1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to children's services; establishing the 
  1.3             department of children and education services; making 
  1.4             related changes; appropriating money; amending 
  1.5             Minnesota Statutes 1994, sections 126B.02, subdivision 
  1.6             1, and by adding a subdivision; 126B.03, subdivision 
  1.7             1; 126B.04; and 126B.05; proposing coding for new law 
  1.8             in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 126B; proposing coding 
  1.9             for new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119A; 
  1.10            repealing Minnesota Statutes 1994, sections 121.02, 
  1.11            subdivisions 1, 2a, and 3; 121.03; 121.04, subdivision 
  1.12            2; and 126B.02, subdivisions 2, 3, and 4. 
  1.13  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.14                             ARTICLE 1 
  1.15           DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND EDUCATION SERVICES 
  1.16     Section 1.  [FINDINGS.] 
  1.17     The findings in paragraphs (a) to (f) serve as the basis 
  1.18  for establishment of the department of children and education 
  1.19  services. 
  1.20     (a) Strengthening Minnesota's families and improving 
  1.21  education outcomes requires improved integration of state 
  1.22  funding for services delivered to children and families. 
  1.23     (b) State and local government costs will increase in 
  1.24  future years because of failure to strengthen families. 
  1.25     (c) Existing services are supported by parallel, fragmented 
  1.26  funding streams. 
  1.27     (d) The existing state funding system fragments services, 
  1.28  hampers sharing of information, prevents a holistic approach to 
  1.29  children and family needs, and limits ability to measure 
  2.1   outcomes. 
  2.2      (e) The existing system lacks unified state government 
  2.3   policy direction. 
  2.4      (f) Consolidation of funding at the state level can enhance 
  2.5   collaboration and facilitate cost-effective service delivery. 
  2.6      Sec. 2.  [119A.01] [ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE.] 
  2.7      The department of children and education services is 
  2.8   established.  The purpose of the department is to: 
  2.9      (1) improve outcomes for children and families, 
  2.10  concentrating on the following goals: 
  2.11     (i) all children shall come to school ready to learn; 
  2.12     (ii) Minnesotans shall excel in basic academic skills; 
  2.13     (iii) Minnesotans shall have advanced education and 
  2.14  training to make the state a leader in the global economy; 
  2.15     (iv) children shall be healthy; 
  2.16     (v) families shall provide a stable environment for their 
  2.17  children; and 
  2.18     (vi) communities shall be safe, friendly, and caring. 
  2.19     (2) achieve flexibility; 
  2.20     (3) reduce fragmentation and improve integration and 
  2.21  sharing of information; 
  2.22     (4) emphasize prevention and reduction of the cost of 
  2.23  failure to strengthen families; 
  2.24     (5) enable holistic service delivery; 
  2.25     (6) improve outcome development and measurement; and 
  2.26     (7) unify state policy direction. 
  2.27     Sec. 3.  [119A.02] [DEFINITIONS.] 
  2.28     The definitions in this section apply to this chapter. 
  2.29     Subdivision 1.  [COMMISSIONER.] "Commissioner" means the 
  2.30  commissioner of children and education services. 
  2.31     Subd. 2.  [DEPARTMENT.] "Department" means the department 
  2.32  of children and education services. 
  2.33     Sec. 4.  [119A.03] [COMMISSIONER.] 
  2.34     (a) The department is under the administrative control of 
  2.35  the commissioner.  The commissioner is appointed by the 
  2.36  governor.  The commissioner must possess broad knowledge and 
  3.1   experience in serving children and families. 
  3.2      (b) The commissioner shall organize the department in a 
  3.3   manner that most effectively and efficiently achieves the goals 
  3.4   established for it. 
  3.5      (c) The commissioner's salary must be established according 
  3.6   to the procedure in section 15A.081, subdivision 1, and must be 
  3.7   in the same range as that specified for the commissioner of 
  3.8   finance. 
  3.9      (d) The commissioner may appoint assistants or deputies in 
  3.10  the unclassified service to assist with the operation of the 
  3.11  department. 
  3.12     (e) The commissioner may also appoint other employees 
  3.13  necessary for the organization of the department.  
  3.14     (f) The commissioner shall perform duties set by law and 
  3.15  rule and is responsible for the efficient administration of the 
  3.16  department.  
