1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; providing for assessment of
1.3 	student growth in academic achievement over time;
1.4 	appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in
1.5 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. [120B.362] VALUE-ADDED ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.
1.8 	(a) The commissioner of education must implement a
1.9 	value-added assessment program to assist school districts,
1.10 	public schools, and charter schools in assessing and reporting
1.11 	students' growth in academic achievement under section 120B.30,
1.12 	subdivision 1a.  The program must use assessments of students'
1.13 	academic achievement to make longitudinal comparisons of each
1.14 	student's academic growth over time.  School districts, public
1.15 	schools, and charter schools may apply to the commissioner to
1.16 	participate in the initial trial program using a form and in the
1.17 	manner the commissioner prescribes.  The commissioner must
1.18 	select program participants from urban, suburban, and rural
1.19 	areas throughout the state.
1.20 	(b) The commissioner may issue a request for a proposal to
1.21 	contract with an organization that provides a value-added
1.22 	assessment model that reliably estimates school and school
1.23 	district effects on students' academic achievement over time.
1.24 	The model the commissioner selects must accommodate diverse data
1.25 	and must use each student's test data across grades.
2.1 	(c) The contract under paragraph (b) must be consistent
2.2 	with the definition of "best value" under section 16C.02,
2.3 	subdivision 4.

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

2.6 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS.
 2.7 		Subdivision 1.Department of education. Unless otherwise
2.8 	indicated, the sums indicated in this section are appropriated
2.9 	from the general fund to the Department of Education for the
2.10 	fiscal years designated.
2.11 		Subd. 2.Value-added assessment. (a) For value-added
2.12 	assessment program:
2.13 	$  300,000 .....2006 
2.14 	$1,600,000 .....2007