1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to education; directing the Office of 
  1.3             Educational Accountability to evaluate the educational 
  1.4             impact of the federal No Child Left Behind Act and 
  1.5             other state and federal laws requiring school 
  1.6             districts to administer tests to students. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [EVALUATING THE EDUCATIONAL IMPACT OF FEDERAL 
  1.9   AND STATE TESTS ON KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 12 STUDENTS.] 
  1.10     (a) The Office of Educational Accountability under 
  1.11  Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.31, subdivision 3, must 
  1.12  evaluate the educational impact of the federal No Child Left 
  1.13  Behind Act and other state and federal laws requiring school 
  1.14  districts to administer tests to kindergarten through grade 12 
  1.15  students.  The evaluation at least must address: 
  1.16     (1) potential educational costs to kindergarten through 
  1.17  grade 12 public school students through the 2013-2014 school 
  1.18  year of complying with testing requirements; 
  1.19     (2) educational factors that may increase or decrease the 
  1.20  educational costs identified under clause (1); 
  1.21     (3) the impact of testing requirements on the statewide 
  1.22  accountability system, teacher training and employment, and 
  1.23  curriculum development; and 
  1.24     (4) the relationship between the testing requirements, 
  1.25  postsecondary entrance requirements and the expectations of the 
  1.26  business community regarding the educational preparation of new 
  2.1   high school graduates seeking employment. 
  2.2      The Office of Educational Accountability, at its 
  2.3   discretion, may include additional areas for evaluation. 
  2.4      (b) In preparing this evaluation, the Office of Educational 
  2.5   Accountability must select a sample of school districts to 
  2.6   explore in depth the areas listed in paragraph (a).  The school 
  2.7   districts must be of varying sizes and geographical locations, 
  2.8   and must include some districts with schools designated by the 
  2.9   state Department of Education as "needing improvement" under the 
  2.10  No Child Left Behind Act.  The Office of Educational 
  2.11  Accountability must contact school officials, employees of 
  2.12  postsecondary institutions, and representatives of business 
  2.13  communities from throughout the state to collect information and 
  2.14  perceptions related to the evaluation.  State and local entities 
  2.15  must cooperate with and assist the Office of Educational 
  2.16  Accountability with this evaluation at the request of the Office 
  2.17  of Educational Accountability. 
  2.18     (c) The Office of Educational Accountability must submit 
  2.19  the evaluation in writing to the chairs of the legislative 
  2.20  committees in the house and senate charged with oversight of 
  2.21  kindergarten through grade 12 education policy and finance by 
  2.22  February 1, 2005. 
  2.23     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  2.24  following final enactment.