Bill Text: MN SF325 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: MNovate commission to provide leadership for the creation of new and innovative models of public schools and schooling establishment
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-16 - Withdrawn and re-referred to Education [SF325 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-SF325-Engrossed.html
1.2relating to education; creating the MNovate commission;proposing coding for
1.3new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 127A.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. [127A.90] MNOVATE COMMISSION.
1.6 Subdivision 1. Creation. A commission called MNovate is established to assist the
1.7governor, the legislature, the commissioner of education, and learning communities of
1.8Minnesota. The mission of the commission is to provide leadership for the creation of
1.9new and innovative models of public schools and schooling resulting in:
1.10(1) models of learning designed around individual needs and aspirations;
1.11(2) evaluations of new ways of learning;
1.12(3) new professional opportunities for teachers; and
1.13(4) improved efficiency of the public early childhood through grade 12 education
1.14system.
1.15 Subd. 2. Membership. (a) For the initial appointments, the terms of the board
1.16members of the commission shall be one year for one third of the members, two years for
1.17one third of the members, and three years for one third of the members. Thereafter, the
1.18members shall serve three-year terms. Members may be reappointed upon the completion
1.19of their current term for one additional term. The compensation, filling of vacancies, and
1.20removal of members are governed by section 15.0575. The commission may accept gifts
1.21and contributions from public and private organizations.
1.22(b) The commission shall consist of 12 voting members. The commissioner of
1.23education shall be an ongoing voting member and shall serve as chair for the first year,
1.24after which time the chair will be selected by the members.
2.1(c) The governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and the Subcommittee
2.2on Committees of the senate Committee on Rules and Administration shall each appoint
2.3four voting members. At the initial meeting of the commission, the length of the terms
2.4would be allocated by a lottery method. The commissioner of education shall be one of
2.5the governor's appointees and shall serve a three-year term. One commission member may
2.6be a state representative and one may be a state senator.
2.7(d) The commission should periodically request testimony and advice from
2.8educators, students, families, education organizations, higher education, the business
2.9community, and other parties to gain their input with respect to learning models. Also,
2.10persons with expertise in new models of teaching and learning, finance, technology
2.11evaluation models, and other areas to be determined by the commission shall also be
2.12requested to provide testimony and advice.
2.13(e) Commission appointees should have expertise or experience that demonstrates
2.14support for the risks and rewards of innovative efforts. The commission, to the extent
2.15practicable, should reflect geographic and ethnic representation.
2.16(f) Following the initial appointments as provided for in this subdivision, the
2.17commission board will appoint its own members who shall serve only if confirmed by
2.18the senate. Commission members, with the exception of the commissioner of education,
2.19may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. The commissioner of education shall be
2.20an ongoing member of the commission.
2.21 Subd. 3. Duties. The commission shall:
2.22(1) provide outreach to educators, community groups, and others to help stimulate
2.23interest and develop proposals for new and fundamentally different schools;
2.24(2) conduct research and identify high-priority unmet student learning needs in all
2.25parts of the state, as well as districts facing severe fiscal stress where new learning models
2.26or organizational models could help make districts and schools more fiscally sustainable.
