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CHAPTER 124D. EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Table of Sections
Section Headnote
124D.01 DEFINITIONS.
ENROLLMENT ALTERNATIVES
124D.02 SCHOOL BOARD POWERS; ENROLLMENT.
124D.03 ENROLLMENT OPTIONS PROGRAM.
124D.04 OPTIONS FOR ENROLLING IN ADJOINING STATES.
124D.041 RECIPROCITY WITH ADJOINING STATES.
124D.05 ATTENDING SCHOOL IN ANOTHER STATE; SEVERANCE PAY.
124D.06 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 1 s 26]
124D.07 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 6 art 1 s 55 subd 1]
124D.08 SCHOOL BOARDS' APPROVAL TO ENROLL IN NONRESIDENT DISTRICT.
124D.081 Subdivisions renumbered, repealed, or no longer in effect
124D.09 POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT OPTIONS ACT.
124D.091 CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT PROGRAM AID.
124D.095 ONLINE LEARNING OPTION.
124D.096 ONLINE LEARNING AID.
124D.10 CHARTER SCHOOLS.
124D.11 REVENUE FOR A CHARTER SCHOOL.
SCHOOL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH
124D.111 LUNCH AID; FOOD SERVICE ACCOUNTING.
124D.1115 FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM DATA SHARING.
124D.112 [Repealed, 1998 c 398 art 6 s 38; 1999 c 241 art 7 s 3]
124D.113 [Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 7 s 3]
124D.114 LACTOSE REDUCED MILK.
124D.115 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 5 s 37]
124D.1155 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 6 art 5 s 14]
124D.1156 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 5 s 37]
124D.1158 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM.
124D.116 [Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 7 s 3]
124D.117 DISTRICTS TO OFFER SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM.
124D.118 SCHOOL MILK PROGRAM.
124D.119 SUMMER FOOD SERVICE REPLACEMENT AID.
124D.1195 COMMODITY DONATED FOOD REVOLVING FUND.
LEARNING YEAR PROGRAMS
124D.12 PURPOSE OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAMS.
124D.121 DEFINITION OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM.
124D.122 ESTABLISHMENT OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM.
124D.123 DIVISION OF CHILDREN INTO GROUPS.
124D.124 PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION.
124D.125 ASSIGNMENT OF TEACHERS.
124D.126 POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER; FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAMS.
124D.127 TERMINATION OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM.
124D.128 LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT YEAR.
124D.129 EDUCATE PARENTS PARTNERSHIP.
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
124D.13 EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILY EDUCATION (ECFE) PROGRAMS.
124D.135 EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILY EDUCATION (ECFE) REVENUE.
124D.14 [Repealed, 1999 c 205 art 1 s 73]
124D.141 STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE.
124D.142 QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM.
124D.15 SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAMS.
124D.16 SCHOOL READINESS AID.
124D.162 KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT.
124D.17 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 7 s 12]
124D.175 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 9 s 19]
124D.18 PURPOSE OF COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
124D.19 COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS; ADVISORY COUNCIL.
124D.20 COMMUNITY EDUCATION REVENUE.
124D.21 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 8 s 8]
124D.22 SCHOOL-AGE CARE REVENUE.
124D.221 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 8 s 8]
124D.2211 AFTER-SCHOOL COMMUNITY LEARNING PROGRAMS.
124D.23 FAMILY SERVICES AND COMMUNITY-BASED COLLABORATIVES.
124D.24 CITATION; MINNESOTA FAMILY CONNECTIONS ACT.
124D.25 PURPOSE OF FAMILY CONNECTIONS ACT.
124D.26 IMPROVED LEARNING PROGRAM.
124D.27 ADVISORY COUNCIL.
124D.28 FAMILY CONNECTIONS PROGRAM COMPONENTS.
124D.29 CAREER TEACHER.
124D.30 FAMILY CONNECTIONS AID.
124D.31 RESERVED REVENUE FOR CERTAIN TEACHER PROGRAM.
124D.32 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 6 art 2 s 78]
124D.33 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 3 art 2 s 18]
124D.331 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 3 art 2 s 18]
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED EDUCATION
124D.34 MINNESOTA FOUNDATION FOR STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS.
124D.35 YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM.
124D.355 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS.
124D.36 CITATION; MINNESOTA YOUTHWORKS ACT.
124D.37 PURPOSE OF MINNESOTA YOUTHWORKS ACT.
124D.38 DEFINITIONS.
124D.385 MINNESOTA COMMISSION ON NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
124D.39 YOUTHWORKS PROGRAM.
124D.40 YOUTHWORKS GRANTS.
124D.41 [Repealed, 2004 c 286 s 4]
124D.42 YOUTHWORKS PROGRAM TRAINING; READING CORPS.
124D.43 [Repealed, 2004 c 286 s 4]
124D.44 MATCH REQUIREMENTS.
124D.45 EVALUATION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
124D.452 DISTRICT REPORT; CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
124D.453 [Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 3 s 5; 2000 c 489 art 4 s 9]
124D.4531 CAREER AND TECHNICAL LEVY.
124D.454 ACCESS TO MINNESOTA'S TRANSITION SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN WITH A DISABILITY.
124D.46 EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT TRANSITIONS SYSTEM.
124D.47 COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
124D.48 GENERAL APPLICATION OF WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS; DISPLACEMENT OF WORKERS PROHIBITED.
124D.49 EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT TRANSITIONS PARTNERSHIPS.
124D.50 SERVICE-LEARNING AND WORK-BASED LEARNING CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMS.
124D.505 MINNESOTA CAREER INFORMATION SYSTEM.
ADULT EDUCATION
124D.51 EVENING SCHOOLS; ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION.
124D.518 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION AID DEFINITIONS.
124D.52 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION.
124D.521 CONSORTIUM REQUIREMENTS.
124D.522 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICE GRANTS.
124D.53 [Repealed, 2000 c 489 art 1 s 46]
124D.531 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION AID.
124D.54 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 9 s 10]
124D.548 [Repealed, 1998 c 398 art 6 s 38]
124D.549 GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT (GED) TESTS RULES; COMMISSIONER.
124D.55 GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT (GED) TEST FEES.
124D.56 COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM REVENUE; ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES.
124D.57 HEARING IMPAIRED EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES.
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP)
124D.58 CITATION; EDUCATION FOR LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT STUDENTS ACT.
124D.59 DEFINITIONS.
124D.60 RIGHTS OF PARENTS.
124D.61 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAMS.
124D.62 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 2 s 48]
124D.63 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
124D.64 DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED.
124D.645 MULTIRACIAL DIVERSITY.
124D.65 LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP) PROGRAMS AID.
ASSURANCE OF MASTERY
124D.66 ASSURANCE OF MASTERY PROGRAMS.
124D.67 [Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 1 s 69]
GRADUATION INCENTIVES
124D.68 GRADUATION INCENTIVES PROGRAM.
124D.69 AID FOR ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS PROVIDED UNDER CONTRACT.
124D.70 [Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 2 s 62]
AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION
124D.71 CITATION; AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION ACT.
124D.72 POLICY.
124D.73 DEFINITIONS.
124D.74 AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
124D.75 LICENSES FOR AMERICAN INDIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE EDUCATION TEACHERS; EXEMPTIONS.
124D.76 TEACHERS AIDES; COMMUNITY COORDINATORS.
124D.77 RECRUITING AND RETAINING INDIAN TEACHERS.
124D.78 PARENT AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.
124D.79 COMMUNITY AND COMMISSIONER PARTICIPATION IN AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION.
124D.80 MS 2002 [Expired]
124D.81 CONTINUATION OF INDIAN EDUCATION GRANTS.
124D.82 DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED.
124D.83 STATE REVENUE FOR AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBAL CONTRACT OR GRANT SCHOOLS.
124D.84 Subdivisions renumbered, repealed, or no longer in effect
124D.85 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 6 art 2 s 78]
SCHOOL DESEGREGATION AND INTEGRATION
124D.86 INTEGRATION REVENUE.
124D.87 INTERDISTRICT DESEGREGATION OR INTEGRATION TRANSPORTATION AID.
124D.871 MAGNET SCHOOL AND PROGRAM GRANTS.
124D.88 METROPOLITAN MAGNET SCHOOL GRANTS.
124D.89 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 56]
124D.892 OFFICE OF DESEGREGATION/INTEGRATION.
124D.894 [Repealed, 2001 c 161 s 58]
124D.895 PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT PROGRAMS.
124D.8955 PARENT AND FAMILY INVOLVEMENT POLICY.
124D.896 DESEGREGATION/INTEGRATION AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION RULES.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS
124D.90 SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
124D.91 [Repealed, 2004 c 294 art 5 s 22]
124D.92 [Repealed, 2004 c 294 art 5 s 22]
124D.93 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 8 s 8]
124D.94 MINNESOTA ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOUNDATION.
124D.95 Subdivisions renumbered, repealed, or no longer in effect
124D.955 HEALTHY KIDS AWARDS PROGRAM.
124D.96 WELFARE AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS' POLICIES FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.
124D.97 [Repealed, 2004 c 256 art 1 s 8]

124D.01 DEFINITIONS.

For the purpose of this chapter, the terms defined in section 120A.05 have the same meaning.

ENROLLMENT ALTERNATIVES

124D.02 SCHOOL BOARD POWERS; ENROLLMENT.

Subdivision 1.Kindergarten instruction.

The board may establish and maintain one or more kindergartens for the instruction of children and after July 1, 1974, shall provide kindergarten instruction for all eligible children, either in the district or in another district. All children to be eligible for kindergarten must be at least five years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year commences. In addition all children selected under an early admissions policy established by the school board may be admitted. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a school district from establishing Head Start, prekindergarten, or nursery school classes for children below kindergarten age. Any school board with evidence that providing kindergarten will cause an extraordinary hardship on the school district may apply to the commissioner of education for an exception.

Subd. 2.Secondary school programs.

The board may permit a person who is over the age of 21 or who has graduated from high school to enroll in a class or program at a secondary school if there is space available. In determining if there is space available, public school students eligible for free enrollment under section 120A.20, subdivision 1, and shared-time students shall be given priority over students seeking enrollment pursuant to this subdivision, and students returning to complete a regular course of study shall be given priority over other students seeking enrollment pursuant to this subdivision. The following are not prerequisites for enrollment:

(1) residency in the school district;

(2) United States citizenship; or

(3) for a person over the age of 21, a high school diploma or equivalency certificate. A person may enroll in a class or program even if that person attends evening school, an adult or continuing education, or a postsecondary educational program or institution.

Subd. 3.Counting pupils.

A district may not count a person enrolled pursuant to subdivision 2 as a pupil unit or a pupil in average daily membership for the purpose of receiving any state aid.

Subd. 4.Part-time student fee.

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 120A.20 and 123B.37, a board may charge a student enrolled pursuant to subdivision 2 a reasonable fee for a class or program.

124D.03 ENROLLMENT OPTIONS PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

(a) An enrollment options program is established to enable any pupil to attend a school or program in a district in which the pupil does not reside, subject to the limitations in this section.

(b) A district may refuse to allow a pupil who is expelled under section 121A.45 to enroll during the term of the expulsion if the student was expelled for:

(1) possessing a dangerous weapon, as defined by United States Code, title 18, section 930, paragraph (g)(2), at school or a school function;

(2) possessing or using an illegal drug at school or a school function;

(3) selling or soliciting the sale of a controlled substance while at school or a school function; or

(4) committing a third-degree assault as described in section 609.223, subdivision 1.

Subd. 2.Limited enrollment of nonresident pupils.

(a) A board may, by resolution, limit the enrollment of nonresident pupils in its schools or programs according to this section to a number not less than the lesser of:

(1) one percent of the total enrollment at each grade level in the district; or

(2) the number of district residents at that grade level enrolled in a nonresident district according to this section.

(b) A district that limits enrollment of nonresident pupils under paragraph (a) shall report to the commissioner by July 15 on the number of nonresident pupils denied admission due to the limitations on the enrollment of nonresident pupils.

Subd. 3.Pupil application procedures.

In order that a pupil may attend a school or program in a nonresident district, the pupil's parent or guardian must submit an application to the nonresident district. Before submitting an application, the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian must explore with a school guidance counselor, or other appropriate staff member employed by the district the pupil is currently attending, the pupil's academic or other reason for applying to enroll in a nonresident district. The pupil's application must identify the reason for enrolling in the nonresident district. The parent or guardian of a pupil must submit an application by January 15 for initial enrollment beginning the following school year. The application must be on a form provided by the Department of Education. A particular school or program may be requested by the parent. Once enrolled in a nonresident district, the pupil may remain enrolled and is not required to submit annual or periodic applications. To return to the resident district or to transfer to a different nonresident district, the parent or guardian of the pupil must provide notice to the resident district or apply to a different nonresident district by January 15 for enrollment beginning the following school year.

Subd. 4.Desegregation district transfers.

(a) This subdivision applies to a transfer into or out of a district that has a desegregation plan approved by the commissioner of education.

(b) An application to transfer may be submitted at any time for enrollment beginning at any time.

(c) A pupil enrolled in a nonresident district under a desegregation plan approved by the commissioner of education is not required to make annual or periodic application for enrollment but may remain enrolled in the same district. A pupil may transfer to the resident district at any time.

(d) Subdivision 2 applies to a transfer into or out of a district with a desegregation plan.

Subd. 5.Nonresident district procedures.

A district shall notify the parent or guardian in writing by February 15 whether the application has been accepted or rejected. If an application is rejected, the district must state in the notification the reason for rejection. The parent or guardian must notify the nonresident district by March 1 whether the pupil intends to enroll in the nonresident district. Notice of intent to enroll in the nonresident district obligates the pupil to attend the nonresident district during the following school year, unless the boards of the resident and the nonresident districts agree in writing to allow the pupil to transfer back to the resident district, or the pupil's parents or guardians change residence to another district. If a parent or guardian does not notify the nonresident district, the pupil may not enroll in that nonresident district during the following school year, unless the boards of the resident and nonresident district agree otherwise. The nonresident district must notify the resident district by March 15 of the pupil's intent to enroll in the nonresident district. The same procedures apply to a pupil who applies to transfer from one participating nonresident district to another participating nonresident district.

Subd. 6.Basis for decisions.

The board must adopt, by resolution, specific standards for acceptance and rejection of applications. Standards may include the capacity of a program, class, or school building. The school board may not reject applications for enrollment in a particular grade level if the nonresident enrollment at that grade level does not exceed the limit set by the board under subdivision 2. Standards may not include previous academic achievement, athletic or other extracurricular ability, disabling conditions, proficiency in the English language, previous disciplinary proceedings, or the student's district of residence.

Subd. 7.Exceptions to deadlines.

Notwithstanding subdivision 3, the following pupil application procedures apply:

(a) Upon agreement of the resident and nonresident districts, a pupil may submit an application to a nonresident district after January 15 for enrollment beginning the following school year.

(b) If, as a result of entering into, modifying, or terminating an agreement between boards, a pupil is assigned after December 1 to a different school for enrollment beginning at any time, the pupil, the pupil's siblings, or any other pupil residing in the pupil's residence may submit an application to a nonresident district at any time before July 1 for enrollment beginning the following school year.

(c) A pupil who becomes a resident of a district after December 1 may submit an application to a nonresident district on January 15 or any time after that date for enrollment beginning any time before the following December 1.

(d) If the commissioner of education and the commissioner of human rights determine that the policies, procedures, or practices of a district are in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-352) or chapter 363A, any pupil in the district may submit an application to a nonresident district at any time for enrollment beginning at any time.

For exceptions under this subdivision, the applicant, the applicant's parent or guardian, the district of residence, and the district of attendance must observe, in a prompt and efficient manner, the application and notice procedures in subdivisions 3 and 5, except that the application and notice deadlines do not apply.

Subd. 8.Transportation.

If requested by the parent of a pupil, the nonresident district shall provide transportation within the district.

The resident district is not required to provide or pay for transportation between the pupil's residence and the border of the nonresident district. A parent may be reimbursed by the nonresident district for the costs of transportation from the pupil's residence to the border of the nonresident district if the pupil is from a family whose income is at or below the poverty level, as determined by the federal government. The reimbursement may not exceed the pupil's actual cost of transportation or 15 cents per mile traveled, whichever is less. Reimbursement may not be paid for more than 250 miles per week.

At the time a nonresident district notifies a parent or guardian that an application has been accepted under subdivision 4 or 5, the nonresident district must provide the parent or guardian with the following information regarding the transportation of nonresident pupils under section 123B.88, subdivision 6.

Subd. 9.Credits toward graduation.

A nonresident district shall accept credits toward graduation that were awarded by another district. The nonresident district shall award a diploma to a nonresident pupil if the pupil meets its graduation requirements.

Subd. 10.Information.

A district shall make information about the district, schools, programs, policies, and procedures available to all interested people.

Subd. 11.General education aid.

Adjustments to general education aid for the resident and nonresident districts shall be made according to section 127A.47, subdivision 7.

Subd. 12.Termination of enrollment.

A district may terminate the enrollment of a nonresident student enrolled under this section or section 124D.08 at the end of a school year if the student meets the definition of a habitual truant under section 260C.007, subdivision 19, the student has been provided appropriate services under chapter 260A, and the student's case has been referred to juvenile court. A district may also terminate the enrollment of a nonresident student over the age of 16 enrolled under this section if the student is absent without lawful excuse for one or more periods on 15 school days and has not lawfully withdrawn from school under section 120A.22, subdivision 8.

124D.04 OPTIONS FOR ENROLLING IN ADJOINING STATES.

Subdivision 1.Options for enrollment in adjoining states.

Minnesota pupils and pupils residing in adjoining states may enroll in districts in the other state according to:

(1) section 124D.05, subdivision 2; or

(2) this section.

Subd. 2.Pupils in Minnesota.

A Minnesota resident pupil may enroll in a district in an adjoining state if the district to be attended borders Minnesota.

Subd. 3.Pupils in adjoining states.

Except as provided under an agreement with an adjoining state under section 124D.041, a non-Minnesota pupil who resides in an adjoining state in a district that borders Minnesota may enroll in a Minnesota district if either the board of the district in which the pupil resides or state in which the pupil resides pays tuition to the district in which the pupil is enrolled.

Subd. 4.Canadian pupils.

A pupil who resides in Canada may enroll in a Minnesota district if the province in which the pupil resides pays tuition to the district in which the pupil is enrolled. A pupil may enroll either full time or part time for all instructional programs and shall be considered eligible for all other purposes for all other programs offered by the district. The tuition must be an amount that is at least comparable to the tuition specified in section 124D.05, subdivision 1. A district may accept funds from any international agency for these programs.

Subd. 5.Procedural requirements.

Except as otherwise provided in this section, the rights and duties set forth in section 124D.03 apply to Minnesota pupils, parents, and districts if a pupil enrolls in a nonresident district according to this section.

Subd. 6.Tuition payments.

(a) In each odd-numbered year, before March 1, the commissioner must agree to rates of tuition for Minnesota elementary and secondary pupils attending in other states for the next two fiscal years when the other state agrees to negotiate tuition rates. The commissioner must negotiate equal, reciprocal rates with the designated authority in each state for pupils who reside in an adjoining state and enroll in a Minnesota district. The rates must be at least equal to the tuition specified in section 124D.05, subdivision 1. If the other state does not agree to negotiate a general tuition rate, a Minnesota school district may negotiate a tuition rate with the school district in the other state that sends a pupil to or receives a pupil from the Minnesota school district. The tuition rate for a pupil with a disability must be equal to the actual cost of instruction and services provided. The resident district of a Minnesota pupil attending in another state under this section must pay the amount of tuition agreed upon in this section to the district of attendance, prorated on the basis of the proportion of the school year attended.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) and subdivision 9, if an agreement is reached between the state of Minnesota and an adjoining state pursuant to section 124D.041, the provisions of section 124D.041 and the agreement shall apply to all enrollment transfers between Minnesota and the adjoining state, and provisions of paragraph (a) and subdivision 9 shall not apply.

Subd. 7.Transportation of students.

(a) The agreement under subdivision 6 with each state must specify that the attending district in each state transport a pupil from the district boundary to the school of attendance.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the districts of residence and attendance may agree that either district may provide transportation from a pupil's home or agreed-upon location to school. Transportation aid for Minnesota students eligible for aid must be paid only for transportation within the resident district.

Subd. 8.Effective if reciprocal.

This section is effective with respect to any bordering state upon enactment of provisions by the bordering state that the commissioner determines are essentially similar to the provisions for Minnesota pupils in this section.

Subd. 9.Appeal to commissioner.

If a Minnesota school district cannot agree with an adjoining state on a tuition rate for a Minnesota student attending school in that state and that state has met the requirements in subdivision 8, then the student's parent or guardian may request that the commissioner set a tuition rate for the student. The Minnesota district must pay the amount of tuition the commissioner sets.

124D.041 RECIPROCITY WITH ADJOINING STATES.

Subdivision 1.Agreements.

(a) The commissioner may enter into an agreement with the designated authority from an adjoining state to establish an enrollment options program between Minnesota and the adjoining state. Any agreement entered into pursuant to this section must specify the following:

(1) for students who are not residents of Minnesota, the enrollment options program applies only to a student whose resident school district borders Minnesota;

(2) the commissioner must negotiate equal, reciprocal rates with the designated authority from the adjoining state;

(3) if the adjoining state sends more students to Minnesota than Minnesota sends to the adjoining state, the adjoining state must pay the state of Minnesota the rate agreed upon under clause (2) for the excess number of students sent to Minnesota;

(4) if Minnesota sends more students to the adjoining state than the adjoining state sends to Minnesota, the state of Minnesota will pay the adjoining state the rate agreed upon under clause (2) for the excess number of students sent to the adjoining state;

(5) the application procedures for the enrollment options program between Minnesota and the adjoining state;

(6) the reasons for which an application for the enrollment options program between Minnesota and the adjoining state may be denied; and

(7) that a Minnesota school district is not responsible for transportation for any resident student attending school in an adjoining state under the provisions of this section. A Minnesota school district may, at its discretion, provide transportation services for such a student.

(b) Any agreement entered into pursuant to this section may specify additional terms relating to any student in need of special education and related services pursuant to chapter 125A. Any additional terms must apply equally to both states.

Subd. 2.Pupil accounting.

(a) Any student from an adjoining state enrolled in Minnesota pursuant to this section is included in the receiving school district's average daily membership and pupil units according to section 126C.05 as if the student were a resident of another Minnesota school district attending the receiving school district under section 124D.03.

(b) Any Minnesota resident student enrolled in an adjoining state pursuant to this section is included in the resident school district's average daily membership and pupil units according to section 126C.05 as if the student were a resident of the district attending another Minnesota school district under section 124D.03.

Subd. 3.Procedures.

(a) The Department of Education must establish procedures relating to the application process, the collection or payment of funds under the provisions of any agreement established pursuant to this section, and the collection of data necessary to implement any agreement established pursuant to this section.

(b) Notwithstanding sections 124A.04 and 124A.05, if an agreement is established between Minnesota and an adjoining state pursuant to this section, the provisions of this section and the agreement shall apply to all enrollment transfers between Minnesota and the adjoining state, and provisions of sections 124D.04 and 124D.05 to the contrary, including provisions relating to tuition payments, shall not apply.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), any payments to adjoining states under this section shall be made according to section 127A.45, subdivision 16.

(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), sections 124D.04, subdivision 6, paragraph (b), and 124D.05, subdivision 2a, the provisions of this section and the agreement shall not apply to: (1) enrollment transfers between Minnesota and a school district in an adjoining state enrolling fewer than 150 pupils that is exempted from participation in the program under the laws of the adjoining state; or (2) enrollment transfers between Minnesota and a school district in an adjoining state under a board agreement initiated in fiscal year 2009 to serve students in grade levels discontinued by the resident district.

124D.05 ATTENDING SCHOOL IN ANOTHER STATE; SEVERANCE PAY.

Subdivision 1.Attending school in another state.

Any person under 21 years of age residing in any district not maintaining a secondary school who has successfully completed the elementary school may, with the consent of the board of such district, attend any secondary school of a district in an adjoining state willing to admit the person, if the secondary school is nearer to the place of residence than any established secondary school in Minnesota, the distances being measured by the usual traveled routes. Any tuition charged by the district so attended must be paid to the district attended by the district in which the person resides. This tuition must not be more than (a) the district charges nonresident pupils of that state, (b) the average maintenance cost exclusive of transportation per pupil unit in average daily membership in the school attended, nor (c) the tuition rate provided for in section 123A.488, subdivision 2.

Any pupil attending a secondary school in an adjoining state for whom tuition is paid from district funds is entitled to transportation services in accordance with Minnesota Statutes.

Subd. 2.Tuition.

A board of a district maintaining a secondary school may by a majority vote provide for the instruction of any resident pupil attending an elementary school, a middle school, or a secondary school in a district in an adjoining state. Any charge for tuition or transportation by the district in the adjoining state must be paid by the resident district. The pupil must be considered a pupil of the resident district for the purposes of state aid.

Subd. 2a.Exception.

Notwithstanding subdivisions 1 and 2, if an agreement is reached between the state of Minnesota and an adjoining state pursuant to section 124D.041, the provisions of section 124D.041 and the agreement shall apply to all enrollment transfers between Minnesota and the adjoining state, and provisions of subdivisions 1 and 2 to the contrary, including provisions relating to tuition payments, shall not apply.

Subd. 3.Severance pay.

A district must pay severance pay to a teacher who is placed on unrequested leave of absence by the district as a result of an agreement under this section. A teacher is eligible under this subdivision if the teacher:

(1) is a teacher, as defined in section 122A.40, subdivision 1, but not a superintendent;

(2) has a continuing contract with the district according to section 122A.40, subdivision 7.

The amount of severance pay must be equal to the teacher's salary for the school year during which the teacher was placed on unrequested leave of absence minus the gross amount the teacher was paid during the 12 months following the teacher's termination of salary, by an entity whose teachers by statute or rule must possess a valid Minnesota teaching license, and minus the amount a teacher receives as severance or other similar pay according to a contract with the district or district policy. These entities include, but are not limited to, the district that placed the teacher on unrequested leave of absence, another district in Minnesota, an education district, an intermediate school district, a service cooperative, a board formed under section 471.59, a state residential academy, the Perpich Center for Arts Education, a vocational center, or a special education cooperative. These entities do not include a district in another state, a Minnesota public postsecondary institution, or a state agency. Only amounts earned by the teacher as a substitute teacher or in a position requiring a valid Minnesota teaching license shall be subtracted. A teacher may decline any offer of employment as a teacher without loss of rights to severance pay.

To determine the amount of severance pay that is due for the first six months following termination of the teacher's salary, the district may require the teacher to provide documented evidence of the teacher's employers and gross earnings during that period. The district must pay the teacher the amount of severance pay it determines to be due from the proceeds of the levy for this purpose. To determine the amount of severance pay that is due for the second six months of the 12 months following the termination of the teacher's salary, the district may require the teacher to provide documented evidence of the teacher's employers and gross earnings during that period. The district must pay the teacher the amount of severance pay it determines to be due from the proceeds of the levy for this purpose.

A teacher who receives severance pay under this subdivision waives all further reinstatement rights under section 122A.40, subdivision 10 or 11. If the teacher receives severance pay, the teacher must not receive credit for any years of service in the district paying severance pay prior to the year in which the teacher becomes eligible to receive severance pay.

The severance pay is subject to section 465.72. The district may levy annually according to section 126C.43 for the severance pay.

124D.06 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 1 s 26]
124D.07 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 6 art 1 s 55 subd 1]

124D.08 SCHOOL BOARDS' APPROVAL TO ENROLL IN NONRESIDENT DISTRICT.

Subdivision 1.Enrollment exception.

A pupil may enroll in a district of which the pupil is not a resident under this section.

Subd. 2.Board approval.

The pupil's parent or guardian must receive the approval of the board of the nonresident district and the board of the resident district. The nonresident board shall notify the resident board of the approval.

Subd. 3.11th and 12th grade students.

Notwithstanding subdivision 2, an 11th or 12th grade pupil who has been enrolled in a district and whose parent or guardian moves to another district, may continue to enroll in the nonresident district upon the approval of the board of the nonresident district. The approval of the board of the pupil's resident district is not required.

Subd. 4.Aid payments.

General education aid and transportation aid for pupils covered by programs under this section must be paid according to sections 123B.92, subdivision 3, and 127A.47, subdivision 7.

124D.081

Subdivision 1.

MS 2008 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 1 s 26]

Subd. 2.

MS 2008 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 1 s 26]

Subd. 3.

MS 2008 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 1 s 26]

Subd. 4.

MS 2008 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 1 s 26]

Subd. 5.

MS 2008 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 1 s 26]

Subd. 6.

MS 2008 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 1 s 26]

Subd. 7.

[Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 2 s 62]

Subd. 8.

[Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 2 s 62]

Subd. 9.

MS 2008 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 1 s 26]

124D.09 POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT OPTIONS ACT.

Subdivision 1.Citation.

This section may be cited the "Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act."

Subd. 2.Purpose.

The purpose of this section is to promote rigorous academic pursuits and to provide a wider variety of options to high school pupils by encouraging and enabling secondary pupils to enroll full time or part time in nonsectarian courses or programs in eligible postsecondary institutions, as defined in subdivision 3.

Subd. 3.Definitions.

For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given to them.

(a) "Eligible institution" means a Minnesota public postsecondary institution, a private, nonprofit two-year trade and technical school granting associate degrees, an opportunities industrialization center accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, or a private, residential, two-year or four-year, liberal arts, degree-granting college or university located in Minnesota.

(b) "Course" means a course or program.

Subd. 4.Alternative pupil.

"Alternative pupil" means an 11th or 12th grade student not enrolled in a public school district, and includes students attending nonpublic schools and students who are home schooled. An alternative pupil is considered a pupil for purposes of this section only. An alternative pupil must register with the commissioner of education before participating in the postsecondary enrollment options program. The commissioner shall prescribe the form and manner of the registration, in consultation with the Nonpublic Education Council under section 123B.445, and may request any necessary information from the alternative pupil.

Subd. 5.Authorization; notification.

Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, an 11th or 12th grade pupil enrolled in a school or an American Indian-controlled tribal contract or grant school eligible for aid under section 124D.83, except a foreign exchange pupil enrolled in a district under a cultural exchange program, may apply to an eligible institution, as defined in subdivision 3, to enroll in nonsectarian courses offered by that postsecondary institution. If an institution accepts a secondary pupil for enrollment under this section, the institution shall send written notice to the pupil, the pupil's school or school district, and the commissioner within ten days of acceptance. The notice must indicate the course and hours of enrollment of that pupil. If the pupil enrolls in a course for postsecondary credit, the institution must notify the pupil about payment in the customary manner used by the institution.

Subd. 6.Counseling.

To the extent possible, the school or school district must provide counseling services to pupils and their parents or guardian before the pupils enroll in courses under this section to ensure that the pupils and their parents or guardian are fully aware of the risks and possible consequences of enrolling in postsecondary courses. The school or school district must provide information on the program including who may enroll, what institutions and courses are eligible for participation, the decision-making process for granting academic credits, financial arrangements for tuition, books and materials, eligibility criteria for transportation aid, available support services, the need to arrange an appropriate schedule, consequences of failing or not completing a course in which the pupil enrolls, the effect of enrolling in this program on the pupil's ability to complete the required high school graduation requirements, and the academic and social responsibilities that must be assumed by the pupils and their parents or guardian. The person providing counseling shall encourage pupils and their parents or guardian to also use available counseling services at the postsecondary institutions before the quarter or semester of enrollment to ensure that anticipated plans are appropriate.

Prior to enrolling in a course, the pupil and the pupil's parents or guardian must sign a form that must be provided by the school or school district and may be obtained from a postsecondary institution stating that they have received the information specified in this subdivision and that they understand the responsibilities that must be assumed in enrolling in this program. The department must, upon request, provide technical assistance to a school or school district in developing appropriate forms and counseling guidelines.

Subd. 7.Dissemination of information; notification of intent to enroll.

By March 1 of each year, a district must provide general information about the program to all pupils in grades 10 and 11. To assist the district in planning, a pupil shall inform the district by March 30 of each year of the pupil's intent to enroll in postsecondary courses during the following school year. A pupil is not bound by notifying or not notifying the district by March 30.

Subd. 8.Limit on participation.

A pupil who first enrolls in grade 11 may not enroll in postsecondary courses under this section for secondary credit for more than the equivalent of two academic years. A pupil who first enrolls in grade 12 may not enroll in postsecondary courses under this section for secondary credit for more than the equivalent of one academic year. If a pupil in grade 11 or 12 first enrolls in a postsecondary course for secondary credit during the school year, the time of participation shall be reduced proportionately. If a pupil is in a learning year or other year-round program and begins each grade in the summer session, summer sessions shall not be counted against the time of participation. A pupil who has graduated from high school cannot participate in a program under this section. A pupil who has completed course requirements for graduation but who has not received a diploma may participate in the program under this section.

Subd. 9.Enrollment priority.

A postsecondary institution shall give priority to its postsecondary students when enrolling 11th and 12th grade pupils in its courses. A postsecondary institution may provide information about its programs to a secondary school or to a pupil or parent, but it may not advertise or otherwise recruit or solicit the participation of secondary pupils to enroll in its programs on financial grounds. An institution must not enroll secondary pupils, for postsecondary enrollment options purposes, in remedial, developmental, or other courses that are not college level. Once a pupil has been enrolled in a postsecondary course under this section, the pupil shall not be displaced by another student.

Subd. 10.Courses according to agreements.

An eligible pupil, according to subdivision 5, may enroll in a nonsectarian course taught by a secondary teacher or a postsecondary faculty member and offered at a secondary school, or another location, according to an agreement between a public school board and the governing body of an eligible public postsecondary system or an eligible private postsecondary institution, as defined in subdivision 3. All provisions of this section shall apply to a pupil, public school board, district, and the governing body of a postsecondary institution, except as otherwise provided.

Subd. 11.Participation in high school activities.

Enrolling in a course under this section shall not, by itself, prohibit a pupil from participating in activities sponsored by the pupil's high school.

Subd. 12.Credits.

A pupil may enroll in a course under this section for either secondary credit or postsecondary credit. At the time a pupil enrolls in a course, the pupil shall designate whether the course is for secondary or postsecondary credit. A pupil taking several courses may designate some for secondary credit and some for postsecondary credit. A pupil must not audit a course under this section.

A district shall grant academic credit to a pupil enrolled in a course for secondary credit if the pupil successfully completes the course. Seven quarter or four semester college credits equal at least one full year of high school credit. Fewer college credits may be prorated. A district must also grant academic credit to a pupil enrolled in a course for postsecondary credit if secondary credit is requested by a pupil. If no comparable course is offered by the district, the district must, as soon as possible, notify the commissioner, who shall determine the number of credits that shall be granted to a pupil who successfully completes a course. If a comparable course is offered by the district, the school board shall grant a comparable number of credits to the pupil. If there is a dispute between the district and the pupil regarding the number of credits granted for a particular course, the pupil may appeal the board's decision to the commissioner. The commissioner's decision regarding the number of credits shall be final.