  3.17     (g) The commissioner shall make recommendations from time 
  3.18  to time to promote the goals established for the department. 
  3.19     Sec. 5.  [119A.04] [TRANSFERS FROM OTHER AGENCIES.] 
  3.20     Subdivision 1.  [DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.] The powers and 
  3.21  duties of the department of education are transferred to the 
  3.22  department of children and education services under section 
  3.23  15.039. 
  3.24     Subd. 2.  [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.] (a) The powers and duties 
  3.25  of the department of health with respect to the following 
  3.26  programs are transferred to the department of children and 
  3.27  education services under section 15.039: 
  3.28     (1) the home visitor program under section 145A.15; 
  3.29     (2) the dental health program under section 144.697, 
  3.30  subdivision 1; and 
  3.31     (3) the school health program under section 144.05. 
  3.32     (b) In addition, the following programs are transferred if 
  3.33  authority to do so is received from the federal government; 
  3.34     (1) the special supplemental food program for women, 
  3.35  infants, and children under section 144.05 and the federal Child 
  3.36  Nutrition Act of 1966; 
  4.1      (2) the commodity supplemental food program for mothers and 
  4.2   children under section 144.05 and the federal Agriculture 
  4.3   Appropriation Act of 1966; and 
  4.4      (3) the maternal and child health program under sections 
  4.5   145.146, 145.88, 145.89 and title 5 of the Social Security Act. 
  4.6      Subd. 3.  [DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.] The powers and 
  4.7   duties of the department of human services with respect to the 
  4.8   following programs are transferred to the department of children 
  4.9   and education services under section 15.039: 
  4.10     (1) child care resource and referral under section 
  4.11  256H.196; 
  4.12     (2) child care service development under sections 256H.21 
  4.13  to 256H.24; 
  4.14     (3) children's trust fund under section 257.80; 
  4.15     (4) early childhood care and education council under 
  4.16  section 256H.195; 
  4.17     (5) the child care fund program under sections 256H.03 and 
  4.18  256H.05, title 4 of the Social Security Act, and the federal 
  4.19  Family Support Act of 1988; 
  4.20     (6) the migrant child care program under section 256H.02; 
  4.21  and 
  4.22     (7) the family services collaboratives program under 
  4.23  sections 121.8355 and 256F.13. 
  4.24     Subd. 4.  [DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC SECURITY.] The powers and 
  4.25  duties of the department of economic security with respect to 
  4.26  the following programs are transferred to the department of 
  4.27  children and education services under section 15.039: 
  4.28     (1) the Head Start program, including Project Cornerstone, 
  4.29  under sections 268.912 to 268.916; 
  4.30     (2) the youth violence prevention program under sections 
  4.31  268.29 and 268.30; and 
  4.32     (3) the youth employment and training program under 
  4.33  sections 268.551 to 268.552, and 268.56 to 268.561. 
  4.34     Subd. 5.  [OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING.] The powers and 
  4.35  duties of the office of strategic planning with respect to the 
  4.36  following programs are transferred to the department of children 
  5.1   and education services under section 15.039: 
  5.2      (1) the information redesign project under section 4A.01; 
  5.3      (2) the action for children activity under section 4A.01; 
  5.4      (3) the teen pregnancy prevention program under section 
  5.5   4A.01; and 
  5.6      (4) the Minnesota children's initiative project under 
  5.7   section 4A.01. 
  5.8      Sec. 6.  [REVISOR INSTRUCTION.] 
  5.9      The revisor of statutes shall identify in Minnesota 
  5.10  Statutes and Minnesota Rules all references to the commissioner 
  5.11  of education, the department of education, and the state board 
  5.12  of education and shall make the following terminology changes: 
  5.13     (1) all references to the commissioner of education shall 
  5.14  be changed to the commissioner of children and education 
  5.15  services; 
  5.16     (2) all references to the state board of education or the 
  5.17  department of education shall be changed to the department of 
  5.18  children and education services; and 
  5.19     (3) all references involving both the commissioner of 
  5.20  education and the state board of education should be rewritten 
  5.21  to give all relevant responsibilities or authorities to the 
  5.22  commissioner of children and education services. 
  5.23     The revisor shall prepare a report for the 1996 legislature 
  5.24  showing where these changes were made. 
