater, among other topics. Public elementary and 
2.14 	middle schools must offer at least three and require at least two of the following four 
2.15 	arts areas: dance; music; theater; and visual arts. Public high schools must offer at least 
2.16 	three and require at least one of the following five arts areas: media arts; dance; music; 
2.17 	theater; and visual arts.
2.18 	School districts must integrate into the course credit requirements under section 
2.19 	120B.024 the satisfactory work that high school students complete in three or more high 
2.20 	school level instruction units on the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes 
2.21 	and communities under paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (6).
2.22 	(b) The commissioner must submit proposed standards in science and social studies 
2.23 	to the legislature by February 1, 2004.
2.24 	(c) For purposes of applicable federal law, the academic standards for language arts, 
2.25 	mathematics, and science apply to all public school students, except the very few students 
2.26 	with extreme cognitive or physical impairments for whom an individualized education 
2.27 	plan team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate. 
2.28 	An individualized education plan team that makes this determination must establish 
2.29 	alternative standards.
2.30 	(d) A school district, no later than the 2007-2008 school year, must adopt graduation 
2.31 	requirements that meet or exceed state graduation requirements established in law or 
2.32 	rule. A school district that incorporates these state graduation requirements before the 
2.33 	2007-2008 school year must provide students who enter the 9th grade in or before 
2.34 	the 2003-2004 school year the opportunity to earn a diploma based on existing locally 
2.35 	established graduation requirements in effect when the students entered the 9th grade. 
2.36 	District efforts to develop, implement, or improve instruction or curriculum as a result 
3.1 	of the provisions of this section must be consistent with sections  120B.10,  120B.11, 
3.2 	and  120B.20. 

3.3 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2006-2007 school year and 
3.4 	later. 

3.5 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 120B.024, is amended to read:
3.6 	120B.024 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS; COURSE CREDITS.
3.7 	Students beginning 9th grade in the 2004-2005 school year and later must 
3.8 	successfully complete the following high school level course credits for graduation, 
3.9 	consistent with section 120B.021, subdivision 1, paragraph (a):
3.10 	(1) four credits of language arts;
3.11 	(2) three credits of mathematics, encompassing at least algebra, geometry, statistics, 
3.12 	and probability sufficient to satisfy the academic standard;
3.13 	(3) three credits of science, including at least one credit in biology;
3.14 	(4) three and one-half credits of social studies, encompassing at least United 
3.15 	States history, geography, government and citizenship, world history, and economics or 
3.16 	three credits of social studies encompassing at least United States history, geography, 
3.17 	government and citizenship, and world history, and one-half credit of economics taught in 
3.18 	a school's social studies or business department;
3.19 	(5) one credit in the arts; and
3.20 	(6) a minimum of seven elective course credits.
3.21 	A course credit is equivalent to a student successfully completing an academic 
3.22 	year of study or a student mastering the applicable subject matter, as determined by the 
3.23 	local school district.

3.24 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2006-2007 school year and 
3.25 	later. 