The secondary credits granted to a pupil must be counted toward the graduation requirements and subject area requirements of the district. Evidence of successful completion of each course and secondary credits granted must be included in the pupil's secondary school record. A pupil shall provide the school with a copy of the pupil's grade in each course taken for secondary credit under this section. Upon the request of a pupil, the pupil's secondary school record must also include evidence of successful completion and credits granted for a course taken for postsecondary credit. In either case, the record must indicate that the credits were earned at a postsecondary institution.

If a pupil enrolls in a postsecondary institution after leaving secondary school, the postsecondary institution must award postsecondary credit for any course successfully completed for secondary credit at that institution. Other postsecondary institutions may award, after a pupil leaves secondary school, postsecondary credit for any courses successfully completed under this section. An institution may not charge a pupil for the award of credit.

The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota must, and private nonprofit and proprietary postsecondary institutions should, award postsecondary credit for any successfully completed courses in a program certified by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships offered according to an agreement under subdivision 10.

Subd. 13.Financial arrangements.

For a pupil enrolled in a course under this section, the department must make payments according to this subdivision for courses that were taken for secondary credit.

The department must not make payments to a school district or postsecondary institution for a course taken for postsecondary credit only. The department must not make payments to a postsecondary institution for a course from which a student officially withdraws during the first 14 days of the quarter or semester or who has been absent from the postsecondary institution for the first 15 consecutive school days of the quarter or semester and is not receiving instruction in the home or hospital.

A postsecondary institution shall receive the following:

(1) for an institution granting quarter credit, the reimbursement per credit hour shall be an amount equal to 88 percent of the product of the formula allowance minus $415, multiplied by 1.3, and divided by 45; or

(2) for an institution granting semester credit, the reimbursement per credit hour shall be an amount equal to 88 percent of the product of the general revenue formula allowance minus $415, multiplied by 1.3, and divided by 30.

The department must pay to each postsecondary institution 100 percent of the amount in clause (1) or (2) within 30 days of receiving initial enrollment information each quarter or semester. If changes in enrollment occur during a quarter or semester, the change shall be reported by the postsecondary institution at the time the enrollment information for the succeeding quarter or semester is submitted. At any time the department notifies a postsecondary institution that an overpayment has been made, the institution shall promptly remit the amount due.

Subd. 14.Grants and financial aid prohibited.

A pupil enrolled in a postsecondary course for secondary credit is not eligible for any state student financial aid under chapter 136A.

Subd. 15.

[Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 9 s 10]

Subd. 16.Financial arrangements for courses provided according to agreements.

(a) The agreement between a board and the governing body of a public postsecondary system or private postsecondary institution shall set forth the payment amounts and arrangements, if any, from the board to the postsecondary institution. No payments shall be made by the department according to subdivision 13 or 15. For the purpose of computing state aids for a district, a pupil enrolled according to subdivision 10 shall be counted in the average daily membership of the district as though the pupil were enrolled in a secondary course that is not offered in connection with an agreement. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prohibit a public postsecondary system or private postsecondary institution from receiving additional state funding that may be available under any other law.

(b) If a course is provided under subdivision 10, offered at a secondary school, and taught by a secondary teacher, the postsecondary system or institution must not require a payment from the school board that exceeds the cost to the postsecondary institution that is directly attributable to providing that course.

Subd. 17.Alternative pupils financial arrangements.

For an alternative pupil enrolled in a course or program under this section, the Department of Education shall make payments to the eligible institution according to subdivision 13. The department shall not make any payments to a school district for alternative pupils.

Subd. 18.Tuition at nonpublic secondary institution.

A nonpublic secondary institution must proportionately adjust its tuition to accurately reflect the time an alternative pupil spends in a postsecondary enrollment course or program.

Subd. 19.Fees; textbooks; materials.

A postsecondary institution that receives reimbursement for a pupil under subdivision 13 may not charge that pupil for fees, textbooks, materials, support services as defined in section 135A.16, or other necessary costs of the course or program in which the pupil is enrolled if the charge would be prohibited under section 123B.37, except for equipment purchased by the pupil that becomes the property of the pupil. An institution may require the pupil to pay for fees, textbooks, and materials for a course taken for postsecondary credit.

Subd. 20.Textbooks; materials.

All textbooks and equipment provided to a pupil, and paid for under subdivision 13, are the property of the pupil's postsecondary institution. Each pupil is required to return all textbooks and equipment to the postsecondary institution after the course has ended.

Subd. 21.Support services.

The postsecondary institution must inform the pupil of the support services available at that institution. If the student has an individual education plan that provides general education support and accommodations, the postsecondary institution must provide the support services as described in the student's IEP and the postsecondary institution and the district shall negotiate an agreement on the rate to be charged for the services. Nothing in this section shall prevent the student from enrolling while the agreement is being developed. If the parties cannot agree on the services, on application of either party, the commissioner shall resolve the dispute in the same manner the commissioner fixes tuition rates under section 125A.11. The commissioner's decision is binding on both parties.

Subd. 22.Transportation.

A parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in a course for secondary credit may apply to the pupil's district of residence for reimbursement for transporting the pupil between the secondary school in which the pupil is enrolled or the pupil's home and the postsecondary institution that the pupil attends. The state shall provide state aid to a district in an amount sufficient to reimburse the parent or guardian for the necessary transportation costs when the family's or guardian's income is at or below the poverty level, as determined by the federal government. The reimbursement shall be the pupil's actual cost of transportation or 15 cents per mile traveled, whichever is less. Reimbursement may not be paid for more than 250 miles per week. However, if the nearest postsecondary institution is more than 25 miles from the pupil's resident secondary school, the weekly reimbursement may not exceed the reimbursement rate per mile times the actual distance between the secondary school or the pupil's home and the nearest postsecondary institution times ten. The state must pay aid to the district according to this subdivision.

Subd. 23.Exception; intermediate districts.

A secondary pupil who is a resident of a member district of an intermediate district, as defined in section 136D.01, may not enroll in that intermediate district's vocational program as a postsecondary pupil under this section when the intermediate district operates a secondary program at a college facility and secondary students have access to the postsecondary curriculum and receive high school and college credit for successfully completing the program.

Subd. 24.Limit; state obligation.

The provisions of subdivisions 13, 19, 22, and 23 shall not apply for any postsecondary courses in which a pupil is enrolled in addition to being enrolled full time in that pupil's district or for any postsecondary course in which a pupil is enrolled for postsecondary credit. The pupil is enrolled full time if the pupil attends credit-bearing classes in the high school or high school program for all of the available hours of instruction.

Subd. 25.Pupils 40 miles or more from an eligible institution.

A pupil who is enrolled in a secondary school that is located 40 miles or more from the nearest eligible institution may request that the resident district offer at least one accelerated or advanced academic course within the resident district in which the pupil may enroll for postsecondary credit. A pupil may enroll in a course offered under this subdivision for either secondary or postsecondary credit according to subdivision 12.

A district must offer an accelerated or advanced academic course for postsecondary credit if one or more pupils requests such a course under this subdivision. The district may decide which course to offer, how to offer the course, and whether to offer one or more courses. The district must offer at least one such course in the next academic period and must continue to offer at least one accelerated or advanced academic course for postsecondary credit in later academic periods.

Subd. 26.Pupils less than 40 miles from an eligible institution.

A pupil enrolled in a secondary school that is located less than 40 miles from the nearest eligible institution may enroll in a postsecondary course provided at the secondary school.

124D.091 CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT PROGRAM AID.

Subdivision 1.Accreditation.

To establish a uniform standard by which concurrent enrollment courses and professional development activities may be measured, postsecondary institutions are encouraged to apply for accreditation by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnership.

Subd. 2.Eligibility.

A district that offers a concurrent enrollment course according to an agreement under section 124D.09, subdivision 10, is eligible to receive aid for the costs of providing postsecondary courses at the high school. Beginning in fiscal year 2011, districts only are eligible for aid if the college or university concurrent enrollment courses offered by the district are accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnership, in the process of being accredited, or are shown by clear evidence to be of comparable standard to accredited courses.

Subd. 3.Aid.

An eligible district shall receive $150 per pupil enrolled in a concurrent enrollment course. The money must be used to defray the cost of delivering the course at the high school. The commissioner shall establish application procedures and deadlines for receipt of aid payments.

124D.095 ONLINE LEARNING OPTION.

Subdivision 1.Citation.

This section may be cited as the "Online Learning Option Act."

Subd. 2.Definitions.

For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given them.

(a) "Online learning" is an interactive course or program that delivers instruction from a teacher to a student by computer; is combined with other traditional delivery methods that include frequent student assessment and may include actual teacher contact time; and meets or exceeds state academic standards.

(b) "Online learning provider" is a school district, an intermediate school district, an organization of two or more school districts operating under a joint powers agreement, or a charter school located in Minnesota that provides online learning to students.

(c) "Student" is a Minnesota resident enrolled in a school under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, in kindergarten through grade 12.

(d) "Online learning student" is a student enrolled in an online learning course or program delivered by an online provider under paragraph (b).

(e) "Enrolling district" means the school district or charter school in which a student is enrolled under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, for purposes of compulsory attendance.

(f) "Supplemental online learning" means an online course taken in place of a course period during the regular school day at a local district school.

(g) "Full-time online provider" means an enrolling school authorized by the department to deliver comprehensive public education at any or all of the elementary, middle, or high school levels.

(h) "Online course syllabus" is a written document that an online learning provider transmits to the enrolling district using a format prescribed by the commissioner to identify the state academic standards embedded in an online course, the course content outline, required course assessments, expectations for actual teacher contact time and other student-to-teacher communications, and the academic support available to the online learning student.

Subd. 3.Authorization; notice; limitations on enrollment.

(a) A student may apply for full-time enrollment in an approved online learning program under section 124D.03, 124D.08, or 124D.10. Notwithstanding sections 124D.03, 124D.08, and 124D.10, procedures for enrolling in supplemental online learning are as provided in this subdivision. A student age 17 or younger must have the written consent of a parent or guardian to apply. No school district or charter school may prohibit a student from applying to enroll in online learning. In order to enroll in online learning, the student and the student's parents must submit an application to the online learning provider and identify the student's reason for enrolling. An online learning provider that accepts a student under this section must notify the student and the enrolling district in writing within ten days if the enrolling district is not the online learning provider. The student and the student's parent must notify the online learning provider of the student's intent to enroll in online learning within ten days of being accepted, at which time the student and the student's parent must sign a statement indicating that they have reviewed the online course or program and understand the expectations of enrolling in online learning. The online learning provider must use a form provided by the department to notify the enrolling district of the student's application to enroll in online learning.

(b) The supplemental online learning notice to the enrolling district when a student applies to the online learning provider will include the courses or program, credits to be awarded, and the start date of the online course or program. An online learning provider must make available the supplemental online course syllabus to the enrolling district. Within 15 days after the online learning provider makes information in this paragraph available to the enrolling district, the enrolling district must notify the online provider whether the student, the student's parent, and the enrolling district agree or disagree that the course meets the enrolling district's graduation requirements. A student may enroll in a supplemental online learning course up to the midpoint of the enrolling district's term. The enrolling district may waive this requirement for special circumstances and with the agreement of the online provider. An online learning course or program that meets or exceeds a graduation standard or the grade progression requirement of the enrolling district as described in the provider's online course syllabus meets the corresponding graduation requirements applicable to the student in the enrolling district. If the enrolling district does not agree that the course or program meets its graduation requirements, then:

(1) the enrolling district must make available an explanation of its decision to the student, the student's parent, and the online provider; and

(2) the online provider may make available a response to the enrolling district, showing how the course or program meets the graduation requirements of the enrolling district.

(c) An online learning provider must notify the commissioner that it is delivering online learning and report the number of online learning students it accepts and the online learning courses and programs it delivers.

(d) An online learning provider may limit enrollment if the provider's school board or board of directors adopts by resolution specific standards for accepting and rejecting students' applications.

(e) An enrolling district may reduce an online learning student's regular classroom instructional membership in proportion to the student's membership in online learning courses.

(f) The online provider must report or make available information on an individual student's progress and accumulated credit to the student, the student's parent, and the enrolling district in a manner specified by the commissioner unless the enrolling district and the online provider agree to a different form of notice and notify the commissioner. The enrolling district must designate a contact person to help facilitate and monitor the student's academic progress and accumulated credits towards graduation.

Subd. 4.Online learning parameters.

(a) An online learning student must receive academic credit for completing the requirements of an online learning course or program. Secondary credits granted to an online learning student count toward the graduation and credit requirements of the enrolling district. The enrolling district must apply the same graduation requirements to all students, including online learning students, and must continue to provide nonacademic services to online learning students. If a student completes an online learning course or program that meets or exceeds a graduation standard or the grade progression requirement at the enrolling district, that standard or requirement is met. The enrolling district must use the same criteria for accepting online learning credits or courses as it does for accepting credits or courses for transfer students under section 124D.03, subdivision 9. The enrolling district may reduce the course schedule of an online learning student in proportion to the number of online learning courses the student takes from an online learning provider that is not the enrolling district.

(b) An online learning student may:

(1) enroll in supplemental online learning courses equal to a maximum of 50 percent of the student's full schedule of courses per term during a single school year and the student may exceed the supplemental online learning registration limit if the enrolling district permits supplemental online learning enrollment above the limit, or if the enrolling district and the online learning provider agree to the instructional services;

(2) complete course work at a grade level that is different from the student's current grade level; and

(3) enroll in additional courses with the online learning provider under a separate agreement that includes terms for paying any tuition or course fees.

(c) An online learning student has the same access to the computer hardware and education software available in a school as all other students in the enrolling district. An online learning provider must assist an online learning student whose family qualifies for the education tax credit under section 290.0674 to acquire computer hardware and educational software for online learning purposes.

(d) An enrolling district may offer online learning to its enrolled students. Such online learning does not generate online learning funds under this section. An enrolling district that offers online learning only to its enrolled students is not subject to the reporting requirements or review criteria under subdivision 7, unless the enrolling district is a full-time online provider. A teacher with a Minnesota license must assemble and deliver instruction to enrolled students receiving online learning from an enrolling district. The delivery of instruction occurs when the student interacts with the computer or the teacher and receives ongoing assistance and assessment of learning. The instruction may include curriculum developed by persons other than a teacher holding a Minnesota license.

(e) Both full-time and supplemental online learning providers are subject to the reporting requirements and review criteria under subdivision 7. A teacher holding a Minnesota license must assemble and deliver instruction to online learning students. The delivery of instruction occurs when the student interacts with the computer or the teacher and receives ongoing assistance and assessment of learning. The instruction may include curriculum developed by persons other than a teacher holding a Minnesota license. Unless the commissioner grants a waiver, a teacher providing online learning instruction must not instruct more than 40 students in any one online learning course or program.

(f) To enroll in more than 50 percent of the student's full schedule of courses per term in online learning, the student must qualify to exceed the supplemental online learning registration limit under paragraph (b) or apply to enroll in an approved full-time online learning program, consistent with subdivision 3, paragraph (a). Full-time online learning students may enroll in classes at a local school under a contract for instructional services between the online learning provider and the school district.

Subd. 5.Participation in extracurricular activities.

An online learning student may participate in the extracurricular activities of the enrolling district on the same basis as other enrolled students.

Subd. 6.Information.

School districts and charter schools must make available information about online learning to all interested people.

Subd. 7.Department of Education.

(a) The department must review and approve online learning providers. The online learning courses and programs must be rigorous, aligned with state academic standards, and contribute to grade progression in a single subject. The online provider must give the commissioner written assurance that: (1) all courses meet state academic standards; and (2) the online learning curriculum, instruction, and assessment, expectations for actual teacher-contact time or other student-to-teacher communication, and academic support meet nationally recognized professional standards and are described as such in an online course syllabus that meets the commissioner's requirements. Once an online learning provider is approved under this paragraph, all of its online learning course offerings are eligible for payment under this section unless a course is successfully challenged by an enrolling district or the department under paragraph (b).

(b) An enrolling district may challenge the validity of a course offered by an online learning provider. The department must review such challenges based on the certification procedures under paragraph (a). The department may initiate its own review of the validity of an online learning course offered by an online learning provider.

(c) The department may collect a fee not to exceed $250 for certifying online learning providers or $50 per course for reviewing a challenge by an enrolling district.

(d) The department must develop, publish, and maintain a list of approved online learning providers and online learning courses and programs that it has reviewed and certified.

Subd. 8.Financial arrangements.

(a) For a student enrolled in an online learning course, the department must calculate average daily membership and make payments according to this subdivision.

(b) The initial online learning average daily membership equals 1/12 for each semester course or a proportionate amount for courses of different lengths. The adjusted online learning average daily membership equals the initial online learning average daily membership times .88.

(c) No online learning average daily membership shall be generated if: (1) the student does not complete the online learning course, or (2) the student is enrolled in online learning provided by the enrolling district.

(d) Online learning average daily membership under this subdivision for a student currently enrolled in a Minnesota public school shall be used only for computing average daily membership according to section 126C.05, subdivision 19, paragraph (a), clause (ii), and for computing online learning aid according to section 124D.096.

Subd. 9.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 2 s 85]

Subd. 10.Online Learning Advisory Council.

(a) An Online Learning Advisory Council is established. The term for each council member shall be three years. The advisory council is composed of 12 members from throughout the state who have demonstrated experience with or interest in online learning. The members of the council shall be appointed by the commissioner. The advisory council shall bring to the attention of the commissioner any matters related to online learning and provide input to the department in matters related, but not restricted, to:

(1) quality assurance;

(2) teacher qualifications;

(3) program approval;

(4) special education;

(5) attendance;

(6) program design and requirements; and

(7) fair and equal access to programs.

(b) The Online Learning Advisory Council under this subdivision expires June 30, 2013.

124D.096 ONLINE LEARNING AID.

(a) The online learning aid for an online learning provider equals the product of the adjusted online learning average daily membership for students under section 124D.095, subdivision 8, paragraph (d), times the student grade level weighting under section 126C.05, subdivision 1, times the formula allowance.

(b) Notwithstanding section 127A.45, the department must pay each online learning provider the current year aid payment percentage multiplied by the amount in paragraph (a) within 45 days of receiving final enrollment and course completion information each quarter or semester. The final adjustment payment must be the amount of the actual entitlement, after adjustment for actual data, minus the payments made during the fiscal year of the entitlement. This payment must be made on September 30 of the next fiscal year.

124D.10 CHARTER SCHOOLS.

Subdivision 1.Purposes.

(a) The purpose of this section is to:

(1) improve pupil learning and student achievement;

(2) increase learning opportunities for pupils;

(3) encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods;

(4) measure learning outcomes and create different and innovative forms of measuring outcomes;

(5) establish new forms of accountability for schools; and

(6) create new professional opportunities for teachers, including the opportunity to be responsible for the learning program at the school site.

(b) This section does not provide a means to keep open a school that otherwise would be closed or to reestablish a school that has been closed. Applicants in these circumstances bear the burden of proving that conversion to a charter school or establishment of a new charter school fulfills the purposes specified in this subdivision, independent of the school's closing.

An authorizer shall not approve an application submitted by a charter school developer under subdivision 4, paragraph (a), if the application does not comply with this subdivision. The commissioner shall not approve an affidavit submitted by an authorizer under subdivision 4, paragraph (b), if the affidavit does not comply with this subdivision.

Subd. 2.Applicability.

This section applies only to charter schools formed and operated under this section.

Subd. 2a.

[Repealed by amendment, 2009 c 96 art 2 s 41]

Subd. 3.Authorizer.

(a) For purposes of this section, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given them.

"Application" to receive approval as an authorizer means the proposal an eligible authorizer submits to the commissioner under paragraph (c) before that authorizer is able to submit any affidavit to charter to a school.

"Application" under subdivision 4 means the charter school business plan a school developer submits to an authorizer for approval to establish a charter school that documents the school developer's mission statement, school purposes, program design, financial plan, governance and management structure, and background and experience, plus any other information the authorizer requests. The application also shall include a "statement of assurances" of legal compliance prescribed by the commissioner.

"Affidavit" means a written statement the authorizer submits to the commissioner for approval to establish a charter school under subdivision 4 attesting to its review and approval process before chartering a school.

"Affidavit" means the form an authorizer submits to the commissioner that is a precondition to a charter school organizing an affiliated nonprofit building corporation under subdivision 17a.

(b) The following organizations may authorize one or more charter schools:

(1) a school board; intermediate school district school board; education district organized under sections 123A.15 to 123A.19;

(2) a charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, excluding a nonpublic sectarian or religious institution, any person other than a natural person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the nonpublic sectarian or religious institution, and any other charitable organization under this clause that in the federal IRS Form 1023, Part IV, describes activities indicating a religious purpose, that:

(i) is a member of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits or the Minnesota Council on Foundations;

(ii) is registered with the attorney general's office;

(iii) reports an end-of-year fund balance of at least $2,000,000; and

(iv) is incorporated in the state of Minnesota;

(3) a Minnesota private college, notwithstanding clause (2), that grants two- or four-year degrees and is registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education under chapter 136A; community college, state university, or technical college governed by the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; or the University of Minnesota; or

(4) a nonprofit corporation subject to chapter 317A, described in section 317A.905, and exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, may authorize one or more charter schools if the charter school has operated for at least three years under a different authorizer and if the nonprofit corporation has existed for at least 25 years.

(5) no more than three single-purpose authorizers that are charitable, nonsectarian organizations formed under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and incorporated in the state of Minnesota whose sole purpose is to charter schools. Eligible organizations interested in being approved as an authorizer under this paragraph must submit a proposal to the commissioner that includes the provisions of paragraph (c) and a five-year financial plan. Such authorizers shall consider and approve applications using the criteria provided in subdivision 4 and shall not limit the applications it solicits, considers, or approves to any single curriculum, learning program, or method.

(c) An eligible authorizer under this subdivision must apply to the commissioner for approval as an authorizer before submitting any affidavit to the commissioner to charter a school. The application for approval as a charter school authorizer must demonstrate the applicant's ability to implement the procedures and satisfy the criteria for chartering a school under this section. The commissioner must approve or disapprove an application within 60 business days of the application deadline. If the commissioner disapproves the application, the commissioner must notify the applicant of the deficiencies and the applicant then has 20 business days to address the deficiencies to the commissioner's satisfaction. Failing to address the deficiencies to the commissioner's satisfaction makes an applicant ineligible to be an authorizer. The commissioner, in establishing criteria for approval, must consider the applicant's:

(1) capacity and infrastructure;

(2) application criteria and process;

(3) contracting process;

(4) ongoing oversight and evaluation processes; and

(5) renewal criteria and processes.

(d) The affidavit to be submitted to and evaluated by the commissioner must include at least the following:

(1) how chartering schools is a way for the organization to carry out its mission;

(2) a description of the capacity of the organization to serve as an authorizer, including the personnel who will perform the authorizing duties, their qualifications, the amount of time they will be assigned to this responsibility, and the financial resources allocated by the organization to this responsibility;

(3) a description of the application and review process the authorizer will use to make decisions regarding the granting of charters, which will include at least the following:

(i) how the statutory purposes defined in subdivision 1 are addressed;

(ii) the mission, goals, program model, and student performance expectations;

(iii) an evaluation plan for the school that includes criteria for evaluating educational, organizational, and fiscal plans;

(iv) the school's governance plan;

(v) the financial management plan; and

(vi) the administration and operations plan;

(4) a description of the type of contract it will arrange with the schools it charters that meets the provisions of subdivision 6 and defines the rights and responsibilities of the charter school for governing its educational program, controlling its funds, and making school management decisions;

(5) the process to be used for providing ongoing oversight of the school consistent with the contract expectations specified in clause (4) that assures that the schools chartered are complying with both the provisions of applicable law and rules, and with the contract;

(6) the process for making decisions regarding the renewal or termination of the school's charter based on evidence that demonstrates the academic, organizational, and financial competency of the school, including its success in increasing student achievement and meeting the goals of the charter school agreement; and

(7) an assurance specifying that the organization is committed to serving as an authorizer for the full five-year term.

A disapproved applicant under this paragraph may resubmit an application during a future application period.

(e) The authorizer must participate in department-approved training.

(f) An authorizer that chartered a school before August 1, 2009, must apply by June 30, 2011, to the commissioner for approval, under paragraph (c), to continue as an authorizer under this section. For purposes of this paragraph, an authorizer that fails to submit a timely application is ineligible to charter a school.

(g) The commissioner shall review an authorizer's performance every five years in a manner and form determined by the commissioner and may review an authorizer's performance more frequently at the commissioner's own initiative or at the request of a charter school operator, charter school board member, or other interested party. The commissioner, after completing the review, shall transmit a report with findings to the authorizer. If, consistent with this section, the commissioner finds that an authorizer has not fulfilled the requirements of this section, the commissioner may subject the authorizer to corrective action, which may include terminating the contract with the charter school board of directors of a school it chartered. The commissioner must notify the authorizer in writing of any findings that may subject the authorizer to corrective action and the authorizer then has 15 business days to request an informal hearing before the commissioner takes corrective action.

(h) The commissioner may at any time take corrective action against an authorizer, including terminating an authorizer's ability to charter a school for:

(1) failing to demonstrate the criteria under paragraph (c) under which the commissioner approved the authorizer;

(2) violating a term of the chartering contract between the authorizer and the charter school board of directors; or

(3) unsatisfactory performance as an approved authorizer.

[See Note.]

Subd. 4.Formation of school.

(a) An authorizer, after receiving an application from a school developer, may charter a licensed teacher under section 122A.18, subdivision 1, or a group of individuals that includes one or more licensed teachers under section 122A.18, subdivision 1, to operate a school subject to the commissioner's approval of the authorizer's affidavit under paragraph (b). The school must be organized and operated as a cooperative under chapter 308A or nonprofit corporation under chapter 317A and the provisions under the applicable chapter shall apply to the school except as provided in this section.

Notwithstanding sections 465.717 and 465.719, a school district, subject to this section and section 124D.11, may create a corporation for the purpose of establishing a charter school.

(b) Before the operators may establish and operate a school, the authorizer must file an affidavit with the commissioner stating its intent to charter a school. An authorizer must file a separate affidavit for each school it intends to charter. The affidavit must state the terms and conditions under which the authorizer would charter a school and how the authorizer intends to oversee the fiscal and student performance of the charter school and to comply with the terms of the written contract between the authorizer and the charter school board of directors under subdivision 6. The commissioner must approve or disapprove the authorizer's affidavit within 60 business days of receipt of the affidavit. If the commissioner disapproves the affidavit, the commissioner shall notify the authorizer of the deficiencies in the affidavit and the authorizer then has 20 business days to address the deficiencies. If the authorizer does not address deficiencies to the commissioner's satisfaction, the commissioner's disapproval is final. Failure to obtain commissioner approval precludes an authorizer from chartering the school that is the subject of this affidavit.

(c) The authorizer may prevent an approved charter school from opening for operation if, among other grounds, the charter school violates this section or does not meet the ready-to-open standards that are part of the authorizer's oversight and evaluation process or are stipulated in the charter school contract.

(d) The operators authorized to organize and operate a school, before entering into a contract or other agreement for professional or other services, goods, or facilities, must incorporate as a cooperative under chapter 308A or as a nonprofit corporation under chapter 317A and must establish a board of directors composed of at least five members who are not related parties until a timely election for members of the ongoing charter school board of directors is held according to the school's articles and bylaws under paragraph (f). A charter school board of directors must be composed of at least five members who are not related parties. Staff members employed at the school, including teachers providing instruction under a contract with a cooperative, and all parents or legal guardians of children enrolled in the school are the voters eligible to elect the members of the school's board of directors. A charter school must notify eligible voters of the school board election dates at least 30 days before the election. Board of director meetings must comply with chapter 13D.

(e) Upon the request of an individual, the charter school must make available in a timely fashion the minutes of meetings of the board of directors, and of members and committees having any board-delegated authority; financial statements showing all operations and transactions affecting income, surplus, and deficit during the school's last annual accounting period; and a balance sheet summarizing assets and liabilities on the closing date of the accounting period. A charter school also must post on its official Web site information identifying its authorizer and indicate how to contact that authorizer and include that same information about its authorizer in other school materials that it makes available to the public.

(f) Every charter school board member shall attend department-approved training on board governance, the board's role and responsibilities, employment policies and practices, and financial management. A board member who does not begin the required training within six months of being seated and complete the required training within 12 months of being seated on the board is ineligible to continue to serve as a board member.

(g) The ongoing board must be elected before the school completes its third year of operation. Board elections must be held during a time when school is in session. The charter school board of directors shall be composed of at least five nonrelated members and include: (i) at least one licensed teacher employed at the school or a licensed teacher providing instruction under a contact between the charter school and a cooperative; (ii) the parent or legal guardian of a student enrolled in the charter school; and (iii) an interested community member who is not employed by the charter school and does not have a child enrolled in the school. The board may be a teacher majority board composed of teachers described in this paragraph. The chief financial officer and the chief administrator are ex-officio nonvoting board members. Board bylaws shall outline the process and procedures for changing the board's governance model, consistent with chapter 317A. A board may change its governance model only:

(1) by a majority vote of the board of directors and the licensed teachers employed by the school, including licensed teachers providing instruction under a contract between the school and a cooperative; and

(2) with the authorizer's approval.

Any change in board governance must conform with the board structure established under this paragraph.

(h) The granting or renewal of a charter by an authorizer must not be conditioned upon the bargaining unit status of the employees of the school.

(i) The granting or renewal of a charter school by an authorizer must not be contingent on the charter school being required to contract, lease, or purchase services from the authorizer. Any potential contract, lease, or purchase of service from an authorizer must be disclosed to the commissioner, accepted through an open bidding process, and be a separate contract from the charter contract. The school must document the open bidding process. An authorizer must not enter into a contract to provide management and financial services for a school that it authorizes, unless the school documents that it received at least two competitive bids.

(j) An authorizer may permit the board of directors of a charter school to expand the operation of the charter school to additional sites or to add additional grades at the school beyond those described in the authorizer's original affidavit as approved by the commissioner only after submitting a supplemental affidavit for approval to the commissioner in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. The supplemental affidavit must show that:

(1) the expansion proposed by the charter school is supported by need and projected enrollment;

(2) the charter school expansion is warranted, at a minimum, by longitudinal data demonstrating students' improved academic performance and growth on statewide assessments under chapter 120B;

(3) the charter school is fiscally sound and has the financial capacity to implement the proposed expansion; and

(4) the authorizer finds that the charter school has the management capacity to carry out its expansion.

(k) The commissioner shall have 30 business days to review and comment on the supplemental affidavit. The commissioner shall notify the authorizer of any deficiencies in the supplemental affidavit and the authorizer then has 30 business days to address, to the commissioner's satisfaction, any deficiencies in the supplemental affidavit. The school may not expand grades or add sites until the commissioner has approved the supplemental affidavit. The commissioner's approval or disapproval of a supplemental affidavit is final.

Subd. 4a.Conflict of interest.

(a) An individual is prohibited from serving as a member of the charter school board of directors if the individual, an immediate family member, or the individual's partner is an owner, employee or agent of, or a contractor with a for-profit or nonprofit entity with whom the charter school contracts, directly or indirectly, for professional services, goods, or facilities. A violation of this prohibition renders a contract voidable at the option of the commissioner or the charter school board of directors. A member of a charter school board of directors who violates this prohibition is individually liable to the charter school for any damage caused by the violation.

(b) No member of the board of directors, employee, officer, or agent of a charter school shall participate in selecting, awarding, or administering a contract if a conflict of interest exists. A conflict exists when:

(1) the board member, employee, officer, or agent;

(2) the immediate family of the board member, employee, officer, or agent;

(3) the partner of the board member, employee, officer, or agent; or

(4) an organization that employs, or is about to employ any individual in clauses (1) to (3),

has a financial or other interest in the entity with which the charter school is contracting. A violation of this prohibition renders the contract void.

(c) Any employee, agent, or board member of the authorizer who participates in the initial review, approval, ongoing oversight, evaluation, or the charter renewal or nonrenewal process or decision is ineligible to serve on the board of directors of a school chartered by that authorizer.

(d) An individual may serve as a member of the board of directors if no conflict of interest under paragraph (a) exists.

(e) The conflict of interest provisions under this subdivision do not apply to compensation paid to a teacher employed by the charter school who also serves as a member of the board of directors.

(f) The conflict of interest provisions under this subdivision do not apply to a teacher who provides services to a charter school through a cooperative formed under chapter 308A when the teacher also serves on the charter school board of directors.

Subd. 5.Conversion of existing schools.

A board of an independent or special school district may convert one or more of its existing schools to charter schools under this section if 60 percent of the full-time teachers at the school sign a petition seeking conversion. The conversion must occur at the beginning of an academic year.

Subd. 6.Charter contract.

The authorization for a charter school must be in the form of a written contract signed by the authorizer and the board of directors of the charter school. The contract must be completed within 45 business days of the commissioner's approval of the authorizer's affidavit. The authorizer shall submit to the commissioner a copy of the signed charter contract within ten business days of its execution. The contract for a charter school must be in writing and contain at least the following:

(1) a declaration of the purposes in subdivision 1 that the school intends to carry out and how the school will report its implementation of those purposes;

(2) a description of the school program and the specific academic and nonacademic outcomes that pupils must achieve;

(3) a statement of admission policies and procedures;

(4) a governance, management, and administration plan for the school;

(5) signed agreements from charter school board members to comply with all federal and state laws governing organizational, programmatic, and financial requirements applicable to charter schools;

(6) the criteria, processes, and procedures that the authorizer will use for ongoing oversight of operational, financial, and academic performance;

(7) the performance evaluation that is a prerequisite for reviewing a charter contract under subdivision 15;

(8) types and amounts of insurance liability coverage to be obtained by the charter school;

(9) the term of the contract, which may be up to three years for an initial contract plus an additional preoperational planning year, and up to five years for a renewed contract if warranted by the school's academic, financial, and operational performance;

(10) how the board of directors or the operators of the charter school will provide special instruction and services for children with a disability under sections 125A.03 to 125A.24, and 125A.65, a description of the financial parameters within which the charter school will operate to provide the special instruction and services to children with a disability;

(11) the process and criteria the authorizer intends to use to monitor and evaluate the fiscal and student performance of the charter school, consistent with subdivision 15; and

(12) the plan for an orderly closing of the school under chapter 308A or 317A, if the closure is a termination for cause, a voluntary termination, or a nonrenewal of the contract, and that includes establishing the responsibilities of the school board of directors and the authorizer and notifying the commissioner, authorizer, school district in which the charter school is located, and parents of enrolled students about the closure, the transfer of student records to students' resident districts, and procedures for closing financial operations.

Subd. 6a.Audit report.

(a) The charter school must submit an audit report to the commissioner and its authorizer by December 31 each year.

(b) The charter school, with the assistance of the auditor conducting the audit, must include with the report a copy of all charter school agreements for corporate management services. If the entity that provides the professional services to the charter school is exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, that entity must file with the commissioner by February 15 a copy of the annual return required under section 6033 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(c) If the commissioner receives an audit report indicating that a material weakness exists in the financial reporting systems of a charter school, the charter school must submit a written report to the commissioner explaining how the material weakness will be resolved.

Subd. 7.Public status; exemption from statutes and rules.

A charter school is a public school and is part of the state's system of public education. A charter school is exempt from all statutes and rules applicable to a school, school board, or school district unless a statute or rule is made specifically applicable to a charter school or is included in this section.

Subd. 8.Federal, state, and local requirements.

(a) A charter school shall meet all federal, state, and local health and safety requirements applicable to school districts.