  5.25     The changes identified by the revisor shall be made 
  5.26  effective July 1, 1996, unless the legislature specifies another 
  5.27  date. 
  5.28     Sec. 7.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  5.29     Subdivision 1.  [DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND EDUCATION 
  5.30  SERVICES.] The amounts indicated in this section are 
  5.31  appropriated from the general fund, unless otherwise indicated, 
  5.32  to the department of children and education services for the 
  5.33  fiscal years indicated. 
  5.34     Subd. 2.  [BASIC SERVICES.] 
  5.35      $ 2,650,000     .....     1996 
  5.36      $94,742,000     .....     1997 
  6.1      (a) $21,000 in fiscal year 1997 from the trunk highway 
  6.2   fund; 
  6.3      (b) $2,561,000 in fiscal year 1997 from the special revenue 
  6.4   fund; 
  6.5      (c) in fiscal year 1997, $8,075,000 is for the residential 
  6.6   academies for the deaf and blind; 
  6.7      (d) the following amounts are available in each of fiscal 
  6.8   years 1996 and 1997: 
  6.9      (1) $600,000 for development of a labor-management 
  6.10  information system to support the department of education to 
  6.11  employment transitions programs; 
  6.12     (2) $900,000 to support continuation of youth 
  6.13  apprenticeship options; and 
  6.14     (3) $1,000,000 to support regional development of education 
  6.15  to employment transitions programs. 
  6.16     (e) in fiscal year 1997, $500,000 is available for the 
  6.17  information redesign project for children's services.  This 
  6.18  project is to be developed in cooperation with the development 
  6.19  of the department of human services social services information 
  6.20  system; 
  6.21     (f) in fiscal year 1996, $150,000 is for general management 
  6.22  start-up costs; and 
  6.23     (g) in fiscal year 1997, the amounts below are for the 
  6.24  following programs transferred to the department: 
  6.25     $11,506,000 for the Head Start program; 
  6.26     $628,000 for the youth violence program; 
  6.27     $3,053,000 for the youth employment and training program; 
  6.28     $45,851,000 for the child care fund program; 
  6.29     $372,000 for the children's trust fund program; 
  6.30     $300,000 for the migrant child care program; 
  6.31     $4,000,000 for the family services collaborative program; 
  6.32     $988,000 for the child care resource and referral program; 
  6.33     $1,649,000 for the child care services development program; 
  6.34     $232,000 for the dental health program; 
  6.35     $300,000 for the home visitor program; and 
  6.36     $65,000 for the school health program. 
  7.1      These amounts were previously appropriated to other 
  7.2   agencies of state government. 
  7.3      Sec. 8.  [REPEALER.] 
  7.4      Minnesota Statutes 1994, sections 121.02, subdivisions 1, 
  7.5   2a, and 3; 121.03; and 121.04, subdivision 2, are repealed. 
  7.6      Sec. 9.  [EFFECTIVE DATES.] 
  7.7      Sections 1 to 4, 6, and 7 are effective July 1, 1995.  
  7.8   Sections 5 and 8 are effective July 1, 1996. 
  7.9                              ARTICLE 2 
  7.10                       FUNDING CONSOLIDATION 
  7.11     Section 1.  [FINDINGS.] 
  7.12     The findings in paragraphs (a) to (g) serve as the basis 
  7.13  for consolidation of the funding for several existing programs 
  7.14  supporting services to children and families.  
  7.15     (a) Strengthening Minnesota's families requires improved 
  7.16  integration of local service delivery to these families. 
  7.17     (b) State and local government costs will increase in 
  7.18  future years because of failure to strengthen families. 
  7.19     (c) Existing services are supported by parallel, fragmented 
  7.20  funding streams. 
  7.21     (d) Existing services are overly targeted and crisis 
  7.22  oriented. 
  7.23     (e) The existing delivery system fragments services, 
  7.24  hampers sharing of information, prevents a holistic approach to 
  7.25  children and family needs, and limits ability to measure 
  7.26  outcomes. 
  7.27     (f) The existing system lacks unified state government 
  7.28  policy direction. 
