1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; establishing a pilot program to prepare and support newly 
1.3 	licensed teachers to effectively teach a diverse student population; appropriating 
1.4 	money. 
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. TEACHER RESIDENCY PILOT PROGRAM; SUPPORTING 
1.7 	EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION FOR DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATIONS.
 1.8 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. A pilot induction program, using the Patrick Henry 
1.9 	High School residency program model, is established to support newly licensed teachers 
1.10 	in developing pedagogical skills needed to increase the academic achievement of diverse 
1.11 	student populations and close existing student achievement gaps, with the long-term goal 
1.12 	of creating a cadre of new teachers with sufficient practical experience to successfully 
1.13 	teach diverse student populations and developing a model five-year induction program 
1.14 	to support schools and school districts in implementing and maintaining effective staff 
1.15 	development programs for improving all students' learning.
1.16 		Subd. 2.Program parameters. (a) Each year, up to ten newly licensed teachers 
1.17 	employed by the participating school district, including teachers of color and outstanding 
1.18 	recent Minnesota teacher preparation program graduates, must agree to participate in a 
1.19 	two-year intensive induction program to become proficient in effectively helping diverse 
1.20 	student populations increase their academic achievement. During the two-year program, 
1.21 	the newly licensed teachers must teach .8 FTE, including one hour of preparation time 
1.22 	and one hour of team preparation time, and use the remaining .2 FTE for professional 
1.23 	development, observing other teachers and extension teaching. The employing school 
1.24 	district must compensate the newly licensed teacher as if that teacher were a 1.0 FTE. 
2.1 	Following a two-year successful induction period, the newly licensed teachers begin work 
2.2 	as third-year teachers in other school sites within the district or partner school districts 
2.3 	that anticipate the transfer of these teachers and provide them with ongoing mentoring 
2.4 	and support. 
2.5 	(b) Newly licensed teachers participating in the two-year intensive induction 
2.6 	program must be included as members of an interdisciplinary teaching team that shares 
2.7 	students and preparation time. The team must include experienced teachers and no more 
2.8 	than one newly licensed teacher. The team must use its preparation time to develop 
2.9 	and maintain student support efforts, parent communication, community collaboration, 
2.10 	interdisciplinary curriculum planning and professional development, with the expectation 
2.11 	that experienced teachers will help the newly licensed teacher develop effective skills to 
2.12 	successfully teach and support diverse student populations. The newly licensed teachers 
2.13 	also must participate, with experienced teachers, in subject area work groups in their 
2.14 	licensure fields.
2.15 		Subd. 3.Program application; funds. To participate in this program, an interested 
2.16 	and qualified school district must apply to the commissioner of education in the form and 
2.17 	manner the commissioner determines. The application must indicate how the applicant 
2.18 	intends to implement the pilot program. The commissioner may select a school district 
2.19 	to participate that satisfies the requirements of this section. The selected school district 
2.20 	must use the funds it receives from the commissioner to implement the pilot program, 
2.21 	consistent with this section and its application.
2.22 		Subd. 4.Evaluation. The commissioner of education must evaluate the efficacy of 
2.23 	the pilot program to determine the extent to which the program had an effect on reducing 
2.24 	teacher turnover, fostering a reflective and collegial staff culture, improving student 
2.25 	attendance rates, improving student test scores on statewide assessments, increasing the 
2.26 	number of advanced course offerings available to students, and increasing the number 
2.27 	of students enrolling in and successfully completing advanced course offerings. The 
2.28 	commissioner must present interim results of the evaluation to the education policy and 
2.29 	finance committees of the legislature by February 15, 2008, and recommend whether or 
2.30 	not and, if applicable, how best to expand the program.

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

2.32 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.33 	$650,000 is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2007 to the 
2.34 	commissioner of education for the first year of a five-year pilot program to prepare and 
3.1 	support newly licensed teachers to effectively teach a diverse student population under 
3.2 	section 1.

3.3 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2006.