(b) A school must comply with statewide accountability requirements governing standards and assessments in chapter 120B.

(c) A school authorized by a school board may be located in any district, unless the school board of the district of the proposed location disapproves by written resolution.

(d) A charter school must be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations. An authorizer may not authorize a charter school or program that is affiliated with a nonpublic sectarian school or a religious institution. A charter school student must be released for religious instruction, consistent with section 120A.22, subdivision 12, clause (3).

(e) Charter schools must not be used as a method of providing education or generating revenue for students who are being home-schooled.

(f) The primary focus of a charter school must be to provide a comprehensive program of instruction for at least one grade or age group from five through 18 years of age. Instruction may be provided to people younger than five years and older than 18 years of age.

(g) A charter school may not charge tuition.

(h) A charter school is subject to and must comply with chapter 363A and section 121A.04.

(i) A charter school is subject to and must comply with the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, and the Minnesota Public School Fee Law, sections 123B.34 to 123B.39.

(j) A charter school is subject to the same financial audits, audit procedures, and audit requirements as a district. Audits must be conducted in compliance with generally accepted governmental auditing standards, the federal Single Audit Act, if applicable, and section 6.65. A charter school is subject to and must comply with sections 15.054; 118A.01; 118A.02; 118A.03; 118A.04; 118A.05; 118A.06; 471.38; 471.391; 471.392; and 471.425. The audit must comply with the requirements of sections 123B.75 to 123B.83, except to the extent deviations are necessary because of the program at the school. Deviations must be approved by the commissioner and authorizer. The Department of Education, state auditor, legislative auditor, or authorizer may conduct financial, program, or compliance audits. A charter school determined to be in statutory operating debt under sections 123B.81 to 123B.83 must submit a plan under section 123B.81, subdivision 4.

(k) A charter school is a district for the purposes of tort liability under chapter 466.

(l) A charter school must comply with chapters 13 and 13D; and sections 120A.22, subdivision 7; 121A.75; and 260B.171, subdivisions 3 and 5.

(m) A charter school is subject to the Pledge of Allegiance requirement under section 121A.11, subdivision 3.

(n) A charter school offering online courses or programs must comply with section 124D.095.

(o) A charter school and charter school board of directors are subject to chapter 181.

(p) A charter school must comply with section 120A.22, subdivision 7, governing the transfer of students' educational records and sections 138.163 and 138.17 governing the management of local records.

(q) A charter school that provides early childhood health and developmental screening must comply with sections 121A.16 to 121A.19.

Subd. 8a.Aid reduction.

The commissioner may reduce a charter school's state aid under section 127A.42 or 127A.43 if the charter school board fails to correct a violation under this section.

Subd. 8b.Aid reduction for violations.

The commissioner may reduce a charter school's state aid by an amount not to exceed 60 percent of the charter school's basic revenue for the period of time that a violation of law occurs.

Subd. 9.Admission requirements.

A charter school may limit admission to:

(1) pupils within an age group or grade level;

(2) pupils who are eligible to participate in the graduation incentives program under section 124D.68; or

(3) residents of a specific geographic area in which the school is located when the majority of students served by the school are members of underserved populations.

A charter school shall enroll an eligible pupil who submits a timely application, unless the number of applications exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level, or building. In this case, pupils must be accepted by lot. The charter school must develop and publish a lottery policy and process that it must use when accepting pupils by lot.

A charter school shall give preference for enrollment to a sibling of an enrolled pupil and to a foster child of that pupil's parents and may give preference for enrolling children of the school's teachers before accepting other pupils by lot.

A charter school may not limit admission to pupils on the basis of intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, or athletic ability and may not establish any criteria or requirements for admission that are inconsistent with this subdivision.

The charter school shall not distribute any services or goods of value to students, parents, or guardians as an inducement, term, or condition of enrolling a student in a charter school.

Subd. 10.Pupil performance.

A charter school must design its programs to at least meet the outcomes adopted by the commissioner for public school students. In the absence of the commissioner's requirements, the school must meet the outcomes contained in the contract with the authorizer. The achievement levels of the outcomes contained in the contract may exceed the achievement levels of any outcomes adopted by the commissioner for public school students.

Subd. 11.Employment and other operating matters.

(a) A charter school must employ or contract with necessary teachers, as defined by section 122A.15, subdivision 1, who hold valid licenses to perform the particular service for which they are employed in the school. The charter school's state aid may be reduced under section 127A.43 if the school employs a teacher who is not appropriately licensed or approved by the board of teaching. The school may employ necessary employees who are not required to hold teaching licenses to perform duties other than teaching and may contract for other services. The school may discharge teachers and nonlicensed employees. The charter school board is subject to section 181.932. When offering employment to a prospective employee, a charter school must give that employee a written description of the terms and conditions of employment and the school's personnel policies.

(b) A person, without holding a valid administrator's license, may perform administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership duties. The board of directors shall establish qualifications for persons that hold administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership roles. The qualifications shall include at least the following areas: instruction and assessment; human resource and personnel management; financial management; legal and compliance management; effective communication; and board, authorizer, and community relationships. The board of directors shall use those qualifications as the basis for job descriptions, hiring, and performance evaluations of those who hold administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership roles. The board of directors and an individual who does not hold a valid administrative license and who serves in an administrative, supervisory, or instructional leadership position shall develop a professional development plan. Documentation of the implementation of the professional development plan of these persons shall be included in the school's annual report.

(c) The board of directors also shall decide matters related to the operation of the school, including budgeting, curriculum and operating procedures.

Subd. 12.Pupils with a disability.

A charter school must comply with sections 125A.02, 125A.03 to 125A.24, and 125A.65 and rules relating to the education of pupils with a disability as though it were a district.

Subd. 13.Length of school year.

A charter school must provide instruction each year for at least the number of days required by section 120A.41. It may provide instruction throughout the year according to sections 124D.12 to 124D.127 or 124D.128.

Subd. 14.Annual public reports.

A charter school must publish an annual report approved by the board of directors. The annual report must at least include information on school enrollment, student attrition, governance and management, staffing, finances, academic performance, operational performance, innovative practices and implementation, and future plans. A charter school must distribute the annual report by publication, mail, or electronic means to the commissioner, authorizer, school employees, and parents and legal guardians of students enrolled in the charter school and must also post the report on the charter school's official Web site. The reports are public data under chapter 13.

Subd. 15.Review and comment.

(a) The authorizer shall provide a formal written evaluation of the school's performance before the authorizer renews the charter contract. The department must review and comment on the authorizer's evaluation process at the time the authorizer submits its application for approval and each time the authorizer undergoes its five-year review under subdivision 3, paragraph (e).

(b) An authorizer shall monitor and evaluate the fiscal, operational, and student performance of the school, and may for this purpose annually assess a charter school a fee according to paragraph (c). The agreed-upon fee structure must be stated in the charter school contract.

(c) The fee that each charter school pays to an authorizer each year is the greater of:

(1) the basic formula allowance for that year; or

(2) the lesser of:

(i) the maximum fee factor times the basic formula allowance for that year; or

(ii) the fee factor times the basic formula allowance for that year times the charter school's adjusted marginal cost pupil units for that year. The fee factor equals .005 in fiscal year 2010, .01 in fiscal year 2011, .013 in fiscal year 2012, and .015 in fiscal years 2013 and later. The maximum fee factor equals 1.5 in fiscal year 2010, 2.0 in fiscal year 2011, 3.0 in fiscal year 2012, and 4.0 in fiscal years 2013 and later.

(d) The department and any charter school it charters must not assess or pay a fee under paragraphs (b) and (c).

(e) For the preoperational planning period, the authorizer may assess a charter school a fee equal to the basic formula allowance.

(f) By September 30 of each year, an authorizer shall submit to the commissioner a statement of expenditures related to chartering activities during the previous school year ending June 30. A copy of the statement shall be given to all schools chartered by the authorizer.

Subd. 16.Transportation.

(a) A charter school after its first fiscal year of operation by March 1 of each fiscal year and a charter school by July 1 of its first fiscal year of operation must notify the district in which the school is located and the Department of Education if it will provide its own transportation or use the transportation services of the district in which it is located for the fiscal year.

(b) If a charter school elects to provide transportation for pupils, the transportation must be provided by the charter school within the district in which the charter school is located. The state must pay transportation aid to the charter school according to section 124D.11, subdivision 2.

For pupils who reside outside the district in which the charter school is located, the charter school is not required to provide or pay for transportation between the pupil's residence and the border of the district in which the charter school is located. A parent may be reimbursed by the charter school for costs of transportation from the pupil's residence to the border of the district in which the charter school is located if the pupil is from a family whose income is at or below the poverty level, as determined by the federal government. The reimbursement may not exceed the pupil's actual cost of transportation or 15 cents per mile traveled, whichever is less. Reimbursement may not be paid for more than 250 miles per week.

At the time a pupil enrolls in a charter school, the charter school must provide the parent or guardian with information regarding the transportation.

(c) If a charter school does not elect to provide transportation, transportation for pupils enrolled at the school must be provided by the district in which the school is located, according to sections 123B.88, subdivision 6, and 124D.03, subdivision 8, for a pupil residing in the same district in which the charter school is located. Transportation may be provided by the district in which the school is located, according to sections 123B.88, subdivision 6, and 124D.03, subdivision 8, for a pupil residing in a different district. If the district provides the transportation, the scheduling of routes, manner and method of transportation, control and discipline of the pupils, and any other matter relating to the transportation of pupils under this paragraph shall be within the sole discretion, control, and management of the district.

Subd. 17.Leased space.

A charter school may lease space from an independent or special school board eligible to be an authorizer, other public organization, private, nonprofit nonsectarian organization, private property owner, or a sectarian organization if the leased space is constructed as a school facility. The department must review and approve or disapprove leases in a timely manner.

Subd. 17a.Affiliated nonprofit building corporation.

(a) Before a charter school may organize an affiliated nonprofit building corporation (i) to renovate or purchase an existing facility to serve as a school or (ii) to construct a new school facility, an authorizer must submit an affidavit to the commissioner for approval in the form and manner the commissioner prescribes, and consistent with paragraphs (b) and (c) or (d).

(b) An affiliated nonprofit building corporation under this subdivision must:

(1) be incorporated under section 317A and comply with applicable Internal Revenue Service regulations;

(2) submit to the commissioner each fiscal year a list of current board members and a copy of its annual audit; and

(3) comply with government data practices law under chapter 13.

An affiliated nonprofit building corporation must not serve as the leasing agent for property or facilities it does not own. A charter school that leases a facility from an affiliated nonprofit building corporation that does not own the leased facility is ineligible to receive charter school lease aid. The state is immune from liability resulting from a contract between a charter school and an affiliated nonprofit building corporation.

(c) A charter school may organize an affiliated nonprofit building corporation to renovate or purchase an existing facility to serve as a school if the charter school:

(1) has been operating for at least five consecutive school years and the school's charter has been renewed for a five-year term;

(2) has had a net positive unreserved general fund balance as of June 30 in the preceding five fiscal years;

(3) has a long-range strategic and financial plan;

(4) completes a feasibility study of available buildings; and

(5) documents sustainable enrollment projections and the need to use an affiliated building corporation to renovate or purchase an existing facility to serve as a school.

(d) A charter school may organize an affiliated nonprofit building corporation to construct a new school facility if the charter school:

(1) demonstrates the lack of facilities available to serve as a school;

(2) has been operating for at least eight consecutive school years;

(3) has had a net positive unreserved general fund balance as of June 30 in the preceding eight fiscal years;

(4) completes a feasibility study of facility options;

(5) has a long-range strategic and financial plan that includes sustainable enrollment projections and demonstrates the need for constructing a new school facility; and

(6) has a positive review and comment from the commissioner under section 123B.71.

Subd. 18.

[Repealed by amendment, 2009 c 96 art 2 s 41]

Subd. 19.Disseminate information.

(a) The authorizer, the operators, and the department must disseminate information to the public on how to form and operate a charter school. Charter schools must disseminate information about how to use the offerings of a charter school. Targeted groups include low-income families and communities, students of color, and students who are at risk of academic failure.

(b) Authorizers, operators, and the department also may disseminate information about the successful best practices in teaching and learning demonstrated by charter schools.

Subd. 20.Leave to teach in a charter school.

If a teacher employed by a district makes a written request for an extended leave of absence to teach at a charter school, the district must grant the leave. The district must grant a leave not to exceed a total of five years. Any request to extend the leave shall be granted only at the discretion of the school board. The district may require that the request for a leave or extension of leave be made before February 1 in the school year preceding the school year in which the teacher intends to leave, or February 1 of the calendar year in which the teacher's leave is scheduled to terminate. Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision and except for section 122A.46, subdivision 7, the leave is governed by section 122A.46, including, but not limited to, reinstatement, notice of intention to return, seniority, salary, and insurance.

During a leave, the teacher may continue to aggregate benefits and credits in the Teachers' Retirement Association account under chapters 354 and 354A, consistent with subdivision 22.

Subd. 21.Collective bargaining.

Employees of the board of directors of a charter school may, if otherwise eligible, organize under chapter 179A and comply with its provisions. The board of directors of a charter school is a public employer, for the purposes of chapter 179A, upon formation of one or more bargaining units at the school. Bargaining units at the school must be separate from any other units within an authorizing district, except that bargaining units may remain part of the appropriate unit within an authorizing district, if the employees of the school, the board of directors of the school, the exclusive representative of the appropriate unit in the authorizing district, and the board of the authorizing district agree to include the employees in the appropriate unit of the authorizing district.

Subd. 22.Teacher and other employee retirement.

(a) Teachers in a charter school must be public school teachers for the purposes of chapters 354 and 354a.

(b) Except for teachers under paragraph (a), employees in a charter school must be public employees for the purposes of chapter 353.

Subd. 23.Causes for nonrenewal or termination of charter school contract.

(a) The duration of the contract with an authorizer must be for the term contained in the contract according to subdivision 6. The authorizer may or may not renew a contract at the end of the term for any ground listed in paragraph (b). An authorizer may unilaterally terminate a contract during the term of the contract for any ground listed in paragraph (b). At least 60 days before not renewing or terminating a contract, the authorizer shall notify the board of directors of the charter school of the proposed action in writing. The notice shall state the grounds for the proposed action in reasonable detail and that the charter school's board of directors may request in writing an informal hearing before the authorizer within 15 business days of receiving notice of nonrenewal or termination of the contract. Failure by the board of directors to make a written request for a hearing within the 15-business-day period shall be treated as acquiescence to the proposed action. Upon receiving a timely written request for a hearing, the authorizer shall give ten business days' notice to the charter school's board of directors of the hearing date. The authorizer shall conduct an informal hearing before taking final action. The authorizer shall take final action to renew or not renew a contract no later than 20 business days before the proposed date for terminating the contract or the end date of the contract.

(b) A contract may be terminated or not renewed upon any of the following grounds:

(1) failure to meet the requirements for pupil performance contained in the contract;

(2) failure to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management;

(3) violations of law; or

(4) other good cause shown.

If a contract is terminated or not renewed under this paragraph, the school must be dissolved according to the applicable provisions of chapter 308A or 317A.

(c) If the authorizer and the charter school board of directors mutually agree to terminate or not renew the contract, a change in authorizers is allowed if the commissioner approves the transfer to a different eligible authorizer to authorize the charter school. Both parties must jointly submit their intent in writing to the commissioner to mutually terminate the contract. The authorizer that is a party to the existing contract at least must inform the approved different eligible authorizer about the fiscal and operational status and student performance of the school. Before the commissioner determines whether to approve a transfer of authorizer, the commissioner first must determine whether the charter school and prospective new authorizer can identify and effectively resolve those circumstances causing the previous authorizer and the charter school to mutually agree to terminate the contract. If no transfer of authorizer is approved, the school must be dissolved according to applicable law and the terms of the contract.

(d) The commissioner, after providing reasonable notice to the board of directors of a charter school and the existing authorizer, and after providing an opportunity for a public hearing, may terminate the existing contract between the authorizer and the charter school board if the charter school has a history of:

(1) failure to meet pupil performance requirements contained in the contract;

(2) financial mismanagement or failure to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management; or

(3) repeated or major violations of the law.

(e) If the commissioner terminates a charter school contract under subdivision 3, paragraph (g), the commissioner shall provide the charter school with information about other eligible authorizers.

Subd. 23a.Related party lease costs.

(a) A charter school is prohibited from entering a lease of real property with a related party unless the lessor is a nonprofit corporation under chapter 317A or a cooperative under chapter 308A, and the lease cost is reasonable under section 124D.11, subdivision 4, clause (1).

(b) For purposes of this section and section 124D.11:

(1) "related party" means an affiliate or immediate relative of the other party in question, an affiliate of an immediate relative, or an immediate relative of an affiliate;

(2) "affiliate" means a person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another person;

(3) "immediate family" means an individual whose relationship by blood, marriage, adoption, or partnering is no more remote than first cousin;

(4) "person" means an individual or entity of any kind; and

(5) "control" means the ability to affect the management, operations, or policy actions or decisions of a person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

(c) A lease of real property to be used for a charter school, not excluded in paragraph (a), must contain the following statement: "This lease is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.10, subdivision 23a."

(d) If a charter school enters into as lessee a lease with a related party and the charter school subsequently closes, the commissioner has the right to recover from the lessor any lease payments in excess of those that are reasonable under section 124D.11, subdivision 4, clause (1).

Subd. 24.Pupil enrollment upon nonrenewal or termination of charter school contract.

If a contract is not renewed or is terminated according to subdivision 23, a pupil who attended the school, siblings of the pupil, or another pupil who resides in the same place as the pupil may enroll in the resident district or may submit an application to a nonresident district according to section 124D.03 at any time. Applications and notices required by section 124D.03 must be processed and provided in a prompt manner. The application and notice deadlines in section 124D.03 do not apply under these circumstances. The closed charter school must transfer the student's educational records within ten business days of closure to the student's school district of residence where the records must be retained or transferred under section 120A.22, subdivision 7.

Subd. 25.Extent of specific legal authority.

(a) The board of directors of a charter school may sue and be sued.

(b) The board may not levy taxes or issue bonds.

(c) The commissioner, an authorizer, members of the board of an authorizer in their official capacity, and employees of an authorizer are immune from civil or criminal liability with respect to all activities related to a charter school they approve or authorize. The board of directors shall obtain at least the amount of and types of insurance up to the applicable tort liability limits under chapter 466. The charter school board must submit a copy of the insurance policy to its authorizer and the commissioner before starting operations. The charter school board must submit changes in its insurance carrier or policy to its authorizer and the commissioner within 20 business days of the change.

Subd. 26.

[Repealed by amendment, 2009 c 96 art 2 s 41]

NOTE: The changes in subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), shall not apply to a sponsor under Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.10, that is a party to a charter contract on May 17, 2009, except that subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2), item (iv), applies to such sponsors beginning July 1, 2011. Laws 2009, chapter 96, article 2, section 41, the effective date.

124D.11 REVENUE FOR A CHARTER SCHOOL.

Subdivision 1.General education revenue.

(a) General education revenue must be paid to a charter school as though it were a district. The general education revenue for each adjusted marginal cost pupil unit is the state average general education revenue per pupil unit, plus the referendum equalization aid allowance in the pupil's district of residence, minus an amount equal to the product of the formula allowance according to section 126C.10, subdivision 2, times .0485, calculated without basic skills revenue, extended time revenue, alternative teacher compensation revenue, transition revenue, and transportation sparsity revenue, plus basic skills revenue, extended time revenue, basic alternative teacher compensation aid according to section 126C.10, subdivision 34, and transition revenue as though the school were a school district. The general education revenue for each extended time marginal cost pupil unit equals $4,378.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for charter schools in the first year of operation, general education revenue shall be computed using the number of adjusted pupil units in the current fiscal year.

Subd. 2.Transportation revenue.

Transportation revenue must be paid to a charter school that provides transportation services according to section 124D.10, subdivision 16, according to this subdivision. Transportation aid shall equal transportation revenue.

In addition to the revenue under subdivision 1, a charter school providing transportation services must receive general education aid equal to the sum of the product of (i) an amount equal to the product of the formula allowance according to section 126C.10, subdivision 2, times .0485, plus the transportation sparsity allowance for the school district in which the charter school is located times (ii) the adjusted marginal cost pupil units, plus the product of $223 times the extended time marginal cost pupil units.

Subd. 3.Use of total operating capital revenue.

Notwithstanding section 126C.10, subdivision 14, a charter school may use total operating capital revenue for any purpose related to the school.

Subd. 4.Building lease aid.

When a charter school finds it economically advantageous to rent or lease a building or land for any instructional purposes and it determines that the total operating capital revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 13, is insufficient for this purpose, it may apply to the commissioner for building lease aid for this purpose. The commissioner must review and either approve or deny a lease aid application using the following criteria:

(1) the reasonableness of the price based on current market values;

(2) the extent to which the lease conforms to applicable state laws and rules; and

(3) the appropriateness of the proposed lease in the context of the space needs and financial circumstances of the charter school.

A charter school must not use the building lease aid it receives for custodial, maintenance service, utility, or other operating costs. The amount of building lease aid per pupil unit served for a charter school for any year shall not exceed the lesser of (a) 90 percent of the approved cost or (b) the product of the pupil units served for the current school year times the greater of the charter school's building lease aid per pupil unit served for fiscal year 2003, excluding the adjustment under Laws 2002, chapter 392, article 6, section 4, or $1,200.

Subd. 5.Special education aid.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision 2, special education aid must be paid to a charter school according to section 125A.76, as though it were a school district.

(b) For fiscal year 2006, the charter school may charge tuition to the district of residence as follows:

(1) if the charter school does not receive general education revenue on behalf of the student according to subdivision 1, tuition shall be charged as provided in section 125A.11; or

(2) if the charter school receives general education revenue on behalf of the student according to subdivision 1, tuition shall be charged as provided in section 127A.47, subdivision 7, paragraph (d).

(c) For fiscal year 2007 and later, the special education aid paid to the charter school shall be adjusted as follows:

(1) if the charter school does not receive general education revenue on behalf of the student according to subdivision 1, the aid shall be adjusted as provided in section 125A.11; or

(2) if the charter school receives general education revenue on behalf of the student according to subdivision 1, the aid shall be adjusted as provided in section 127A.47, subdivision 7, paragraph (d).

Subd. 6.Other aid, grants, revenue.

(a) A charter school is eligible to receive other aids, grants, and revenue according to chapters 120A to 129C, as though it were a district.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a charter school may not receive aid, a grant, or revenue if a levy is required to obtain the money, or if the aid, grant, or revenue replaces levy revenue that is not general education revenue, except as otherwise provided in this section.

(c) Federal aid received by the state must be paid to the school, if it qualifies for the aid as though it were a school district.

(d) A charter school may receive money from any source for capital facilities needs. In the year-end report to the commissioner of education, the charter school shall report the total amount of funds received from grants and other outside sources.

Subd. 7.Use of state money.

Money received from the state may not be used to purchase land or buildings. The school may own land and buildings if obtained through nonstate sources.

Subd. 8.Start-up costs.

During the first two years of a charter school's operation, the charter school is eligible for aid to pay for start-up costs and additional operating costs. Start-up cost aid equals the greater of:

(1) $50,000 per charter school; or

(2) $500 times the charter school's pupil units served for that year.

Subd. 9.Payment of aids to charter schools.

(a) Notwithstanding section 127A.45, subdivision 3, aid payments for the current fiscal year to a charter school shall be of an equal amount on each of the 24 payment dates.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) and section 127A.45, for a charter school ceasing operation on or prior to June 30 of a school year, for the payment periods occurring after the school ceases serving students, the commissioner shall withhold the estimated state aid owed the school. The charter school board of directors and authorizer must submit to the commissioner a closure plan under chapter 308A or 317A, and financial information about the school's liabilities and assets. After receiving the closure plan, financial information, an audit of pupil counts, documentation of lease expenditures, and monitoring of special education expenditures, the commissioner may release cash withheld and may continue regular payments up to the current year payment percentages if further amounts are owed. If, based on audits and monitoring, the school received state aid in excess of the amount owed, the commissioner shall retain aid withheld sufficient to eliminate the aid overpayment. For a charter school ceasing operations prior to, or at the end of, a school year, notwithstanding section 127A.45, subdivision 3, preliminary final payments may be made after receiving the closure plan, audit of pupil counts, monitoring of special education expenditures, documentation of lease expenditures, and school submission of Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS) financial data for the final year of operation. Final payment may be made upon receipt of audited financial statements under section 123B.77, subdivision 3.

(c) If a charter school fails to comply with the commissioner's directive to return, for cause, federal or state funds administered by the department, the commissioner may withhold an amount of state aid sufficient to satisfy the directive.

(d) If, within the timeline under section 471.425, a charter school fails to pay the state of Minnesota, a school district, intermediate school district, or service cooperative after receiving an undisputed invoice for goods and services, the commissioner may withhold an amount of state aid sufficient to satisfy the claim and shall distribute the withheld aid to the interested state agency, school district, intermediate school district, or service cooperative. An interested state agency, school district, intermediate school district, or education cooperative shall notify the commissioner when a charter school fails to pay an undisputed invoice within 75 business days of when it received the original invoice.

(e) Notwithstanding section 127A.45, subdivision 3, and paragraph (a), 80 percent of the start-up cost aid under subdivision 8 shall be paid within 45 days after the first day of student attendance for that school year.

(f) In order to receive state aid payments under this subdivision, a charter school in its first three years of operation must submit a school calendar in the form and manner requested by the department and a quarterly report to the Department of Education. The report must list each student by grade, show the student's start and end dates, if any, with the charter school, and for any student participating in a learning year program, the report must list the hours and times of learning year activities. The report must be submitted not more than two weeks after the end of the calendar quarter to the department. The department must develop a Web-based reporting form for charter schools to use when submitting enrollment reports. A charter school in its fourth and subsequent year of operation must submit a school calendar and enrollment information to the department in the form and manner requested by the department.

(g) Notwithstanding sections 317A.701 to 317A.791, upon closure of a charter school and satisfaction of creditors, cash and investment balances remaining shall be returned to the state.

SCHOOL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

124D.111 LUNCH AID; FOOD SERVICE ACCOUNTING.

Subdivision 1.School lunch aid computation.

Each school year, the state must pay participants in the national school lunch program the amount of 12 cents for each full paid, reduced, and free student lunch served to students.

Subd. 2.Application.

A school district, charter school, nonpublic school, or other participant in the national school lunch program shall apply to the department for this payment on forms provided by the department.

Subd. 3.School food service fund.

(a) The expenses described in this subdivision must be recorded as provided in this subdivision.

(b) In each district, the expenses for a school food service program for pupils must be attributed to a school food service fund. Under a food service program, the school food service may prepare or serve milk, meals, or snacks in connection with school or community service activities.

(c) Revenues and expenditures for food service activities must be recorded in the food service fund. The costs of processing applications, accounting for meals, preparing and serving food, providing kitchen custodial services, and other expenses involving the preparing of meals or the kitchen section of the lunchroom may be charged to the food service fund or to the general fund of the district. The costs of lunchroom supervision, lunchroom custodial services, lunchroom utilities, and other administrative costs of the food service program must be charged to the general fund.

That portion of superintendent and fiscal manager costs that can be documented as attributable to the food service program may be charged to the food service fund provided that the school district does not employ or contract with a food service director or other individual who manages the food service program, or food service management company. If the cost of the superintendent or fiscal manager is charged to the food service fund, the charge must be at a wage rate not to exceed the statewide average for food service directors as determined by the department.

(d) Capital expenditures for the purchase of food service equipment must be made from the general fund and not the food service fund, unless two conditions apply:

(1) the unreserved balance in the food service fund at the end of the last fiscal year is greater than the cost of the equipment to be purchased; and

(2) the department has approved the purchase of the equipment.

(e) If the two conditions set out in paragraph (d) apply, the equipment may be purchased from the food service fund.

(f) If a deficit in the food service fund exists at the end of a fiscal year, and the deficit is not eliminated by revenues from food service operations in the next fiscal year, then the deficit must be eliminated by a permanent fund transfer from the general fund at the end of that second fiscal year. However, if a district contracts with a food service management company during the period in which the deficit has accrued, the deficit must be eliminated by a payment from the food service management company.

(g) Notwithstanding paragraph (f), a district may incur a deficit in the food service fund for up to three years without making the permanent transfer if the district submits to the commissioner by January 1 of the second fiscal year a plan for eliminating that deficit at the end of the third fiscal year.

(h) If a surplus in the food service fund exists at the end of a fiscal year for three successive years, a district may recode for that fiscal year the costs of lunchroom supervision, lunchroom custodial services, lunchroom utilities, and other administrative costs of the food service program charged to the general fund according to paragraph (c) and charge those costs to the food service fund in a total amount not to exceed the amount of surplus in the food service fund.

124D.1115 FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM DATA SHARING.

(a) Each school participating in the federal school lunch program shall electronically send to the Department of Education the eligibility information on each child who is eligible for the free and reduced-price lunch program, unless the child's parent or legal guardian after being notified of the potential disclosure of this information for the limited purpose stated in paragraph (b) elects not to have the information disclosed.

(b) Pursuant to United States Code, title 42, section 1758(b)(6)(A), the Department of Education shall enter into an agreement with the Department of Human Services to share the eligibility information provided by each school in paragraph (a) for the limited purpose of identifying children who may be eligible for medical assistance or MinnesotaCare. The Department of Human Services must ensure that this information remains confidential and shall only be used for this purpose. Any unauthorized disclosure shall be subject to a penalty.

124D.113 [Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 7 s 3]

124D.114 LACTOSE REDUCED MILK.

(a) If a nonpublic school or district receives school lunch aid under section 124D.111 or participates in the school breakfast program and receives a written request from the parent of a pupil who is lactose intolerant, then the nonpublic school or district must make available lactose reduced milk; milk fortified with lactase in liquid, tablet, granular, or other form; or milk to which lactobacillus acidophilus has been added for the pupil.

(b) Notwithstanding any law, local ordinance, or local regulation to the contrary, a school may pour or serve portions of any product required by this section from a large container of the product at the time and place the pupil is being served.

124D.115 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 5 s 37]
124D.1155 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 6 art 5 s 14]
124D.1156 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 5 s 37]

124D.1158 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Purpose.

The purpose of the school breakfast program is to provide affordable morning nutrition to children so that they can effectively learn. Public and nonpublic schools that participate in the federal school breakfast program may receive state breakfast aid. Schools shall encourage all children to eat a nutritious breakfast, either at home or at school, and shall work to eliminate barriers to breakfast participation at school such as inadequate facilities and transportation.

Subd. 2.Program; eligibility.

Each school year, public and nonpublic schools that participate in the federal school breakfast program are eligible for the state breakfast program.

Subd. 3.Program reimbursement.

Each school year, the state must reimburse each participating school 30 cents for each reduced-price breakfast and 55 cents for each fully paid breakfast.

Subd. 4.No fees.

A school that receives school breakfast aid under this section must make breakfast available without charge to all participating students who qualify for free or reduced price meals.

124D.116 [Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 7 s 3]

124D.117 DISTRICTS TO OFFER SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Breakfast required.

A district must offer a school breakfast program in every school building in which at least 33 percent of the school lunches served during the second preceding school year were served free or at a reduced price.

Subd. 2.Exemption.

Subdivision 1 does not apply to a school in which fewer than 25 pupils are expected to take part in the program. It also does not apply to a district that does not participate in the national school lunch program.

124D.118 SCHOOL MILK PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Legislative findings.

The legislature finds that for best health and well-being, school children in the state should receive at least one serving of milk each day. The school milk program established in this section is to provide districts in the state with added resources so that all kindergarten students in public and nonpublic schools may have access to wholesome milk on a daily basis.

Subd. 2.Establishment; school participation.

Each district in the state is encouraged to participate in the state-supported school milk program for kindergartners. Participating districts must provide one serving of milk on each school day to each kindergarten student attending a public or nonpublic school in the district. No student is required to accept the milk that is provided by the district. The program must be promoted and operated under the direction of the commissioner or the commissioner's designee.

Subd. 3.Program guidelines; duties of the commissioner.

(a) The commissioner shall:

(1) encourage all districts to participate in the school milk program for kindergartners;

(2) prepare program guidelines, not subject to chapter 14 until July 1, 1998, which will effectively and efficiently distribute appropriated and donated money to participating districts; and

(3) seek donations and matching funds from appropriate private and public sources.

(b) Program guidelines may provide for disbursement to districts through a mechanism of prepayments or by reimbursement for approved program expenses.

Subd. 4.Reimbursement.

In accordance with program guidelines, the commissioner shall reimburse each participating public or nonpublic school 20 cents for each half-pint of milk that is served to kindergarten students and is not part of a school lunch or breakfast reimbursed under section 124D.111 or 124D.1158.

124D.119 SUMMER FOOD SERVICE REPLACEMENT AID.

States funds are available to compensate department-approved summer food program sponsors for reduced federal operating reimbursement rates under Public Law 104-193, the federal summer food service program. A sponsor is eligible for summer food service replacement aid equal to the sum of the following amounts:

(1) for breakfast service, up to four cents per breakfast served by the sponsor during the current program year;

(2) for lunch or supper service, up to 14 cents per lunch or supper served by the sponsor during the current program year; and

(3) for supplement service, up to ten cents per supplement served by the sponsor during the current program year.

124D.1195 COMMODITY DONATED FOOD REVOLVING FUND.

A revolving fund is established for the purpose of depositing cash received for commodity donated foods that have been lost, damaged, recalled, or diverted for processing. The state shall use the fund to issue payments for the value of the lost, damaged, recalled, or diverted commodity donated foods and related costs.

LEARNING YEAR PROGRAMS

124D.12 PURPOSE OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAMS.

Sections 124D.12 to 124D.127 authorize districts to evaluate, plan and employ the use of flexible learning year programs. It is anticipated that the open selection of the type of flexible learning year operation from a variety of alternatives will allow each district seeking to utilize this concept to suitably fulfill the educational needs of its pupils. These alternatives must include, but not be limited to, various 45-15 plans, four-quarter plans, quinmester plans, extended learning year plans, flexible all-year plans, and four-day week plans.

124D.121 DEFINITION OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM.

"Flexible learning year program" means any district plan approved by the commissioner that utilizes buildings and facilities during the entire year or that provides forms of optional scheduling of pupils and personnel during the learning year in elementary and secondary schools or residential facilities for children with a disability.

124D.122 ESTABLISHMENT OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM.

The board of any district, with the approval of the commissioner, may establish and operate a flexible learning year program in one or more of the day or residential facilities for children with a disability within the district.

124D.123 DIVISION OF CHILDREN INTO GROUPS.

The board of any district operating a flexible learning year program in one or more of the facilities within the district must divide the students of each selected facility into as many groups as necessary to accommodate this program. Students of the same family must be placed in the same group unless one or more of these students is enrolled in a special education class or unless the parent or guardian of these students requests that the students be placed in different groups. No board may discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sex, or national origin when assigning pupils to attendance groups pursuant to this section.

124D.124 PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION.

Before implementing a flexible learning year program in any facility of the district, the board must negotiate with the teachers, principals, assistant principals, supervisory personnel and employees to the extent required by the Public Employment Labor Relations Act, and must consult with the parents of pupils who would be affected by the change, and with the community at large. These procedures must include at least three informational meetings for which the board has given published notice to the teachers and employees and to the parents of pupils affected.