3.26 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 122A.09, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
3.27 		Subd. 4.License and rules. (a) The board must adopt rules to license public school 
3.28 	teachers and interns subject to chapter 14.
3.29 	(b) The board must adopt rules requiring a person to successfully complete a skills 
3.30 	examination in reading, writing, and mathematics as a requirement for initial teacher 
3.31 	licensure. Such rules must require college and universities offering a board-approved 
3.32 	teacher preparation program to provide remedial assistance to persons who did not 
4.1 	achieve a qualifying score on the skills examination, including those for whom English is 
4.2 	a second language.
4.3 	(c) The board must adopt rules to approve teacher preparation programs. The board, 
4.4 	upon the request of a postsecondary student preparing for teacher licensure or a licensed 
4.5 	graduate of a teacher preparation program, shall assist in resolving a dispute between the 
4.6 	person and a postsecondary institution providing a teacher preparation program when the 
4.7 	dispute involves an institution's recommendation for licensure affecting the person or the 
4.8 	person's credentials. At the board's discretion, assistance may include the application 
4.9 	of chapter 14.
4.10 	(d) The board must provide the leadership and shall adopt rules for the redesign of 
4.11 	teacher education programs to implement a research based, results-oriented curriculum 
4.12 	that focuses on the skills teachers need in order to be effective. The board shall implement 
4.13 	new systems of teacher preparation program evaluation to assure program effectiveness 
4.14 	based on proficiency of graduates in demonstrating attainment of program outcomes.
4.15 	The board must require that persons enrolled in a teacher preparation program receive 
4.16 	instruction in historical and cultural competencies related to Minnesota American Indian 
4.17 	tribes and communities and their contributions to Minnesota, consistent with sections 
4.18 	120B.021, subdivision 1, 120B.024, and 124D.71 to 124D.82. The competencies related 
4.19 	to Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities must include, among other 
4.20 	components, standards for instructional practices most effective for successfully teaching 
4.21 	elementary and secondary American Indian students.
4.22 	(e) The board must adopt rules requiring successful completion of an examination 
4.23 	of general pedagogical knowledge and examinations of licensure-specific teaching 
4.24 	skills. The rules shall be effective on the dates determined by the board but not later 
4.25 	than September 1, 2001.
4.26 	(f) The board must adopt rules requiring teacher educators to work directly with 
4.27 	elementary or secondary school teachers in elementary or secondary schools to obtain 
4.28 	periodic exposure to the elementary or secondary teaching environment.
4.29 	(g) The board must grant licenses to interns and to candidates for initial licenses.
4.30 	(h) The board must design and implement an assessment system which requires a 
4.31 	candidate for an initial license and first continuing license to demonstrate the abilities 
4.32 	necessary to perform selected, representative teaching tasks at appropriate levels.
4.33 	(i) The board must receive recommendations from local committees as established 
4.34 	by the board for the renewal of teaching licenses.
5.1 	(j) The board must grant life licenses to those who qualify according to requirements 
5.2 	established by the board, and suspend or revoke licenses pursuant to sections  122A.20 and  
5.3 	214.10. The board must not establish any expiration date for application for life licenses. 
5.4 	(k) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing 
5.5 	their continuing license to include in their renewal requirements further preparation in 
5.6 	the areas of using positive behavior interventions and in accommodating, modifying, and 
5.7 	adapting curricula, materials, and strategies to appropriately meet the needs of individual 
5.8 	students and ensure adequate progress toward the state's graduation rule.
5.9 	(l) In adopting rules to license public school teachers who provide health-related 
5.10 	services for disabled children, the board shall adopt rules consistent with license or 
5.11 	registration requirements of the commissioner of health and the health-related boards who 
5.12 	license personnel who perform similar services outside of the school.
5.13 	(m) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing 
5.14 	their continuing license to include in their renewal requirements further reading 
5.15 	preparation, consistent with section  122A.06, subdivision 4. The rules do not take effect 
5.16 	until they are approved by law. Teachers who do not provide direct instruction including, at 
5.17 	least, counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, school social workers, audiovisual 
5.18 	directors and coordinators, and recreation personnel are exempt from this section. 
5.19 	(n) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing 
5.20 	their continuing license to include in their renewal requirements further preparation 
5.21 	in understanding the key warning signs of early-onset mental illness in children and 
5.22 	adolescents.
5.23 	(o) The board must adopt rules to include instruction and other development 
5.24 	activities to improve the understanding and effective instruction of and communication 
5.25 	with Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities, consistent with paragraph (d), 
5.26 	sections 120B.021, subdivision 1, 120B.024, and 124D.71 to 124D.82, in the 125 clock 
5.27 	hours of professional development that teachers must complete to renew their professional 
5.28 	teaching license.

5.29 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2006-2007 school year and 
5.30 	later. 

5.31 	Sec. 4. ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON MINNESOTA AMERICAN INDIAN 
5.32 	TRIBES AND COMMUNITIES AND K-12 STANDARDS-BASED REFORM.
 5.33 	(a) An advisory task force on Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities 
5.34 	and K-12 standards-based reform is established to examine the impact of state and federal 
5.35 	standards-based reform on Minnesota's K-12 American Indian students and to recommend 
6.1 	to the legislature changes to the state's performance standards, content requirements, 
6.2 	assessments measures, and teacher preparation programs to most effectively meet the 
6.3 	educational needs of American Indian students enrolled in Minnesota schools. The task 
6.4 	force, in consultation with American Indian educators, parents, and others who advocate 
6.5 	for American Indian children, at least must determine if state education standards and 
6.6 	assessments are inappropriate for American Indian students if: (1) American Indian 
6.7 	students are unfairly compared; (2) American Indian students do not receive the assistance 
6.8 	they need to achieve the state standards; and (3) schools do not receive financial and 
6.9 	technical assistance sufficient to meet the educational needs of American Indian students.
6.10 	(b) The commissioner of education shall appoint an advisory task force on 
6.11 	Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities and K-12 standards-based reform that 
6.12 	is composed of the following representatives: education department staff experienced in 
6.13 	working with American Indian students and programs; Minnesota American Indian tribes 
6.14 	and communities; school board members; school administrators; Education Minnesota; 
6.15 	the state Board of Teaching; a minority member and majority member both from the 
6.16 	Minnesota house of representatives and from the Minnesota senate; the Minnesota 
6.17 	Council on Indian Affairs; postsecondary faculty who serve as instructors in teacher 
6.18 	preparation programs; local community service providers who work with Minnesota 
6.19 	American Indian tribes and communities; and other representatives recommended by 
6.20 	task force members.  Task force members' terms and other task force matters are subject 
6.21 	to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059.  The task force must submit a written report to 
6.22 	the education policy and finance committees of the legislature by February 15, 2007, 
6.23 	that includes any recommended changes to the state's performance standards, content 
6.24 	requirements, assessments measures, and teacher preparation programs to most effectively 
6.25 	meet the educational needs of American Indian students enrolled in Minnesota schools.
6.26 	(c) Upon request, the commissioner of education must provide the task force with 
6.27 	technical, fiscal, and other support.
6.28 	(d) The task force expires on February 16, 2007.

6.29 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.