1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; enlisting retired teachers to help support newly licensed 
1.3 	teachers in developing their teaching practice and improving students' learning;
1.4 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 122A.413, subdivision 2; 122A.60, 
1.5 	subdivisions 1a, 3.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.413, subdivision 2, is amended to 
1.8 	read:
1.9 		Subd. 2.Plan components. The educational improvement plan must be approved 
1.10 	by the school board and have at least these elements:
1.11 	(1) assessment and evaluation tools to measure student performance and progress;
1.12 	(2) performance goals and benchmarks for improvement;
1.13 	(3) measures of student attendance and completion rates;
1.14 	(4) a rigorous professional development system, consistent with section 122A.60, 
1.15 	that is aligned with educational improvement, designed to achieve teaching quality 
1.16 	improvement, and consistent with clearly defined research-based standards;
1.17 	(5) measures of student, family, and community involvement and satisfaction;
1.18 	(6) a data system about students and their academic progress that provides parents 
1.19 	and the public with understandable information;
1.20 	(7) a teacher induction, guidance and support, and mentoring program for 
1.21 	probationary teachers that provides clearly articulated expectations, continuous and 
1.22 	consistent professional learning, opportunities for reflection and collaboration, and 
1.23 	sustained teacher support from the school community; and
1.24 	(8) substantial participation by the exclusive representative of the teachers in 
1.25 	developing the plan.

2.1 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.2 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.60, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
2.3 		Subd. 1a.Effective staff development activities. (a) Staff development activities 
2.4 	must:
2.5 	(1) focus on the school classroom and research-based strategies that improve student 
2.6 	learning;
2.7 	(2) provide opportunities for teachers to practice and improve their instructional 
2.8 	skills over time;
2.9 	(3) provide opportunities for teachers to use student data as part of their daily work 
2.10 	to increase student achievement;
2.11 	(4) enhance teacher content knowledge and instructional skills;
2.12 	(5) align with state and local academic standards;
2.13 	(6) provide opportunities to build professional relationships, foster collaboration 
2.14 	among principals and staff who provide instruction, and provide opportunities for 
2.15 	teacher-to-teacher mentoring and consistent and continuous retired-teacher-to-new-teacher 
2.16 	guidance and support; and
2.17 	(7) align with the plan of the district or site for an alternative teacher professional 
2.18 	pay system.
2.19 	Staff development activities may include curriculum development and curriculum training 
2.20 	programs, and activities that provide teachers and other members of site-based teams 
2.21 	training to enhance team performance, and opportunities for retired teachers to consistently 
2.22 	and continuously help guide and support newly licensed teachers in developing their 
2.23 	teaching practice, setting professional development goals, and improving student learning. 
2.24 	The school district also may implement other staff development activities required by law 
2.25 	and activities associated with professional teacher compensation models.
2.26 	(b) Release time provided for teachers to supervise students on field trips and school 
2.27 	activities, or independent tasks not associated with enhancing the teacher's knowledge 
2.28 	and instructional skills, such as preparing report cards, calculating grades, or organizing 
2.29 	classroom materials, may not be counted as staff development time that is financed with 
2.30 	staff development reserved revenue under section 122A.61.

2.31 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.32 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 122A.60, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
3.1 		Subd. 3.Staff development outcomes. The advisory staff development committee 
3.2 	must adopt a staff development plan for improving student achievement. The plan must 
3.3 	be consistent with education outcomes that the school board determines. The plan 
3.4 	must include ongoing staff development activities that contribute toward continuous 
3.5 	improvement in achievement of the following goals:
3.6 	(1) improve student achievement of state and local education standards in all areas 
3.7 	of the curriculum by using best practices methods;
3.8 	(2) effectively meet the needs of a diverse student population, including at-risk 
3.9 	children, children with disabilities, and gifted children, within the regular classroom 
3.10 	and other settings;
3.11 	(3) provide an inclusive curriculum for a racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse 
3.12 	student population that is consistent with the state education diversity rule and the district's 
3.13 	education diversity plan;
3.14 	(4) improve staff collaboration and develop consistent and continuous guidance 
3.15 	and support for new teachers using teacher retirees, and mentoring and peer coaching 
3.16 	programs for teachers new to the school or district;
3.17 	(5) effectively teach and model violence prevention policy and curriculum that 
3.18 	address early intervention alternatives, issues of harassment, and teach nonviolent 
3.19 	alternatives for conflict resolution; and
3.20 	(6) provide teachers and other members of site-based management teams with 
3.21 	appropriate management and financial management skills.

3.22 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.