124D.125 ASSIGNMENT OF TEACHERS.

Subdivision 1.Implementing program.

In districts where a flexible learning year program is implemented in fewer than all of the facilities maintained by the district, the board of the district must make every reasonable effort to assign qualified teachers who prefer a traditional schedule to facilities of the same level retaining a traditional schedule.

Subd. 2.Teacher schedule.

A full-time teacher currently employed by a district that converts to a flexible learning year program may not, without the teacher's written consent, be required to teach under this program (1) more or less than the number of scheduled days or their equivalent the facilities of the district were maintained during the year preceding implementation of the flexible learning year program; (2) in a period of the calendar year substantially different from the period in which the teacher taught during the year preceding implementation of the flexible learning year program.

Subd. 3.Contract rights; program adoption.

In no event may a teacher's continuing contract rights to a position held the year preceding implementation of a flexible learning year program or teaching experience earned during a probationary period the year preceding implementation be lost or impaired upon adoption of a flexible learning year program. If the year of teaching preceding implementation was the end of a probationary period, the continuing contract right to a full year's contract which normally would be acquired for the next succeeding learning year must be acquired in the year of adoption of the flexible program.

Subd. 4.Contract for learning year.

Any district operating a flexible learning year program must enter into one contract governing the entire learning year with each teacher employed in a flexible program. If individual teachers contract to teach less than a period of 175 days during a learning year, each 175 days of employment accrued during any five-year period after the adoption of a flexible learning year program must be deemed consecutive and constitutes a full year's employment for purposes of establishing and retaining continuing contract rights to a full learning year position pursuant to sections 122A.40, subdivisions 5 and 7, and 122A.41, subdivisions 2 and 4. A teacher who has not been discharged or advised of a refusal to renew the teacher's contract by the applicable date, as specified in section 122A.40 or 122A.41, in the year in which the teacher will complete the requisite number of days for securing a continuing contract must have a continuing full learning year contract with the district.

Subd. 5.Contract rights; termination of program.

Continuing contract rights established pursuant to this section must not be impaired or lost by the termination of a flexible learning year program.

124D.126 POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER; FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.Powers and duties.

The commissioner must:

(1) promulgate rules necessary to the operation of sections 124D.12 to 124D.127;

(2) cooperate with and provide supervision of flexible learning year programs to determine compliance with the provisions of sections 124D.12 to 124D.127, the commissioner's standards and qualifications, and the proposed program as submitted and approved;

(3) provide any necessary adjustments of (a) attendance and membership computations and (b) the dates and percentages of apportionment of state aids; and

(4) consistent with the definition of "average daily membership" in section 126C.05, subdivision 8, furnish the board of a district implementing a flexible learning year program with a formula for computing average daily membership. This formula must be computed so that tax levies to be made by the district, state aids to be received by the district, and any and all other formulas based upon average daily membership are not affected solely as a result of adopting this plan of instruction.

Subd. 2.Limitations.

Sections 124D.12 to 124D.127 may not be construed to authorize the commissioner to require the establishment of a flexible learning year program in any district in which the board has not voted to establish, maintain, and operate such a program.

124D.127 TERMINATION OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM.

The board of any district, with the approval of the commissioner of education, may terminate a flexible learning year program in one or more of the day or residential facilities for children with a disability within the district. This section shall not be construed to permit an exception to section 120A.22, 127A.41, subdivision 7, or 127A.43.

124D.128 LEARNING YEAR PROGRAM TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT YEAR.

Subdivision 1.Program established.

A learning year program provides instruction throughout the year on an extended year calendar, extended school day calendar, or both. A pupil may participate in the program and accelerate attainment of grade level requirements or graduation requirements. A learning year program may begin after the close of the regular school year in June. The program may be for students in one or more grade levels from kindergarten through grade 12.

Subd. 2.Commissioner designation.

(a) A state-approved alternative program designated by the state must be a site. A state-approved alternative program must provide services to students who meet the criteria in section 124D.68 and who are enrolled in:

(1) a district that is served by the state-approved alternative program; or

(2) a charter school located within the geographic boundaries of a district that is served by the state-approved alternative program.

(b) A school district or charter school may be approved biennially by the state to provide additional instructional programming that results in grade level acceleration. The program must be designed so that students make grade progress during the school year and graduate prior to the students' peers.

(c) To be designated, a district, charter school, or state-approved alternative program must demonstrate to the commissioner that it will:

(1) provide a program of instruction that permits pupils to receive instruction throughout the entire year; and

(2) develop and maintain a separate record system that, for purposes of section 126C.05, permits identification of membership attributable to pupils participating in the program. The record system and identification must ensure that the program will not have the effect of increasing the total average daily membership attributable to an individual pupil as a result of a learning year program. The record system must include the date the pupil originally enrolled in a learning year program, the pupil's grade level, the date of each grade promotion, the average daily membership generated in each grade level, the number of credits or standards earned, and the number needed to graduate.

(d) A student who has not completed a school district's graduation requirements may continue to enroll in courses the student must complete in order to graduate until the student satisfies the district's graduation requirements or the student is 21 years old, whichever comes first.

Subd. 3.Student planning.

A district, charter school, or state-approved alternative program must inform all pupils and their parents about the learning year program and that participation in the program is optional. A continual learning plan must be developed at least annually for each pupil with the participation of the pupil, parent or guardian, teachers, and other staff; each participant must sign and date the plan. The plan must specify the learning experiences that must occur during the entire fiscal year and are necessary for grade progression or, for secondary students, graduation. The plan must include:

(1) the pupil's learning objectives and experiences, including courses or credits the pupil plans to complete each year and, for a secondary pupil, the graduation requirements the student must complete;

(2) the assessment measurements used to evaluate a pupil's objectives;

(3) requirements for grade level or other appropriate progression; and

(4) for pupils generating more than one average daily membership in a given grade, an indication of which objectives were unmet.

The plan may be modified to conform to district schedule changes. The district may not modify the plan if the modification would result in delaying the student's time of graduation.

Subd. 4.

[Repealed, 2000 c 254 s 51]

Subd. 5.Contracts.

A district may contract with a licensed employee to provide services in a learning year program that are in addition to the services provided according to the master contract of employment for teachers or an equivalent contract for licensed employees who are not teachers. These additional services and compensation, if any, for the services must not become a part of the employee's continuing contract rights under section 122A.40 or 122A.41.

Subd. 6.Revenue computation and reporting.

Aid and levy revenue computations must be based on the total number of hours of education programs for pupils in average daily membership for each fiscal year. Average daily membership shall be computed under section 126C.05, subdivision 15. Hours of participation that occur after the close of the regular instructional year and before July 1 must be attributed to the following fiscal year. For revenue computation purposes, the learning year program shall generate revenue based on the formulas for the fiscal year in which the services are provided. The dates a participating pupil is promoted must be reported in a timely manner to the department.

Subd. 6a.Process to address audit findings.

(a) If, during an audit of a district's learning year program, the commissioner finds that the district is not meeting program requirements, the commissioner must notify the board of that district in writing. The notice must specify the findings in detail, describe the correction required, set a reasonable time during which the findings should be corrected, and advise that general education revenue to the district may be reduced. The commissioner may extend the time allowed for the correction.

(b) A board that receives a notice under paragraph (a) may decide by majority vote of the entire board to dispute that:

(1) the specified finding exists;

(2) the time allowed is reasonable; or

(3) the commissioner should reduce district general education revenue.

The board must give the commissioner written notice of the board's decision within 30 days of receipt of the audit report. After making any further investigations the commissioner deems necessary, the commissioner must decide whether or not to adhere to the commissioner's original notice and must notify the board of the commissioner's decision.

(c) The commissioner may reduce or withhold state general education revenues as the result of an audit. The commissioner may decide not to reduce or withhold state general education revenues if the district corrects the specified finding, or after receiving the district's notice disputing the finding, the commissioner decides the finding does not exist.

Subd. 7.

[Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 6 art 2 s 78]

124D.129 EDUCATE PARENTS PARTNERSHIP.

The commissioner may work in partnership with health care providers and community organizations to provide parent information to parents of newborns at the time of birth. The commissioner may coordinate the partnership and the distribution of informational material to the parents of newborns before they leave the hospital with early childhood organizations, including, but not limited to, early childhood family education, child care resource and referral, and interagency early intervention committees. The commissioner may develop a resource Web site that promotes, at a minimum, the department Web site for information and links to resources on child development, parent education, child care, and consumer safety information.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

124D.13 EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILY EDUCATION (ECFE) PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.Establishment; purpose.

A district that provides a community education program under sections 124D.18 and 124D.19 may establish an early childhood family education program. Two or more districts, each of which provides a community education program, may cooperate to jointly provide an early childhood family education program. The purpose of the early childhood family education program is to provide parenting education to support children's learning and development.

Subd. 2.Program requirements.

(a) Early childhood family education programs are programs for children in the period of life from birth to kindergarten, for the parents and other relatives of these children, and for expectant parents. To the extent that funds are insufficient to provide programs for all children, early childhood family education programs should emphasize programming for a child from birth to age three and encourage parents and other relatives to involve four- and five-year-old children in school readiness programs, and other public and nonpublic early learning programs. A district may not limit participation to school district residents. Early childhood family education programs must provide:

(1) programs to educate parents and other relatives about the physical, mental, and emotional development of children and to enhance the skills of parents and other relatives in providing for their children's learning and development;

(2) structured learning activities requiring interaction between children and their parents or relatives;

(3) structured learning activities for children that promote children's development and positive interaction with peers, which are held while parents or relatives attend parent education classes;

(4) information on related community resources;

(5) information, materials, and activities that support the safety of children, including prevention of child abuse and neglect; and

(6) a community outreach plan to ensure participation by families who reflect the racial, cultural, and economic diversity of the school district.

The programs must include learning experiences for children, parents, and other relatives that promote children's early literacy skills. The program must not include activities for children that do not require substantial involvement of the children's parents or other relatives. The program must be reviewed periodically to assure the instruction and materials are not racially, culturally, or sexually biased. The programs must encourage parents to be aware of practices that may affect equitable development of children.

(b) For the purposes of this section, "relative" or "relatives" means noncustodial grandparents or other persons related to a child by blood, marriage, adoption, or foster placement, excluding parents.

Subd. 3.Substantial parental involvement.

The requirement of substantial parental or other relative involvement in subdivision 2 means that:

(a) parents or other relatives must be physically present much of the time in classes with their children or be in concurrent classes;

(b) parenting education or family education must be an integral part of every early childhood family education program;

(c) early childhood family education appropriations must not be used for traditional day care or nursery school, or similar programs; and

(d) the form of parent involvement common to kindergarten, elementary school, or early childhood special education programs such as parent conferences, newsletters, and notes to parents do not qualify a program under subdivision 2.

Subd. 4.Home visiting program.

A district that levies for home visiting under section 124D.135, subdivision 6, shall use this revenue to include as part of the early childhood family education programs a parent education component that is designed to reach isolated or at-risk families.

The home visiting program must use:

(1) an established risk assessment tool to determine the family's level of risk;

(2) establish clear objectives and protocols for home visits;

(3) encourage families to make a transition from home visits to site-based parenting programs;

(4) provide program services that are community-based, accessible, and culturally relevant; and

(5) foster collaboration among existing agencies and community-based organizations that serve young children and their families.

Home visitors should reflect the demographic composition of the community to the extent possible.

Subd. 5.Separate accounts.

The district must maintain a separate account within the community education fund for money for early childhood family education programs.

Subd. 6.Participants' fees.

A district must establish a reasonable sliding fee scale but it shall waive the fee for a participant unable to pay.

Subd. 7.Additional funding.

A district may receive funds from any governmental agency or private source.

Subd. 8.Coordination.

(a) A district must describe strategies to coordinate and maximize public and private community resources and reduce duplication of services.

(b) A district is encouraged to coordinate adult basic education programs provided to parents and early childhood family education programs provided to children to accomplish the goals of section 124D.895.

Subd. 9.District advisory councils.

The board must appoint an advisory council from the area in which the program is provided. A majority of the council must be parents participating in the program. The council must assist the board in developing, planning, and monitoring the early childhood family education program. The council must report to the board and the community education advisory council.

Subd. 10.Alternative council.

A board may direct the community education council, required according to section 124D.19, subdivision 2, to perform the functions of the Advisory Council for Early Childhood Family Education.

Subd. 11.Teachers.

A school board must employ necessary licensed teachers for its early childhood family education programs. The Board of Teaching, at its discretion, may grant an applicant a variance under this subdivision, consistent with sections 122A.09, subdivision 10, and 122A.25, and Board of Teaching rules.

Subd. 12.Assistance.

The department must provide assistance to districts with programs described in this section. The department must establish guidelines that list barriers to learning and development affecting children served by early childhood family education programs.

Subd. 13. Program data submission requirements.

Districts receiving early childhood family education revenue under section 124D.135 must submit annual program data to the department by July 15 in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner.

124D.135 EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILY EDUCATION (ECFE) REVENUE.

Subdivision 1.Revenue.

The revenue for early childhood family education programs for a school district equals $112 for fiscal year 2007 and $120 for fiscal year 2008 and later, times the greater of:

(1) 150; or

(2) the number of people under five years of age residing in the district on October 1 of the previous school year.

Subd. 2.Population.

For the purposes of subdivision 1, data reported to the department may be used to determine the number of people under five years of age residing in the district. The commissioner, with the assistance of the state demographer, shall review the number reported by any district operating an early childhood family education program. If requested, the district shall submit to the commissioner an explanation of its methods and other information necessary to document accuracy. If the commissioner determines that the district has not provided sufficient documentation of accuracy, the commissioner may request the state demographer to prepare an estimate of the number of people under five years of age residing in the district and may use this estimate for the purposes of subdivision 1.

Subd. 3.Early childhood family education levy.

(a) By September 30 of each year, the commissioner shall establish a tax rate for early childhood family education revenue that raises $22,135,000 in each fiscal year. If the amount of the early childhood family education levy would exceed the early childhood family education revenue, the early childhood family education levy must equal the early childhood family education revenue. A district may not certify an early childhood family education levy unless it has met the annual program data reporting requirements under section 124D.13, subdivision 13.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for fiscal year 2009 only, the commissioner shall establish a tax rate for early education revenue that raises $13,565,000.

Subd. 4.Early childhood family education aid.

If a district complies with the provisions of section 124D.13, it must receive early childhood family education aid equal to the difference between the early childhood family education revenue and the early childhood family education levy. If the district does not levy the entire amount permitted, the early childhood family education aid must be reduced in proportion to the actual amount levied.

Subd. 5.Use of revenue restricted.

(a) Early childhood family education revenue may be used only for early childhood family education programs.

(b) Not more than five percent of early childhood family education revenue, as defined in subdivision 7, may be used to administer early childhood family education programs.

(c) An early childhood family education program may use up to ten percent of its early childhood family education revenue as defined in subdivision 1, including revenue from participant fees, for equipment that is used in the early childhood family education program. This revenue may only be used for the following purposes:

(1) to purchase or lease computers and related materials; and

(2) to purchase or lease equipment for instruction for participating children and their families.

If a district anticipates an unusual circumstance requiring its early childhood family education program capital expenditures to exceed the ten percent limitation, prior approval to exceed the limit must be obtained in writing from the commissioner.

Subd. 6.Home visiting levy.

A district that is eligible to levy for early childhood family education under subdivision 3 and that enters into a collaborative agreement to provide education services and social services to families with young children may levy an amount equal to $1.60 times the number of people under five years of age residing in the district on September 1 of the last school year. Levy revenue under this subdivision must not be included as revenue under subdivision 1. The revenue must be used for home visiting programs under section 124D.13, subdivision 4.

Subd. 7.Reserve account.

Early childhood family education revenue, which includes aids, levies, fees, grants, and all other revenues received by the district for early childhood family education programs, must be maintained in a reserve account within the community service fund.

Subd. 8.Reserve account limit.

(a) Under this section, the average balance, during the most recent three-year period in a district's early childhood family education reserve account on June 30 of each year, adjusted for any prior reductions under this subdivision, must not be greater than 25 percent of the sum of the district's maximum early childhood family education annual revenue under subdivision 1, excluding adjustments under this subdivision, plus any fees, grants, or other revenue received by the district for early childhood family education programs for the prior year.

(b) If a district's adjusted average early childhood family education reserve over the three-year period is in excess of the limit under paragraph (a), the district's early childhood family education state aid and levy authority for the current school year must be reduced by the lesser of the current year revenue under subdivision 1 or the excess reserve amount. The aid reduction equals the product of the lesser of the excess reserve amount or the current year revenue under subdivision 1 times the ratio of the district's aid for the current year under subdivision 4 to the district's revenue for the current year under subdivision 1. The levy reduction equals the excess reserve amount minus the aid reduction. For purposes of this paragraph, if a district does not levy the entire amount permitted under subdivision 3, the revenue under subdivision 1 must be reduced in proportion to the actual amount levied.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for fiscal year 2003, the excess reserve amount shall be computed using the balance in a district's early childhood family education reserve account on June 30, 2002. For fiscal year 2004, the excess reserve amount shall be computed using the adjusted average balance in a district's early childhood family education reserve account on June 30, 2002, and June 30, 2003.

Subd. 9.Waiver.

If a district anticipates that the reserve account may exceed the 25 percent limit established under subdivision 8 because of extenuating circumstances, prior approval to exceed the limit must be obtained in writing from the commissioner.

124D.14 [Repealed, 1999 c 205 art 1 s 73]

124D.141 STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE.

Subdivision 1.Membership; duties.

Two members of the house of representatives, one appointed by the speaker and one appointed by the minority leader; and two members of the senate appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on Rules and Administration, including one member of the minority; the commissioner of health or the commissioner's designee; and two parents with a child under age six, shall be added to the membership of the State Advisory Council on Early Education and Care. The council must fulfill the duties required under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 as provided in Public Law 110-134.

Subd. 2.Additional duties.

The following duties are added to those assigned to the council under federal law:

(1) make recommendations on the most efficient and effective way to leverage state and federal funding streams for early childhood and child care programs;

(2) make recommendations on how to coordinate or colocate early childhood and child care programs in one state Office of Early Learning. The council shall establish a task force to develop these recommendations. The task force shall include two nonexecutive branch or nonlegislative branch representatives from the council; six representatives from the early childhood caucus; two representatives each from the Departments of Education, Human Services, and Health; one representative each from a local public health agency, a local county human services agency, and a school district; and two representatives from the private nonprofit organizations that support early childhood programs in Minnesota. In developing recommendations in coordination with existing efforts of the council, the task force shall consider how to:

(i) consolidate and coordinate resources and public funding streams for early childhood education and child care, and ensure the accountability and coordinated development of all early childhood education and child care services to children from birth to kindergarten entrance;

(ii) create a seamless transition from early childhood programs to kindergarten;

(iii) encourage family choice by ensuring a mixed system of high-quality public and private programs, with local points of entry, staffed by well-qualified professionals;

(iv) ensure parents a decisive role in the planning, operation, and evaluation of programs that aid families in the care of children;

(v) provide consumer education and accessibility to early childhood education and child care resources;

(vi) advance the quality of early childhood education and child care programs in order to support the healthy development of children and preparation for their success in school;

(vii) develop a seamless service delivery system with local points of entry for early childhood education and child care programs administered by local, state, and federal agencies;

(viii) ensure effective collaboration between state and local child welfare programs and early childhood mental health programs and the Office of Early Learning;

(ix) develop and manage an effective data collection system to support the necessary functions of a coordinated system of early childhood education and child care in order to enable accurate evaluation of its impact;

(x) respect and be sensitive to family values and cultural heritage; and

(xi) establish the administrative framework for and promote the development of early childhood education and child care services in order to provide that these services, staffed by well-qualified professionals, are available in every community for all families that express a need for them.

In addition, the task force must consider the following responsibilities for transfer to the Office of Early Learning:

(A) responsibilities of the commissioner of education for early childhood education programs and financing under sections 119A.50 to 119A.535, 121A.16 to 121A.19, and 124D.129 to 124D.2211;

(B) responsibilities of the commissioner of human services for child care assistance, child care development, and early childhood learning and child protection facilities programs and financing under chapter 119B and section 256E.37; and

(C) responsibilities of the commissioner of health for family home visiting programs and financing under section 145A.17.

Any costs incurred by the council in making these recommendations must be paid from private funds. If no private funds are received, the council must not proceed in making these recommendations. The council must report its recommendations to the governor and the legislature by January 15, 2011;

(3) review program evaluations regarding high-quality early childhood programs;

(4) make recommendations to the governor and legislature, including proposed legislation on how to most effectively create a high-quality early childhood system in Minnesota in order to improve the educational outcomes of children so that all children are school-ready by 2020;

(5) make recommendations to the governor and the legislature by March 1, 2011, on the creation and implementation of a statewide school readiness report card to monitor progress toward the goal of having all children ready for kindergarten by the year 2020. The recommendations shall include what should be measured including both children and system indicators, what benchmarks should be established to measure state progress toward the goal, and how frequently the report card should be published. In making their recommendations, the council shall consider the indicators and strategies for Minnesota's early childhood system report, the Minnesota school readiness study, developmental assessment at kindergarten entrance, and the work of the council's accountability committee. Any costs incurred by the council in making these recommendations must be paid from private funds. If no private funds are received, the council must not proceed in making these recommendations; and

(6) make recommendations to the governor and the legislature on how to screen earlier and comprehensively assess children for school readiness in order to provide increased early interventions and increase the number of children ready for kindergarten. In formulating their recommendations, the council shall consider (i) ways to interface with parents of children who are not participating in early childhood education or care programs, (ii) ways to interface with family child care providers, child care centers, and school-based early childhood and Head Start programs, (iii) if there are age-appropriate and culturally sensitive screening and assessment tools for three-, four-, and five-year-olds, (iv) the role of the medical community in screening, (v) incentives for parents to have children screened at an earlier age, (vi) incentives for early education and care providers to comprehensively assess children in order to improve instructional practice, (vii) how to phase in increases in screening and assessment over time, (viii) how the screening and assessment data will be collected and used and who will have access to the data, (ix) how to monitor progress toward the goal of having 50 percent of three-year-old children screened and 50 percent of entering kindergarteners assessed for school readiness by 2015 and 100 percent of three-year-old children screened and entering kindergarteners assessed for school readiness by 2020, and (x) costs to meet these benchmarks. The council shall consider the screening instruments and comprehensive assessment tools used in Minnesota early childhood education and care programs and kindergarten. The council may survey early childhood education and care programs in the state to determine the screening and assessment tools being used or rely on previously collected survey data, if available. For purposes of this subdivision, "school readiness" is defined as the child's skills, knowledge, and behaviors at kindergarten entrance in these areas of child development: social; self-regulation; cognitive, including language, literacy, and mathematical thinking; and physical. For purposes of this subdivision, "screening" is defined as the activities used to identify a child who may need further evaluation to determine delay in development or disability. For purposes of this subdivision, "assessment" is defined as the activities used to determine a child's level of performance in order to promote the child's learning and development. Work on this duty will begin in fiscal year 2012. Any costs incurred by the council in making these recommendations must be paid from private funds. If no private funds are received, the council must not proceed in making these recommendations. The council must report its recommendations to the governor and legislature by January 15, 2013, with an interim report on February 15, 2011.

Subd. 3.Administration.

An amount up to $12,500 from federal child care and development fund administrative funds and up to $12,500 from prekindergarten exploratory project funds appropriated under Laws 2007, chapter 147, article 19, section 3, may be used to reimburse the parents on the council and for technical assistance and administrative support of the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care. This funding stream is for fiscal year 2009. The council may pursue additional funds from state, federal, and private sources. If additional operational funds are received, the council must reduce the amount of prekindergarten exploratory project funds used in an equal amount.

124D.142 QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM.

(a) There is established a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) framework to ensure that Minnesota's children have access to high-quality early learning and care programs in a range of settings so that they are fully ready for kindergarten by 2020. Creation of a standards-based voluntary quality rating and improvement system includes:

(1) quality opportunities in order to improve the educational outcomes of children so that they are ready for school. The framework shall be based on the Minnesota quality rating system rating tool and a common set of child outcome and program standards and informed by evaluation results;

(2) a tool to increase the number of publicly funded and regulated early learning and care services in both public and private market programs that are high quality. If a program or provider chooses to participate, the program or provider will be rated and may receive public funding associated with the rating. The state shall develop a plan to link future early learning and care state funding to the framework in a manner that complies with federal requirements; and

(3) tracking progress toward statewide access to high-quality early learning and care programs, progress toward the number of low-income children whose parents can access quality programs, and progress toward increasing the number of children who are fully prepared to enter kindergarten.

(b) In planning a statewide quality rating and improvement system framework in paragraph (a), the state shall use evaluation results of the Minnesota quality rating system rating tool in use in fiscal year 2008 to recommend:

(1) a framework of a common set of child outcome and program standards for a voluntary statewide quality rating and improvement system;

(2) a plan to link future funding to the framework described in paragraph (a), clause (2); and

(3) a plan for how the state will realign existing state and federal administrative resources to implement the voluntary quality rating and improvement system framework. The state shall provide the recommendation in this paragraph to the early childhood education finance committees of the legislature by March 15, 2011.

(c) Prior to the creation of a statewide quality rating and improvement system in paragraph (a), the state shall employ the Minnesota quality rating system rating tool in use in fiscal year 2008 in the original Minnesota Early Learning Foundation pilot areas and additional pilot areas supported by private or public funds with its modification as a result of the evaluation results of the pilot project.

124D.15 SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.Establishment; purpose.

A district or a group of districts may establish a school readiness program for children age three to kindergarten entrance. The purpose of a school readiness program is to prepare children to enter kindergarten.

Subd. 2.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]

Subd. 3.Program requirements.

A school readiness program provider must:

(1) assess each child's cognitive skills with a comprehensive child assessment instrument when the child enters and again before the child leaves the program to inform program planning and parents and promote kindergarten readiness;

(2) provide comprehensive program content and intentional instructional practice aligned with the state early childhood learning guidelines and kindergarten standards and based on early childhood research and professional practice that is focused on children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills and development and prepares children for the transition to kindergarten, including early literacy skills;

(3) coordinate appropriate kindergarten transition with parents and kindergarten teachers;

(4) involve parents in program planning and decision making;

(5) coordinate with relevant community-based services;

(6) cooperate with adult basic education programs and other adult literacy programs;

(7) ensure staff-child ratios of one-to-ten and maximum group size of 20 children with the first staff required to be a teacher; and

(8) have teachers knowledgeable in early childhood curriculum content, assessment, and instruction.

Subd. 3a.Application and reporting requirements.

(a) A school readiness program provider must submit a biennial plan for approval by the commissioner before receiving aid under section 124D.16. The plan must describe how the program meets the program requirements under subdivision 3. A school district by April 1 must submit the plan for approval by the commissioner in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. One-half the districts must first submit the plan by April 1, 2006, and one-half the districts must first submit the plan by April 1, 2007, as determined by the commissioner.

(b) Programs receiving school readiness funds annually must submit a report to the department.

Subd. 4.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]

Subd. 5.Services with new or existing providers.

A district may contract with a charter school or community-based organization to provide eligible children developmentally appropriate services that meet the program requirements in subdivision 3. In the alternative, a district may pay tuition or fees to place an eligible child in an existing program. A district may establish a new program where no existing, reasonably accessible program meets the program requirements in subdivision 3. Districts must submit a copy of each contract to the commissioner with the biennial plan. Services may be provided in a site-based program or in the home of the child or a combination of both. The district may not restrict participation to district residents.

Subd. 6.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]

Subd. 7.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]

Subd. 8.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]

Subd. 9.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]

Subd. 10.Supervision.

A program provided by a board must be supervised by a licensed early childhood teacher, a certified early childhood educator, or a licensed parent educator.

Subd. 11.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]

Subd. 12.Program fees.

A district must adopt a sliding fee schedule based on a family's income but must waive a fee for a participant unable to pay. School districts must use school readiness aid for eligible children. Children who do not meet the eligibility requirements in subdivision 15 may participate on a fee-for-service basis.

Subd. 13.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]

Subd. 14.Assistance.

The department must assist districts, upon request, with programs under this section.

Subd. 15.Eligibility.

A child is eligible to participate in a school readiness program if the child:

(1) is at least three years old on September 1;

(2) has completed health and developmental screening within 90 days of program enrollment under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19; and

(3) has one or more of the following risk factors:

(i) qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch;

(ii) is an English language learning child;

(iii) is homeless;

(iv) has an individualized education program (IEP) or an individual interagency intervention plan (IIIP);

(v) is identified, through health and developmental screenings under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, with a potential risk factor that may influence learning; or

(vi) is defined as at-risk by the school district.

124D.16 SCHOOL READINESS AID.

Subdivision 1.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]

Subd. 2.Amount of aid.

(a) A district is eligible to receive school readiness aid for eligible prekindergarten pupils enrolled in a school readiness program under section 124D.15 if the biennial plan required by section 124D.15, subdivision 3a, has been approved by the commissioner.

(b) For fiscal year 2002 and thereafter, a district must receive school readiness aid equal to:

(1) the number of four-year-old children in the district on October 1 for the previous school year times the ratio of 50 percent of the total school readiness aid for that year to the total number of four-year-old children reported to the commissioner for the previous school year; plus

(2) the number of pupils enrolled in the school district from families eligible for the free or reduced school lunch program for the previous school year times the ratio of 50 percent of the total school readiness aid for that year to the total number of pupils in the state from families eligible for the free or reduced school lunch program for the previous school year.

Subd. 3.Use of aid.

School readiness aid shall be used only to provide a school readiness program and may be used to provide transportation. Not more than five percent of program revenue, as defined in subdivision 5, may be used for the cost of administering the program. Aid must be used to supplement and not supplant local, state, and federal funding. Aid may not be used for instruction and services required under sections 125A.03 to 125A.24 and 125A.65. Aid may not be used to purchase land or construct buildings, but may be used to lease or renovate existing buildings.

Subd. 4.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]

Subd. 5.Reserve account.

School readiness revenue, which includes aids, fees, grants, and all other revenues received by the district school readiness programs, must be maintained in a reserve account within the community service fund.

Subd. 6.Reserve account limit.

(a) Under this section, the average balance, during the most recent three-year period, in a district's school readiness reserve account on June 30 of each year, adjusted for any prior reductions under this subdivision, must not be greater than 25 percent of the district's school readiness annual revenue for the prior year, excluding adjustments under this subdivision.

(b) If a district's adjusted average school readiness reserve over the three-year period is in excess of the limit under paragraph (a), the district's current year school readiness state aid must be reduced by the lesser of the excess reserve amount or the current year aid.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for fiscal year 2003, the excess reserve amount shall be computed using the balance in a district's school readiness reserve account on June 30, 2002. For fiscal year 2004, the excess reserve amount shall be computed using the adjusted average balance in a district's school readiness reserve account on June 30, 2002, and June 30, 2003.

Subd. 7.Waiver.

If a district anticipates that the reserve account may exceed the 25 percent limit established under subdivision 6 because of extenuating circumstances, prior approval to exceed the limit must be obtained in writing from the commissioner.

124D.162 KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT.

The commissioner of education may implement a kindergarten readiness assessment representative of incoming kindergartners. The assessment must be based on the Department of Education Kindergarten Readiness Assessment at kindergarten entrance study.

124D.17 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 7 s 12]
124D.175 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 9 s 19]

124D.18 PURPOSE OF COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

The purpose of sections 124D.18 and 124D.19 is to make maximum use of the public schools of Minnesota by the community and to expand utilization by the school of the human resources of the community, by establishing a community education program.

124D.19 COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS; ADVISORY COUNCIL.

Subdivision 1.Authorization.

Each school board may initiate a community education program in its district and provide for the general supervision of the program. Each board may, as it considers appropriate, employ community education staff to further the purposes of the community education program.

Subd. 2.Advisory council.

Each board must provide for an advisory council to consist of members who represent: various service organizations; churches; public and nonpublic schools; local government including elected officials; public and private nonprofit agencies serving youth and families; parents; youth; park, recreation or forestry services of municipal or local government units located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the school district; and any other groups participating in the community education program in the school district.

Subd. 3.Community education director.

(a) Except as provided under paragraphs (b) and (c), each board shall employ a licensed community education director. The board shall submit the name of the person who is serving as director of community education under this section on the district's annual community education report to the commissioner.

(b) A board may apply to the Minnesota Board of School Administrators under Minnesota Rules, part 3512.3500, subpart 9, for authority to use an individual who is not licensed as a community education director.

(c) A board of a district with a total population of 2,000 or less may identify an employee who holds a valid Minnesota principal or superintendent license under Minnesota Rules, chapter 3512, to serve as director of community education. To be eligible for an exception under this paragraph, the board shall certify in writing to the commissioner that the district has not placed a licensed director of community education on unrequested leave.

Subd. 4.Cooperation.

The council must function in cooperation with the community education director in an advisory capacity in the interest of promoting the goals and objectives of sections 124D.18 and 124D.19.

Subd. 5.Policy to avoid program duplication.

Each council must adopt a policy to reduce and eliminate program duplication within the district.

Subd. 6.Summer programs.

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, during the summer a school district may offer community education programs to elementary and secondary pupils. The district may use community education revenue received pursuant to section 124D.20 and charge fees for the cost of the programs.

Subd. 7.Programs for adults with disabilities.

A board may offer, as part of a community education program, a program for adults with disabilities. Boards are encouraged to offer programs cooperatively with other districts and organizations. Programs may not be limited to district residents. Programs may include:

(1) services enabling the adults to participate in community activities or community education classes;

(2) classes specifically for adults with disabilities;

(3) outreach activities to identify adults needing service;

(4) activities to increase public awareness of the roles of people with disabilities;

(5) activities to enhance the role of people with disabilities in the community; and

(6) other direct and indirect services and activities benefiting adults with disabilities.

Subd. 8.Program approval.

To be eligible for revenue for the program for adults with disabilities, a program and budget must receive approval from the community education section in the department. Approval may be for five years. During that time, a board must report any significant changes to the department for approval. For programs offered cooperatively, the request for approval must include an agreement on the method by which local money is to be derived and distributed. A request for approval must include all of the following:

(1) characteristics of the people to be served;

(2) description of the program services and activities;

(3) program budget and amount of aid requested;

(4) participation by adults with disabilities in developing the program;

(5) assessment of the needs of adults with disabilities; and

(6) cooperative efforts with community organizations.

Subd. 9.Youth development plans.

A district advisory council may prepare a youth development plan. The council is encouraged to use the state guidelines when developing the local plan. The school board may approve the youth development plan.

Subd. 10.Youth service programs.

(a) A school board may offer, as part of a community education program with a youth development program, a youth service program that provides young people with meaningful opportunities to become involved in their community, develop individual capabilities, make career connections, seek support networks and services, become active citizens, and address community needs through youth service. The board may award up to one credit, or the equivalent, toward graduation for a pupil who completes the youth service requirements of the district. The community education advisory council, after considering the results of the commissioner's study under section 124D.50, subdivision 1, must design the program in cooperation with the district planning, evaluating and reporting committee and local organizations that train volunteers or need volunteers' services.

