Bill Text: MN SF1984 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Standard adult high school diploma requirements establishment
Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-26 - Second reading [SF1984 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-SF1984-Engrossed.html
1.2relating to education; establishing requirements for a standard adult high school
1.3diploma;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.52, by adding a
1.4subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.52, subdivision
1.58.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.52, subdivision 8,
1.8is amended to read:
1.9 Subd. 8. Standard high school diploma for adults. (a) Consistent with subdivision
1.108a, the commissioner shalladopt rules for providing provide for a standard adult high
1.11school diploma to persons who:
1.12(1) are not eligible for kindergarten through grade 12 services;
1.13(2) do not have a high school diploma; and
1.14(3) successfully complete an adult basic education program of instruction approved
1.15by the commissioner of education necessary to earn an adult high school diploma.
1.16(b) Persons participating in an approved adult basic education program of instruction
1.17must demonstrate the competencies, knowledge, and skills sufficient to ensure that
1.18postsecondary programs and institutions and potential employers regard persons with a
1.19standard high school diploma and persons with a standard adult high school diploma as
1.20equally well prepared and qualified graduates. Approved adult basic education programs
1.21of instruction under this subdivision must issue a standard adult high school diploma to
1.22persons who successfully demonstrate the competencies, knowledge, and skills required
1.23by the program.
1.24EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2014.
2.1 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.52, is amended by adding a subdivision
2.2to read:
2.3 Subd. 8a. Standard adult high school diploma requirements. (a) The
2.4commissioner must establish criteria and requirements for eligible adult basic education
2.5consortia under section 124D.518, subdivision 2, to effectively operate and provide
2.6instruction under this subdivision.
2.7(b) An eligible and interested adult basic education consortium must apply to the
2.8commissioner, in the form and manner determined by the commissioner, for approval to
2.9provide an adult high school diploma program to eligible students under subdivision 8,
2.10paragraph (a). An approved consortium annually must submit to the commissioner the
2.11longitudinal and evaluative data, identified in the consortium's application, to demonstrate
2.12its compliance with applicable federal and state law and its approved application and
2.13the efficacy of its adult high school diploma program. The commissioner must use the
2.14data to evaluate whether or not to reapprove an eligible consortium every fifth year. The
2.15commissioner, at the commissioner's discretion, may reevaluate the compliance or efficacy
2.16of a program provider sooner than every fifth year. The commissioner may limit the
2.17number or size of adult high school diploma programs based on identified community
2.18needs, available funding, other available resources, or other relevant criteria identified by
2.19the commissioner.
2.20(c) At the time a student applies for admission to an adult high school diploma
2.21program, the program provider must work with the student applicant to:
2.22(1) identify the student's learning goals, skills and experiences, required
2.23competencies already completed, and goals and options for viable career pathways;
2.24(2) assess the student's instructional needs; and
2.25(3) develop an individualized learning plan to guide the student in completing adult
2.26high school diploma requirements and realizing career goals identified in the plan.
2.27To fully implement the learning plan, the provider must provide the student with ongoing
2.28advising, monitor the student's progress toward completing program requirements and
2.29receiving a diploma, and provide the student with additional academic support services
2.30when needed. At the time a student satisfactorily completes all program requirements and
2.31is eligible to receive a diploma, the provider must conduct a final student interview to
2.32examine both student and program outcomes related to the student's ability to demonstrate
2.33required competencies and complete program requirements and to assist the student with
2.34the student's transition to training, a career, or postsecondary education.
2.35 (d) Competencies and other program requirements must be rigorous, uniform
2.36throughout the state, and align to Minnesota academic high school standards applicable
3.1to adult learners and their career and college needs. The commissioner must establish
3.2competencies, skills, and knowledge requirements in the following areas, consistent with
3.3this paragraph:
3.4 (1) language arts, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening;
3.5 (2) mathematics;
3.6 (3) career development and employment-related skills;
3.7 (4) social studies; and
3.8 (5) science.