2.27Unmet needs to be researched and interim recommendations to be made by December
2.2831, 2012, include:
2.29(i) improving student readiness for kindergarten and academic proficiency by the
2.30end of third grade;
2.31(ii) high school models resulting in students completing one or more years of
2.32postsecondary credit;
2.33(iii) administrative models for serving students in sparsely populated areas;
2.34(iv) administrative, learning, or organizational models for districts facing severe
2.35fiscal stress;
3.1(v) models that use technology, including low or no-cost technology, as a significant
3.2way to improve learning and efficiency; and
3.3(vi) models that focus on student engagement in their learning with an enhanced
3.4level of connection between the teachers and students, including project-based models;
3.5(3) identify laws and rules that restrict the development of learning models and
3.6constrain innovation;
3.7(4) disseminate information about new school creation to audiences throughout
3.8the state;
3.9(5) create opportunities for current district schools, site-governed district schools,
3.10charter schools, contract alternative schools, and others to learn of new models, exchange
3.11ideas, improve efficiency, improve accountability, and enhance innovation in public
3.12education;
3.13(6) research and develop new models of evaluation to support learning, efficiency,
3.14and accountability;
3.15(7) facilitate and coordinate quality assistance as well as nongovernmental support
3.16that is available to assist districts and other new school developers to create proposals
3.17for high-quality new models of schools and schooling and to effectively implement
3.18these new models;
3.19(8) disseminate information to the public regarding ways for students to access
3.20learning such as through the postsecondary enrollment options law provided for in
3.21section 124D.09, by utilizing online learning, through options for learning in Minnesota
3.22communities, as well as through other pathways; and
3.23(9) actively seek out funding from private sources, federal grants, and other sources
3.24to fund the work of the commission.
3.25 Subd. 4. Report. The commission shall report to the governor, the policy and
3.26finance committees of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over prekindergarten
3.27and kindergarten through grade 12 education, and the commissioner of education
3.28annually regarding the results of its work and make recommendations regarding ongoing
3.29development of new models of schools.
3.30 Subd. 5. Delegation to nonprofit. The commission shall create a private nonprofit
3.31corporation and apply for tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal
3.32Revenue Code of 1986. The members appointed in subdivision 2 shall serve as the
3.33corporation's board of directors. The private nonprofit corporation is not subject to laws
3.34governing state agencies or political subdivisions, except that the provisions of chapter
3.3513, the Open Meeting Law under chapter 13D, salary limits under section 15A.0815,
3.36subdivision 2, and audits by the legislative auditor under chapter 3 apply. The board of
4.1directors and the executive director of the nonprofit corporation are each considered an
4.2official for purposes of section 10A.071. The commission may delegate any or all of its
4.3powers and duties under state and federal law to the private nonprofit corporation. The
4.4commission may revoke a delegation of powers and duties at any time.
1.3new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 127A.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. [127A.90] MNOVATE COMMISSION.
1.6 Subdivision 1. Creation. A commission called MNovate is established to assist the
1.7governor, the legislature, the commissioner of education, and learning communities of
1.8Minnesota. The mission of the commission is to provide leadership for the creation of
1.9new and innovative models of public schools and schooling resulting in:
1.10(1) models of learning designed around individual needs and aspirations;
1.11(2) evaluations of new ways of learning;
1.12(3) new professional opportunities for teachers; and
1.13(4) improved efficiency of the public early childhood through grade 12 education
1.14system.
1.15 Subd. 2. Membership. (a) For the initial appointments, the terms of the board
1.16members of the commission shall be one year for one third of the members, two years for
1.17one third of the members, and three years for one third of the members. Thereafter, the
1.18members shall serve three-year terms. Members may be reappointed upon the completion
1.19of their current term for one additional term. The compensation, filling of vacancies, and
1.20removal of members are governed by section 15.0575. The commission may accept gifts
1.21and contributions from public and private organizations.
1.22(b) The commission shall consist of 12 voting members. The commissioner of
1.23education shall be an ongoing voting member and shall serve as chair for the first year,
1.24after which time the chair will be selected by the members.
2.1(c) The governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and the Subcommittee
2.2on Committees of the senate Committee on Rules and Administration shall each appoint
2.3four voting members. At the initial meeting of the commission, the length of the terms
2.4would be allocated by a lottery method. The commissioner of education shall be one of
2.5the governor's appointees and shall serve a three-year term. One commission member may
2.6be a state representative and one may be a state senator.
2.7(d) The commission should periodically request testimony and advice from
2.8educators, students, families, education organizations, higher education, the business
2.9community, and other parties to gain their input with respect to learning models. Also,
2.10persons with expertise in new models of teaching and learning, finance, technology
2.11evaluation models, and other areas to be determined by the commission shall also be
2.12requested to provide testimony and advice.