  7.29     (g) Collaboration between local governments and 
  7.30  organizations can be effective in addressing the findings in 
  7.31  paragraphs (a) to (f), as documented by the current family 
  7.32  services collaborative grants program.  Consolidation of funding 
  7.33  at the local level can enhance collaboration and facilitate 
  7.34  cost-effective service delivery.  
  7.35     Sec. 2.  [PURPOSE.] 
  7.36     The purposes of this article are to:  
  8.1      (1) improve outcomes for children and families; 
  8.2      (2) achieve flexibility, reduce fragmentation, and improve 
  8.3   integration and sharing of information; emphasize prevention and 
  8.4   reduction of the cost of failure to strengthen families; enable 
  8.5   holistic service delivery; improve outcome development and 
  8.6   measurement; and unify state policy direction; 
  8.7      (3) enable local governments and communities to consolidate 
  8.8   funding and determine the best combination of resources needed 
  8.9   to address unique local community priorities; 
  8.10     (4) support improved local policy development and service 
  8.11  delivery processes and not specify new local structure, which 
  8.12  improved policy and service delivery processes are expected to 
  8.13  take four to six years to fully implement; 
  8.14     (5) allow the executive branch of state government to have 
  8.15  maximum flexibility within the policies established by this 
  8.16  article to implement its provisions; and 
  8.17     (6) coordinate the provisions of this article with the 
  8.18  provisions of the family services collaborative program in 
  8.19  Minnesota Statutes, sections 121.8355 and 256F.13, and the 
  8.20  children's mental health collaboratives program in Minnesota 
  8.21  Statutes, sections 245.491 to 245.496.  
  8.22     Sec. 3.  [119A.05] [DUTIES OF THE COMMISSIONER.] 
  8.23     In addition to the duties in section 119A.03, the 
  8.24  commissioner shall:  
  8.25     (1) prepare and publish, in consultation with the 
  8.26  children's cabinet, the commission on children, youth, and their 
  8.27  families, and representatives of local government, prior to 
  8.28  September 1, 1995, and prior to July 1 of each year thereafter, 
  8.29  guidelines governing planning, reporting, and other procedural 
  8.30  requirements necessary to administer this chapter; 
  8.31     (2) facilitate state interagency coordination necessary for 
  8.32  implementation of this chapter; 
  8.33     (3) facilitate intergovernmental and public-private 
  8.34  partnership strategies necessary for implementation of this 
  8.35  chapter; 
  8.36     (4) submit to the federal government, or provide assistance 
  9.1   to local governments and organizations in submitting, where 
  9.2   appropriate and feasible, requests for federal waivers or 
  9.3   recommendations for changes in federal law necessary to carry 
  9.4   out the purposes of this chapter; 
  9.5      (5) coordinate review of all plans and other documents 
  9.6   required under the guidelines provided for in clause (1); 
  9.7      (6) coordinate development of the management support system 
  9.8   components required for implementation of this chapter; 
  9.9      (7) review other programs serving children and families to 
  9.10  determine the feasibility for transfer to the department of 
  9.11  children and education services or the feasibility of inclusion 
  9.12  in the funding consolidation process; 
  9.13     (8) monitor local compliance with this chapter; 
  9.14     (9) assure participation by key private, private nonprofit, 
  9.15  and client and consumer representatives in decision making 
  9.16  designed to include diversity of representation; 
  9.17     (10) conduct review of the allocation of existing resources 
  9.18  across systems, developing policies to reduce barriers and 
  9.19  create incentives, including consolidated funding, to promote 
  9.20  collaboration at the local level; 
  9.21     (11) mandate data collection standards tied to measurable 
  9.22  outcomes and the conducting of performance and financial audits 
  9.23  of system elements; 
  9.24     (12) establish a system for public reporting of performance 
  9.25  and outcomes; 
  9.26     (13) assure intergovernmental representation in decision 
  9.27  making (providing opportunity for state and local government 
  9.28  peer standing); 
  9.29     (14) provide technical assistance for pilot incentives 
  9.30  needed to close gaps in services or to encourage new forms of 
  9.31  practice at the local level; 
  9.32     (15) preview and make recommendations regarding the budget 
  9.33  requests of the major state agencies involved in children and 
  9.34  family service delivery; and 
  9.35     (16) review existing guidelines and recommend future 
  9.36  guidelines for training, compensation, recruitment, and work 
 10.1   standards across systems. 
