1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; establishing a parent-school partnership pilot program to 
1.3 	assist children with autism spectrum disorders; appropriating money. 
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. PARENT-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP PILOT PROGRAM; CHILDREN 
1.6 	WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; local support. (a) A parent-school partnership 
1.8 	pilot program for fiscal year 2007 is established to assist children with autism spectrum 
1.9 	disorders to reach their maximum potential through intensive early intervention services. 
1.10 	The pilot program shall:
1.11 	(1) be located in the Minnesota Department of Education's special education 
1.12 	low-incidence region 1 and 2, Warren/Bemidji;
1.13 	(2) work to build collaboration between parents, schools, and community agencies; 
1.14 	and
1.15 	(3) facilitate identifying, diagnosing, and providing needed intervention for children 
1.16 	with autism, focusing on children ages 18 to 24 months.
1.17 	(b) The resource consultant who is part of the pilot program provides needed 
1.18 	information and support to parents, schools, and community agencies.  The resource 
1.19 	consultant's school support must include: encouraging schools to collaborate with 
1.20 	families and function as a team; providing resources relating to autism spectrum disorder; 
1.21 	providing, upon request, information and training on intensive interventions; and helping 
1.22 	to involve parents in the education process.  The resource consultant??a??a??s family support 
1.23 	must include: helping to establish positive relationships with schools; providing, upon 
1.24 	request, information about and training for intensive interventions; understanding special 
2.1 	education rights and responsibilities; and providing support in referral processes with 
2.2 	other agencies.  The resource consultant's community support must include: encouraging 
2.3 	medical personnel to diagnose children with autism spectrum disorders early; and 
2.4 	providing, upon request, information and training to incorporate early intervention 
2.5 	services into agency programs.
2.6 		Subd. 2.Program implementation; report. (a) To implement this pilot program, 
2.7 	the commissioner of education shall:
2.8 	(1) provide clerical support for the pilot program in the Department of Education's 
2.9 	special education low-incidence region 1 and 2, Warren/Bemidji;
2.10 	(2) contract with an experienced parent who has a child with an autism spectrum 
2.11 	disorder and resides in the special education low-incidence region 1 and 2 to serve as a 
2.12 	pilot program resource consultant;
2.13 	(3) facilitate the ability of the Autism Society of Minnesota to provide the resource 
2.14 	consultant under clause (2) with Internet access to the Autism Society and technical 
2.15 	assistance and training;
2.16 	(4) record summary data on the number of families served, the number of 
2.17 	intervention hours per child, and measurable outcomes for children from the date service 
2.18 	is initiated under this pilot program; and
2.19 	(5) provide technical and other support the resource consultant needs to implement 
2.20 	subdivision 1.
2.21 	(b) The commissioner shall use the summary data recorded under paragraph (a) to 
2.22 	evaluate the efficacy of the pilot program and submit a written report by February 15, 
2.23 	2008, to the Education Policy and Finance Committees of the legislature that includes 
2.24 	recommendations about implementing the program in other special education low 
2.25 	incidence regions throughout the state.

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

2.27 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.28 	$35,000 is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2007 to the commissioner 
2.29 	of education for implementing the parent-school partnership pilot program under section 1. 

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