(b) Programs must include:

(1) preliminary training for pupil volunteers conducted, when possible, by organizations experienced in such training;

(2) supervision of the pupil volunteers to ensure appropriate placement and adequate learning opportunity;

(3) sufficient opportunity, in a positive setting for human development, for pupil volunteers to develop general skills in preparation for employment, to enhance self-esteem and self-worth, and to give genuine service to their community;

(4) integration of academic learning with the service experience; and

(5) integration of youth community service with elementary and secondary curriculum.

(c) Youth service projects include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) human services for the elderly, including home care and related services;

(2) tutoring and mentoring;

(3) training for and providing emergency services;

(4) services at extended day programs;

(5) environmental services; and

(6) service-learning programs in which schools, including postsecondary schools, and employers work together with young people to provide them with meaningful opportunities for community service and with the academic and technical skills that employers require.

(d) A youth service project must have a community sponsor that may be a governmental unit or nonprofit organization. To assure that pupils provide additional services, each sponsor must assure that pupil services do not displace employees or reduce the workload of any employee.

(e) The commissioner shall assist districts in planning youth service programs, implementing programs, and developing recommendations for obtaining community sponsors.

Subd. 11.School-age care programs.

(a) A school board may offer, as part of a community education program, a school-age care program for children from kindergarten through grade 6 for the purpose of expanding students' learning opportunities. If the school board chooses not to offer a school-age care program, it may allow an appropriate insured community group, for profit entity or nonprofit organization to use available school facilities for the purpose of offering a school-age care program.

(b) A school-age care program must include the following:

(1) adult supervised programs while school is not in session;

(2) parental involvement in program design and direction;

(3) partnerships with the kindergarten through grade 12 system, and other public, private, or nonprofit entities;

(4) opportunities for trained secondary school pupils to work with younger children in a supervised setting as part of a community service program; and

(5) access to available school facilities, including the gymnasium, sports equipment, computer labs, and media centers, when not otherwise in use as part of the operation of the school. The school district may establish reasonable rules relating to access to these facilities and may require that:

(i) the organization request access to the facilities and prepare and maintain a schedule of proposed use;

(ii) the organization provide evidence of adequate insurance to cover the activities to be conducted in the facilities; and

(iii) the organization prepare and maintain a plan demonstrating the adequacy and training of staff to supervise the use of the facilities.

(c) The district may charge a sliding fee based upon family income for school-age care programs. The district may receive money from other public or private sources for the school-age care program. The board of the district must develop standards for school-age child care programs. The commissioner of education may not adopt rules for school-age care programs.

(d) The district shall maintain a separate account within the community services fund for all funds related to the school-age care program.

(e) A district is encouraged to coordinate the school-age care program with its special education, vocational education, adult basic education, early childhood family education programs, kindergarten through grade 12 instruction and curriculum services, youth development and youth service agencies, and with related services provided by other governmental agencies and nonprofit agencies.

Subd. 12.Youth after-school enrichment programs.

Each district operating a community education program under this section may establish a youth after-school enrichment program to maintain and expand participation by school-age youth in supervised activities during nonschool hours. The youth after-school enrichment programs must include activities that support development of social, mental, physical, and creative abilities of school-age youth; provide structured youth programs during high-risk times; and design programming to promote youth leadership development and improved academic performance.

Subd. 13.Youth after-school enrichment program goals.

The goals of youth after-school enrichment programs are to:

(1) collaborate with and leverage existing community resources that have demonstrated effectiveness;

(2) reach out to children and youth, including at-risk youth, in the community;

(3) increase the number of children participating in adult-supervised programs during nonschool hours;

(4) support academic achievement; and

(5) increase skills in technology, the arts, sports, and other activities.

Subd. 14.Community education; annual report.

Each district offering a community education program under this section must annually report to the department information regarding each community education program, including youth after-school enrichment programs, that receives aid or levy.

124D.20 COMMUNITY EDUCATION REVENUE.

Subdivision 1.Total community education revenue.

Total community education revenue equals the sum of a district's general community education revenue, youth service program revenue, and youth after-school enrichment revenue.

Subd. 2.Eligibility.

To be eligible for community education revenue, a district must operate a community education program that complies with section 124D.19.

Subd. 3.General community education revenue.

The general community education revenue for a district equals $5.23 for fiscal years 2005 and 2006 and $5.42 for fiscal year 2007 and later, times the greater of 1,335 or the population of the district. The population of the district is determined according to section 275.14.

Subd. 4.Youth service revenue.

Youth service program revenue is available to a district that has implemented a youth development plan and a youth service program. Youth service revenue equals $1 times the greater of 1,335 or the population of the district.

Subd. 4a.Youth after-school enrichment revenue.

In fiscal year 2003 and thereafter, youth after-school enrichment revenue for a district operating a youth after-school enrichment program under section 124D.19, subdivision 12, equals:

(1) $1.85 times the greater of 1,335 or the population of the district, as defined in section 275.14, not to exceed 10,000; and

(2) $0.43 times the population of the district, as defined in section 275.14, in excess of 10,000. Youth after-school enrichment revenue must be reserved for youth after-school enrichment programs.

Subd. 5.Total community education levy.

To obtain total community education revenue, a district may levy the amount raised by a maximum tax rate of .9 percent times the adjusted net tax capacity of the district. If the amount of the total community education levy would exceed the total community education revenue, the total community education levy shall be determined according to subdivision 6.

Subd. 6.Community education levy; districts off the formula.

If the amount of the community education levy for a district exceeds the district's community education revenue, the amount of the community education levy is limited to the district's community education revenue according to subdivision 1.

Subd. 7.Community education aid.

A district's community education aid is the difference between its community education revenue and the community education levy. If the district does not levy the entire amount permitted, the community education aid must be reduced in proportion to the actual amount levied.

Subd. 8.Uses of general revenue.

(a) General community education revenue may be used for:

(1) nonvocational, recreational, and leisure time activities and programs;

(2) programs for adults with disabilities, if the programs and budgets are approved by the department;

(3) adult basic education programs, according to section 124D.52;

(4) summer programs for elementary and secondary pupils;

(5) implementation of a youth development plan;

(6) implementation of a youth service program;

(7) early childhood family education programs, according to section 124D.13;

(8) school readiness programs, according to section 124D.15; and

(9) extended day programs, according to section 124D.19, subdivision 11.

(b) In addition to money from other sources, a district may use up to ten percent of its community education revenue for equipment that is used exclusively in community education programs. This revenue may be used only for the following purposes:

(1) to purchase or lease computers and related materials;

(2) to purchase or lease equipment for instructional programs; and

(3) to purchase textbooks and library books.

(c) General community education revenue must not be used to subsidize the direct activity costs for adult enrichment programs. Direct activity costs include, but are not limited to, the cost of the activity leader or instructor, cost of materials, or transportation costs.

Subd. 9.Use of youth service revenue.

Youth service revenue may be used to implement a youth development plan approved by the school board and to provide a youth service program according to section 124D.19, subdivision 10.

Subd. 10.Reserve account.

Community education revenue, which includes aids, levies, fees, grants, and all other revenues received by the school district for community education programs, must be maintained in a reserve account within the community service fund.

Subd. 11.Reserve account limit.

(a) Under this section, the sum of the average balances during the most recent three-year period in a district's community education reserve account and unreserved/undesignated community service fund account on June 30 of each year, adjusted for any prior reductions under this subdivision, must not be greater than 25 percent of the sum of the district's maximum total community education revenue under subdivision 1, excluding adjustments under this subdivision, plus any fees, grants, or other revenue received by the district for community education programs for the prior year. For purposes of this paragraph, "community education programs" means programs according to subdivisions 8, paragraph (a), and 9, and section 124D.19, subdivision 12, excluding early childhood family education programs under section 124D.13, school readiness programs under section 124D.15, and adult basic education programs under section 124D.52.

(b) If the sum of the average balances during the most recent three-year period in a district's community education reserve account and unreserved/undesignated community service fund account on June 30 of each year, adjusted for any prior reductions under this subdivision, is in excess of the limit under paragraph (a), the district's community education state aid and levy authority for the current school year must be reduced by the lesser of the current year revenue under subdivision 1 or the excess reserve amount. The aid reduction equals the product of the lesser of the excess reserve amount or the current year revenue under subdivision 1 times the ratio of the district's aid for the current year under subdivision 7 to the district's revenue for the current year under subdivision 1. The levy reduction equals the excess reserve amount minus the aid reduction. For purposes of this paragraph, if a district does not levy the entire amount permitted under subdivision 5 or 6, the revenue under subdivision 1 must be reduced in proportion to the actual amount levied.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for fiscal year 2003, the excess reserve amount shall be computed using the balances in a district's community education reserve account and unreserved/undesignated community service fund account on June 30, 2002. For fiscal year 2004, the excess reserve amount shall be computed using the adjusted average balances in a district's community education reserve account and unreserved/undesignated community service fund account on June 30, 2002, and June 30, 2003.

Subd. 12.Waiver.

(a) If a district anticipates that the reserve account may exceed the 25 percent limit established under subdivision 11 because of extenuating circumstances, prior approval to exceed the limit must be obtained in writing from the commissioner.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for fiscal year 2003, a district may submit a waiver request within 30 days of May 30, 2003.

124D.21 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 8 s 8]

124D.22 SCHOOL-AGE CARE REVENUE.

Subdivision 1.Eligibility.

A district that offers a school-age care program according to section 124D.19, subdivision 11, is eligible for school-age care revenue for the additional costs of providing services to children with disabilities or to children experiencing family or related problems of a temporary nature who participate in the school-age care program.

Subd. 2.School-age care revenue.

The school-age care revenue for an eligible district equals the approved additional cost of providing services to children with disabilities or children experiencing family or related problems of a temporary nature who participate in the school-age care program.

Subd. 3.School-age care levy.

To obtain school-age care revenue, a school district may levy an amount equal to the district's school-age care revenue as defined in subdivision 2 multiplied by the lesser of one, or the ratio of the quotient derived by dividing the adjusted net tax capacity of the district for the year before the year the levy is certified by the resident pupil units in the district for the school year to which the levy is attributable, to $2,433.

Subd. 4.School-age care aid.

A district's school-age care aid is the difference between its school-age care revenue and its school-age care levy. If a district does not levy the entire amount permitted, school-age care aid must be reduced in proportion to the actual amount levied.

124D.221 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 8 s 8]

124D.2211 AFTER-SCHOOL COMMUNITY LEARNING PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

A competitive statewide after-school community learning grant program is established to provide grants to community or nonprofit organizations, political subdivisions, for-profit or nonprofit child care centers, or school-based programs that serve youth after school or during nonschool hours. The commissioner shall develop criteria for after-school community learning programs.

Subd. 2.Program outcomes.

The expected outcomes of the after-school community learning programs are to increase:

(1) school connectedness of participants;

(2) academic achievement of participating students in one or more core academic areas;

(3) the capacity of participants to become productive adults; and

(4) prevent truancy from school and prevent juvenile crime.

Subd. 3.Grants.

An applicant shall submit an after-school community learning program proposal to the commissioner. The submitted plan must include:

(1) collaboration with and leverage of existing community resources that have demonstrated effectiveness;

(2) outreach to children and youth; and

(3) involvement of local governments, including park and recreation boards or schools, unless no government agency is appropriate.

Proposals will be reviewed and approved by the commissioner.

124D.23 FAMILY SERVICES AND COMMUNITY-BASED COLLABORATIVES.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

(a) In order to qualify as a family services collaborative, a minimum of one school district, one county, one public health entity, one community action agency as defined in section 256E.31, and one Head Start grantee if the community action agency is not the designated federal grantee for the Head Start program must agree in writing to provide coordinated family services and commit resources to an integrated fund. Collaboratives are expected to have broad community representation, which may include other local providers, including additional school districts, counties, and public health entities, other municipalities, public libraries, existing culturally specific community organizations, tribal entities, local health organizations, private and nonprofit service providers, child care providers, local foundations, community-based service groups, businesses, local transit authorities or other transportation providers, community action agencies under section 256E.31, senior citizen volunteer organizations, parent organizations, parents, and sectarian organizations that provide nonsectarian services.

(b) Members of the governing bodies of political subdivisions involved in the establishment of a family services collaborative shall select representatives of the nongovernmental entities listed in paragraph (a) to serve on the governing board of a collaborative. The governing body members of the political subdivisions shall select one or more representatives of the nongovernmental entities within the family service collaborative.

(c) Two or more family services collaboratives or children's mental health collaboratives may consolidate decision-making, pool resources, and collectively act on behalf of the individual collaboratives, based on a written agreement among the participating collaboratives.

Subd. 2.Duties.

(a) Each collaborative must:

(1) establish, with assistance from families and service providers, clear goals for addressing the health, developmental, educational, and family-related needs of children and youth and use outcome-based indicators to measure progress toward achieving those goals;

(2) establish a comprehensive planning process that involves all sectors of the community, identifies local needs, and surveys existing local programs;

(3) integrate service funding sources so that children and their families obtain services from providers best able to anticipate and meet their needs;

(4) coordinate families' services to avoid duplicative and overlapping assessment and intake procedures;

(5) focus primarily on family-centered services;

(6) encourage parents and volunteers to actively participate by using flexible scheduling and actively recruiting volunteers;

(7) provide services in locations that are readily accessible to children and families;

(8) use new or reallocated funds to improve or enhance services provided to children and their families;

(9) identify federal, state, and local institutional barriers to coordinating services and suggest ways to remove these barriers; and

(10) design and implement an integrated local service delivery system for children and their families that coordinates services across agencies and is client centered. The delivery system shall provide a continuum of services for children birth to age 18, or birth through age 21 for individuals with disabilities. The collaborative shall describe the community plan for serving pregnant women and children from birth to age six.

(b) The outcome-based indicators developed in paragraph (a), clause (1), may include the number of low birth weight babies, the infant mortality rate, the number of children who are adequately immunized and healthy, require out-of-home placement or long-term special education services, and the number of minor parents.

Subd. 3.Duties of certain coordinating bodies.

By mutual agreement of the collaborative and a coordinating body listed in this subdivision, a family services collaborative may assume the duties of a community transition interagency committee established under section 125A.22; an interagency early intervention committee established under section 125A.30; a local advisory council established under section 245.4875, subdivision 5; or a local coordinating council established under section 245.4875, subdivision 6.

Subd. 4.Integrated local service delivery system.

A collaborative must design an integrated local service delivery system that coordinates funding streams and the delivery of services between existing agencies. The integrated local service delivery system may:

(1) improve outreach and early identification of children and families in need of services and intervene across service systems on behalf of families;

(2) offer an inclusive service system that supports all families within a community;

(3) coordinate services that eliminate the need to match funding streams, provider eligibilities, or clients with multiple providers;

(4) improve access to services by coordinating transportation services;

(5) provide initial outreach to all new mothers and periodic family visits to children who are potentially at risk;

(6) coordinate assessment across systems to determine which children and families need coordinated multiagency services and supplemental services;

(7) include multiagency service plans and coordinate unitary case management; and

(8) integrate funding of services.

Subd. 5.Information sharing.

(a) The school district, county, and public health entity members of a family services collaborative may inform each other as to whether an individual or family is being served by the member, without the consent of the subject of the data. If further information sharing is necessary in order for the collaborative to carry out duties under subdivision 2 or 3, the collaborative may share data if the individual, as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 8, gives written informed consent. Data on individuals shared under this subdivision retain the original classification as defined under section 13.02, as to each member of the collaborative with whom the data is shared.

(b) If a federal law or regulation impedes information sharing that is necessary in order for a collaborative to carry out duties under subdivision 2 or 3, the appropriate state agencies shall seek a waiver or exemption from the applicable law or regulation.

Subd. 6.Integrated fund.

(a) A collaborative must establish an integrated fund to help provide an integrated service system and fund additional supplemental services. The integrated fund may consist of federal, state, local, or private resources. The collaborative agreement must specify a minimum financial commitment by the contributors to an integrated fund. Contributors may not reduce their financial commitment except as specified in the agreement or by federal declaration.

(b) A collaborative must seek to maximize federal and private funds by designating local expenditures for services that can be matched with federal or private grant funds and by designing services to meet the requirements for state or federal reimbursement.

(c) Collaboratives may seek to maximize federal reimbursement of funds under section 256F.10.

Subd. 7.Local plans.

The collaborative plan must describe how the collaborative will carry out the duties and implement the integrated local services delivery system required under this section. The plan must include a list of the collaborative participants, a copy of the agreement required under subdivision 1, the amount and source of resources each participant will contribute to the integrated fund, and methods for increasing local participation in the collaborative, involving parents and other community members in implementing and operating the collaborative, and providing effective outreach services to all families with young children in the community. The plan must also include specific goals that the collaborative intends to achieve and methods for objectively measuring progress toward meeting the goals.

Subd. 8.Plan approval by Children's Cabinet.

(a) The Children's Cabinet must approve local plans for collaboratives. In approving local plans, the Children's Cabinet must give highest priority to a plan that provides:

(1) early intervention and family outreach services;

(2) parenting time services;

(3) a continuum of services for children from birth to age 18;

(4) family preservation services;

(5) culturally sensitive approaches for delivering services and utilizing culturally specific organizations;

(6) clearly defined outcomes and valid methods of assessment;

(7) effective service coordination;

(8) participation by the maximum number of jurisdictions and local, county, and state funding sources;

(9) integrated community service providers and local resources;

(10) integrated transportation services;

(11) integrated housing services; and

(12) coordinated services that include a children's mental health collaborative authorized by law.

(b) The Children's Cabinet must ensure that the collaboratives established under this section do not conflict with any state or federal policy or program and do not negatively impact the state budget.

Subd. 9.Receipt of funds.

The Office of Strategic and Long-Range Planning may receive and administer public and private funds for the purposes of Laws 1993, chapter 224.

Subd. 10.Liability insurance.

The commissioner of education may designate one collaborative to act as a lead collaborative for purposes of obtaining liability coverage for participating collaboratives.

124D.24 CITATION; MINNESOTA FAMILY CONNECTIONS ACT.

Sections 124D.25 to 124D.29 may be cited as the "Minnesota Family Connections Act."

124D.25 PURPOSE OF FAMILY CONNECTIONS ACT.

The legislature recognizes the unique and lifelong learning and development process of all human beings. The legislature is committed to the goal of maximizing the individual growth potential of all learners. The purposes of the Family Connections Act are:

(1) to offer family connections programs which emphasize learning and development based on learner outcomes;

(2) to recognize and utilize the unique skills that teachers, students, family, and the community have in both the teaching process and the learning and development process; and

(3) to provide an opportunity for maximum use of teachers, principals, and counselors.

124D.26 IMPROVED LEARNING PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Authorization.

A district or group of districts may establish an improved learning program.

Subd. 2.Rules and rights.

The commissioner of education may waive district compliance with its rules which would prevent implementation of an improved learning program. Participation in an improved learning program as a principal-teacher, counselor-teacher, or career teacher must not affect seniority in the district or rights under the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Subd. 3.Additional funding.

A district providing an improved learning program may receive funds for the program from private sources and governmental agencies, including state or federal funds.

124D.27 ADVISORY COUNCIL.

The board of a district providing a family connections program must appoint an advisory council. Council members must be selected from the school attendance area in which programs are provided. Members of the council may include students, teachers, principals, administrators and community members. A majority of the members must be parents with children participating in the local program. The local advisory council must advise the board in the development, coordination, supervision, and review of the career teacher program. The council must meet at least two times each year with any established community education advisory council in the district. Members of the council may be members of the community education advisory council. The council must report to the school board.

124D.28 FAMILY CONNECTIONS PROGRAM COMPONENTS.

Subdivision 1.Mandatory components.

A family connections program must include:

(1) participation by a designated individual as a career teacher, principal-teacher, or counselor teacher;

(2) an emphasis on each individual child's unique learning and development needs;

(3) procedures to give the career teacher a major responsibility for leadership of the instructional and noninstructional activities of each child beginning with early childhood family education;

(4) procedures to involve parents in the learning and development experiences of their children;

(5) procedures to implement outcome-based education by focusing on the needs of the learner;

(6) procedures to coordinate and integrate the instructional program with all community education programs;

(7) procedures to concentrate career teacher programs at sites that provide early childhood family education and subsequent learning and development programs; and

(8) procedures for the district to fund the program.

Subd. 2.Optional components.

A family connections program may include:

(1) efforts to improve curricula strategies, instructional strategies, and use of materials that respond to the individual educational needs and learning styles of each pupil in order to enable each pupil to make continuous progress and to learn at a rate appropriate to that pupil's abilities;

(2) efforts to develop student abilities in basic skills; applied learning skills; and, when appropriate, arts; humanities; physical, natural, and social sciences; multicultural education; physical, emotional, and mental health; consumer economics; and career education;

(3) use of community resources and communications media to pursue learning and development opportunities for pupils;

(4) staff development for teachers and other school personnel;

(5) improvements to the learning and development environment, including use of the community in general, to enhance the learning and development process;

(6) cooperative efforts with other agencies involved with human services or child development and development of alternative community based learning and development experiences;

(7) postsecondary education components for pupils who are able to accelerate or programs for pupils with special abilities and interests who are given advanced learning and development opportunities within existing programs;

(8) use of volunteers in the learning and development program;

(9) flexible attendance schedules for pupils;

(10) adult education component;

(11) coordination with early childhood family education and community education programs;

(12) variable student/faculty ratios for special education students to provide for special programming;

(13) inclusion of nonpublic pupils as part of the ratio in the career teacher, principal-teacher, and counselor teacher component;

(14) application of educational research findings;

(15) summer learning and development experiences for students as recommended by the career teacher, principal-teacher, and counselor teacher;

(16) use of education assistants, teacher aides, or paraprofessionals as part of the career teacher program;

(17) establishment of alternative criteria for high school graduation; and

(18) variable age and learning size groupings of students.

124D.29 CAREER TEACHER.

Subdivision 1.Status.

A family connections program may include a career teacher, principal-teacher, and counselor teacher component. The career teacher, principal-teacher, and counselor teacher must not be the exclusive teacher for students assigned to them but shall serve as a primary teacher and perform the function of developing and implementing a student's overall learning and development program. The career teacher, principal-teacher, and counselor teacher may be responsible for regular assignments as well as learning and development programs for other assigned students.

Subd. 2.Qualifications.

(a) An individual employed as a career teacher must be licensed as a teacher and shall be considered a teacher as defined in section 179A.03, subdivision 18, for purposes of chapter 179A.

(b) An individual employed as a principal teacher must be licensed as a principal and shall be considered a principal, as defined in section 179A.03, subdivision 12, for purposes of chapter 179A.

(c) An individual employed as a counselor teacher must be licensed as a counselor and shall be considered a teacher, as defined in section 179A.03, subdivision 18, for purposes of chapter 179A.

Subd. 3.Staff/student ratio.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), one career teacher, principal-teacher, or counselor teacher shall be assigned for every 125 students. For each special education student included in the assignment, the 1:125 ratio must be reduced by one.

(b) One principal-teacher shall be assigned for every 50 students when the principal-teacher is also the principal of the school.

Subd. 4.Selection; renewal.

(a) The board must establish procedures for teachers, principals, and counselors to apply for the position of career teacher, principal-teacher, or counselor teacher. The authority for selection of career teachers, principal-teachers, and counselor teachers is vested in the board and no individual shall have a right to employment as a career teacher, principal-teacher, or counselor teacher based on seniority or order of employment in the district.

(b) Employment of the career teacher, principal-teacher, and counselor teacher may be on a 12-month basis with vacation time negotiated individually with the board. The annual contract of a career teacher, principal-teacher, or counselor teacher may not be renewed, as the board shall see fit. The board must give any teacher whose contract as a career teacher, principal-teacher, or counselor teacher it declines to renew for the following year written notice to that effect before April 15. If the board fails to renew the contract of a career teacher, principal-teacher, or counselor teacher, that individual must be reinstated to another position in the district if eligible pursuant to section 122A.40 or 122A.41.

Subd. 5.Duties.

The career teacher, principal-teacher, and counselor teacher is responsible for:

(1) the overall education, learning, and development plan of assigned students. The career teacher, principal-teacher, and counselor teacher must design this plan with the student, parents, and other faculty, and must seek to maximize the learning and development potential and maturation level of each pupil;

(2) measuring the proficiency of the assigned students and assisting other staff in identifying pupil needs and making appropriate educational and subject groupings;

(3) when part of the district's plan, taking responsibility for the parent and early childhood education of assigned students;

(4) designing and being responsible for program components which meet special learning needs of high potential and talented students;

(5) coordinating the ongoing, year-to-year learning and development program for assigned students; and

(6) developing learning and development portfolios.

124D.30 FAMILY CONNECTIONS AID.

Subdivision 1.Eligibility.

A district that has a family connections program, according to sections 124D.24 to 124D.29, for one or more of its teachers is eligible for aid to extend the teaching contract of a family connections teacher.

Subd. 2.Aid.

A district with an approved plan shall receive $30 per pupil served at the school site with the family connections program. The district must provide a match of $15 per pupil served at the school site with the family connections program.

Subd. 3.Commissioner approval.

The commissioner may approve plans and applications for districts throughout the state for family connections aid. The commissioner shall establish application procedures and deadlines.

Subd. 4.Use of aid.

Family connections aid may be used only to implement a family connections program.

124D.31 RESERVED REVENUE FOR CERTAIN TEACHER PROGRAM.

A district that has a family connections program or a mentor-teacher program may reserve part of the basic revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 2, for the district's share, of the portion of the teaching contract that is in addition to the standard teaching contract of the district.

124D.32 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 6 art 2 s 78]
124D.33 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 3 art 2 s 18]
124D.331 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 3 art 2 s 18]

EMPLOYMENT-RELATED EDUCATION

124D.34 MINNESOTA FOUNDATION FOR STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS.

Subdivision 1.Citation.

This section may be cited as the "Minnesota Foundation For Student Organizations Act."

Subd. 2.Creation of foundation.

There is created the Minnesota Foundation for Student Organizations. The purpose of the foundation is to promote vocational student organizations and applied leadership opportunities in Minnesota public and nonpublic schools through public-private partnerships. The foundation is a nonprofit organization. The board of directors of the foundation and activities of the foundation are under the direction of the commissioner of education.

Subd. 3.Board of directors.

The board of directors of the Minnesota Foundation for Student Organizations consists of:

(1) seven members appointed by the board of directors of the school-to-work student organizations and chosen so that each represents one of the following career areas: agriculture, family and consumer sciences, service occupations, health occupations, marketing, business, and technical/industrial;

(2) seven members from business, industry, and labor appointed by the governor to staggered terms and chosen so that each represents one of the following career areas: agriculture, family and consumer sciences, service occupations, health occupations, marketing, business, and technical/industrial;

(3) five students or alumni of school-to-work student organizations representing diverse career areas, three from secondary student organizations, and two from postsecondary student organizations. The students or alumni shall be appointed by the criteria and process agreed upon by the executive directors of the student-to-work organizations; and

(4) four members from education appointed by the governor to staggered terms and chosen so that each represents one of the following groups: school district level administrators, secondary school administrators, middle school administrators, and postsecondary administrators.

Executive directors of vocational education student organizations are ex officio, nonvoting members of the board.

Subd. 4.Foundation programs.

The foundation shall advance applied leadership and intracurricular vocational learning experiences for students. These may include, but are not limited to:

(1) recognition programs and awards for students demonstrating excellence in applied leadership;

(2) summer programs for student leadership, career development, applied academics, and mentorship programs with business and industry;

(3) recognition programs for teachers, administrators, and others who make outstanding contributions to school-to-work programs;

(4) outreach programs to increase the involvement of urban and suburban students;

(5) organized challenges requiring cooperation and competition for secondary and postsecondary students;

(6) assistance and training to community teams to increase career awareness and empowerment of youth as community leaders; and

(7) assessment and activities in order to plan for and implement continuous improvement.

To the extent possible, the foundation shall make these programs available to students in all parts of the state.

Subd. 5.Powers and duties.

The foundation may:

(1) identify and plan common goals and priorities for the various school-to-work student organizations in Minnesota;

(2) publish brochures or booklets relating to the purposes of the foundation and collect reasonable fees for the publications;

(3) seek and receive public and private money, grants, and in-kind services and goods from nonstate sources for the purposes of the foundation, without complying with section 16A.013, subdivision 1;

(4) contract with consultants on behalf of the school-to-work student organizations;

(5) plan, implement, and expend money for awards and other forms of recognition for school-to-work student programs; and

(6) identifying an appropriate name for the foundation.

Subd. 6.Contracts.

The foundation board shall review and approve each contract of the board. Each contract of the foundation board shall be subject to the same review and approval procedures as a contract of the commissioner of education.

Subd. 7.Foundation staff.

The commissioner of education shall appoint the executive director of the foundation from three candidates nominated and submitted by the foundation board of directors and, as necessary, other staff who shall perform duties and have responsibilities solely related to the foundation. The employees appointed are not state employees under chapter 43A, but are covered under section 3.736. The employees may participate in the state health and state insurance plans for employees in unclassified service. The employees shall be supervised by the executive director.

The commissioner shall appoint a liaison to the foundation board from the division in the department responsible for career and technical education.

Subd. 8.Public funding.

The state shall identify and secure appropriate funding for the basic staffing of the foundation and individual student school-to-work student organizations at the state level.

Subd. 9.Private funding.

The foundation must seek private resources to supplement the available public money. Individuals, businesses, and other organizations may contribute to the foundation in any manner specified by the board of directors. All money received shall be administered by the board of directors.

Subd. 10.Report.

The board of directors of the foundation must submit an annual report on the progress of its activities to the commissioner of education and to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. The annual report shall contain a financial report for the preceding year. The foundation shall submit a biennium report to the legislature before February 15, in the odd-numbered year.

Subd. 11.Appropriation.

All the amounts received by the foundation pursuant to this section are annually appropriated to the foundation.

Subd. 12.Student organizations.

Individual boards of vocational education student organizations shall continue their operations in accordance with section 124D.355 and applicable federal law.

124D.35 YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM.

The commissioner shall establish a youth entrepreneurship education program to improve the academic and entrepreneurial skills of students and aid in their transition from school to business creation. The program shall strengthen local economies by creating jobs that enable citizens to remain in their communities and to foster cooperation among educators, economic development professionals, business leaders, and representatives of labor. Assistance under this section shall be available to new or existing student-operated or school-operated businesses that have an educational purpose, and provide service or products for customers or clients who do not attend or work at the sponsoring school. The commissioner may require an equal local match for assistance under this section up to the maximum grant amount of $20,000.

124D.355 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS.

Subdivision 1.Activities of the organization.

Any student enrolled in a vocational technical education program approved by the commissioner of education or the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities may belong to a vocational student organization that is operated as an integral part of the vocational program. The commissioner of education and the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities may provide necessary technical assistance and leadership at the state level for administration of approved vocational student organizations and fiscal accounts, including administration of state and national conferences.

Subd. 2.Accounts of the organization.

The commissioner and the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities may retain dues and other money collected on behalf of students participating in approved vocational student organizations and may deposit the money in separate accounts. The money in these accounts shall be available for expenditures for state and national activities related to specific organizations. Administration of money collected under this section is not subject to the provisions of chapters 15, 16A, 16B, and 16C, and may be deposited outside the state treasury. Money shall be administered under the policies of the applicable state board or agency relating to postsecondary and secondary vocational student organizations and is subject to audit by the legislative auditor. Any unexpended money shall not cancel but may be carried forward to the next fiscal year.

124D.36 CITATION; MINNESOTA YOUTHWORKS ACT.

Sections 124D.37 to 124D.45 shall be cited as the "Minnesota Youthworks Act."

124D.37 PURPOSE OF MINNESOTA YOUTHWORKS ACT.

The purposes of sections 124D.37 to 124D.45 are to:

(1) renew the ethic of civic responsibility in Minnesota;

(2) empower youth to improve their life opportunities through literacy, job placement, and other essential skills;

(3) empower government to meet its responsibility to prepare young people to be contributing members of society;

(4) help meet human, educational, environmental, and public safety needs, particularly those needs relating to poverty;

(5) prepare a citizenry that is academically competent, ready for work, and socially responsible;

(6) demonstrate the connection between youth and community service, community service and education, and education and meaningful opportunities in the business community;

(7) demonstrate the connection between providing opportunities for at-risk youth and reducing crime rates and the social costs of troubled youth;

(8) create linkages for a comprehensive youth service and learning program in Minnesota including school age programs, higher education programs, youth work programs, and service corps programs; and

(9) coordinate federal and state activities that advance the purposes in this section.

124D.38 DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1.Applicability.

The definitions in this section apply to sections 124D.37 to 124D.45.

Subd. 2.Eligible organization.

"Eligible organization" means:

(1) a local unit of government including a statutory or home rule charter city, township, county, or group of two or more contiguous counties;

(2) an existing nonprofit organization organized under chapter 317A;

(3) an educational institution;

(4) a private industry council;

(5) a state agency; or

(6) a federal agency.

Subd. 3.Federal law.

"Federal law" means Public Law 101-610, as amended, or any other federal law or program assisting youth community service, work-based learning, or youth transition from school to work.

Subd. 4.Mentor.

"Mentor" means a business person, an adult from the community, or a person who has successfully completed the Youthworks program who volunteers to establish a one-on-one relationship with a participant in the Youthworks program to encourage and guide the participant to obtain an education, participate in service and work-related activities, and effectively use postservice benefits.

Subd. 5.Participant.

"Participant" means an individual enrolled in a program that receives assistance under sections 124D.37 to 124D.45.

Subd. 6.Placement.

"Placement" means the matching of a participant with a specific project.

Subd. 7.Program.

"Program" means an activity carried out with assistance provided under sections 124D.37 to 124D.45.

Subd. 8.Project.

"Project" means an activity that results in a specific identifiable service or product that could not be done from the resources of the eligible organization and that does not duplicate the routine services or functions of the eligible organization.

Subd. 9.Commission.

"Commission" means the Minnesota commission on national and community service established in section 124D.385.

Subd. 10.

[Repealed, 2000 c 254 s 51]

124D.385 MINNESOTA COMMISSION ON NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.

Subdivision 1.Creation.

The Minnesota Commission on National and Community Service is established to assist the governor and the legislature in implementing sections 124D.37 to 124D.45 and federal law. Retroactive to the first Monday in January 1994, the terms of the members of the first commission shall be, as nearly as possible, one year for one-third of the members, two years for one-third of the members, and three years for one-third of the members. The members of the first commission shall determine the length of their terms by lot. Thereafter, the terms of commission members shall be for three years. Commission members may be reappointed upon the completion of their current term. The compensation, filling of vacancies, and removal of members are governed by section 15.0575. The commission may accept gifts and contributions from public and private organizations.

Subd. 2.Membership.

(a) The commission consists of 25 voting members. Voting members shall include the commissioner of education.

(b) The governor shall appoint nine additional voting members that include a representative of organizations experienced in youth education, development and training, organizations promoting adult service and volunteerism, community-based service agencies or organizations, local public or private sector labor unions, local governments, business, a national service or service learning program, Indian tribes, and an individual between the ages of 16 and 25 who is a participant or supervisor in a program. The remaining 15 voting members appointed by the governor shall include individuals with expertise in the management and operations of a nonprofit organization, including individuals with expertise in public relations, finance, and development.

(c) The governor shall appoint up to five ex officio nonvoting members from appropriate state agencies. A representative of the Corporation for National and Community Service shall also serve as an ex officio nonvoting member.

(d) Voting and ex officio nonvoting members may appoint designees to act on their behalf. The number of voting members who are state employees shall not exceed 25 percent.