 10.2      Sec. 4.  [119A.06] [FUNDING CONSOLIDATION.] 
 10.3      Subdivision 1.  [AUTHORITY FOR FUNDING CONSOLIDATION.] 
 10.4   Notwithstanding existing law governing allocation of funds by 
 10.5   local grantees, mode of service delivery, specific population 
 10.6   and client groups to be served, grantee planning and reporting 
 10.7   requirements, and other procedural requirements for the grant 
 10.8   programs identified in this section, a local grantee may elect 
 10.9   to include or consolidate all or a portion of funding received 
 10.10  from the programs listed in subdivision 5 in a local 
 10.11  collaboration funding plan, if all conditions specified in this 
 10.12  section are satisfied.  
 10.13     The commissioner may, in consultation with the legislative 
 10.14  committee on children, youth and their families, waive all 
 10.15  provisions of rules and statutes inconsistent with the intent of 
 10.16  this section.  This waiver authority does not apply to rules or 
 10.17  statutes governing client due process or inclusion of cultures 
 10.18  and ethnicities in decision making. 
 10.19     Subd. 2.  [ACCOUNT.] A consolidated funding account is 
 10.20  established under the control of the commissioner of children 
 10.21  and education services.  The purpose of this account is to 
 10.22  clearly identify and provide accountability for funds previously 
 10.23  distributed to local grantees through the individual categorical 
 10.24  grant programs identified in subdivision 5.  By direction of the 
 10.25  commissioner, upon a finding that the conditions specified in 
 10.26  this section have been satisfied, funds must be transmitted to 
 10.27  this account and allocated to local grantees by the commissioner.
 10.28     Subd. 3.  [ELIGIBILITY; ACCOUNTABILITY.] To be eligible to 
 10.29  receive funding for local consolidation, as provided for in this 
 10.30  section, a grantee must meet the following requirements:  
 10.31     (1) demonstrate participation in a local collaborative 
 10.32  process as defined in section 121.8355 or in a similar process 
 10.33  of collaboration with other local governments and community 
 10.34  organizations which satisfies the governance and planning 
 10.35  guidelines published by the commissioner as provided for in this 
 10.36  section; 
 11.1      (2) complete and document, according to guidelines 
 11.2   published by the commissioner, a collaborative planning process 
 11.3   which clearly identifies:  
 11.4      (i) allocation of resources in the collaboration annual 
 11.5   funding plan; 
 11.6      (ii) a governance mechanism for the execution of the 
 11.7   funding plan; 
 11.8      (iii) outcomes consistent with the statewide goals 
 11.9   identified in this chapter and in statutes governing previous 
 11.10  categorical funding included in the collaboration funding plan; 
 11.11  and 
 11.12     (iv) indicators sufficient to measure improvement or 
 11.13  decline in specified outcomes compared to baseline performance; 
 11.14     (3) agree to periodically report information concerning 
 11.15  progress in addressing outcomes, as provided for in guidelines 
 11.16  to be published by the commissioner; and 
 11.17     (4) execute a contract between the commissioner, the local 
 11.18  partners in the collaborative process, and the grantee setting 
 11.19  forth responsibilities, obligations, and conditions consistent 
 11.20  with this section. 
 11.21     Subd. 4.  [COLLABORATION.] The participants in the local 
 11.22  collaborative process must be as provided for in section 
 11.23  121.8355, subdivision 1, clause (a). 
 11.24     The geographic area for a local collaboration process must 
 11.25  be a county, a portion of a county, or a multicounty area.  The 
 11.26  process must provide for coordination of service delivery in 
 11.27  jurisdictions that extend across county boundaries.  The 
 11.28  commissioner shall approve only one collaboration funding plan 
 11.29  in a county area. 
 11.30     Subd. 5.  [PROGRAMS INCLUDED.] The following programs are 
 11.31  eligible for local consolidation under this section: 
 11.32     (1) all grant programs transferred to the department of 
 11.33  children and education services in section 119A.04; 
 11.34     (2) drug policy and violence prevention; 
 11.35     (3) family preservation; 
 11.36     (4) community social services; 
 12.1      (5) project empowerment; 
 12.2      (6) family preference-bonus incentive; 
 12.3      (7) families first; 
 12.4      (8) child abuse basic grant; 
 12.5      (9) children's justice; 
 12.6      (10) crisis nurseries; 
 12.7      (11) independent living; 
 12.8      (12) safe house; 
 12.9      (13) substance abuse prevention; 
 12.10     (14) Asian youth/child welfare; 
 12.11     (15) Asian youth; 
 12.12     (16) family safety centers; 
 12.13     (17) Indian child welfare; 
 12.14     (18) maternal and child health; 
 12.15     (19) minorities families first; 
 12.16     (20) Asian coalition for youth; 
 12.17     (21) adoption assistance; 
 12.18     (22) victim services; and 
 12.19     (23) family planning special project grants.  
 12.20     Eligibility of any federally funded programs listed in this 
 12.21  subdivision is conditioned upon obtaining necessary waivers or 
 12.22  changes in federal law. 
 12.23     Subd. 6.  [ENTRY INTO PROGRAM.] Grantees who meet all 
 12.24  requirements of this section may elect to begin using funding 
 12.25  for a local collaborative process beginning January 1, 1996, or 
 12.26  at each six-month interval. 
 12.27     Subd. 7.  [SANCTIONS.] If the commissioner finds that a 
 12.28  grantee has failed to comply with this section, the grantee 
 12.29  becomes subject to all requirements of individual grant programs 
 12.30  as specified in statutes and rules. 
 12.31                             ARTICLE 3 
 12.32                EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT TRANSITIONS 
 12.33     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 126B.02, 
 12.34  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 12.35     Subdivision 1.  [MEMBERSHIP.] The education and employment 
 12.36  transitions advisory council is established.  The council is 
 13.1   composed of ten members appointed by the governor ~~or governor's~~ 
 13.2   ~~designee; the commissioners of education, labor and industry,~~ 
 13.3   ~~and economic security; the chancellors of the technical and~~ 
 13.4   ~~community colleges; a representative of the higher education~~ 
 13.5   ~~coordinating board selected by the board; the president of~~ 
 13.6   ~~Minnesota Technology, Inc.; one representative each from the~~ 
 13.7   ~~Minnesota education association and the Minnesota federation of~~ 
 13.8   ~~teachers; the executive director of the state council on~~ 
 13.9   ~~vocational technical education; one representative each from the~~ 
 13.10  ~~Minnesota chamber of commerce, the Minnesota business~~ 
 13.11  ~~partnership, and the Minnesota high technology council; a~~ 
 13.12  ~~service delivery area director appointed by the governor; a~~ 
 13.13  ~~business chair of a private industry council appointed by the~~ 
 13.14  ~~governor; and two representatives appointed by the Minnesota~~ 
 13.15  ~~AFL-CIO~~.  At least half of the members must represent employers 
 13.16  in Minnesota. 
 13.17     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 126B.02, is 
 13.18  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 13.19     Subd. 5.  [RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN 
 13.20  AND EDUCATION SERVICES.] The department of children and 
 13.21  education services shall coordinate statewide education and 
 13.22  employment transitions system development.  The system must: 
 13.23     (1) establish and be driven by multisector partnerships; 
 13.24     (2) establish a lifelong approach to workforce concepts; 
 13.25     (3) establish standards by which to assess success; 
 13.26     (4) encourage learners to take primary responsibility for 
 13.27  their own success; 
 13.28     (5) value diversity; 
 13.29     (6) balance learner and workforce needs; 
 13.30     (7) prepare learners for the future; 
 13.31     (8) recognize learners currently in the workforce; 
 13.32     (9) create learning opportunities in developmental and 
 13.33  applied contexts; and 
 13.34     (10) coordinate existing resources. 
 13.35     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 126B.03, 
 13.36  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 14.1      Subdivision 1.  [OBJECTIVES.] (a) The commissioner of 
 14.2   children and education services in consultation with the 
 14.3   education and employment transitions advisory council~~, with the~~ 
 14.4   ~~assistance of the department of education,~~ shall establish a 
 14.5   comprehensive ~~youth apprenticeship program~~ education and 
 14.6   employment transitions system to better prepare all learners to 
 14.7   make transitions between education and employment. 
