1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; appropriating money to the 
  1.3             Office of Educational Accountability through the 
  1.4             University of Minnesota; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.5             2002, section 120B.31, subdivision 3; Laws 2003, First 
  1.6             Special Session chapter 9, article 10, section 10, 
  1.7             subdivision 2. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 
  1.10  120B.31, subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  1.11     Subd. 3.  [EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY.] (a) The Independent 
  1.12  Office of Educational Accountability, as authorized by Laws 
  1.13  1997, First Special Session chapter 4, article 5, section 28, 
  1.14  subdivision 2, is established, and shall be funded through the 
  1.15  Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota.  The office 
  1.16  shall advise the education committees of the legislature and the 
  1.17  commissioner of education, at least on a biennial basis, on the 
  1.18  degree to which the statewide educational accountability and 
  1.19  reporting system includes a comprehensive assessment framework 
  1.20  that measures school accountability for students achieving the 
  1.21  goals described in the state's results-oriented graduation 
  1.22  rule.  The office shall consider whether the statewide system of 
  1.23  educational accountability utilizes multiple indicators to 
  1.24  provide valid and reliable comparative and contextual data on 
  1.25  students, schools, districts, and the state, and if not, 
  1.26  recommend ways to improve the accountability reporting system. 
  2.1      (b) When the office reviews the statewide educational 
  2.2   accountability and reporting system, it shall also consider: 
  2.3      (1) the objectivity and neutrality of the state's 
  2.4   educational accountability system; and 
  2.5      (2) the impact of a testing program on school curriculum 
  2.6   and student learning. 
  2.7      <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  2.8   following final enactment.  
  2.9      Sec. 2.  Laws 2003, First Special Session chapter 9, 
  2.10  article 10, section 10, subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  2.11     Subd. 2.  [DEPARTMENT.] (a) For the department of education:
  2.12       $23,653,000    .....     2004 
  2.13       $23,653,000 $23,253,000   .....     2005 
  2.14     Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is 
  2.15  available in the second year. 
  2.16     (b) $260,000 each year is for the Minnesota children's 
  2.17  museum. 
  2.18     (c) $41,000 each year is for the Minnesota academy of 
  2.19  science. 
  2.20     (d) $237,000 of the balance in the state education 
  2.21  courseware development account in the state government special 
  2.22  revenue fund as of July 1, 2004, is canceled to the general fund.
  2.23     (e) $160,000 of the balance in the state item bank 
  2.24  revolving account in the state government special revenue fund 
  2.25  as of July 1, 2004, is canceled to the general fund. 
  2.26     (f) $621,000 each year is for the board of teaching. 
  2.27     (g) $165,000 each year is for the board of school 
  2.28  administrators.  
  2.29     (h) The commissioner is encouraged to give priority 
  2.30  consideration to the Minnesota humanities commission when 
  2.31  issuing grants for professional development of teachers or 
  2.32  content development from best practices, Federal Title II, Part 
  2.33  A, Federal Title V, Part A, or other appropriate grant resources 
  2.34  that have a stated objective of improvement of teacher 
  2.35  performance. 
  2.36     (i) An additional $96,000 in fiscal year 2004 and $96,000 
  3.1   in fiscal year 2005 are appropriated from the special revenue 
  3.2   fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 517.08, subdivision 1c, 
  3.3   for family visitation centers.  Any balance in the first year 
  3.4   does not cancel but is available for the second year. 
  3.5      <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  3.6   following final enactment. 
  3.7      Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATION; OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL 
  3.8   ACCOUNTABILITY.] 
  3.9      $400,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2005 from the 
  3.10  general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of 
  3.11  Minnesota for the Office of Educational Accountability under 
  3.12  Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.31, subdivision 3.  The base 
  3.13  appropriation for the Office of Educational Accountability in 
  3.14  fiscal years 2006 and 2007 is $400,000 each year. 
  3.15     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective July 1, 2004.