3.9 (e) Consistent with criteria established by the commissioner, students may
3.10demonstrate satisfactory completion of program requirements through verification of
3.11the student's:
3.12 (1) prior experiences, including K-12 courses and programs, postsecondary courses
3.13and programs, adult basic education instruction, and other approved experiences aligned
3.14with the Minnesota academic high school standards applicable to adult learners and their
3.15career and college needs;
3.16 (2) knowledge and skills as measured or demonstrated by valid and reliable
3.17high school assessments, secondary credentials, adult basic education programs, and
3.18postsecondary entrance exams;
3.19 (3) adult basic education instruction and course completion; and
3.20 (4) applied and experiential learning acquired via contextualized projects and other
3.21approved learning opportunities.
3.22 (f) Program providers must transmit a student's record of work to another approved
3.23consortium for any student who transfers between approved programs under this
3.24subdivision. The commissioner must establish a uniform format and transcript to record a
3.25student's record of work and also the manner under which approved consortia maintain
3.26permanent student records and transmit transferred student records. At a student's request,
3.27a program provider must transmit the student's record of work to other entities such as
3.28a postsecondary institution or employer.
3.29 (g) The commissioner may issue a standard adult high school diploma and transmit
3.30the transcript and record of work of the student who receives the diploma. Alternatively, a
3.31school district that is a member of an approved consortium providing a program under
3.32this subdivision may issue a district diploma to a student who satisfactorily completes the
3.33requirements for a standard adult high school diploma under this subdivision.
3.34 (h) The commissioner must identify best practices for adult basic education
3.35programs and develop adult basic education recommendations consistent with this
3.36subdivision to assist approved consortia in providing an adult high school diploma
4.1program. The commissioner must provide assistance to consortia providing an approved
4.2adult high school diploma program.
4.3 (i) The commissioner may establish a nine-member stakeholder advisory committee
4.4representing practitioners from throughout Minnesota, including educators, school
4.5board members, and school administrators, among others, who are familiar with adult
4.6basic education students and programs, to advise the commissioner on establishing the
4.7standards, requirements, and other criteria needed to ensure, consistent with subdivision
4.88, that persons with a standard adult high school diploma are as equally well prepared
4.9and qualified graduates as persons with a standard high school diploma. The committee
4.10shall regularly review program requirements and diploma standards and annually report
4.11its review findings to the commissioner by December 15 of each year. The advisory
4.12committee does not expire.
4.13EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2014.
1.3diploma;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.52, by adding a
1.4subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.52, subdivision
1.58.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.52, subdivision 8,
1.8is amended to read:
1.9 Subd. 8. Standard high school diploma for adults. (a) Consistent with subdivision
1.108a, the commissioner shall
1.11school diploma to persons who:
1.12(1) are not eligible for kindergarten through grade 12 services;
1.13(2) do not have a high school diploma; and
1.14(3) successfully complete an adult basic education program of instruction approved
1.15by the commissioner of education necessary to earn an adult high school diploma.
1.16(b) Persons participating in an approved adult basic education program of instruction
1.17must demonstrate the competencies, knowledge, and skills sufficient to ensure that
1.18postsecondary programs and institutions and potential employers regard persons with a
1.19standard high school diploma and persons with a standard adult high school diploma as
1.20equally well prepared and qualified graduates. Approved adult basic education programs
1.21of instruction under this subdivision must issue a standard adult high school diploma to
1.22persons who successfully demonstrate the competencies, knowledge, and skills required
1.23by the program.
1.24EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2014.
2.1 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 124D.52, is amended by adding a subdivision
2.2to read:
2.3 Subd. 8a. Standard adult high school diploma requirements. (a) The
2.4commissioner must establish criteria and requirements for eligible adult basic education
2.5consortia under section 124D.518, subdivision 2, to effectively operate and provide
2.6instruction under this subdivision.
2.7(b) An eligible and interested adult basic education consortium must apply to the
2.8commissioner, in the form and manner determined by the commissioner, for approval to
2.9provide an adult high school diploma program to eligible students under subdivision 8,
2.10paragraph (a). An approved consortium annually must submit to the commissioner the
2.11longitudinal and evaluative data, identified in the consortium's application, to demonstrate
2.12its compliance with applicable federal and state law and its approved application and
2.13the efficacy of its adult high school diploma program. The commissioner must use the
2.14data to evaluate whether or not to reapprove an eligible consortium every fifth year. The
2.15commissioner, at the commissioner's discretion, may reevaluate the compliance or efficacy
2.16of a program provider sooner than every fifth year. The commissioner may limit the
2.17number or size of adult high school diploma programs based on identified community
2.18needs, available funding, other available resources, or other relevant criteria identified by
2.19the commissioner.