(e) The governor shall ensure that, to the extent possible, the membership of the commission is balanced according to geography, race, ethnicity, age, and gender. The speaker of the house and the majority leader of the senate shall each appoint two legislators to be nonvoting members of the commission.

Subd. 3.Duties.

(a) The commission shall:

(1) develop, with the assistance of the governor, the commissioner of education, and affected state agencies, a comprehensive state plan to provide services under sections 124D.37 to 124D.45 and federal law;

(2) actively pursue public and private funding sources for services, including funding available under federal law;

(3) administer the Youthworks grant program under sections 124D.39 to 124D.44, including soliciting and approving grant applications from eligible organizations, and administering individual postservice benefits;

(4) establish an evaluation plan for programs developed and services provided under sections 124D.37 to 124D.45;

(5) report to the governor, commissioner of education, and legislature; and

(6) administer the federal AmeriCorps Program.

(b) Nothing in sections 124D.37 to 124D.45 precludes an organization from independently seeking public or private funding to accomplish purposes similar to those described in paragraph (a).

Subd. 4.Delegation to nonprofit.

The commission may create a private nonprofit corporation that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986. If the commission creates a private nonprofit corporation, the commission must serve as the corporation's board of directors. The private nonprofit corporation is not subject to laws governing state agencies or political subdivisions, except the provisions of chapter 13, the Open Meeting Law under chapter 13D, salary limits under section 15A.0815, subdivision 2, and audits by the legislative auditor under chapter 3 apply. Further provided that the board of directors and the executive director of the nonprofit corporation are each considered an "official" for purposes of section 10A.071. The commission may delegate any or all of its powers and duties under federal law or under sections 124D.37 to 124D.45 to the corporation if the nonprofit corporation is approved under federal law to administer the National and Community Service Trust Act. The commission may revoke a delegation of powers and duties at any time, and must revoke the delegation if the corporation is no longer approved under federal law as the administrator in the state of Minnesota for the National and Community Service Trust Act.

124D.39 YOUTHWORKS PROGRAM.

The Youthworks program is established to fulfill the purposes of section 124D.37. The Youthworks program must supplement existing programs and services. The program must not displace existing programs and services, existing funding of programs or services, or existing employment and employment opportunities. No eligible organization may terminate, layoff, or reduce the hours of work of an employee to place or hire a program participant. No eligible organization may place or hire an individual for a project if an employee is on layoff from the same or a substantially equivalent position.

124D.40 YOUTHWORKS GRANTS.

Subdivision 1.Application.

An eligible organization interested in receiving a grant under sections 124D.39 to 124D.44 may prepare and submit an application to the commission.

Subd. 2.Grant authority.

The commission must use any state appropriation and any available federal funds, including any grant received under federal law, to award grants to establish programs for Youthworks. At least one grant each must be available for a metropolitan proposal, a rural proposal, and a statewide proposal. If a portion of the suburban metropolitan area is not included in the metropolitan grant proposal, the statewide grant proposal must incorporate at least one suburban metropolitan area. In awarding grants, the commission may select at least one residential proposal and one nonresidential proposal.

124D.41 [Repealed, 2004 c 286 s 4]

124D.42 YOUTHWORKS PROGRAM TRAINING; READING CORPS.

Subdivision 1.

[Repealed, 2004 c 286 s 4]

Subd. 2.

[Repealed, 2004 c 286 s 4]

Subd. 3.

[Repealed, 2004 c 286 s 4]

Subd. 4.

[Repealed, 2004 c 286 s 4]

Subd. 5.

[Repealed, 2004 c 286 s 4]

Subd. 6.Program training.

The commission must, within available resources:

(1) orient each grantee organization in the nature, philosophy, and purpose of the program; and

(2) build an ethic of community service through general community service training.

Subd. 7.

[Repealed, 2004 c 286 s 4]

Subd. 8.Minnesota reading corps program.

(a) A Minnesota reading corps program is established to provide Americorps members with a data-based problem-solving model of literacy instruction to use in helping to train local Head Start program providers, other prekindergarten program providers, and staff in schools with students in kindergarten through grade 3 to evaluate and teach early literacy skills to children age 3 to grade 3.

(b) Literacy programs under this subdivision must comply with the provisions governing literacy program goals and data use under section 119A.50, subdivision 3, paragraph (b).

124D.43 [Repealed, 2004 c 286 s 4]

124D.44 MATCH REQUIREMENTS.

Youthworks grant funds must be used for the living allowance, cost of employer taxes under sections 3111 and 3301 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, workers' compensation coverage, health benefits for each program participant, and administrative expenses, which must not exceed five percent of total program costs. Youthworks grant funds may also be used to supplement applicant resources to fund postservice benefits for program participants. Applicant resources, from sources and in a form determined by the commission, must be used to provide for all other program costs, including the portion of the applicant's obligation for postservice benefits that is not covered by state or federal grant funds and such costs as supplies, materials, transportation, and salaries and benefits of those staff directly involved in the operation, internal monitoring, and evaluation of the program.

124D.45 EVALUATION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

Subdivision 1.Grantee organizations.

Each grantee organization shall report to the commission at the time and on the matters requested by the commission.

Subd. 2.Interim report.

The commission must report semiannually to the legislature with interim recommendations to change the program.

Subd. 3.

[Repealed, 2000 c 254 s 51]

124D.452 DISTRICT REPORT; CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Each district and cooperative center must report data to the Department of Education for all career and technical education programs as required by the department.

124D.4531 CAREER AND TECHNICAL LEVY.

Subdivision 1.Career and technical levy.

(a) A district with a career and technical program approved under this section for the fiscal year in which the levy is certified may levy an amount equal to the lesser of:

(1) $80 times the district's average daily membership in grades 10 through 12 for the fiscal year in which the levy is certified; or

(2) 25 percent of approved expenditures in the fiscal year in which the levy is certified for the following:

(i) salaries paid to essential, licensed personnel providing direct instructional services to students in that fiscal year for services rendered in the district's approved career and technical education programs;

(ii) contracted services provided by a public or private agency other than a Minnesota school district or cooperative center under subdivision 7;

(iii) necessary travel between instructional sites by licensed career and technical education personnel;

(iv) necessary travel by licensed career and technical education personnel for vocational student organization activities held within the state for instructional purposes;

(v) curriculum development activities that are part of a five-year plan for improvement based on program assessment;

(vi) necessary travel by licensed career and technical education personnel for noncollegiate credit-bearing professional development; and

(vii) specialized vocational instructional supplies.

(b) Up to ten percent of a district's career and technical levy may be spent on equipment purchases. Districts using the career and technical levy for equipment purchases must report to the department on the improved learning opportunities for students that result from the investment in equipment.

(c) The district must recognize the full amount of this levy as revenue for the fiscal year in which it is certified.

Subd. 2.Allocation from cooperative centers and intermediate districts.

For purposes of this section, a cooperative center or an intermediate district must allocate its approved expenditures for career and technical education programs among participating districts.

Subd. 3.Levy guarantee.

Notwithstanding subdivision 1, the career and technical education levy for a district is not less than the lesser of:

(1) the district's career and technical education levy authority for the previous fiscal year; or

(2) 100 percent of the approved expenditures for career and technical programs included in subdivision 1, paragraph (b), for the fiscal year in which the levy is certified.

Subd. 4.District reports.

Each district or cooperative center must report data to the department for all career and technical education programs as required by the department to implement the career and technical levy formula.

Subd. 5.Allocation from districts participating in agreements for secondary education or interdistrict cooperation.

For purposes of this section, a district with a career and technical program approved under this section that participates in an agreement under section 123A.30 or 123A.32 must allocate its levy authority under this section among participating districts.

124D.454 ACCESS TO MINNESOTA'S TRANSITION SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN WITH A DISABILITY.

Subdivision 1.Purpose.

The purpose of this section is to provide a method to fund career and technical education programs for children with a disability that are components of the student's transition plan. As used in this section, the term "children with a disability" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in section 125A.02.

Subd. 2.Definitions.

For the purposes of this section, the definitions in this subdivision apply.

(a) "Basic revenue" has the meaning given it in section 126C.10, subdivision 2. For the purposes of computing basic revenue pursuant to this section, each child with a disability shall be counted as prescribed in section 126C.05, subdivision 1.

(b) "Essential personnel" means a licensed teacher, licensed support services staff person, paraprofessional providing direct services to students, or licensed personnel under subdivision 12. This definition is not intended to change or modify the definition of essential employee in chapter 179A.

Subd. 3. Initial aid.

The transition-disabled program initial aid equals the sum of the following amounts computed using current year data:

(1) 68 percent of the salary of each essential licensed person or approved paraprofessional who provides direct instructional services to students employed during that fiscal year for services rendered in that district's transition program for children with a disability;

(2) 47 percent of the costs of necessary equipment for transition programs for children with a disability;

(3) 47 percent of the costs of necessary travel between instructional sites by transition program teachers of children with a disability but not including travel to and from local, regional, district, state, or national career and technical student organization meetings;

(4) 47 percent of the costs of necessary supplies for transition programs for children with a disability but not to exceed an average of $47 in any one school year for each child with a disability receiving these services;

(5) for transition programs for children with disabilities provided by a contract approved by the commissioner with public, private, or voluntary agencies other than a Minnesota school district or cooperative center, in place of programs provided by the district, 52 percent of the difference between the amount of the contract and the basic revenue of the district for that pupil for the fraction of the school day the pupil receives services under the contract;

(6) for transition programs for children with disabilities provided by a contract approved by the commissioner with public, private, or voluntary agencies other than a Minnesota school district or cooperative center, that are supplementary to a full educational program provided by the school district, 52 percent of the amount of the contract; and

(7) for a contract approved by the commissioner with another Minnesota school district or cooperative center for vocational evaluation services for children with a disability for children that are not yet enrolled in grade 12, 52 percent of the amount of the contract.

Subd. 4.

[Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 3 s 25]

Subd. 5.

[Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 3 s 25]

Subd. 6.

[Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 3 s 25]

Subd. 7.

[Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 3 s 25]

Subd. 8.Use of aid.

The aid provided under this section shall be paid only for services rendered or for the costs which are incurred according to this section for transition programs for children with a disability which are approved by the commissioner of education and operated in accordance with rules promulgated by the commissioner. These rules shall be subject to the restrictions provided in subdivision 12. The procedure for application for approval of these programs shall be as provided in section 125A.75, subdivisions 4 and 6, and the application review process shall be conducted by the Division of Federal Programs in the department.

Subd. 9.Payment of aid.

All aid pursuant to this section shall be paid to the district or cooperative center providing the services. All aid received by a district or center from any source for transition programs for children with a disability shall be utilized solely for that purpose.

Subd. 10.Exclusion.

A district shall not receive aid pursuant to section 125A.76 for salaries, supplies, travel or equipment for which the district receives aid pursuant to this section.

Subd. 11.Revenue allocation from cooperative centers and intermediate districts.

For purposes of this section, a cooperative center or an intermediate district must allocate its approved expenditures for transition programs for children with a disability among participating school districts. Aid for transition programs for children with a disability for services provided by a cooperative or intermediate district shall be paid to the participating districts.

Subd. 12.Compliance with rules.

Aid must be paid under this section only for services rendered or for costs incurred in career and technical education programs approved by the commissioner and operated in accordance with rules promulgated by the commissioner. This aid shall be paid only for services rendered and for costs incurred by essential, licensed personnel who meet the requirements for licensure pursuant to the rules of the Minnesota Board of Teaching. Licensed personnel means persons holding a valid career and technical license issued by the commissioner. If an average of five or fewer secondary full-time equivalent students are enrolled per teacher in an approved postsecondary program at Intermediate District No. 287, 916, or 917, licensed personnel means persons holding a valid vocational license issued by the commissioner or the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Notwithstanding section 127A.42, the commissioner may modify or withdraw the program or aid approval and withhold aid under this section without proceeding under section 127A.42 at any time. To do so, the commissioner must determine that the program does not comply with rules of the Department of Education or that any facts concerning the program or its budget differ from the facts in the district's approved application.

124D.46 EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT TRANSITIONS SYSTEM.

Subdivision 1.Goals.

To better prepare all learners to make transitions between education and employment, a comprehensive education and employment transitions system is established that is driven by multisector partnerships and takes a lifelong approach to workforce development. The goals of the statewide education and employment transitions system are:

(1) to improve the skills learners need to achieve greater levels of self-sufficiency through education, training, and work;

(2) to improve work-related counseling and information about career opportunities and vocational education programs available to learners to facilitate workforce development;

(3) to integrate opportunities for work-based learning, service-learning, and other applied learning methods into the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary curriculum and state and local graduation standards;

(4) to increase participation in employment opportunities and demonstrate the relationship between education and employment at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education levels;

(5) to promote the efficient use of public and private resources by coordinating elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education with related government programs;

(6) to expand educational options available to all learners through collaborative efforts between school districts, postsecondary institutions, employers, organized labor, workers, learners, parents, community-based organizations, and other interested parties;

(7) to increase opportunities for women, minorities, individuals with a disability, and at-risk learners to fully participate in work-based learning;

(8) to establish performance standards for learners that integrate state and local graduation standards and generally recognized industry and occupational skill standards; and

(9) to provide support systems including a unified labor market information system; a centralized quality assurance system with information on learner achievement, employer satisfaction, and measurable system outcomes; a statewide marketing system to promote the importance of lifework development; a comprehensive professional development system for public and private sector partners; and a comprehensive system for providing technical support to local partnerships for education and employment transitions.

Subd. 2.Funding.

Work-based learning programs incorporating postsecondary instruction implemented under this section and sections 124D.47 to 124D.49 shall provide for student funding according to section 124D.09.

Subd. 3.Governor's Workforce Development Council.

The Governor's Workforce Development Council is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating the statewide education and employment transitions system and achieving the goals of the system.

Subd. 4.Partnership grants.

The council must award grants to implement local education and employment transition partnerships established under section 124D.49. Grants under this section may be used for the local education and employment transitions system, youth apprenticeship and other work-based learning programs, youth employer programs, youth entrepreneurship programs, and other programs and purposes the council determines fulfill the purposes of the education and employment transitions system. The council must evaluate grant proposals on the basis of the elements required in the local plan described in section 124D.49, subdivision 3. The council must develop and publicize the grant application process and review and comment on the proposals submitted. Priority in awarding grants must be given to local partnerships that include multiple communities and a viable base of educational, work-based learning, and employment opportunities.

Subd. 5.

[Expired]

Subd. 6.

[Expired]

124D.47 COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Academic instruction and work-related learning.

Comprehensive youth apprenticeship programs and other work-based learning programs under the education and employment transitions system must integrate academic instruction and work-related learning in the classroom and at the workplace. Schools, in collaboration with learners' employers, must use competency-based measures to evaluate learners' progress in the program. Learners who successfully complete the program must receive academic and occupational credentials from the participating school.

Subd. 2.Youth apprenticeship programs.

(a) A comprehensive youth apprenticeship program must require representatives of secondary and postsecondary school systems, affected local businesses, industries, occupations and labor, as well as the local community, to be actively and collaboratively involved in advising and managing the program and ensuring, in consultation with local private industry councils, that the youth apprenticeship program meets local labor market demands, provides student apprentices with the high skill training necessary for career advancement, meets applicable state graduation requirements and labor standards, pays apprentices for their work and provides support services to program participants.

(b) Local employers, collaborating with labor organizations where appropriate, must assist the program by analyzing workplace needs, creating work-related curriculum, employing and adequately paying youth apprentices engaged in work-related learning in the workplace, training youth apprentices to become skilled in an occupation, providing student apprentices with a workplace mentor, periodically informing the school of an apprentice's progress, and making a reasonable effort to employ youth apprentices who successfully complete the program.

(c) A student participating in a comprehensive youth apprenticeship program must sign a youth apprenticeship agreement with participating entities that obligates youth apprentices, their parents or guardians, employers, and schools to meet program requirements; indicates how academic instruction, work-based learning, and worksite learning and experience will be integrated; ensures that successful youth apprentices will receive a recognized credential of academic and occupational proficiency; and establishes the wage rate and other benefits for which youth apprentices are eligible while employed during the program.

(d) Secondary school principals, counselors, or business mentors familiar with the education to employment transitions system must inform entering secondary school students about available occupational and career opportunities and the option of entering a youth apprenticeship or other work-based learning program to obtain postsecondary academic and occupational credentials.

124D.48 GENERAL APPLICATION OF WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS; DISPLACEMENT OF WORKERS PROHIBITED.

(a) All state and federal laws relating to workplace health and safety apply to youth apprenticeships.

(b) The employment of a youth apprentice may not displace or cause any reduction in the number of nonovertime hours worked, wages, or benefits of a currently employed worker.

124D.49 EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT TRANSITIONS PARTNERSHIPS.

Subdivision 1.Local partnerships; establishment.

Local education and employment transitions partnerships may be established to implement local education and employment transitions systems. Local partnerships must represent multiple sectors in the community, including, at a minimum, representatives of employers, primary and secondary education, labor and professional organizations, workers, learners, parents, community-based organizations, and to the extent possible, postsecondary education.

Subd. 2.Board.

A local education and employment transitions partnership must establish a governing board for planning and implementing work-based and other applied learning programs. The board must consist of at least one representative from each member of the education and employment transitions partnership. A majority of the board must consist of representatives of local or regional employers.

Subd. 3.Local education and employment transitions systems.

A local education and employment transitions partnership must assess the needs of employers, employees, and learners, and develop a plan for implementing and achieving the objectives of a local or regional education and employment transitions system. The plan must provide for a comprehensive local system for assisting learners and workers in making the transition from school to work or for retraining in a new vocational area. The objectives of a local education and employment transitions system include:

(1) increasing the effectiveness of the educational programs and curriculum of elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools and the work site in preparing students in the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in the workplace;

(2) implementing learner outcomes for students in grades kindergarten through 12 designed to introduce the world of work and to explore career opportunities, including nontraditional career opportunities;

(3) eliminating barriers to providing effective integrated applied learning, service-learning, or work-based curriculum;

(4) increasing opportunities to apply academic knowledge and skills, including skills needed in the workplace, in local settings which include the school, school-based enterprises, postsecondary institutions, the workplace, and the community;

(5) increasing applied instruction in the attitudes and skills essential for success in the workplace, including cooperative working, leadership, problem-solving, and respect for diversity;

(6) providing staff training for vocational guidance counselors, teachers, and other appropriate staff in the importance of preparing learners for the transition to work, and in methods of providing instruction that incorporate applied learning, work-based learning, and service-learning experiences;

(7) identifying and enlisting local and regional employers who can effectively provide work-based or service-learning opportunities, including, but not limited to, apprenticeships, internships, and mentorships;

(8) recruiting community and workplace mentors including peers, parents, employers and employed individuals from the community, and employers of high school students;

(9) identifying current and emerging educational, training, and employment needs of the area or region, especially within industries with potential for job growth;

(10) improving the coordination and effectiveness of local vocational and job training programs, including vocational education, adult basic education, tech prep, apprenticeship, service-learning, youth entrepreneur, youth training and employment programs administered by the commissioner of employment and economic development, and local job training programs under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law 105-220;

(11) identifying and applying for federal, state, local, and private sources of funding for vocational or applied learning programs;

(12) providing students with current information and counseling about career opportunities, potential employment, educational opportunities in postsecondary institutions, workplaces, and the community, and the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed;

(13) providing educational technology, including interactive television networks and other distance learning methods, to ensure access to a broad variety of work-based learning opportunities;

(14) including students with disabilities in a district's vocational or applied learning program and ways to serve at-risk learners through collaboration with area learning centers under sections 123A.05 to 123A.09, or other alternative programs; and

(15) providing a warranty to employers, postsecondary education programs, and other postsecondary training programs, that learners successfully completing a high school work-based or applied learning program will be able to apply the knowledge and work skills included in the program outcomes or graduation requirements. The warranty shall require education and training programs to continue to work with those learners that need additional skill development until they can demonstrate achievement of the program outcomes or graduation requirements.

Subd. 4.Annual reports.

A local education and employment transitions partnership must annually publish a report and submit information to the council as required. The report must include information required by the council for the statewide system performance assessment. The report must be available to the public in the communities served by the local education and employment transitions partnership. The report must be published no later than September 1 of the year following the year in which the data was collected.

124D.50 SERVICE-LEARNING AND WORK-BASED LEARNING CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.Service-learning and work-based learning programs study.

The Governor's Workforce Development Council must assist the commissioner in studying how to combine community service activities and service-learning with work-based learning programs.

Subd. 2.Service-learning programs developed.

The commissioner, in consultation with the commission, shall develop a service-learning program curriculum that includes a policy framework and strategies for youth community service and an infrastructure for mentoring youth. The commissioner shall include in the curriculum at least the following:

(1) youth community service strategies that enable young people to make significant contributions to the welfare of their community through such organizations as schools, colleges, government agencies, and community-based organizations or through individual efforts;

(2) mentoring strategies that enable young people to be matched with caring, responsible individuals who can encourage and guide the young people in their personal growth and development;

(3) guidelines, criteria, and procedures for community service programs that incorporate the results of the study in subdivision 1; and

(4) criteria for community service activities and service-learning.

Subd. 3.Structuring programs according to grade or education level.

The service-learning curriculum must accommodate students' grade level or the last completed grade level of the participants not currently enrolled in school. Schools must provide at least the following:

(1) for students in grades 7 to 9, an opportunity to learn about service-learning activities and possible occupations;

(2) for students in grade 10, an opportunity to apply for service-learning under section 124D.19 subdivision 10, and youth apprenticeship programs; and

(3) for students in grades 11 and 12 and young people not currently enrolled in school, an opportunity to become involved in community service activities, participate in youth apprenticeship programs, and, depending upon the individual's demonstrated abilities, complete high school or pursue postsecondary coursework.

Subd. 4.Programs following youth community service.

(a) The Minnesota Commission on National and Community Service in cooperation with the Governor's Workforce Development Council, the commissioner and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, shall provide for those participants who successfully complete youth community service under sections 124D.39 to 124D.44, the following:

(1) for those who have a high school diploma or its equivalent, an opportunity to participate in a youth apprenticeship program at a community or technical college; and

(2) for those who are postsecondary students, an opportunity to participate in an educational program that supplements postsecondary courses leading to a degree or a statewide credential of academic and occupational proficiency.

(b) Participants who successfully complete a youth community service program under sections 124D.39 to 124D.45 are eligible to receive an education voucher as provided under section 124D.42, subdivision 4. The voucher recipient may apply the voucher toward the cost of the recipient's tuition and other education-related expenses at a postsecondary school under paragraph (a).

(c) The Governor's Workforce Development Council, in cooperation with the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, must establish a mechanism to transfer credit earned in a youth apprenticeship program between the technical colleges and other postsecondary institutions offering applied associate degrees.

124D.505 MINNESOTA CAREER INFORMATION SYSTEM.

(a) The Department of Education, through the Minnesota career information system (MCIS), may provide career information to, including, but not limited to, school districts and other educational organizations, employment and training services, human service agencies, libraries, and families. The department shall collect fees necessary to recover all expenditures related to the operation of the Minnesota career information system.

(b) Grants and other legislative funds may be accepted and used for the improvement or operation of the Minnesota career information system. All receipts shall be deposited in a special account in the special revenue fund that shall be carried over at the end of each fiscal year. The money in the account, along with any interest earned, is appropriated to the commissioner of education for the Minnesota career information system and must be for the sole use and benefit of the system. The department shall recognize that the Minnesota career information system operates under a self-supporting directive, and accordingly, must provide sufficient administrative latitude within the confines of law to enable the system to operate effectively.

ADULT EDUCATION

124D.51 EVENING SCHOOLS; ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION.

The board may establish and maintain public evening schools and adult and continuing education programs. The evening schools and adult and continuing education programs maintained by the board must be available to all persons over 16 years of age who, from any cause, are unable to attend the full-time elementary or secondary schools of such district.

124D.518 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION AID DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1.Applicability.

The definitions in this section apply to sections 124D.52 to 124D.531.

Subd. 2.Adult basic education consortium.

"Adult basic education consortium" means a voluntary association of school districts, public agencies, or nonprofit organizations that work together to provide coordinated adult basic education services in a designated geographic area, and that act as a fiscal entity providing adult basic education services.

Subd. 3.Contact hours.

(a) "Contact hours" means the number of hours during which a student was engaged in learning activities provided by an approved adult education program. Contact hours excludes homework but includes interactive distance learning. The commissioner may only reallocate contact hours among programs to adjust for changes in program membership between the first prior program year and the current program year based on the actual contact hours reported for the first prior program year.

(b) For revenue beginning in fiscal year 2002, contact hours for a provider of adult basic education services funded in fiscal year 2000, but not eligible for basic population aid in fiscal year 2001, is computed by multiplying the provider's contact hours by 1.03.

(c) For aid in fiscal year 2001, contact hours in fiscal year 2000 equals the number of full-time equivalent learners times the contact hours. A level one full-time equivalent learner is equal to 240 contact hours and a level two full-time learner is equal to 408 contact hours.

Subd. 4.First prior program year.

"First prior program year" means the specific time period defined by the commissioner that aligns to a program academic year.

Subd. 5.Unreimbursed expenses.

"Unreimbursed expenses" means allowable adult basic education expenses of a program, in the current program year, that are not covered by payments from federal or private for-profit sources.

124D.52 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION.

Subdivision 1.Program requirements.

(a) An adult basic education program is a day or evening program offered by a district that is for people over 16 years of age who do not attend an elementary or secondary school. The program offers academic instruction necessary to earn a high school diploma or equivalency certificate.

(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a school board or the governing body of a consortium offering an adult basic education program may adopt a sliding fee schedule based on a family's income, but must waive the fee for participants who are under the age of 21 or unable to pay. The fees charged must be designed to enable individuals of all socioeconomic levels to participate in the program. A program may charge a security deposit to assure return of materials, supplies, and equipment.

(c) Each approved adult basic education program must develop a memorandum of understanding with the local workforce development centers located in the approved program's service delivery area. The memorandum of understanding must describe how the adult basic education program and the workforce development centers will cooperate and coordinate services to provide unduplicated, efficient, and effective services to clients.

(d) Adult basic education aid must be spent for adult basic education purposes as specified in sections 124D.518 to 124D.531.

(e) A state-approved adult basic education program must count and submit student contact hours for a program that offers high school credit toward an adult high school diploma according to student eligibility requirements and competency demonstration requirements established by the commissioner.

Subd. 2.Program approval.

(a) To receive aid under this section, a district, a consortium of districts, the Department of Corrections, or a private nonprofit organization must submit an application by June 1 describing the program, on a form provided by the department. The program must be approved by the commissioner according to the following criteria:

(1) how the needs of different levels of learning will be met;

(2) for continuing programs, an evaluation of results;

(3) anticipated number and education level of participants;

(4) coordination with other resources and services;

(5) participation in a consortium, if any, and money available from other participants;

(6) management and program design;

(7) volunteer training and use of volunteers;

(8) staff development services;

(9) program sites and schedules;

(10) program expenditures that qualify for aid;

(11) program ability to provide data related to learner outcomes as required by law; and

(12) a copy of the memorandum of understanding described in subdivision 1 submitted to the commissioner.

(b) Adult basic education programs may be approved under this subdivision for up to five years. Five-year program approval must be granted to an applicant who has demonstrated the capacity to:

(1) offer comprehensive learning opportunities and support service choices appropriate for and accessible to adults at all basic skill need levels;

(2) provide a participatory and experiential learning approach based on the strengths, interests, and needs of each adult, that enables adults with basic skill needs to:

(i) identify, plan for, and evaluate their own progress toward achieving their defined educational and occupational goals;

(ii) master the basic academic reading, writing, and computational skills, as well as the problem-solving, decision making, interpersonal effectiveness, and other life and learning skills they need to function effectively in a changing society;

(iii) locate and be able to use the health, governmental, and social services and resources they need to improve their own and their families' lives; and

(iv) continue their education, if they desire, to at least the level of secondary school completion, with the ability to secure and benefit from continuing education that will enable them to become more employable, productive, and responsible citizens;

(3) plan, coordinate, and develop cooperative agreements with community resources to address the needs that the adults have for support services, such as transportation, flexible course scheduling, convenient class locations, and child care;

(4) collaborate with business, industry, labor unions, and employment-training agencies, as well as with family and occupational education providers, to arrange for resources and services through which adults can attain economic self-sufficiency;

(5) provide sensitive and well trained adult education personnel who participate in local, regional, and statewide adult basic education staff development events to master effective adult learning and teaching techniques;

(6) participate in regional adult basic education peer program reviews and evaluations;

(7) submit accurate and timely performance and fiscal reports;

(8) submit accurate and timely reports related to program outcomes and learner follow-up information; and

(9) spend adult basic education aid on adult basic education purposes only, which are specified in sections 124D.518 to 124D.531.

(c) The commissioner shall require each district to provide notification by February 1, 2001, of its intent to apply for funds under this section as a single district or as part of an identified consortium of districts. A district receiving funds under this section must notify the commissioner by February 1 of its intent to change its application status for applications due the following June 1.

Subd. 3.Accounts; revenue; aid.

(a) Each district, group of districts, or private nonprofit organization providing adult basic education programs must establish and maintain a reserve account within the community service fund for the receipt and disbursement of all funds related to these programs. All revenue received pursuant to this section must be utilized solely for the purposes of adult basic education programs. State aid must not equal more than 100 percent of the unreimbursed expenses of providing these programs, excluding in-kind costs.

(b) For purposes of paragraph (a), an adult basic education program may include as valid expenditures for the previous fiscal year program spending that occurs from July 1 to September 30 of the following year. A program may carry over a maximum of 20 percent of its adult basic education aid revenue into the next fiscal year. Program spending may only be counted for one fiscal year.

(c) Notwithstanding section 123A.26 or any other law to the contrary, an adult basic education consortium providing an approved adult basic education program may be its own fiscal agent and is eligible to receive state-aid payments directly from the commissioner.

Subd. 4.English as a second language programs.

Persons may teach English as a second language classes conducted at a worksite, if they meet the requirements of section 122A.19, subdivision 1, clause (a), regardless of whether they are licensed teachers. Persons teaching English as a second language for an approved adult basic education program must possess a bachelor's or master's degree in English as a second language, applied linguistics, or bilingual education, or a related degree as approved by the commissioner.

Subd. 5.Basic service level.

A district, or a consortium of districts, with a program approved by the commissioner under subdivision 2 must establish, in consultation with the commissioner, a basic level of service for every adult basic education site in the district or consortium. The basic service level must describe minimum levels of academic instruction and support services to be provided at each site. The program must set a basic service level that promotes effective learning and student achievement with measurable results. Each district or consortium of districts must submit its basic service level to the commissioner for approval.

Subd. 6.Cooperative English as a second language and adult basic education programs.

(a) A school district, or adult basic education consortium that receives revenue under section 124D.531, may deliver English as a second language, citizenship, or other adult education programming in collaboration with community-based and nonprofit organizations located within its district or region, and with correctional institutions. The organization or correctional institution must have the demonstrated capacity to offer education programs for adults. Community-based or nonprofit organizations must meet the criteria in paragraph (b), or have prior experience. A community-based or nonprofit organization or a correctional institution may be reimbursed for unreimbursed expenses as defined in section 124D.518, subdivision 5, for the administration of English as a second language or adult basic education programs, not to exceed eight percent of the total funds provided by a school district or adult basic education consortium. The administrative reimbursement for a school district or adult basic education consortium that delivers services cooperatively with a community-based or nonprofit organization or correctional institution is limited to five percent of the program aid, not to exceed the unreimbursed expenses of administering programs delivered by community-based or nonprofit organizations or correctional institutions.

(b) A community-based organization or nonprofit organization that delivers education services under this section must demonstrate that it has met the following criteria:

(1) be legally established as a nonprofit organization;

(2) have an established system for fiscal accounting and reporting that is consistent with the Department of Education's adult basic education completion report and reporting requirements under section 124D.531;

(3) require all instructional staff to complete a training course in teaching adult learners; and

(4) develop a learning plan for each student that identifies defined educational and occupational goals with measures to evaluate progress.

Subd. 7.Performance tracking system.

(a) By July 1, 2000, each approved adult basic education program must develop and implement a performance tracking system to provide information necessary to comply with federal law and serve as one means of assessing the effectiveness of adult basic education programs. The tracking system must be designed to collect data on the following core outcomes for learners who have completed participation in the adult basic education program:

(1) demonstrated improvements in literacy skill levels in reading, writing, speaking the English language, numeracy, problem solving, English language acquisition, and other literacy skills;

(2) placement in, retention in, or completion of postsecondary education, training, unsubsidized employment, or career advancement; and

(3) receipt of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent.

(b) A district, group of districts, state agency, or private nonprofit organization providing an adult basic education program may meet this requirement by developing a tracking system based on either or both of the following methodologies:

(1) conducting a reliable follow-up survey; or

(2) submitting student information, including Social Security numbers for data matching.

Data related to obtaining employment must be collected in the first quarter following program completion or can be collected while the student is enrolled, if known. Data related to employment retention must be collected in the third quarter following program exit. Data related to any other specified outcome may be collected at any time during a program year.

(c) When a student in a program is requested to provide the student's Social Security number, the student must be notified in a written form easily understandable to the student that:

(1) providing the Social Security number is optional and no adverse action may be taken against the student if the student chooses not to provide the Social Security number;

(2) the request is made under section 124D.52, subdivision 7;

(3) if the student provides the Social Security number, it will be used to assess the effectiveness of the program by tracking the student's subsequent career; and

(4) the Social Security number will be shared with the Department of Education; Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; and the Department of Employment and Economic Development in order to accomplish the purposes of this section and will not be used for any other purpose or reported to any other governmental entities.

(d) Annually a district, group of districts, state agency, or private nonprofit organization providing programs under this section must forward the tracking data collected to the Department of Education. For the purposes of longitudinal studies on the employment status of former students under this section, the Department of Education must forward the Social Security numbers to the Department of Employment and Economic Development to electronically match the Social Security numbers of former students with wage detail reports filed under section 268.044. The results of data matches must, for purposes of this section and consistent with the requirements of the United States Code, title 29, section 2871, of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, be compiled in a longitudinal form by the Department of Employment and Economic Development and released to the Department of Education in the form of summary data that does not identify the individual students. The Department of Education may release this summary data. State funding for adult basic education programs must not be based on the number or percentage of students who decline to provide their Social Security numbers or on whether the program is evaluated by means of a follow-up survey instead of data matching.

124D.521 CONSORTIUM REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Each consortium, as defined under section 124D.518, subdivision 1, must meet at least twice per year to develop and amend as necessary an annual consortium agreement signed by all members and filed with the Department of Education that at a minimum includes:

(1) a description of the members and fiscal agent of the consortium;

(2) a description of the contributions of each member of the consortium and the process for distributing state aid among the members; and

(3) the state adult basic education assurances from the annual adult basic education program application.

As a condition of membership in a consortium, each member must make a documented contribution toward the cost of adult basic education programming, either as a direct financial contribution, or an in-kind contribution.

(b) Each consortium's designated fiscal agent must:

(1) collect data from consortium members;

(2) submit required performance reports and fiscal reports to the state;

(3) receive state adult basic education aid under section 124D.531 for adult basic education programming delivered by the consortium; and

(4) distribute state adult basic education aid to members of the consortium according to the consortium agreement.

