<div class="xtend">
         <div class="xtend_ce"><a id="pl.1.1"></a><var>1.1</var>A bill for an act<br />
            		
         </div><a id="pl.1.2"></a><var>1.2</var>relating to education; establishing a pilot project to examine how school districts <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.3"></a><var>1.3</var>might operate jointly to provide innovative delivery of programs and activities <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.4"></a><var>1.4</var>and share resources.<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.5"></a><var>1.5</var>BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:<br />
         		<br />
         		<a id="bill.0.1.0"></a><a id="pl.1.6"></a><var>1.6</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Section 1. <b>INNOVATIVE DELIVERY OF EDUCATION SERVICES AND </b><br />
         		<a id="pl.1.7"></a><var>1.7</var><b>SHARING OF DISTRICT RESOURCES; PILOT PROJECT.</b><br />
         		<a id="pl.1.8"></a><var>1.8</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subdivision 1. <b>Establishment; requirements for participation.</b> (a) A five-year <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.9"></a><var>1.9</var>pilot project for the 2013-2014 through 2017-2018 school years is established to improve <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.10"></a><var>1.10</var>student and school outcomes by allowing groups of school districts to work together to <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.11"></a><var>1.11</var>provide innovative education programs and activities and share district resources.<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.12"></a><var>1.12</var>(b) To participate in this pilot project to improve student and school outcomes, a <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.13"></a><var>1.13</var>group of two or more school districts must collaborate with school staff and receive formal <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.14"></a><var>1.14</var>school board approval to form a partnership. The partnership must develop a plan to <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.15"></a><var>1.15</var>provide challenging programmatic options for students, create professional development <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.16"></a><var>1.16</var>opportunities for educators, increase student engagement and connection and challenging <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.17"></a><var>1.17</var>learning opportunities for students, or demonstrate efficiencies in delivering financial and <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.18"></a><var>1.18</var>other services. The plan must establish:<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.19"></a><var>1.19</var>(1) collaborative educational goals and objectives;<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.20"></a><var>1.20</var>(2) strategies and processes to implement those goals and objectives, including a <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.21"></a><var>1.21</var>budget process with periodic expenditure reviews;<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.22"></a><var>1.22</var>(3) valid and reliable measures to evaluate progress in realizing the goals and <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.23"></a><var>1.23</var>objectives;<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.24"></a><var>1.24</var>(4) an implementation timeline; and<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.1"></a><var>2.1</var>(5) other applicable conditions, regulations, responsibilities, duties, provisions, fee <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.2"></a><var>2.2</var>schedules, and legal considerations needed to fully implement the plan.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.3"></a><var>2.3</var>A partnership may invite additional districts to join the partnership during the pilot <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.4"></a><var>2.4</var>project term after notifying the commissioner.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.5"></a><var>2.5</var>(c) A partnership of interested districts must apply by February 1, 2013, to the <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.6"></a><var>2.6</var>education commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner determines, consistent <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.7"></a><var>2.7</var>with this section. The application must contain the formal approval adopted by the school <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.8"></a><var>2.8</var>board in each district to participate in the plan.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.9"></a><var>2.9</var>(d) Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, during the term of the pilot project, <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.10"></a><var>2.10</var>participating districts may begin the school year before Labor Day, may adopt an extended <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.11"></a><var>2.11</var>school calendar, or may schedule staff development days throughout the calendar year.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.12"></a><var>2.12</var>(e) Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, a participating school district under <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.13"></a><var>2.13</var>this section continues to: receive revenue and maintain its taxation authority; be organized <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.14"></a><var>2.14</var>and governed by an elected school board with general powers under Minnesota Statutes, <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.15"></a><var>2.15</var>section 123B.02; be subject to employment agreements under Minnesota Statutes, chapter <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.16"></a><var>2.16</var>122A, and Minnesota Statutes, section 179A.20; and remain employees of the employing <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.17"></a><var>2.17</var>school district.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.18"></a><var>2.18</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subd. 2. <b>Commissioner's role.</b> Interested groups of school districts must submit a <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.19"></a><var>2.19</var>completed application to the commissioner by March 1, 2013, in the form and manner <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.20"></a><var>2.20</var>determined by the commissioner. The education commissioner must convene an advisory <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.21"></a><var>2.21</var>panel composed of a teacher appointed by Education Minnesota, a school principal <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.22"></a><var>2.22</var>appointed by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, a school <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.23"></a><var>2.23</var>board member appointed by the Minnesota School Boards Association, and a school <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.24"></a><var>2.24</var>superintendent appointed by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators to advise <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.25"></a><var>2.25</var>the commissioner on applicants' qualifications to participate in this pilot project. The <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.26"></a><var>2.26</var>commissioner must select between three and six qualified applicants under subdivision 1 <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.27"></a><var>2.27</var>by April 1, 2013, to participate in this pilot project, ensuring an equitable geographical <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.28"></a><var>2.28</var>distribution of project participants to the extent practicable. The commissioner must <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.29"></a><var>2.29</var>select only those applicants that fully comply with the requirements in subdivision 1. The <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.30"></a><var>2.30</var>commissioner must terminate a project participant that fails to effectively implement the <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.31"></a><var>2.31</var>goals and objectives contained in its application and according to its stated timeline.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.32"></a><var>2.32</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subd. 3. <b>Pilot project evaluation.</b> Participating school districts must submit pilot <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.33"></a><var>2.33</var>project data to the commissioner in the form and manner determined by the commissioner. <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.34"></a><var>2.34</var>The education commissioner must analyze participating districts' progress in realizing <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.35"></a><var>2.35</var>their educational goals and objectives to work together in providing innovative education <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.36"></a><var>2.36</var>programs and activities and sharing resources. The commissioner must include the <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.1"></a><var>3.1</var>analysis of best practices in a report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.2"></a><var>3.2</var>kindergarten through grade 12 education finance and policy on the efficacy of this pilot <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.3"></a><var>3.3</var>project. The commissioner may submit an interim project report at any time and must <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.4"></a><var>3.4</var>submit a final report to the legislature by February 1, 2018, recommending whether or <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.5"></a><var>3.5</var>not to continue or expand the pilot project.<br />
         		<a id="pl.3.6"></a><var>3.6</var><b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b>This section is effective the day following final enactment <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.7"></a><var>3.7</var>and applies to the 2013-2014 through 2017-2018 school years.<br />
         		
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