2.20(c) At the time a student applies for admission to an adult high school diploma
2.21program, the program provider must work with the student applicant to:
2.22(1) identify the student's learning goals, skills and experiences, required
2.23competencies already completed, and goals and options for viable career pathways;
2.24(2) assess the student's instructional needs; and
2.25(3) develop an individualized learning plan to guide the student in completing adult
2.26high school diploma requirements and realizing career goals identified in the plan.
2.27To fully implement the learning plan, the provider must provide the student with ongoing
2.28advising, monitor the student's progress toward completing program requirements and
2.29receiving a diploma, and provide the student with additional academic support services
2.30when needed. At the time a student satisfactorily completes all program requirements and
2.31is eligible to receive a diploma, the provider must conduct a final student interview to
2.32examine both student and program outcomes related to the student's ability to demonstrate
2.33required competencies and complete program requirements and to assist the student with
2.34the student's transition to training, a career, or postsecondary education.
2.35 (d) Competencies and other program requirements must be rigorous, uniform
2.36throughout the state, and align to Minnesota academic high school standards applicable
3.1to adult learners and their career and college needs. The commissioner must establish
3.2competencies, skills, and knowledge requirements in the following areas, consistent with
3.3this paragraph:
3.4 (1) language arts, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening;
3.5 (2) mathematics;
3.6 (3) career development and employment-related skills;
3.7 (4) social studies; and
3.8 (5) science.
3.9 (e) Consistent with criteria established by the commissioner, students may
3.10demonstrate satisfactory completion of program requirements through verification of
3.11the student's:
3.12 (1) prior experiences, including K-12 courses and programs, postsecondary courses
3.13and programs, adult basic education instruction, and other approved experiences aligned
3.14with the Minnesota academic high school standards applicable to adult learners and their
3.15career and college needs;
3.16 (2) knowledge and skills as measured or demonstrated by valid and reliable
3.17high school assessments, secondary credentials, adult basic education programs, and
3.18postsecondary entrance exams;
3.19 (3) adult basic education instruction and course completion; and
3.20 (4) applied and experiential learning acquired via contextualized projects and other
3.21approved learning opportunities.
3.22 (f) Program providers must transmit a student's record of work to another approved
3.23consortium for any student who transfers between approved programs under this
3.24subdivision. The commissioner must establish a uniform format and transcript to record a
3.25student's record of work and also the manner under which approved consortia maintain
3.26permanent student records and transmit transferred student records. At a student's request,
3.27a program provider must transmit the student's record of work to other entities such as
3.28a postsecondary institution or employer.
3.29 (g) The commissioner may issue a standard adult high school diploma and transmit
3.30the transcript and record of work of the student who receives the diploma. Alternatively, a
3.31school district that is a member of an approved consortium providing a program under
3.32this subdivision may issue a district diploma to a student who satisfactorily completes the
3.33requirements for a standard adult high school diploma under this subdivision.
3.34 (h) The commissioner must identify best practices for adult basic education
3.35programs and develop adult basic education recommendations consistent with this
3.36subdivision to assist approved consortia in providing an adult high school diploma
4.1program. The commissioner must provide assistance to consortia providing an approved
4.2adult high school diploma program.
4.3 (i) The commissioner may establish a nine-member stakeholder advisory committee
4.4representing practitioners from throughout Minnesota, including educators, school
4.5board members, and school administrators, among others, who are familiar with adult
4.6basic education students and programs, to advise the commissioner on establishing the
4.7standards, requirements, and other criteria needed to ensure, consistent with subdivision
4.88, that persons with a standard adult high school diploma are as equally well prepared
4.9and qualified graduates as persons with a standard high school diploma. The committee
4.10shall regularly review program requirements and diploma standards and annually report
4.11its review findings to the commissioner by December 15 of each year. The advisory
4.12committee does not expire.
4.13EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective August 1, 2014.