124D.522 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICE GRANTS.

(a) The commissioner, in consultation with the policy review task force under section 124D.521, may make grants to nonprofit organizations to provide services that are not offered by a district adult basic education program or that are supplemental to either the statewide adult basic education program, or a district's adult basic education program. The commissioner may make grants for: staff development for adult basic education teachers and administrators; training for volunteer tutors; training, services, and materials for serving disabled students through adult basic education programs; statewide promotion of adult basic education services and programs; development and dissemination of instructional and administrative technology for adult basic education programs; programs which primarily serve communities of color; adult basic education distance learning projects, including television instruction programs; and other supplemental services to support the mission of adult basic education and innovative delivery of adult basic education services.

(b) The commissioner must establish eligibility criteria and grant application procedures. Grants under this section must support services throughout the state, focus on educational results for adult learners, and promote outcome-based achievement through adult basic education programs. Beginning in fiscal year 2002, the commissioner may make grants under this section from the state total adult basic education aid set aside for supplemental service grants under section 124D.531. Up to one-fourth of the appropriation for supplemental service grants must be used for grants for adult basic education programs to encourage and support innovations in adult basic education instruction and service delivery. A grant to a single organization cannot exceed 20 percent of the total supplemental services aid. Nothing in this section prevents an approved adult basic education program from using state or federal aid to purchase supplemental services.

124D.53 [Repealed, 2000 c 489 art 1 s 46]

124D.531 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION AID.

Subdivision 1.State total adult basic education aid.

(a) The state total adult basic education aid for fiscal year 2005 is $36,509,000. The state total adult basic education aid for fiscal year 2006 equals $36,587,000 plus any amount that is not paid for during the previous fiscal year, as a result of adjustments under subdivision 4, paragraph (a), or section 124D.52, subdivision 3. The state total adult basic education aid for fiscal year 2007 equals $37,673,000 plus any amount that is not paid for during the previous fiscal year, as a result of adjustments under subdivision 4, paragraph (a), or section 124D.52, subdivision 3. The state total adult basic education aid for fiscal year 2008 equals $40,650,000, plus any amount that is not paid during the previous fiscal year as a result of adjustments under subdivision 4, paragraph (a), or section 124D.52, subdivision 3. The state total adult basic education aid for later fiscal years equals:

(1) the state total adult basic education aid for the preceding fiscal year plus any amount that is not paid for during the previous fiscal year, as a result of adjustments under subdivision 4, paragraph (a), or section 124D.52, subdivision 3; times

(2) the lesser of:

(i) 1.03; or

(ii) the average growth in state total contact hours over the prior ten program years.

Beginning in fiscal year 2002, two percent of the state total adult basic education aid must be set aside for adult basic education supplemental service grants under section 124D.522.

(b) The state total adult basic education aid, excluding basic population aid, equals the difference between the amount computed in paragraph (a), and the state total basic population aid under subdivision 2.

Subd. 2.Basic population aid.

A district is eligible for basic population aid if the district has a basic service level approved by the commissioner under section 124D.52, subdivision 5, or is a member of a consortium with an approved basic service level. Basic population aid is equal to the greater of $3,844 or $1.73 times the population of the district. District population is determined according to section 275.14.

Subd. 3.Program revenue.

Adult basic education programs established under section 124D.52 and approved by the commissioner are eligible for revenue under this subdivision. For fiscal year 2001 and later, adult basic education revenue for each approved program equals the sum of:

(1) the basic population aid under subdivision 2 for districts participating in the program during the current program year; plus

(2) 84 percent times the amount computed in subdivision 1, paragraph (b), times the ratio of the contact hours for students participating in the program during the first prior program year to the state total contact hours during the first prior program year; plus

(3) eight percent times the amount computed in subdivision 1, paragraph (b), times the ratio of the enrollment of students with limited English proficiency during the second prior school year in districts participating in the program during the current program year to the state total enrollment of students with limited English proficiency during the second prior school year in districts participating in adult basic education programs during the current program year; plus

(4) eight percent times the amount computed in subdivision 1, paragraph (b), times the ratio of the latest federal census count of the number of adults aged 20 or older with no diploma residing in the districts participating in the program during the current program year to the latest federal census count of the state total number of adults aged 20 or older with no diploma residing in the districts participating in adult basic education programs during the current program year.

Subd. 4.Adult basic education program aid limit.

(a) Notwithstanding subdivisions 2 and 3, the total adult basic education aid for a program per prior year contact hour must not exceed $22 per prior year contact hour computed under subdivision 3, clause (2).

(b) For fiscal year 2006 and fiscal year 2007, the aid for a program under subdivision 3, clause (2), adjusted for changes in program membership, must not exceed the aid for that program under subdivision 3, clause (2), for the first preceding fiscal year by more than the greater of eight percent or $10,000.

(c) For fiscal year 2008, the aid for a program under subdivision 3, clause (2), adjusted for changes in program membership, shall not be limited.

(d) For fiscal year 2009 and later, the aid for a program under subdivision 3, clause (2), adjusted for changes in program membership, must not exceed the aid for that program under subdivision 3, clause (2), for the first preceding fiscal year by more than the greater of 11 percent or $10,000.

(e) Adult basic education aid is payable to a program for unreimbursed costs occurring in the program year as defined in section 124D.52, subdivision 3.

(f) Any adult basic education aid that is not paid to a program because of the program aid limitation under paragraph (a) must be added to the state total adult basic education aid for the next fiscal year under subdivision 1. Any adult basic education aid that is not paid to a program because of the program aid limitations under paragraph (b), (c), or (d), must be reallocated among programs by adjusting the rate per contact hour under subdivision 3, clause (2).

Subd. 5.

[Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 9 s 19]

Subd. 6.Payment of aid to fiscal agent.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), adult basic education aid must be paid directly to the fiscal agent of each approved program. An approved program must have only one fiscal agent.

(b) A district that is part of a consortium may request direct payment of basic population aid under subdivision 2. The district must make a written request to the commissioner by June 15 for aid payments the following fiscal year. The request must include certification that:

(1) the district will deposit direct aid payments in a separate adult basic education account; and

(2) the district will use direct aid payments only for adult basic education instruction.

Subd. 7.Program audits.

Programs that receive aid under this section must maintain records that support the aid payments. The commissioner may audit these records upon request. The commissioner must establish procedures for conducting fiscal audits of adult basic education programs. The commissioner must establish procedures to reconcile any discrepancies between aid payments based on information reported to the commissioner and aid estimates based on a program audit.

Subd. 8.Administrative cap.

A consortium or district shall not spend more than five percent of the consortium or district's total adult basic education aid on administrative costs.

Subd. 9.Fiscal reports.

Programs that receive aid under this section must submit an annual report to the commissioner that includes revenue and expense reports for each district and program, including instructional services offered in partnership with businesses and nonprofit organizations.

124D.54 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 9 s 10]
124D.548 [Repealed, 1998 c 398 art 6 s 38]

124D.549 GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT (GED) TESTS RULES; COMMISSIONER.

The commissioner may amend rules to reflect changes in the national minimum standard score for passing the general education development (GED) tests.

124D.55 GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT (GED) TEST FEES.

The commissioner shall pay 60 percent of the fee that is charged to an eligible individual for the full battery of a general education development (GED) test, but not more than $40 for an eligible individual.

124D.56 COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM REVENUE; ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES.

Subdivision 1.Revenue amount.

A district that is eligible according to section 124D.20, subdivision 2, may receive revenue for a program for adults with disabilities. Revenue for the program for adults with disabilities for a district or a group of districts equals the lesser of:

(1) the actual expenditures for approved programs and budgets; or

(2) $60,000.

Subd. 2.Aid.

Program aid for adults with disabilities equals the lesser of:

(1) one-half of the actual expenditures for approved programs and budgets; or

(2) $30,000.

Subd. 3.Levy.

A district may levy for a program for adults with disabilities an amount up to the amount designated in subdivision 2. In the case of a program offered by a group of districts, the levy amount must be apportioned among the districts according to the agreement submitted to the department.

Subd. 4.Outside revenue.

A district may receive money from public or private sources to supplement revenue for the program for adults with disabilities. Aid may not be reduced as a result of receiving money from these sources.

Subd. 5.Use of revenue.

Revenue for the program for adults with disabilities may be used only to provide programs for adults with disabilities.

124D.57 HEARING IMPAIRED EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES.

Subdivision 1.Responsibility of commissioner.

The commissioner shall coordinate and may pay for support services for hearing impaired persons to assure access to educational opportunities. Services may be provided to adult students who are hearing impaired and (1) have been denied access to educational opportunities because of the lack of support services or (2) are presently enrolled or (3) are contemplating enrollment in an educational program and would benefit from support services. The commissioner shall also be responsible for conducting in-service training for public and private agencies regarding the needs of hearing impaired persons in the adult education system.

Subd. 2.Support services.

The commissioner may pay school districts or public or private community agencies for the following support services:

(1) interpreter services to provide translation for an individual or a group of students; or

(2) notetaker services to convert spoken language to written language when the student must maintain visual contact with other persons such as an interpreter or instructor.

Subd. 3.Programs included.

Support services may be provided for:

(1) local school district adult education programs;

(2) adult technical college programs; and

(3) avocational education programs sponsored by public or private community agencies.

LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP)

124D.58 CITATION; EDUCATION FOR LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT STUDENTS ACT.

Sections 124D.58 to 124D.64 may be cited as the Education for Limited English Proficient Students Act.

124D.59 DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1.Generally.

For purposes of sections 124D.58 to 124D.65, the terms defined in this section shall have the meanings given them.

Subd. 2.Pupil of limited English proficiency.

(a) "Pupil of limited English proficiency" means a pupil in kindergarten through grade 12 who meets the following requirements:

(1) the pupil, as declared by a parent or guardian first learned a language other than English, comes from a home where the language usually spoken is other than English, or usually speaks a language other than English; and

(2) the pupil is determined by developmentally appropriate measures, which might include observations, teacher judgment, parent recommendations, or developmentally appropriate assessment instruments, to lack the necessary English skills to participate fully in classes taught in English.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a pupil in grades 4 through 12 who was enrolled in a Minnesota public school on the dates during the previous school year when a commissioner provided assessment that measures the pupil's emerging academic English was administered, shall not be counted as a pupil of limited English proficiency in calculating limited English proficiency pupil units under section 126C.05, subdivision 17, and shall not generate state limited English proficiency aid under section 124D.65, subdivision 5, unless the pupil scored below the state cutoff score on an assessment measuring emerging academic English provided by the commissioner during the previous school year.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b), a pupil in kindergarten through grade 12 shall not be counted as a pupil of limited English proficiency in calculating limited English proficiency pupil units under section 126C.05, subdivision 17, and shall not generate state limited English proficiency aid under section 124D.65, subdivision 5, if:

(1) the pupil is not enrolled during the current fiscal year in an educational program for pupils of limited English proficiency in accordance with sections 124D.58 to 124D.64; or

(2) the pupil has generated five or more years of average daily membership in Minnesota public schools since July 1, 1996.

Subd. 3.Essential instructional personnel.

"Essential instructional personnel" means the following:

(1) a teacher licensed by the state Board of Teaching to teach bilingual education or English as a second language;

(2) any teacher as defined in section 122A.15 who holds a valid license from the state Board of Teaching, if the district assures the department that the teacher will obtain the preservice and in-service training the department considers necessary to enable the teacher to provide appropriate service to pupils of limited English proficiency.

Subd. 4.English as a second language program.

"English as a second language program" means a program for the instruction of pupils of limited English proficiency in the following English language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Subd. 5.Bilingual education program.

"Bilingual education program" means an educational program in which instruction is given in both English and the primary language of the pupil of limited English proficiency to the extent necessary to allow the pupil to progress effectively through the educational system and to attain the basic skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking in the English language so that the pupil will be able to perform ordinary classwork successfully in English.

Subd. 6.Primary language.

"Primary language" means a language other than English which is the language normally used by the child or the language which is spoken in the child's home environment.

Subd. 7.Parent.

"Parent" includes a child's legal guardian.

Subd. 8.Educational program for pupils of limited English proficiency.

"Educational program for pupils of limited English proficiency" means an English as a second language program, bilingual education program, or both an English as a second language and a bilingual education program.

124D.60 RIGHTS OF PARENTS.

Subdivision 1.Notice.

Within ten days after the enrollment of any pupil in an instructional program for limited English proficient students, the district in which the pupil resides must notify the parent by mail. This notice must:

(1) be in writing in English and in the primary language of the pupil's parents;

(2) inform the parents that their child has been enrolled in an instructional program for limited English proficient students;

(3) contain a simple, nontechnical description of the purposes, method and content of the program;

(4) inform the parents that they have the right to visit the educational program for limited English proficient students in which their child is enrolled;

(5) inform the parents of the time and manner in which to request and receive a conference for the purpose of explaining the nature and purpose of the program; and

(6) inform the parents of their rights to withdraw their child from an educational program for limited English proficient students and the time and manner in which to do so.

The department shall, at the request of the district, prepare the notice in the primary language of the parent.

Subd. 2.Withdrawal from program.

Any parent whose child is enrolled in an educational program for limited English proficient students shall have the right, either at the time of the original notification of enrollment or at the close of any semester thereafter, to withdraw the child from the program by providing written notice of this intent to the principal of the school in which the child is enrolled or to the superintendent of the district in which the child resides. Nothing in this section shall preclude a parent from reenrolling a child of limited English proficiency in an educational program for limited English proficient students.

Subd. 3.Parental involvement.

A district which receives moneys pursuant to section 124D.65 must encourage involvement of parents of pupils enrolled in the educational program for limited English proficient students in this program. The district shall solicit the views of parents about the program and its effects upon their children.

124D.61 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAMS.

A district that enrolls one or more children of limited English proficiency must implement an educational program that includes at a minimum the following requirements:

(1) identification and reclassification criteria for children of limited English proficiency and program entrance and exit criteria for children with limited English proficiency must be documented by the district, applied uniformly to children of limited English proficiency, and made available to parents and other stakeholders upon request;

(2) a written plan of services that describes programming by English proficiency level made available to parents upon request. The plan must articulate the amount and scope of service offered to children of limited English proficiency through an educational program for children of limited English proficiency;

(3) professional development opportunities for ESL, bilingual education, mainstream, and all staff working with children of limited English proficiency which are: (i) coordinated with the district's professional development activities; (ii) related to the needs of children of limited English proficiency; and (iii) ongoing;

(4) to the extent possible, avoid isolating children of limited English proficiency for a substantial part of the school day; and

(5) in predominantly nonverbal subjects, such as art, music, and physical education, permit pupils of limited English proficiency to participate fully and on an equal basis with their contemporaries in public school classes provided for these subjects. To the extent possible, the district must assure to pupils enrolled in a program for limited English proficient students an equal and meaningful opportunity to participate fully with other pupils in all extracurricular activities.

124D.62 [Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 2 s 48]

124D.63 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

The commissioner shall provide technical assistance to districts receiving aid pursuant to section 124D.65 and to postsecondary institutions for preservice and in-service training for bilingual education teachers and English as a second language teachers employed in educational programs for limited English proficient students, teaching methods, curriculum development, testing and testing mechanisms, and the development of instructional materials for these educational programs.

124D.64 DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED.

Nothing in the provisions of sections 124D.58 to 124D.63 shall be construed to violate the provisions of section 123B.30 or chapter 363A. Programs and activities pursuant to sections 124D.58 to 124D.63 shall be deemed to be positive action programs to combat discrimination.

124D.645 MULTIRACIAL DIVERSITY.

(a) Notwithstanding other law or rule to the contrary and in order to effectively meet students' educational needs and foster parents' meaningful participation in their children's education, a school district may apply to the commissioner for a waiver from the requirement to maintain racial balance within a district school if the racial imbalance in that school results from:

(1) the enrollment of protected multiracial students and the proportion of enrolled multiracial students reflects the proportion of multiracial students who reside in the school attendance area or who are enrolled in the grade levels served by the district; or

(2) the enrollment of limited English proficiency students in a transition program that includes an intensive English component.

The commissioner must grant the waiver if the district in which the school is located offers the multiracial students or the limited English proficiency students, as appropriate, the option of enrolling in another school with the requisite racial balance, and the students' parents choose not to pursue that option.

(b) This section is effective for the 2006-2007 through 2010-2011 school years or until amended rules are adopted under Minnesota Rules, chapter 3535, pertaining to racial diversity, whichever comes first.

124D.65 LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP) PROGRAMS AID.

Subdivision 1.

[Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 1 s 69]

Subd. 2.

[Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 1 s 69]

Subd. 3.

[Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 1 s 69; art 2 s 62]

Subd. 4.

[Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 1 s 54]

Subd. 5.School district LEP revenue.

(a) A district's limited English proficiency programs revenue equals the product of (1) $700 in fiscal year 2004 and later times (2) the greater of 20 or the adjusted marginal cost average daily membership of eligible pupils of limited English proficiency enrolled in the district during the current fiscal year.

(b) A pupil ceases to generate state limited English proficiency aid in the school year following the school year in which the pupil attains the state cutoff score on a commissioner-provided assessment that measures the pupil's emerging academic English.

Subd. 6.Participation of nonpublic school pupils.

In counting the number of pupils of limited English proficiency for purposes of this section, districts may include pupils of limited English proficiency who attend nonpublic schools in the district. A district which counts those pupils and receives aid pursuant to this section must offer those pupils the same programs on the same terms that it offers to pupils of limited English proficiency who attend the public school. A program provided for a nonpublic school pupil pursuant to this subdivision must be provided at a public school or a neutral site as defined in section 123B.41, subdivision 13. Nonpublic school pupils served by a district's educational program for pupils of limited English proficiency must be counted for average daily membership pursuant to sections 126C.01, subdivisions 6 to 8, and 126C.19, subdivisions 1 to 4.

Subd. 7.Application dates.

To obtain aid for limited English proficiency programs, a district must submit information required by the department to implement this section.

Subd. 8.Notification; revenue.

The department must promptly inform each applicant district of the amount of revenue it will receive pursuant to this section.

Subd. 9.Records; audit.

A district which applies for aid pursuant to this section must maintain records which support the information contained in all of its applications. The commissioner may audit these records upon request. A district which receives aid pursuant to this section must keep additional records in the manner prescribed by the commissioner to ensure that an educational program for pupils of limited English proficiency is implemented and operated in accordance with sections 124D.58 to 124D.64.

Subd. 10.Money from other sources.

A district providing a program for pupils of limited English proficiency must be eligible to receive moneys for these programs from other government agencies and from private sources when these moneys are available.

Subd. 11.Allocations from cooperative units.

For the purposes of this section, pupils of limited English proficiency enrolled in a cooperative or intermediate school district unit shall be counted by the school district of residence, and the cooperative unit shall allocate its approved expenditures for limited English proficiency programs among participating school districts. Limited English proficiency aid for services provided by a cooperative or intermediate school district shall be paid to the participating school districts.

ASSURANCE OF MASTERY

124D.66 ASSURANCE OF MASTERY PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.Eligible districts.

A district with a local process to review curriculum and instruction may provide an assurance of mastery program to eligible pupils.

Subd. 2.Eligible pupils.

A pupil is eligible to receive services through an assurance of mastery program if the pupil has not demonstrated progress toward mastering the required graduation standards, after receiving instruction that was designed to enable the pupil to make progress toward mastering the required graduation standards in a regular classroom setting. A pupil also is eligible to receive services through an assurance of mastery program if the pupil, based on the professional judgment of a classroom teacher or a team of licensed professionals, demonstrates a need for alternative instructional strategies or interventions. To determine pupil eligibility, a district must use a process adopted by the school board to review curriculum and instruction, for the subjects and at the grade level at which the district uses the revenue.

Subd. 3.Eligible services.

(a) Assurance of mastery programs may provide direct scientific, research-based instructional services and intervention to an eligible pupil, or a group of eligible pupils, under the following conditions in paragraphs (b) to (d).

(b) Instruction may be provided at one or more grade levels from kindergarten to grade 8 and for students in grades 9 through 12 who were enrolled in grade 8 before the 2005-2006 school year and have failed the basic skills tests, or were enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 school year and later and who have failed the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA-IIs) in reading, mathematics, or writing as required for high school graduation under section 120B.02. If an assessment of pupils' needs within a district demonstrates that the eligible pupils in grades kindergarten to grade 8 are being appropriately served, a district may serve eligible pupils in grades 9 to 12.

(c) Instruction must be provided under the supervision of the eligible pupil's regular classroom teacher. Instruction may be provided by the eligible pupil's classroom teacher, by another teacher, by a team of teachers, or by an education assistant or aide. A special education teacher may provide instruction, but instruction that is provided under this section is not eligible for aid under section 125A.76.

(d) The instruction that is provided must differ from the initial instruction the pupil received in the regular classroom setting. The instruction may differ by presenting different curriculum than was initially presented in the regular classroom or by presenting the same curriculum:

(1) at a different rate or in a different sequence than it was initially presented;

(2) using different teaching methods or techniques than were used initially; or

(3) using different instructional materials than were used initially.

124D.67 [Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 1 s 69]

GRADUATION INCENTIVES

124D.68 GRADUATION INCENTIVES PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Purpose.

The legislature finds that it is critical to provide options for children to succeed in school. Therefore, the purpose of this section is to provide incentives for and encourage all Minnesota students who have experienced or are experiencing difficulty in the traditional education system to enroll in alternative programs.

Subd. 2.Eligible pupils.

A pupil under the age of 21 or who meets the requirements of section 120A.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), is eligible to participate in the graduation incentives program, if the pupil:

(1) performs substantially below the performance level for pupils of the same age in a locally determined achievement test;

(2) is behind in satisfactorily completing coursework or obtaining credits for graduation;

(3) is pregnant or is a parent;

(4) has been assessed as chemically dependent;

(5) has been excluded or expelled according to sections 121A.40 to 121A.56;

(6) has been referred by a school district for enrollment in an eligible program or a program pursuant to section 124D.69;

(7) is a victim of physical or sexual abuse;

(8) has experienced mental health problems;

(9) has experienced homelessness sometime within six months before requesting a transfer to an eligible program;

(10) speaks English as a second language or has limited English proficiency; or

(11) has withdrawn from school or has been chronically truant; or

(12) is being treated in a hospital in the seven-county metropolitan area for cancer or other life threatening illness or is the sibling of an eligible pupil who is being currently treated, and resides with the pupil's family at least 60 miles beyond the outside boundary of the seven-county metropolitan area.

Subd. 3.Eligible programs.

(a) A pupil who is eligible according to subdivision 2 may enroll in a state-approved alternative program under sections 123A.05 to 123A.08.

(b) A pupil who is eligible according to subdivision 2 and who is a high school junior or senior may enroll in postsecondary courses under section 124D.09.

(c) A pupil who is eligible under subdivision 2, may enroll in any public elementary or secondary education program.

(d) A pupil who is eligible under subdivision 2, may enroll in any nonpublic, nonsectarian school that has contracted with the serving school district to provide educational services. However, notwithstanding other provisions of this section, only a pupil who is eligible under subdivision 2, clause (12), may enroll in a contract alternative school that is specifically structured to provide educational services to such a pupil.

(e) A pupil who is between the ages of 16 and 21 may enroll in any adult basic education programs approved under section 124D.52 and operated under the community education program contained in section 124D.19.

Subd. 4.Additional eligible program.

A pupil who is at least 16 years of age, who is eligible under subdivision 2, and who has been enrolled only in a public school, if the pupil has been enrolled in any school, during the year immediately before transferring under this subdivision, may transfer to any nonpublic school that has contracted with the serving school district to provide nonsectarian educational services. The school must enroll every eligible pupil who seeks to transfer to the school under this program subject to available space.

Subd. 5.Pupil enrollment.

(a) Any eligible pupil may apply to enroll in an eligible program. Approval of the resident district is not required for:

(1) an eligible pupil to enroll in any eligible program in a nonresident district under subdivision 3 or 4 or a state-approved alternative program established under section 123A.05; or

(2) an eligible pupil under subdivision 2, to enroll in an adult basic education program approved under section 124D.52.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a nonresident district must first approve the enrollment application of any eligible pupil who was expelled under section 121A.45 for a reason stated in section 124D.03, subdivision 1, paragraph (b).

Subd. 6.Dissemination of information.

A district must disseminate information, developed by the department, about the graduation incentives program to residents in the district who are under the age of 21.

Subd. 7.Desegregation plans.

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, students may not enroll in a nonresident district under this section if their enrollment in another district would result in a violation of a district's desegregation plan, as mandated and approved by the commissioner of education.

Subd. 8.Aid adjustments.

General education aid and transportation aid attributable to a pupil covered by programs under this section must be paid according to sections 127A.47, subdivision 7, and 123B.92, subdivision 3, respectively.

Subd. 9.Enrollment verification.

(a) For a pupil attending an eligible program full time under subdivision 3, paragraph (d), the department must pay 90 percent of the district's average general education revenue less basic skills revenue to the eligible program and ten percent of the district's average general education revenue less basic skills revenue to the contracting district within 30 days after the eligible program verifies enrollment using the form provided by the department. For a pupil attending an eligible program part time, revenue, excluding compensatory revenue, shall be reduced proportionately, according to the amount of time the pupil attends the program, and the payments to the eligible program and the contracting district shall be reduced accordingly. A pupil for whom payment is made according to this section may not be counted by any district for any purpose other than computation of general education revenue. If payment is made for a pupil under this subdivision, a district shall not reimburse a program under section 124D.69 for the same pupil. The basic skills revenue generated by pupils attending the eligible program according to section 126C.10, subdivision 4, shall be paid to the eligible program.

(b) The department must pay up to 100 percent of the revenue to the eligible program if there is an agreement to that effect between the school district and the eligible program.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b), for an eligible program that provides chemical treatment services to students, the department must pay 100 percent of the revenue to the eligible program.

Subd. 10.Severability.

If for any reason any portion of this section is found by a court to be unconstitutional, the remaining portions of the section shall remain in effect.

124D.69 AID FOR ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS PROVIDED UNDER CONTRACT.

Subdivision 1.Aid.

If a pupil enrolls in an alternative program, eligible under section 124D.68, subdivision 3, paragraph (d), or subdivision 4, operated by a private organization that has contracted with a school district to provide educational services for eligible pupils under section 124D.68, subdivision 2, the district contracting with the private organization must reimburse the provider an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 95 percent of the district's average general education less basic skills revenue per pupil unit times the number of pupil units for pupils attending the program, and (2) the amount of basic skills revenue generated by pupils attending the program according to section 126C.10, subdivision 4. For a pupil attending the program part time, the revenue paid to the program, excluding compensatory revenue, must be reduced proportionately, according to the amount of time the pupil attends the program, and revenue paid to the district shall be reduced accordingly. Pupils for whom a district provides reimbursement may not be counted by the district for any purpose other than computation of general education revenue. If payment is made to a district or program for a pupil under this section, the department must not make a payment for the same pupil under section 124D.68, subdivision 9. Notwithstanding sections 125A.15, 125A.51, and 125A.515, general education revenue for a student who receives educational services under this section shall be paid according to this section.

Subd. 2.Reserve account.

During the term of the contract to provide educational services under subdivision 1, all state aid under subdivision 1 accrues to the account assigned to the alternative program site and is reserved for that site.

Subd. 3.Uncommon schools serving students with chemical dependencies; allocation of funds.

In addition to the amounts provided in section 124D.68, subdivision 9, a school district may allocate funds from its undesignated general fund to a private contracted alternative program, including a private contracted alternative program that is tuition free and provides a comprehensive secondary academic program for students who have been assessed chemically dependent and who have completed a licensed treatment program for chemical dependency.

124D.70 [Repealed, 1999 c 241 art 2 s 62]

AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION

124D.71 CITATION; AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION ACT.

Sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 may be cited as the American Indian Education Act of 1988.

124D.72 POLICY.

The legislature finds that a more adequate education is needed for American Indian people in the state of Minnesota. The legislature recognizes the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of American Indian people. The legislature also is concerned about the lack of American Indian teachers in the state. Therefore, pursuant to the policy of the state to ensure equal educational opportunity to every individual, it is the purpose of sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 to provide for American Indian education programs specially designed to meet these unique educational or culturally related academic needs or both.

124D.73 DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1.Scope.

For the purposes of sections 124D.71 to 124D.82, the terms defined in this section have the meanings given them.

Subd. 2.American Indian child.

"American Indian child" means any child, living on or off a reservation, who is enrolled or eligible for enrollment in a federally recognized tribe.

Subd. 3.Advisory task force.

"Advisory task force" means the state advisory task force on American Indian education programs.

Subd. 4.Participating school; American Indian school.

"Participating school" and "American Indian school" mean a school that:

(1) is not operated by a school district; and

(2) is eligible for a grant under Title IV of the Indian Education Act for the education of American Indian children.

124D.74 AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.Program described.

American Indian education programs are programs in public elementary and secondary schools, nonsectarian nonpublic, community, tribal, charter, or alternative schools enrolling American Indian children designed to:

(1) support postsecondary preparation for pupils;

(2) support the academic achievement of American Indian students with identified focus to improve reading and mathematic skills;

(3) make the curriculum more relevant to the needs, interests, and cultural heritage of American Indian pupils;

(4) provide positive reinforcement of the self-image of American Indian pupils;

(5) develop intercultural awareness among pupils, parents, and staff; and

(6) supplement, not supplant, state and federal educational and cocurricular programs.

Program components may include: development of support components for students in the areas of academic achievement, retention, and attendance; development of support components for staff, including in-service training and technical assistance in methods of teaching American Indian pupils; research projects, including experimentation with and evaluation of methods of relating to American Indian pupils; provision of personal and vocational counseling to American Indian pupils; modification of curriculum, instructional methods, and administrative procedures to meet the needs of American Indian pupils; and supplemental instruction in American Indian language, literature, history, and culture. Districts offering programs may make contracts for the provision of program components by establishing cooperative liaisons with tribal programs and American Indian social service agencies. These programs may also be provided as components of early childhood and family education programs.

Subd. 2.Voluntary enrollment.

Enrollment in American Indian education programs must be voluntary. School districts and participating schools must make affirmative efforts to encourage participation. They shall encourage parents to visit classes or come to school for a conference explaining the nature of the program and provide visits by school staff to parents' homes to explain the nature of the program.

Subd. 3.Enrollment of other children; shared time enrollment.

To the extent it is economically feasible, a district or participating school may make provision for the voluntary enrollment of non-American Indian children in the instructional components of an American Indian education program in order that they may acquire an understanding of the cultural heritage of the American Indian children for whom that particular program is designed. However, in determining eligibility to participate in a program, priority must be given to American Indian children. American Indian children and other children enrolled in an existing nonpublic school system may be enrolled on a shared time basis in American Indian education programs.

Subd. 4.Location of programs.

American Indian education programs must be located in facilities in which regular classes in a variety of subjects are offered on a daily basis. Programs may operate on an extended day or extended year basis.

Subd. 5.Assignment of students.

A school district or participating school must not, in providing these programs, assign students to schools in a way which will have the effect of promoting segregation of students by race, sex, color, or national origin.

Subd. 6.Nonverbal courses and extracurricular activities.

In predominantly nonverbal subjects, such as art, music, and physical education, American Indian children shall participate fully and on an equal basis with their contemporaries in school classes provided for these subjects. Every school district or participating school shall ensure to children enrolled in American Indian education programs an equal and meaningful opportunity to participate fully with other children in all extracurricular activities. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit instruction in nonverbal subjects or extracurricular activities which relate to the cultural heritage of the American Indian children, or which are otherwise necessary to accomplish the objectives described in sections 124D.71 to 124D.82.

124D.75 LICENSES FOR AMERICAN INDIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE EDUCATION TEACHERS; EXEMPTIONS.

Subdivision 1.American Indian language and culture education licenses.

The Board of Teaching must grant initial and continuing teaching licenses in American Indian language and culture education that bear the same duration as other initial and continuing licenses. The board must grant licenses to persons who present satisfactory evidence that they:

(1) possess competence in an American Indian language or possess unique qualifications relative to or knowledge and understanding of American Indian history and culture; or

(2) possess a bachelor's degree or other academic degree approved by the board or meet such requirements as to course of study and training as the board may prescribe, or possess such relevant experience as the board may prescribe.

This evidence may be presented by affidavits, resolutions, or by such other methods as the board may prescribe. Individuals may present applications for licensure on their own behalf or these applications may be submitted by the superintendent or other authorized official of a school district, participating school, or an American Indian school.

Subd. 2.Persons holding general teaching licenses.

A person holding a general teaching license who presents the board with satisfactory evidence of competence in an American Indian language, or knowledge and understanding of American Indian history and culture may be licensed under this section.

Subd. 3.Resolution or letter.

All persons applying for a license under this section must submit to the board a resolution or letter of support signed by an American Indian tribal government or its designee. All persons holding a license under this section on July 1, 1995, must have on file or file with the board a resolution or letter of support signed by a tribal government or its designee by January 1, 1996, or the next renewal date of the license thereafter.

Subd. 4.Employment of teachers.

Teachers employed in an American Indian language and culture education program pursuant to sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 shall not be employed to replace any presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be replaced.

Subd. 5.Teacher preparation programs.

For the purpose of licensing American Indian language and culture education teachers, the board may approve programs at colleges or universities designed for their training subject to the approval of the commissioner of education.

Subd. 6.Persons eligible for employment; exemptions.

Any person licensed under this section shall be eligible for employment by a school board or a participating school as a teacher in an American Indian education program in which the American Indian language or culture in which the person is licensed is taught. A school district or participating school may prescribe only those additional qualifications for teachers licensed under this section as are approved by the Board of Teaching. Any school board or participating school upon request may be exempted from the licensure requirements of this section in the hiring of one or more American Indian language and culture education teachers for any school year in which compliance would, in the opinion of the commissioner, create a hardship in the securing of the teachers.

Subd. 7.Persons serving under exemptions; licensure; tenure.

An American Indian language and culture education teacher serving under an exemption as provided in subdivision 6 shall be granted a license as soon as that teacher achieves the qualifications for the license. Not more than one year of service by an American Indian language and culture education teacher under an exemption shall be credited to the teacher for the purposes of section 122A.40 and not more than two years shall be credited for the purposes of section 122A.41; and the one or two years shall be deemed to precede immediately and be consecutive with the year in which a teacher becomes licensed.

Subd. 8.Compensation.

A teacher holding a license or exemption under this section shall be compensated according to a schedule which is at least equivalent to that applicable to teachers holding general licenses.

Subd. 9.Affirmative efforts in hiring.

In hiring for all positions in these programs, school districts and participating schools shall give preference to and make affirmative efforts to seek, recruit, and employ persons who share the culture of the American Indian children who are enrolled in the program. The district or participating school shall provide procedures for the involvement of the parent advisory committees in designing the procedures for the recruitment, screening and selection of applicants. This subdivision shall not be construed to limit the school board's authority to hire and discharge personnel.

124D.76 TEACHERS AIDES; COMMUNITY COORDINATORS.

In addition to employing American Indian language and culture education teachers, each district or participating school providing programs pursuant to sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 may employ teachers' aides. Teachers' aides must not be employed for the purpose of supplanting American Indian language and culture education teachers.

Any district or participating school which conducts American Indian education programs pursuant to sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 must employ one or more full-time or part-time community coordinators if there are 100 or more students enrolled in the program. Community coordinators shall promote communication understanding, and cooperation between the schools and the community and shall visit the homes of children who are to be enrolled in an American Indian education program in order to convey information about the program.

