HF 714

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/22/2021 04:12pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; modifying innovation zone provisions; amending Laws 2017,
First Special Session chapter 5, article 2, section 52.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 2, section 52, is amended
to read:

Sec. 52. EDUCATION INNOVATION RESEARCH ZONES PILOT PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.

Establishment; requirements for participation; research innovation
zone plans.

(a) The innovation research zone pilot program is established to improve student
and school outcomes consistent with the world's best workforce requirements under
Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.11. Innovation zone partnerships allow school districts
and charter schools to research and implement innovative education programming models
designed to better prepare students for the world of the 21st century.

(b) One or more school districts or charter schools may join together to form an innovation
zone partnership. The partnership may include other nonschool partners, including
postsecondary institutions, other units of local government, nonprofit organizations, and
for-profit organizations. An innovation zone plan must be collaboratively developed in
concert with the school's instructional staff.

(c) An innovation research zone partnership must research and may implement innovative
education programs and models that are based on proposed hypotheses. An innovation zone
plan may include an emerging practice not yet supported by peer-reviewed research.
Examples of innovation zone research may include, but are not limited to:

(1) personalized learning, allowing students to excel at their own pace and according to
their interests, aspirations, and unique needs;

(2) the use of competency outcomes rather than seat time and course completion to fulfill
standards, credits, and other graduation requirements;

(3) multidisciplinary, real-world, inquiry-based, and student-directed models designed
to make learning more engaging and relevant, including documenting and validating learning
that takes place beyond the school day and school walls;

(4) models of instruction designed to close the achievement gap, including new models
for age three to grade 3 models, English as a second language models, early identification
and prevention of mental health issues, and others;

(5) new partnerships between secondary schools and postsecondary institutions,
employers, or career training institutions enabling students to complete industry certifications,
postsecondary education credits, and other credentials;

(6) new methods of collaborative leadership including the expansion of schools where
teachers have larger professional roles;

(7) new ways to enhance parental and community involvement in learning;

(8) new models of professional development for educators, including embedded
professional development; or

(9) new models in other areas such as whole child instruction, social-emotional skill
development, technology-based or blended learning, parent and community involvement,
professional development and mentoring, and models that increase the return on investment.;

(10) new models of evaluation, assessment, and accountability using multiple indicators,
including models that demonstrate alternative ways to validate a student's academic
attainment that have predictive validity to the state tests, and also include other variables
such as problem solving, creativity, analytical thinking, collaboration, respecting others,
global understanding, postgraduation student performance, and other information;

(11) improving teacher and principal mentoring and evaluation;

(12) granting a high school diploma to a student who meets the graduation requirements
under section 120B.02, subdivision 2, who demonstrates preparation for postsecondary
education or a career consistent with the world's best workforce goals under section 120B.11,
and who completes:

(i) four years of high school; and

(ii)(A) at least one year of postsecondary education at a two- or four-year college or
university through concurrent enrollment, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate
courses; or

(B) the requirements for a career certification up to the apprenticeship program level if
one is required for that certification;

(13) the use of the provisions in sections 124D.085 governing experiential and applied
learning opportunities; 124D.52, subdivision 9, governing standard adult high school diploma
requirements; and 126C.05, subdivision 15, paragraph (b), item (i), governing the use of
independent study;

(14) the use of the provisions of a learning year in section 124D.128 for a student in
grade 10, 11, or 12 to participate in career and technical programs after school, on weekends,
and during school breaks, including summers, and be included in the general education
revenue computation. The classes must generate both high school and postsecondary credit
and lead to either a career certification, technical college degree, or an apprenticeship
program. A student participating in a learning year may attend school year round, and the
student's continual learning plan must provide for the student to meet the high school
graduation standards no later than the end of the fall semester of grade 12;

(15) methods to initiate prevention models to reduce student needs for special education
and to reduce teacher time devoted to the required special education documentation; or

(16) other innovations as determined by the local boards.

(d) An innovation zone plan submitted to the commissioner of education must describe:

(1) how the plan will improve student and school outcomes consistent with the world's
best workforce requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.11;

(2) the role of each partner in the zone;

(3) the research methodology used for each proposed action in the plan;

(4) (3) the exemptions from statutes and rules in subdivision 2 that the research innovation
zone partnership will use;

(5) (4) a description of how teachers and other educational staff from the affected school
sites will be included in the planning and implementation process;

(6) (5) a detailed description of expected outcomes and graduation standards;

(7) (6) a timeline for implementing the plan and assessing the outcomes; and

(8) (7) how results of the plan will be disseminated.