2.13(e) Commission appointees should have expertise or experience that demonstrates
2.14support for the risks and rewards of innovative efforts. The commission, to the extent
2.15practicable, should reflect geographic and ethnic representation.
2.16(f) Following the initial appointments as provided for in this subdivision, the
2.17commission board will appoint its own members who shall serve only if confirmed by
2.18the senate. Commission members, with the exception of the commissioner of education,
2.19may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. The commissioner of education shall be
2.20an ongoing member of the commission.
2.21 Subd. 3. Duties. The commission shall:
2.22(1) provide outreach to educators, community groups, and others to help stimulate
2.23interest and develop proposals for new and fundamentally different schools;
2.24(2) conduct research and identify high-priority unmet student learning needs in all
2.25parts of the state, as well as districts facing severe fiscal stress where new learning models
2.26or organizational models could help make districts and schools more fiscally sustainable.
2.27Unmet needs to be researched and interim recommendations to be made by December
2.2831, 2012, include:
2.29(i) improving student readiness for kindergarten and academic proficiency by the
2.30end of third grade;
2.31(ii) high school models resulting in students completing one or more years of
2.32postsecondary credit;
2.33(iii) administrative models for serving students in sparsely populated areas;
2.34(iv) administrative, learning, or organizational models for districts facing severe
2.35fiscal stress;
3.1(v) models that use technology, including low or no-cost technology, as a significant
3.2way to improve learning and efficiency; and
3.3(vi) models that focus on student engagement in their learning with an enhanced
3.4level of connection between the teachers and students, including project-based models;
3.5(3) identify laws and rules that restrict the development of learning models and
3.6constrain innovation;
3.7(4) disseminate information about new school creation to audiences throughout
3.8the state;
3.9(5) create opportunities for current district schools, site-governed district schools,
3.10charter schools, contract alternative schools, and others to learn of new models, exchange
3.11ideas, improve efficiency, improve accountability, and enhance innovation in public
3.12education;
3.13(6) research and develop new models of evaluation to support learning, efficiency,
3.14and accountability;
3.15(7) facilitate and coordinate quality assistance as well as nongovernmental support
3.16that is available to assist districts and other new school developers to create proposals
3.17for high-quality new models of schools and schooling and to effectively implement
3.18these new models;
3.19(8) disseminate information to the public regarding ways for students to access
3.20learning such as through the postsecondary enrollment options law provided for in
3.21section 124D.09, by utilizing online learning, through options for learning in Minnesota
3.22communities, as well as through other pathways; and
3.23(9) actively seek out funding from private sources, federal grants, and other sources
3.24to fund the work of the commission.
3.25 Subd. 4. Report. The commission shall report to the governor, the policy and
3.26finance committees of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over prekindergarten
3.27and kindergarten through grade 12 education, and the commissioner of education
3.28annually regarding the results of its work and make recommendations regarding ongoing
3.29development of new models of schools.
3.30 Subd. 5. Delegation to nonprofit. The commission shall create a private nonprofit
3.31corporation and apply for tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal
3.32Revenue Code of 1986. The members appointed in subdivision 2 shall serve as the
3.33corporation's board of directors. The private nonprofit corporation is not subject to laws
3.34governing state agencies or political subdivisions, except that the provisions of chapter
3.3513, the Open Meeting Law under chapter 13D, salary limits under section 15A.0815,
3.36subdivision 2, and audits by the legislative auditor under chapter 3 apply. The board of
4.1directors and the executive director of the nonprofit corporation are each considered an
4.2official for purposes of section 10A.071. The commission may delegate any or all of its
4.3powers and duties under state and federal law to the private nonprofit corporation. The
4.4commission may revoke a delegation of powers and duties at any time.