124D.77 RECRUITING AND RETAINING INDIAN TEACHERS.

This section applies to a board of a district in which there are at least ten American Indian children enrolled. The board must actively recruit teacher applicants who are American Indian from the time it is reasonably expected that a position will become available until the position is filled or September 1, whichever is earlier. Notwithstanding section 122A.40, subdivision 7, 10, or 11, 122A.41, subdivisions 4 and 14, any other law to the contrary, or any provision of a contract entered into after May 7, 1988, to the contrary, when placing a teacher on unrequested leave of absence, the board may retain a probationary teacher or a teacher with less seniority in order to retain an American Indian teacher.

History:

1988 c 718 art 3 s 9; 1998 c 397 art 2 s 148,164; art 11 s 3

124D.78 PARENT AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.

Subdivision 1.Parent committee.

School boards and American Indian schools must provide for the maximum involvement of parents of children enrolled in education programs, programs for elementary and secondary grades, special education programs, and support services. Accordingly, the board of a school district in which there are ten or more American Indian children enrolled and each American Indian school must establish a parent committee. If a committee whose membership consists of a majority of parents of American Indian children has been or is established according to federal, tribal, or other state law, that committee may serve as the committee required by this section and is subject to, at least, the requirements of this subdivision and subdivision 2.

The parent committee must develop its recommendations in consultation with the curriculum advisory committee required by section 120B.11, subdivision 3. This committee must afford parents the necessary information and the opportunity effectively to express their views concerning all aspects of American Indian education and the educational needs of the American Indian children enrolled in the school or program. The committee must also address the need for adult education programs for American Indian people in the community. The board or American Indian school must ensure that programs are planned, operated, and evaluated with the involvement of and in consultation with parents of children served by the programs.

Subd. 2.Resolution of concurrence.

Prior to December 1, the board or American Indian school must submit to the department a copy of a resolution adopted by the parent committee. The copy must be signed by the chair of the committee and must state whether the committee concurs with the educational programs for American Indian children offered by the school board or American Indian school. If the committee does not concur with the educational programs, the reasons for nonconcurrence and recommendations shall be submitted with the resolution. By resolution, the board must respond, in cases of nonconcurrence, to each recommendation made by the committee and state its reasons for not implementing the recommendations.

Subd. 3.Membership.

The committee must be composed of parents of children eligible to be enrolled in American Indian education programs; secondary students eligible to be served; American Indian language and culture education teachers and aides; American Indian teachers; counselors; adult American Indian people enrolled in educational programs; and representatives from community groups. A majority of each committee must be parents of children enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in the programs. The number of parents of American Indian and non-American Indian children shall reflect approximately the proportion of children of those groups enrolled in the programs.

Subd. 4.Alternate committee.

If the organizational membership or the board of directors of an American Indian school consists of parents of children attending the school, that membership or board may serve also as the parent committee.

124D.79 COMMUNITY AND COMMISSIONER PARTICIPATION IN AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION.

Subdivision 1.Community involvement.

The commissioner must provide for the maximum involvement of the state committees on American Indian education, parents of American Indian children, secondary students eligible to be served, American Indian language and culture education teachers, American Indian teachers, teachers' aides, representatives of community groups, and persons knowledgeable in the field of American Indian education, in the formulation of policy and procedures relating to the administration of sections 124D.71 to 124D.82.

Subd. 2.Technical assistance.

The commissioner shall provide technical assistance to districts, schools and postsecondary institutions for preservice and in-service training for American Indian education teachers and teacher's aides, teaching methods, curriculum development, testing and testing mechanisms, and the development of materials for American Indian education programs.

Subd. 3.Application for funds.

The commissioner shall apply for money which may be available under federal programs for American Indian education, including funds for administration, demonstration projects, training, technical assistance, planning and evaluation.

124D.80 MS 2002 [Expired]

124D.81 CONTINUATION OF INDIAN EDUCATION GRANTS.

Subdivision 1.Grants; procedures.

Each fiscal year the commissioner of education must make grants to no fewer than six American Indian education programs. At least three programs must be in urban areas and at least three must be on or near reservations. The board of a local district, a participating school or a group of boards may develop a proposal for grants in support of American Indian education programs. Proposals may provide for contracts for the provision of program components by nonsectarian nonpublic, community, tribal, charter, or alternative schools. The commissioner shall prescribe the form and manner of application for grants, and no grant shall be made for a proposal not complying with the requirements of sections 124D.71 to 124D.82.

Subd. 2.Plans.

Each district or participating school submitting a proposal under subdivision 1 must develop and submit with the proposal a plan which shall:

(a) Identify the measures to be used to meet the requirements of sections 124D.71 to 124D.82;

(b) Identify the activities, methods and programs to meet the identified educational needs of the children to be enrolled in the program;

(c) Describe how district goals and objectives as well as the objectives of sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 are to be achieved;

(d) Demonstrate that required and elective courses as structured do not have a discriminatory effect within the meaning of section 124D.74, subdivision 5;

(e) Describe how each school program will be organized, staffed, coordinated, and monitored; and

(f) Project expenditures for programs under sections 124D.71 to 124D.82.

Subd. 3.Additional requirements.

Each district receiving a grant under this section must each year conduct a count of American Indian children in the schools of the district; test for achievement; identify the extent of other educational needs of the children to be enrolled in the American Indian education program; and classify the American Indian children by grade, level of educational attainment, age and achievement. Participating schools must maintain records concerning the needs and achievements of American Indian children served.

Subd. 4.Nondiscrimination; testing.

In accordance with recognized professional standards, all testing and evaluation materials and procedures utilized for the identification, testing, assessment and classification of American Indian children must be selected and administered so as not to be racially or culturally discriminatory and must be valid for the purpose of identifying, testing, assessing, and classifying American Indian children.

Subd. 5.Records.

Participating schools and districts must keep records and afford access to them as the commissioner finds necessary to ensure that American Indian education programs are implemented in conformity with sections 124D.71 to 124D.82. Each school district or participating school must keep accurate, detailed, and separate revenue and expenditure accounts for pilot American Indian education programs funded under this section.

Subd. 6.Money from other sources.

A district or participating school providing American Indian education programs shall be eligible to receive moneys for these programs from other government agencies and from private sources when the moneys are available.

Subd. 7.Exceptions.

Nothing in sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 shall be construed as prohibiting a district or school from implementing an American Indian education program which is not in compliance with sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 if the proposal and plan for that program is not funded pursuant to this section.

124D.82 DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED.

Nothing in the provisions of sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 shall be construed to violate the provisions of section 123B.30 or chapter 363A. Programs and activities pursuant to sections 124D.71 to 124D.82 shall be deemed to be positive action programs to combat discrimination.

History:

1977 c 312 s 11; 1998 c 397 art 2 s 164; art 11 s 3

124D.83 STATE REVENUE FOR AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBAL CONTRACT OR GRANT SCHOOLS.

Subdivision 1.Authorization.

(a) Each year each American Indian-controlled tribal contract or grant school authorized by the United States Code, title 25, section 450f, that is located on a reservation within the state is eligible to receive tribal contract or grant school aid subject to the requirements in paragraphs (b) to (d).

(b) The school must plan, conduct, and administer an education program that complies with the requirements of either this chapter and chapters 120A, 120B, 121A, 122A, 123A, 123B, 125A, 125B, 126C, 127A, 129, and 268A or Code of Federal Regulations, title 25, sections 31.0 to 45.80.

(c) The school must comply with all other state statutes governing independent school districts or their equivalent in the Code of Federal Regulations, title 25.

(d) The state tribal contract or grant school aid must be used to supplement, and not to replace, the money for American Indian education programs provided by the federal government.

Subd. 2.Revenue amount.

An American Indian-controlled tribal contract or grant school that is located on a reservation within the state and that complies with the requirements in subdivision 1 is eligible to receive tribal contract or grant school aid. The amount of aid is derived by:

(1) multiplying the formula allowance under section 126C.10, subdivision 2, less $170, times the difference between (i) the resident pupil units as defined in section 126C.05, subdivision 6, in average daily membership, excluding section 126C.05, subdivision 13, and (ii) the number of pupils for the current school year, weighted according to section 126C.05, subdivision 1, receiving benefits under section 123B.42 or 123B.44 or for which the school is receiving reimbursement under section 124D.69;

(2) adding to the result in clause (1) an amount equal to the product of the formula allowance under section 126C.10, subdivision 2, less $300 times the tribal contract compensation revenue pupil units;

(3) subtracting from the result in clause (2) the amount of money allotted to the school by the federal government through Indian School Equalization Program of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, according to Code of Federal Regulations, title 25, part 39, subparts A to E, for the basic program as defined by section 39.11, paragraph (b), for the base rate as applied to kindergarten through twelfth grade, excluding small school adjustments and additional weighting, but not money allotted through subparts F to L for contingency funds, school board training, student training, interim maintenance and minor repair, interim administration cost, prekindergarten, and operation and maintenance, and the amount of money that is received according to section 124D.69;

(4) dividing the result in clause (3) by the sum of the resident pupil units in average daily membership, excluding section 126C.05, subdivision 13, plus the tribal contract compensation revenue pupil units; and

(5) multiplying the sum of the resident pupil units, including section 126C.05, subdivision 13, in average daily membership plus the tribal contract compensation revenue pupil units by the lesser of $1,500 or the result in clause (4).

Subd. 3.Waiver.

Notwithstanding subdivision 1, paragraphs (b) and (c), a tribal contract or grant school:

(1) is not subject to the Minnesota Election Law;

(2) has no authority under this section to levy for property taxes, issue and sell bonds, or incur debt; and

(3) may request through its managing tribal organization a recommendation of the commissioner of education, for consideration of the legislature, that a tribal contract or grant school not be subject to specified statutes related to independent school districts.

Subd. 4.Early childhood family education revenue.

A school receiving aid under this section may apply annually to the commissioner to receive an early childhood family education grant to provide early childhood family education programs for parents and children who are enrolled or eligible for enrollment in a federally recognized tribe. The grant must be used for programs and services that comply with section 124D.13, except that the school is not required to provide a community education program or establish a community education advisory council. The program must be designed to improve the skills of parents and promote American Indian history, language, and culture. The school must make affirmative efforts to encourage participation by fathers. Admission may not be limited to those enrolled in or eligible for enrollment in a federally recognized tribe.

Subd. 5.Tribal contract pupil units.

Pupil units for pupils enrolled in tribal contract schools shall be used only for the purpose of computing tribal contract aid according to this section.

124D.84

Subdivision 1.

[Renumbered 136A.126]

Subd. 2.

[Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 56]

124D.85 [Repealed, 1Sp2001 c 6 art 2 s 78]

SCHOOL DESEGREGATION AND INTEGRATION

124D.86 INTEGRATION REVENUE.

Subdivision 1.Use of revenue.

Districts must use integration revenue under this section for programs established under a desegregation plan filed with the Department of Education according to Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180, or under court order. The revenue must be used for students to have increased and sustained interracial contacts and improved educational opportunities and outcomes designed to close the academic achievement gap between white students and protected students as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 3535.0110, subpart 4, through classroom experiences, staff initiatives, and other educationally related programs, consistent with subdivision 1b.

Subd. 1a.Budget approval process.

Each year before a district receives any revenue under subdivision 3, the district by March 15 must submit to the Department of Education, for its review and approval by May 15 a budget detailing the costs of the desegregation/integration plan filed under Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180. Notwithstanding chapter 14, the department may develop criteria for budget approval, consistent with subdivision 1b. The department shall consult with the Desegregation Advisory Board in developing these criteria. The criteria developed by the department must address, at a minimum, the following:

(1) budget items cannot be approved unless they are part of any overall desegregation plan approved by the district for isolated sites or by the Multidistrict Collaboration Council and participating individual members;

(2) the budget must indicate how revenue expenditures will be used specifically to support increased and sustained interracial contacts and improved educational opportunities and outcomes designed to close the academic achievement gap between white students and protected students as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 3535.0110, subpart 4, consistent with subdivision 1b;

(3) components of the budget to be considered by the department, including staffing, curriculum, transportation, facilities, materials, and equipment and reasonable planning costs, as determined by the department; and

(4) if plans are proposed to enhance existing programs, the total budget being appropriated to the program must be included, indicating what part is to be funded using integration revenue and what part is to be funded using other revenues.

Subd. 1b.Plan components.

Each year a district's board must approve the plans submitted by each district under Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0160 and 3535.0170, before integration revenue is awarded. If a district is applying for revenue for a plan that is part of a multidistrict council, the individual district shall not receive revenue unless it ratifies the plan adopted by its multidistrict council or approves a modified plan with a written explanation of any modifications. Each plan shall:

(1) identify the integration issues at the sites or districts covered by Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180;

(2) describe the community outreach that preceded the integration plan, such that the commissioner can determine whether the membership of the planning councils complied with the requirements of Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180;

(3) identify specific goals of the integration plan that is premised on valid and reliable measures, effective and efficient use of resources, and continuous adaptation of best practices;

(4) provide for implementing innovative and practical strategies and programs such as magnet schools, transportation, research-based programs to improve the performance of protected students with lower measured achievement on state or local assessments, staff development for teachers in cultural competency, formative assessments, and increased numbers of teachers of color that enable the district to achieve annual progress in realizing the goals in its plan; and

(5) establish valid and reliable longitudinal measures for the district to use in demonstrating to the commissioner the amount of progress it has achieved in realizing the goals in its plan.

By June 30 of the subsequent fiscal year, each district shall report to the commissioner in writing about the extent to which the integration goals identified in the plan were met.

Subd. 2.Separate account.

Integration revenue shall be maintained in a separate account to identify expenditures for salaries and programs related to this revenue.

Subd. 3.Integration revenue.

Integration revenue equals the following amounts:

(1) for Independent School District No. 709, Duluth, $206 times the adjusted pupil units for the school year;

(2) for Independent School District No. 625, St. Paul, $445 times the adjusted pupil units for the school year;

(3) for Special School District No. 1, Minneapolis, the sum of $445 times the adjusted pupil units for the school year and an additional $35 times the adjusted pupil units for the school year that is provided entirely through a local levy;

(4) for a district not listed in clause (1), (2), or (3), that must implement a plan under Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180, where the district's enrollment of protected students, as defined under Minnesota Rules, part 3535.0110, exceeds 15 percent, the lesser of (i) the actual cost of implementing the plan during the fiscal year minus the aid received under subdivision 6, or (ii) $129 times the adjusted pupil units for the school year;

(5) for a district not listed in clause (1), (2), (3), or (4), that is required to implement a plan according to the requirements of Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180, the lesser of

(i) the actual cost of implementing the plan during the fiscal year minus the aid received under subdivision 6, or

(ii) $92 times the adjusted pupil units for the school year.

Any money received by districts in clauses (1) to (3) which exceeds the amount received in fiscal year 2000 shall be subject to the budget requirements in subdivision 1a; and

(6) for a member district of a multidistrict integration collaborative that files a plan with the commissioner, but is not contiguous to a racially isolated district, integration revenue equals the amount defined in clause (5).

Subd. 4.Integration levy.

A district may levy an amount equal to 37 percent for fiscal year 2003, 23 percent for fiscal year 2004, and 30 percent for fiscal year 2005 and thereafter of the district's integration revenue as defined in subdivision 3.

Subd. 5.Integration aid.

A district's integration aid equals the difference between the district's integration revenue and its integration levy.

Subd. 6.Alternative attendance programs.

(a) The integration aid under subdivision 5 must be adjusted for each pupil residing in a district eligible for integration revenue under subdivision 3, clause (1), (2), or (3), and attending a nonresident district under sections 123A.05 to 123A.08, 124D.03, and 124D.08, that is not eligible for integration revenue under subdivision 3, clause (1), (2), or (3), and has implemented a plan under Minnesota Rules, parts 3535.0100 to 3535.0180, if the enrollment of the pupil in the nonresident district contributes to desegregation or integration purposes. The adjustments must be made according to this subdivision.

(b) Aid paid to a district serving nonresidents must be increased by an amount equal to the revenue per pupil unit of the resident district under subdivision 3, clause (1), (2), or (3), minus the revenue attributable to the pupil in the nonresident district under subdivision 3, clause (4), (5), or (6), for the time the pupil is enrolled in the nonresident district.

124D.87 INTERDISTRICT DESEGREGATION OR INTEGRATION TRANSPORTATION AID.

(a) A district that provides transportation of pupils to and from an interdistrict program for desegregation or integration purposes is eligible for state aid to reimburse the additional costs of transportation during the preceding fiscal year.

(b) A district in the metropolitan area may apply to the commissioner for state aid to reimburse the costs of transporting pupils who are enrolled under section 124D.03 during the preceding fiscal year if the enrollment of the student in the nonresident district contributes to desegregation or integration purposes. The commissioner shall develop the form and manner of applications for state aid, the criteria to be used to determine when transportation is for desegregation or integration purposes, and the accounting procedure to be used to determine excess costs. In determining aid amounts, the commissioner shall consider other revenue received by the district for transportation for desegregation or integration purposes.

124D.871 MAGNET SCHOOL AND PROGRAM GRANTS.

(a) The commissioner of education, in consultation with the desegregation/integration office under section 124D.892, shall award grants to school districts and chartered public schools for planning and developing magnet schools and magnet programs.

(b) Grant recipients must use the grant money under paragraph (a) to establish or operate a magnet school or a magnet program and provide all students with equal educational opportunities. Grant recipients may expend grant money on:

(1) teachers who provide instruction or services to students in a magnet school or magnet program;

(2) educational paraprofessionals who assist teachers in providing instruction or services to students in a magnet school or magnet program;

(3) clerical support needed to operate a magnet school or magnet program;

(4) equipment, equipment maintenance contracts, materials, supplies, and other property needed to operate a magnet school or magnet program;

(5) minor remodeling needed to operate a magnet school or magnet program;

(6) transportation for field trips that are part of a magnet school or magnet program curriculum;

(7) program planning and staff and curriculum development for a magnet school or magnet program;

(8) disseminating information on magnet schools and magnet programs; and

(9) indirect costs calculated according to the state's statutory formula governing indirect costs.

124D.88 METROPOLITAN MAGNET SCHOOL GRANTS.

Subdivision 1.Policy and purpose.

A metropolitan magnet school grant program is established for the purpose of promoting integrated education for students in prekindergarten through grade 12, increasing mutual understanding among all students, and addressing the inability of local school districts to provide required construction funds through local property taxes. The program seeks to encourage districts located in whole or in part within the seven-county metropolitan area to make available to school age children residing in the metropolitan area those educational programs, services, and facilities that are essential to meeting all children's needs and abilities. The program anticipates using the credit of the state, to a limited degree, to provide grants to metropolitan area school districts to improve the educational opportunities and academic achievement of disadvantaged children and the facilities that are available to those children.

Subd. 2.Approval authority; application forms.

To the extent money is available, the commissioner may approve projects from applications submitted under this section. The grant money must be used only to design, acquire, construct, expand, remodel, improve, furnish, or equip the building or site of a magnet school facility according to contracts entered into within 24 months after the date on which a grant is awarded.

Subd. 3.Grant application process.

(a) Any group of school districts that meets the criteria required under paragraph (b), clause (1), may apply for a magnet school grant in an amount not to exceed the approved costs or expansion of a magnet school facility.

(b)(1) Any group of districts that submits an application for a grant shall submit a proposal to the commissioner for review and comment under section 123B.71, and the commissioner shall prepare a review and comment on the proposed magnet school facility, regardless of the amount of the capital expenditure required to design, acquire, construct, remodel, improve, furnish, or equip the facility. The commissioner must not approve an application for a magnet school grant for any facility unless the facility receives a favorable review and comment under section 123B.71 and the participating districts:

(i) establish a joint powers board under section 471.59 to represent all participating districts and govern the magnet school facility;

(ii) design the planned magnet school facility to meet the applicable requirements contained in Minnesota Rules, chapter 3535;

(iii) submit a statement of need, including reasons why the magnet school will facilitate integration and improve learning;

(iv) prepare an educational plan that includes input from both community and professional staff; and

(v) develop an education program that will improve learning opportunities for students attending the magnet school.

(2) The districts may develop a plan that permits social service, health, and other programs serving students and community residents to be located within the magnet school facility. The commissioner shall consider this plan when preparing a review and comment on the proposed facility.

(c) When two or more districts enter into an agreement establishing a joint powers board to govern the magnet school facility, all member districts shall have the same powers.

(d) A joint powers board of participating school districts established under paragraphs (b) and (c) that intends to apply for a grant must adopt a resolution stating the costs of the proposed project, the purpose for which the debt is to be incurred, and an estimate of the dates when the contracts for the proposed project will be completed. A copy of the resolution must accompany any application for a state grant under this section.

(e)(1) The commissioner shall examine and consider all grant applications. If the commissioner finds that any joint powers district is not a qualified grant applicant, the commissioner shall promptly notify that joint powers board. The commissioner shall make awards to no more than two qualified applicants whose applications have been on file with the commissioner more than 30 days.

(2) A grant award is subject to verification by the joint powers board under paragraph (f). A grant award must not be made until the participating districts determine the site of the magnet school facility. If the total amount of the approved applications exceeds the amount of grant funding that is or can be made available, the commissioner shall allot the available amount equally between the approved applicant districts. The commissioner shall promptly certify to each qualified joint powers board the amount, if any, of the grant awarded to it.

(f) Each grant must be evidenced by a contract between the joint powers board and the state acting through the commissioner. The contract obligates the state to pay to the joint powers board an amount computed according to paragraph (e), clause (2), and a schedule, and terms and conditions acceptable to the commissioner of management and budget.

(g) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 123B.02, subdivision 3, the joint powers and its individual members may enter into long-term lease agreements as part of the magnet school program.

Subd. 4.Start-up costs.

During the first two years of a metropolitan magnet school's operation, the school is eligible for aid to pay for start-up costs and additional operating costs. Start-up cost aid equals $500 times the magnet school's pupil units served for that year.

124D.89 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 56]

124D.892 OFFICE OF DESEGREGATION/INTEGRATION.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

(a) An Office of Desegregation/Integration is established in the Department of Education to coordinate and support activities related to student enrollment, student and staff recruitment and retention, transportation, and interdistrict cooperation among school districts.

(b) At the request of a school district involved in cooperative desegregation/integration efforts, the office shall perform any of the following activities:

(1) assist districts with interdistrict student transfers, including student recruitment, counseling, placement, and transportation;

(2) coordinate and disseminate information about schools and programs;

(3) assist districts with new magnet schools and programs;

(4) assist districts in providing staff development and in-service training; and

(5) coordinate and administer staff exchanges.

(c) The office shall collect data on the efficacy of districts' desegregation/integration efforts and make recommendations based on the data. The office shall periodically consult with the Metropolitan Council to coordinate metropolitan school desegregation/integration efforts with the housing, social, economic, and infrastructure needs of the metropolitan area. The office shall develop a process for resolving students' disputes and grievances about student transfers under a desegregation/integration plan.

Subd. 2.Coordination.

The commissioner may request information or assistance from, or contract with, any state or local agency or officer, local unit of government, or recognized expert to assist the commissioner in performing the activities described in subdivision 1.

Subd. 3.

MS 2002 [Expired, 1Sp2001 c 6 art 2 s 51]

124D.894 [Repealed, 2001 c 161 s 58]

124D.895 PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT PROGRAMS.

Subdivision 1.Program goals.

The department, in consultation with the state curriculum advisory committee, must develop guidelines and model plans for parental involvement programs that will:

(1) engage the interests and talents of parents or guardians in recognizing and meeting the emotional, intellectual, and physical needs of their school-age children;

(2) promote healthy self-concepts among parents or guardians and other family members;

(3) offer parents or guardians a chance to share and learn about educational skills, techniques, and ideas;

(4) provide creative learning experiences for parents or guardians and their school-age children, including involvement from parents or guardians of color;

(5) encourage parents to actively participate in their district's curriculum advisory committee under section 120B.11 in order to assist the school board in improving children's education programs; and

(6) encourage parents to help in promoting school desegregation/integration.

Subd. 2.Plan contents.

Model plans for a parental involvement program must include at least the following:

(1) program goals;

(2) means for achieving program goals;

(3) methods for informing parents or guardians, in a timely way, about the program;

(4) strategies for ensuring the full participation of parents or guardians, including those parents or guardians who lack literacy skills or whose native language is not English, including involvement from parents or guardians of color;

(5) procedures for coordinating the program with kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum, with parental involvement programs currently available in the community, with the process under sections 120B.10 to 120B.11, and with other education facilities located in the community;

(6) strategies for training teachers and other school staff to work effectively with parents and guardians;

(7) procedures for parents or guardians and educators to evaluate and report progress toward program goals; and

(8) a mechanism for convening a local community advisory committee composed primarily of parents or guardians to advise a district on implementing a parental involvement program.

Subd. 3.Plan activities.

Activities contained in the model plans must include:

(1) educational opportunities for families that enhance children's learning development;

(2) educational programs for parents or guardians on families' educational responsibilities and resources;

(3) the hiring, training, and use of parental involvement liaison workers to coordinate family involvement activities and to foster communication among families, educators, and students;

(4) curriculum materials and assistance in implementing home and community-based learning activities that reinforce and extend classroom instruction and student motivation;

(5) technical assistance, including training to design and carry out family involvement programs;

(6) parent resource centers;

(7) parent training programs and reasonable and necessary expenditures associated with parents' attendance at training sessions;

(8) reports to parents on children's progress;

(9) use of parents as classroom volunteers, or as volunteers in before and after school programs for school-age children, tutors, and aides;

(10) soliciting parents' suggestions in planning, developing, and implementing school programs;

(11) educational programs and opportunities for parents or guardians that are multicultural, gender fair, and disability sensitive;

(12) involvement in a district's curriculum advisory committee or a school building team under section 120B.11; and

(13) opportunities for parent involvement in developing, implementing, or evaluating school and district desegregation/integration plans.

124D.8955 PARENT AND FAMILY INVOLVEMENT POLICY.

(a) In order to promote and support student achievement, a local school board is encouraged to formally adopt and implement a parent and family involvement policy that promotes and supports:

(1) communication between home and school that is regular, two-way, and meaningful;

(2) parenting skills;

(3) parents and caregivers who play an integral role in assisting student learning and learn about fostering students' academic success and learning at home and school;

(4) welcoming parents in the school and seeking their support and assistance;

(5) partnerships with parents in the decisions that affect children and families in the schools; and

(6) providing community resources to strengthen schools, families, and student learning.

(b) A school board that implements a parent and family involvement policy under paragraph (a) must convene an advisory committee composed of an equal number of resident parents who are not district employees and school staff to make recommendations to the board on developing and evaluating the board's parent and family involvement policy. If possible, the advisory committee must represent the diversity of the district. The advisory committee must consider the district's demographic diversity and barriers to parent involvement when developing its recommendations. The advisory committee must present its recommendations to the board for board consideration.

(c) The board must consider best practices when implementing this policy.

(d) The board periodically must review this policy to determine whether it is aligned with the most current research findings on parent involvement policies and practices and how effective the policy is in supporting increased student achievement.

(e) Nothing in this section obligates a school district to exceed any parent or family involvement requirement under federal law.

124D.896 DESEGREGATION/INTEGRATION AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION RULES.

(a) By January 10, 1999, the commissioner shall propose rules relating to desegregation/integration and inclusive education.

(b) In adopting a rule related to school desegregation/integration, the commissioner shall address the need for equal educational opportunities for all students and racial balance as defined by the commissioner.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS

124D.90 SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

The school enrichment partnership program is established. The purpose of the program is to encourage districts to expand the involvement of the private sector in the delivery of academic programs. The program will provide matching state funds for those provided by the private sector.

Subd. 2.Revenue eligibility.

A district or group of districts is eligible to receive state aid under this program. Districts may enter into joint agreements to provide programs or make expenditures under this section. The limitations under this subdivision apply to these programs or expenditures as if they were operated by a single district. A district may receive $1 of state aid for each $2 raised from the private sector. The private match must be in the form of cash. Specific types of noncash support may be considered for the private match. State aid is limited to the lesser of $75,000 or $10 per pupil unit per district.

Subd. 3.Revenue management.

The use of the state and private funds provided under this section is under the general control of the board. The board may establish, without using state funds or public employees, a separate foundation to directly manage the funds. The private funds must be used to acquire instructional or noninstructional academic materials of a capital nature including, but not limited to, textbooks, globes, maps, and other academic material. The funds shall not be used for salaries or other employee benefits.

Subd. 4.Procedures; report.

The Minnesota Academic Excellence Foundation, under the direction of the commissioner must establish application forms, guidelines, procedures, and timelines for the distribution of state aid. The commissioner may require reporting necessary to evaluate the program. Measures of success will include numbers of partnerships and funds raised; numbers of school foundations formed; and demonstrated linkages of partnerships to improved instructional delivery resulting in increased student learning.

Subd. 5.Results-oriented charter schools.

Notwithstanding section 124D.11, subdivision 6, paragraph (b), a results-oriented charter school is eligible to participate in the program under this section as if it were a district.

History:

1Sp1995 c 3 art 4 s 16; art 16 s 13; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 68,103; art 11 s 3

124D.91 [Repealed, 2004 c 294 art 5 s 22]
124D.92 [Repealed, 2004 c 294 art 5 s 22]
124D.93 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 8 s 8]

124D.94 MINNESOTA ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOUNDATION.

Subdivision 1.Citation.

This section may be cited as the "Minnesota Academic Excellence Act."

Subd. 2.Creation of foundation.

There is created the Minnesota Academic Excellence Foundation. The purpose of the foundation shall be to promote academic excellence in Minnesota public and nonpublic schools and communities through public-private partnerships. The foundation shall be a nonprofit organization. The board of directors of the foundation and foundation activities are under the direction of the commissioner of education.

Subd. 3.Board of directors.

The board of directors of the foundation shall consist of the commissioner of education and 20 members to be appointed by the governor. Of the 20 members appointed by the governor, eight shall represent a variety of education groups and 12 shall represent a variety of business groups. The members of the board of directors shall select one member to serve as chair. The commissioner of education shall serve as secretary for the board of directors and provide administrative support to the foundation. An executive committee of the foundation board composed of the board officers and chairs of board committees, may only advise and make recommendations to the foundation board.

Subd. 4.Foundation programs.

The foundation may develop programs that advance the concept of educational excellence. These may include, but are not limited to:

(a) recognition programs and awards for students demonstrating academic excellence;

(b) summer institute programs for students with special talents;

(c) recognition programs for teachers, administrators, and others who contribute to academic excellence;

(d) summer mentorship programs with business and industry for students with special career interests and high academic achievements;

(e) governor's awards ceremonies and special campaigns to promote awareness and expectation for academic achievement;

(f) an academic league to provide organized challenges requiring cooperation and competition for public and nonpublic pupils in elementary and secondary schools;

(g) systemic transformation initiatives and assistance and training to community teams to increase school performance in the state's education institutions through strategic quality planning for continuous improvement, empowerment of multiple stakeholders, validation of results via customer-supplier relationships, and a total system approach based on best practices in key process areas; and

(h) activities to measure customer satisfaction for delivery of services to education institutions in order to plan for and implement continuous improvement.

To the extent possible, the foundation shall make these programs available to students in all parts of the state.

Subd. 5.Powers and duties.

The foundation may:

(1) establish and collect membership fees;

(2) publish brochures or booklets relating to the purposes of the foundation and collect reasonable fees for the publications;

(3) receive money, grants, and in-kind goods or services from nonstate sources for the purposes of the foundation, without complying with section 16A.013, subdivision 1;

(4) contract with consultants;

(5) expend money for awards and other forms of recognition and appreciation; and

(6) determine procedures and expenditures for awards and recognitions to teachers, students, donors, and other people who are not employees of the executive branch.

Subd. 6.Contracts.

The foundation board shall review and approve each contract of the board. Each contract of the foundation board shall be subject to the same review and approval procedures as a contract of the Department of Education.

Subd. 7.Foundation staff.

(a) The foundation board with review by the commissioner shall appoint the executive director and other staff who shall perform duties and have responsibilities solely related to the foundation.

(b) As part of the annual plan of work, the foundation, with review by the commissioner, may appoint up to three employees. The employees appointed under this paragraph are not state employees under chapter 43A, but are covered under section 3.736. At the foundation board's discretion, the employees may participate in the state health and state insurance plans for employees in unclassified service. The employees shall be supervised by the executive director.

Subd. 8.Private funding.

The foundation shall seek private resources to supplement the available public money. Individuals, businesses, and other organizations may contribute to the foundation in any manner specified by the board of directors. All money received shall be administered by the board of directors.

Subd. 9.Report.

The board of directors of the foundation shall submit an annual report to the commissioner of education on the progress of its activities. The annual report shall contain a financial report for the preceding year, including all receipts and expenditures of the foundation.

Subd. 10.Appropriation.

There is annually appropriated to the Academic Excellence Foundation all amounts received by the foundation pursuant to this section.

124D.95

Subdivision 1.

[Repealed, 2003 c 133 art 2 s 21]

Subd. 2.

[Repealed, 2003 c 133 art 2 s 21]

Subd. 3.

[Repealed, 2003 c 133 art 2 s 21]

Subd. 4.

[Repealed, 2003 c 133 art 2 s 21]

Subd. 5.

[Repealed, 2003 c 133 art 2 s 21]

Subd. 6.

[Repealed, 2001 c 161 s 58; 2003 c 1133 art 2 s 21]

Subd. 7.

[Repealed, 2003 c 133 art 2 s 21]

Subd. 8.

[Repealed, 2003 c 133 art 2 s 21]

124D.955 HEALTHY KIDS AWARDS PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

The healthy kids awards program is established to reward kindergarten through grade 12 schools that implement policies and practices that create opportunities for students to be physically active and make healthy food choices throughout the day. The program seeks to integrate physical activity into nonphysical education classes, recess, and extracurricular activities throughout the day in addition to the physical education received in physical education classes. The program also seeks to integrate nutrition education and healthy food and beverage choices throughout the school environment, including classrooms, cafeteria, vending, school stores, and fund-raising. The program requirements align with the Institute of Medicine's guidelines for school food and beverages.

Subd. 2.Participation by school districts.

School districts may submit letters of intent to participate in the healthy kids awards program to the commissioner of education by September 15 of each school year. Schools that report to the commissioner of education and meet the program criteria developed by the commissioner will have a "Healthy Kids Award" indicator placed on the school report card.

History:

2010 c 396 s 8

124D.96 WELFARE AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS' POLICIES FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.

Before July 1 of each year, each welfare and correctional institution which offers an elementary, secondary or vocational educational program shall develop a written policy for its educational program for the next school year. The institutional policy shall specify the educational goals for the institution; instructional plans for implementing these goals; estimated number and grade level of students; number of licensed educational staff; areas of licensure; student to staff ratios; number of supervisory personnel; proposed educational budget; procedures for evaluation of the program; and any other information deemed necessary by the commissioner of education for the evaluation of the educational institutions. The institutions shall submit the policy to the commissioner of education who will review the policy to determine whether the program and personnel employed in the program are adequate to meet the institution's obligation to provide instruction and services in compliance with the Department of Education rules and standards. If necessary, the commissioner shall make recommendations to the institution for changes in its educational program.

124D.97 [Repealed, 2004 c 256 art 1 s 8]

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes