Bill Text: MN SF2151 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Innovative delivery of education services and sharing district resources pilot project clarification

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-04-08 - Author added Nelson [SF2151 Detail]

Download: Minnesota-2013-SF2151-Introduced.html

1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to education; clarifying the innovative delivery pilot project;
1.3appropriating money;amending Laws 2012, chapter 263, section 1.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5    Section 1. Laws 2012, chapter 263, section 1, is amended to read:
1.6    Section 1. INNOVATIVE DELIVERY OF EDUCATION SERVICES AND
1.7SHARING OF DISTRICT RESOURCES; PILOT PROJECT.
1.8    Subdivision 1. Establishment; requirements for participation. (a) A five-year
1.9 pilot project for the 2013-2014 through 2017-2018 school years is established to improve
1.10student and school outcomes by allowing groups of school districts to work together to
1.11provide innovative education programs and activities and share district resources. The
1.12pilot project may last until June 30, 2018, or for up to five years, whichever is less.
1.13(b) To participate in this pilot project to improve student and school outcomes, a
1.14group of two or more school districts must collaborate with school staff and receive formal
1.15school board approval to form a partnership. The partnership must develop a plan to
1.16provide challenging programmatic options for students, create professional development
1.17opportunities for educators, increase student engagement and connection and challenging
1.18learning opportunities for students, or demonstrate efficiencies in delivering financial and
1.19other services. The plan must establish:
1.20(1) collaborative educational goals and objectives;
1.21(2) strategies and processes to implement those goals and objectives, including a
1.22budget process with periodic expenditure reviews;
1.23(3) valid and reliable measures to evaluate progress in realizing the goals and
1.24objectives;
2.1(4) an implementation timeline; and
2.2(5) other applicable conditions, regulations, responsibilities, duties, provisions, fee
2.3schedules, and legal considerations needed to fully implement the plan.
2.4A partnership may invite additional districts to join the partnership during the pilot
2.5project term after notifying the commissioner.
2.6(c) A partnership of interested districts must apply by February 1, 2013, of any year
2.7 to the education commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner determines,
2.8consistent with this section. The application must contain the formal approval adopted by
2.9the school board in each district to participate in the plan.
2.10(d) Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, a participating school district under
2.11this section continues to: receive revenue and maintain its taxation authority; be organized
2.12and governed by an elected school board with general powers under Minnesota Statutes,
2.13section 123B.02; and be subject to employment agreements under Minnesota Statutes,
2.14chapter 122A, and Minnesota Statutes, section 179A.20; and district employees continue
2.15to remain employees of the employing school district.
2.16    Subd. 2. Commissioner's role. Interested groups of school districts must submit
2.17a completed application to the commissioner by March 1, 2013, of any year in the form
2.18and manner determined by the commissioner. The education commissioner must convene
2.19an advisory panel composed of a teacher appointed by Education Minnesota, a school
2.20principal appointed by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, a
2.21school board member appointed by the Minnesota School Boards Association, and a
2.22school superintendent appointed by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators
2.23to advise the commissioner on applicants' qualifications to participate in this pilot project.
2.24The commissioner must select between three and may select up to six qualified applicants
2.25under subdivision 1 by April 1, 2013, of any year to participate in this pilot project,
2.26ensuring an equitable geographical distribution of project participants to the extent
2.27practicable. The commissioner must select only those applicants that fully comply with
2.28the requirements in subdivision 1. The commissioner must terminate a project participant
2.29that fails to effectively implement the goals and objectives contained in its application and
2.30according to its stated timeline.
2.31    Subd. 3. Pilot project evaluation. Participating school districts must submit pilot
2.32project data to the commissioner in the form and manner determined by the commissioner.
2.33The education commissioner must analyze participating districts' progress in realizing
2.34their educational goals and objectives to work together in providing innovative education
2.35programs and activities and sharing resources. The commissioner must include the
2.36analysis of best practices in a report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over
3.1kindergarten through grade 12 education finance and policy on the efficacy of this pilot
3.2project. The commissioner may shall submit an interim project report at any time by
3.3February 1, 2016, and must submit a final report to the legislature by February 1, 2018
3.4 2019, recommending whether or not to continue or expand the pilot project.

3.5    Sec. 2. Laws 2012, chapter 263, section 1, the effective date, is amended to read:
3.6EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment
3.7and applies to the 2013-2014 through 2017-2018 school years.

3.8    Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION.
3.9$25,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2015 from the general fund to the commissioner
3.10of education for the review of applicants, selection of participants, and evaluation of
3.11the pilot projects authorized in section 1.
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