1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; establishing a pilot program 
  1.3             for children with emotional or behavioral disorders; 
  1.4             appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [COMPREHENSIVE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR 
  1.7   STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL OR BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] A pilot program is 
  1.9   established in independent school district No. 624, White Bear 
  1.10  Lake, to provide comprehensive early intervention services to 
  1.11  children with emotional or behavioral disorders.  The goals of 
  1.12  the pilot program are to: 
  1.13     (1) improve learner outcomes for children with emotional or 
  1.14  behavioral disorders; 
  1.15     (2) reduce the need for placement of children with 
  1.16  emotional or behavioral disorders in special education programs 
  1.17  under Minnesota Statutes, section 120.17; 
  1.18     (3) reduce the number of school exclusions, expulsions, and 
  1.19  suspensions; 
  1.20     (4) reduce the number of children entering the juvenile 
  1.21  justice system; and 
  1.22     (5) improve the cost-effectiveness of services for children 
  1.23  with emotional or behavioral disorders. 
  1.24     Subd. 2.  [APPLICATION; EVALUATION.] (a) To participate in 
  1.25  the pilot program, the district shall submit an application to 
  2.1   the commissioner of education in the form and manner prescribed 
  2.2   by the commissioner.  The application shall include a plan for 
  2.3   developing and implementing a comprehensive early intervention 
  2.4   program that provides for the following: 
  2.5      (1) early identification of children who are demonstrating 
  2.6   characteristics or behavior that may lead to placement in a 
  2.7   special education program under Minnesota Statutes, section 
  2.8   120.17, and Minnesota Rules, part 3525.1329; 
  2.9      (2) flexible early intervention strategies that are 
  2.10  performance based and may include the school, local mental 
  2.11  health agencies, the parent, and the community; 
  2.12     (3) mentoring programs that may include both adult 
  2.13  community mentors or student peer mentors; 
  2.14     (4) collaboration with local mental health, social 
  2.15  services, law enforcement, and nonprofit agencies; 
  2.16     (5) flexible instructional delivery alternatives that may 
  2.17  include an extended school year, flexible school days, or 
  2.18  work-based learning programs; 
  2.19     (6) extensive parent involvement in developing and 
  2.20  implementing early intervention strategies, including parent 
  2.21  training in appropriate intervention skills; and 
  2.22     (7) technology-based systems for individualized instruction 
  2.23  and student record management. 
  2.24     (b) The district shall contract with an independent agency 
  2.25  for an evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot program and 
  2.26  report to the commissioner of education by January 15, 1997. 
  2.27     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.28     $840,000 is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal 
  2.29  year 1996 to the commissioner of education for the purpose of 
  2.30  making a grant according to section 1 to independent school 
  2.31  district No. 624, White Bear Lake.