1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; providing for a post-secondary 
  1.3             education credit bank; appropriating money; proposing 
  1.4             coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 136A.
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [136A.999] [CREDIT BANK.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE.] A credit bank is created to 
  1.8   assess prior learning and to record credits earned for 
  1.9   post-secondary education.  The credit bank shall assess learning 
  1.10  obtained through formal education, life experiences, 
  1.11  workplace-based training, and education outside the United 
  1.12  States, award appropriate credit, and apply credits towards 
  1.13  completion of degrees in Minnesota public and private 
  1.14  post-secondary institutions. 
  1.15     Subd. 2.  [ADMINISTRATION.] The higher education 
  1.16  coordinating board shall administer the credit bank. 
  1.17     Subd. 3.  [FUNCTIONS.] The credit bank shall perform the 
  1.18  following functions: 
  1.19     (1) establish and implement appropriate processes to assess 
  1.20  transcripts and award credit for work performed at recognized 
  1.21  institutions throughout the world using existing faculty of 
  1.22  Minnesota post-secondary institutions as content experts; 
  1.23     (2) establish and implement appropriate processes to assess 
  1.24  and award credit for learning obtained through noneducational 
  1.25  institutions such as business and governmental agencies using 
  2.1   standards such as those recommended by the council for adult and 
  2.2   experiential learning; 
  2.3      (3) establish and implement appropriate processes to assess 
  2.4   and award credit for learning acquired through self study and 
  2.5   other nonformal means using standards such as those recommended 
  2.6   by the council for adult and experiential learning; 
  2.7      (4) develop or facilitate the development of examinations 
  2.8   or other assessments by which credit may be awarded for a 
  2.9   course, subject, certificate, diploma, or degree using existing 
  2.10  faculty of Minnesota post-secondary institutions as content 
  2.11  experts; and 
  2.12     (5) identify, evaluate, and recognize other means of 
  2.13  awarding credit. 
  2.14     Sec. 2.  [REPORT.] 
  2.15     The higher education coordinating board shall report to the 
  2.16  education committees by February 1, 1996, on progress in 
  2.17  establishing the credit bank. 
  2.18     Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.19     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.20  higher education coordinating board for fiscal year 1996 and 
  2.21  $....... for fiscal year 1997.  Appropriations are to be used 
  2.22  for staffing, contracts for faculty, marketing, and record 
  2.23  keeping for the credit bank in sections 1 and 2.