1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to education; establishing an interim task 
  1.3             force to study and recommend a preK-12 education 
  1.4             governance structure; directing the revisor to make 
  1.5             the appropriate changes to reflect the repeal of the 
  1.6             state board of education; repealing Minnesota Statutes 
  1.7             1996, section 121.02. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  [TASK FORCE ON PREK-12 EDUCATION GOVERNANCE 
  1.10  STRUCTURE.] 
  1.11     Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE.] A task force on 
  1.12  preK-12 education governance structure is established to examine 
  1.13  alternatives for restructuring the state's preK-12 education 
  1.14  system to better accommodate significant educational reform 
  1.15  initiatives, school choice policies, data practices issues, the 
  1.16  need for educational accountability, the transition to greater 
  1.17  site-based management and the efforts to ensure cross-discipline 
  1.18  collaboration, among other things, with the ultimate goal of 
  1.19  best meeting children's educational needs and interests as the 
  1.20  world and the nature of education and work change. 
  1.21     Subd. 2.  [MEMBERSHIP.] The task force shall consist of 15 
  1.22  members.  The department of children, families, and learning 
  1.23  shall provide staff support for task force activities.  Task 
  1.24  force members, appointed by the panel under subdivision 3, must 
  1.25  include five people directly involved in public education, five 
  1.26  people who represent state or local governments, and five people 
  2.1   who are public members, including parents, business leaders, 
  2.2   labor leaders, and others who have demonstrated a commitment to 
  2.3   excellence in Minnesota public schools.  Membership terms and 
  2.4   removal are governed by Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059. 
  2.5      Subd. 3.  [PANEL.] A panel, composed of one person 
  2.6   appointed by the governor, one person appointed by the speaker 
  2.7   of the house of representatives, one person appointed by the 
  2.8   subcommittee on committees of the senate committee on rules and 
  2.9   administration, and the commissioner of children, families, and 
  2.10  learning, shall appoint the members of the task force.  The 
  2.11  panel shall consider gender and geographical and racial 
  2.12  diversity in making the appointments.  The commissioner of 
  2.13  children, families, and learning shall chair and convene the 
  2.14  panel.  The panel must make the first appointments to the task 
  2.15  force by July 15, 1997. 
  2.16     Subd. 4.  [TASK FORCE ACTIVITIES.] The task force shall 
  2.17  examine alternatives for restructuring the state's preK-12 
  2.18  education system by considering at least the following: 
  2.19     (1) how to best accommodate significant educational reform 
  2.20  initiatives, school choice policies, data practices issues, the 
  2.21  need for educational accountability, and the transition to 
  2.22  greater site-based management at the state and local levels of 
  2.23  government; 
  2.24     (2) how to facilitate genuine, broad-based collaboration 
  2.25  between schools and state and county-based social services 
  2.26  agencies serving the same or similar populations of children and 
  2.27  families; 
  2.28     (3) how to best anticipate and accommodate the changing 
  2.29  demographics or students and staff in the context of a dynamic 
  2.30  education system; 
  2.31     (4) the extent to which the structure of local government 
  2.32  units, including school districts, city councils, and county 
  2.33  boards, promotes or inhibits intergovernmental collaboration; 
  2.34     (5) what governance model best allows the state to 
  2.35  accomplish the goals of this section and the repeal of the state 
  2.36  board of education under section 2 and provide guidance and 
  3.1   oversight to the department of children, families, and learning; 
  3.2   and 
  3.3      (6) what the best method is for selecting, appointing, and 
  3.4   retaining the commissioner of children, families, and learning. 
  3.5      Subd. 5.  [TASK FORCE FUNCTIONS.] The task force may enter 
  3.6   into contracts and perform such other functions as are necessary 
  3.7   to carry out the duties of the task force.  Task force members 
  3.8   may receive compensation according to Minnesota Statutes, 
  3.9   section 15.059, subdivision 3. 
  3.10     Subd. 6.  [REPORT.] The task force shall submit a report of 
  3.11  its findings and recommendations to the chairs of the education 
  3.12  committee in the house and the senate by February 15, 1998. 
  3.13     Subd. 7.  [EXPIRATION.] The task force expires on June 1, 
  3.14  1998. 
  3.15     Sec. 2.  [REPEALER; STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.] 
  3.16     Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 121.02, is repealed. 
  3.17     Sec. 3.  [REVISOR INSTRUCTION.] 
  3.18     In the 1998 and subsequent editions of Minnesota Statutes 
  3.19  and Minnesota Rules, the revisor shall replace "state board of 
  3.20  education" or similar terms to the name of the entity designated 
  3.21  by the task force under section 1. 
  3.22     Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.23     Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.  
  3.24  Sections 2 and 3 are effective June 30, 1998.