 14.8      (b) A comprehensive ~~youth apprenticeship program~~ education 
 14.9   and employment transitions system must accomplish the following 
 14.10  objectives: 
 14.11     (1) provide ~~students~~ learners with work-based learning in 
 14.12  skilled occupations that lead to high skill employment and 
 14.13  opportunities for advancement; 
 14.14     (2) integrate ~~students'~~ learners' secondary and 
 14.15  post-secondary academic instruction and work-related learning so 
 14.16  that they may qualify for an apprenticeship or other high skill 
 14.17  training program; 
 14.18     (3) beginning in junior high school, expand the range of 
 14.19  skilled occupations available to ~~students~~ learners to explore as 
 14.20  career options; 
 14.21     (4) improve ~~students'~~ learners' qualifications for an 
 14.22  apprenticeship or other high skill training program and the 
 14.23  opportunity to obtain secondary and post-secondary credit for 
 14.24  their program experience; 
 14.25     (5) improve ~~students'~~ learners' ability to use academic 
 14.26  skills in the workplace; 
 14.27     (6) actively encourage women and minority ~~students~~ learners 
 14.28  to participate in apprenticeship or other high skill training 
 14.29  programs; 
 14.30     (7) increase the number of qualified ~~students~~ learners 
 14.31  preparing to enter skilled industries and occupations and work 
 14.32  with employers to improve ~~students'~~ learners' access to such 
 14.33  industries and occupations; 
 14.34     (8) involve representatives of business, industry, 
 14.35  occupations, and organized labor in planning, developing, and 
 14.36  evaluating the program, including designing the work-related 
 15.1   curriculum; 
 15.2      (9) enable employers to assess ~~students'~~ learners' skills 
 15.3   and abilities before accepting the ~~students~~ learners as 
 15.4   apprentices or employing them; and 
 15.5      (10) expand employers' interest in and willingness to 
 15.6   invest in training ~~students~~ learners for skilled occupations~~;~~ 
 15.7   ~~and~~ 
 15.8      ~~(11) create a school program that is interesting,~~ 
 15.9   ~~enjoyable, and challenging~~. 
 15.10     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 126B.04, is 
 15.11  amended to read: 
 15.12     126B.04 [INDUSTRY AND OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS STANDARDS 
 15.13  COMMITTEES.] 
 15.14     Subdivision 1.  [COMMITTEES.] The commissioner with the 
 15.15  assistance of the education and employment transitions advisory 
 15.16  council shall establish and convene committees to develop and 
 15.17  recommend industry and occupational skill standards for the 
 15.18  industries in which apprentices and other learners are placed.  
 15.19  The industry and occupational skills standards must be 
 15.20  consistent with section 126B.03.  The committees and the 
 15.21  demonstration programs shall operate concurrently. 
 15.22     Subd. 2.  [MEMBERSHIP.] Committee membership must consist 
 15.23  of industry and trade representatives, employer representatives, 
 15.24  and educators familiar with the skills, knowledge, and 
 15.25  competencies of the industry.  The ~~council~~ commissioner shall 
 15.26  determine the membership of each committee it establishes. 
 15.27     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 126B.05, is 
 15.28  amended to read: 
 15.29     126B.05 [~~COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP DEMONSTRATION~~ 
 15.30  YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP AND WORK-BASED LEARNING PROGRAMS.] 
 15.31     The commissioner of children and education services in 
 15.32  consultation with the education and employment transitions 
 15.33  advisory council~~, with the assistance of the department of~~ 
 15.34  ~~education,~~ shall award planning and implementation grants 
 15.35  to regional education and employment transitions boards to 
 15.36  establish comprehensive youth apprenticeship ~~demonstration~~ and 
 16.1   other work-based learning programs.  ~~The education and~~ 
 16.2   ~~employment transitions council, with the assistance of the~~ 
 16.3   ~~department of education, shall establish criteria by September~~ 
 16.4   ~~15, 1993, for evaluating grant proposals.  The criteria~~ 
 16.5   ~~established must include the components outlined in section~~ 
 16.6   ~~126B.03.  The commissioner of education shall develop and~~ 
 16.7   ~~publicize the grant application process.  The education and~~ 
 16.8   ~~employment transitions council shall review and comment on the~~ 
 16.9   ~~proposals submitted.  A grant applicant must represent secondary~~ 
 16.10  ~~and post-secondary school systems and secondary school~~ 
 16.11  ~~principals, and should include representatives of affected local~~ 
 16.12  ~~businesses, industries and labor, as well as the local community.~~
 16.13  The commissioner shall periodically review regional activities 
 16.14  to ensure that the following components are included in regional 
 16.15  education and employment transition systems: 
 16.16     (1) lifework education, planning and development; 
 16.17     (2) work-based learning options; 
 16.18     (3) curriculum and instruction; 
 16.19     (4) support systems; 
 16.20     (5) learner assessment; 
 16.21     (6) labor exchange; 
 16.22     (7) professional education; 
 16.23     (8) research and development; 
 16.24     (9) marketing; and 
 16.25     (10) system accountability. 
 16.26     When the youth apprenticeship ~~program is~~ and other 
 16.27  work-based learning programs are implemented, student funding 
 16.28  must be determined according to section 123.3514, except that 
 16.29  the funding may not be claimed for a particular student for more 
 16.30  than two years.  In addition, each regional education and 
 16.31  employment transitions board is entitled to $2,000 of resources 
 16.32  per enrolled apprentice per year from the higher education 
 16.33  board.  The regional board may use this amount to negotiate with 
 16.34  the higher education board over the provision of instructional 
 16.35  services to its enrolled apprentices by employees of the higher 
 16.36  education board.  If the regional board and the higher education 
 17.1   board cannot reach agreement, the regional board is entitled to 
 17.2   receive this amount as a payment from the higher education board.
 17.3      Sec. 6.  [126B.07] [REGIONAL BOARDS; ESTABLISHMENT.] 
 17.4      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] Ten regional education and 
 17.5   employment transitions boards (EETB) are established.  
 17.6      Subd. 2.  [BOUNDARIES.] (a) Geographical boundaries for an 
 17.7   EETB must be determined based on factors including: 
 17.8      (1) economic development activities; 
 17.9      (2) availability of education resources; 
 17.10     (3) private business sector interest; and 
 17.11     (4) current government or planning region boundaries. 
 17.12     Subd. 3.  [MEMBERSHIP.] The EETB for each region must be 
 17.13  comprised of at least ten and no more than 15 members appointed 
 17.14  by the governor.  At least half of the directors must represent 
 17.15  employers in the region.  The remaining directors must be 
 17.16  selected from among educators, learners, parents, workers, 
 17.17  government, and community-based organizations.  Not more than 20 
 17.18  percent of the members may represent organizations that deliver 
 17.19  education and training services. 
 17.20     Subd. 4.  [RESPONSIBILITIES.] Each EETB shall: 
 17.21     (a) develop a plan for the education and employment 
 17.22  transitions system in the region.  The plans must be based on 
 17.23  system characteristics set forth in this chapter and must be 
 17.24  tied directly to the economic development opportunities of the 
 17.25  region.  Regional plans must identify public and private 
 17.26  education and training services and coordinate their deployment 
 17.27  to meet regional objectives.  Regional plans must demonstrate 
 17.28  how the system will be maintained beyond the start-up period 
 17.29  using existing public and private sector education and training 
 17.30  resources including secondary and post-secondary funding, 
 17.31  private sector training funds and wages, and public sector 
 17.32  training resources; 
 17.33     (b) inform employers of the purposes of the youth 
 17.34  apprenticeship and other work-based learning options and 
 17.35  identify employers interested in participating; 
 17.36     (c) inform school districts, students, and parents of 
 18.1   opportunities available through youth apprenticeship and other 
 18.2   work-based learning programs; 
 18.3      (d) approve youth apprenticeship and other work-based 
 18.4   learning programs in their region; 
 18.5      (e) administer youth apprenticeship and other work-based 
 18.6   learning programs in their region; 
 18.7      (f) communicate information on regional needs and 
 18.8   opportunities to the department of children and education 
 18.9   services; and 
 18.10     (g) communicate to regional employers, school districts, 
 18.11  parents, and students information from the department of 
 18.12  children and education services on occupational prospects and 
 18.13  standards for youth apprenticeship and other work-based learning 
 18.14  programs. 
 18.15     Sec. 7.  [REPEALER.] 
 18.16     Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 126B.02, subdivisions 2, 
 18.17  3, and 4, are repealed.