The governing board for each partner must approve the innovation zone plan.

(e) Upon unanimous approval of the initial innovation zone partners and approval of the
commissioner of education, the innovation zone partnership may extend membership to
other partners. A new partner's membership is effective 30 days after the innovation zone
partnership notifies the commissioner of the proposed change in membership unless the
commissioner disapproves the new partner's membership and updates the plan.

(f) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a school district or charter school
participating in an innovation zone partnership under this section continues to receive all
revenue and maintains its taxation authority in the same manner as before its participation
in the innovation zone partnership. The innovation zone school district and charter school
partners remain organized and governed by their respective school boards with general
powers under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 123B or 124E, and remain subject to any
employment agreements under Minnesota Statutes, chapters 122A and 179A. School district
and charter school employees participating in an innovation zone partnership remain
employees of their respective school district or charter school.

(g) An innovation zone partnership may submit its plan at any time to the commissioner
in the form and manner specified by the commissioner. The commissioner must approve
or reject the plan after reviewing the recommendation of the Innovation Research Zone
Advisory Panel. An initial innovation zone plan that has been rejected by the commissioner
may be resubmitted to the commissioner after the innovation zone partnership has modified
the plan to meet each individually identified objection.

(h) An innovation zone plan must not cause an increase in state aid or levies for partners.

Subd. 2.

Exemptions from laws and rules.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law to the
contrary, an innovation zone partner with an approved a plan filed with the commissioner
is exempt from each of the following state education laws and rules specifically identified
in its plan:

(1) any law or rule from which a district-created, site-governed school under Minnesota
Statutes, section 123B.045, is exempt;

(2) any statute or rule from which the commissioner has exempted another district or
charter school, as identified in the list published on the Department of Education's Web site
under subdivision 4, paragraph (b);

(3) online learning program approval under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.095,
subdivision 7, if the school district or charter school offers a course or program online
combined with direct access to a teacher for a portion of that course or program;

(4) restrictions on extended time revenue under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10,
subdivision 2a, for a student who meets the criteria of Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.68,
subdivision 2; and

(5) any required hours of instruction in any class or subject area for a student who is
meeting all competencies consistent with the graduation standards described in the innovation
zone plan.

(b) The exemptions under this subdivision must not be construed as exempting an
innovation zone partner from the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments or as increasing
any state aid or levy.

Subd. 3.

Innovation Research Zone Advisory Panel.

(a) The commissioner must
establish and convene an Innovation Research Zone Advisory Panel to review all innovation
zone plans submitted for approval.

(b) The panel must be composed of nine members. One member must be appointed by
each of the following organizations: Educators for Excellence, Education Minnesota,
Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, Minnesota Elementary School
Principals' Association, Minnesota Association of School Administrators, Minnesota School
Boards Association, Minnesota Association of Charter Schools, and the Office of Higher
Education. The commissioner must appoint one member with expertise in evaluation and
research.

Subd. 4.

Role of the commissioner approval.

(a) Upon recommendation of the
Innovation Research Zone Advisory Panel, the commissioner may approve up to three
innovation zone plans in the seven-county metropolitan area and up to three in greater
Minnesota. If an innovation zone partnership fails to implement its innovation zone plan as
described in its application and according to the stated timeline, upon recommendation of
the Innovation Research Zone Advisory Panel, the commissioner must may alert the
partnership members and provide the opportunity to remediate. If implementation continues
to fail, the commissioner must may suspend or terminate the innovation zone plan.

(b) The commissioner must publish a list of the exemptions the commissioner has granted
to a district or charter school on the Department of Education's Web site by July 1, 2017.
The list must be updated annually.

Subd. 5.

Project evaluation, dissemination, and report to legislature.

Each research
innovation zone partnership must submit project data to the commissioner in the form and
manner provided for in the approved application specified by the commissioner. At least
once every two years, the commissioner must may analyze each innovation zone's progress
in realizing the objectives of the innovation zone partnership's plan. To the extent practicable,
and using existing resources, the commissioner must may summarize and categorize
innovation zone plans and submit a report to the legislative committees having jurisdiction
over education by February 1 of each odd-numbered year in accordance with Minnesota
Statutes, section 3.195.