1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education finance; authorizing a grant to 
  1.3             Independent School District No. 15, St. Francis, to 
  1.4             support an alternative teacher compensation model and 
  1.5             a teacher academy; appropriating money. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PROGRAM; ST. FRANCIS.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [ELIGIBILITY.] In order to qualify for the 
  1.9   grant under this section, the board of Independent School 
  1.10  District No. 15, St. Francis, and the exclusive representative 
  1.11  of the teachers must jointly submit to the commissioner a 
  1.12  formally adopted collective bargaining agreement, memorandum of 
  1.13  understanding, or other binding agreement that implements an 
  1.14  alternative teacher pay system. 
  1.15     Subd. 2.  [ALTERNATIVE COMPENSATION PAY SYSTEM.] In order 
  1.16  to receive a grant under this section, Independent School 
  1.17  District No. 15, St. Francis, must establish an alternative 
  1.18  teacher compensation system that allows for voluntary 
  1.19  participation.  The alternative compensation system must: 
  1.20     (1) describe the conditions necessary for career 
  1.21  advancement and additional compensation; 
  1.22     (2) provide career advancement options for teachers 
  1.23  retaining primary roles in student instruction; 
  1.24     (3) use a professional pay system that replaces the step 
  1.25  and lane salary schedule and is not based on years of service; 
  2.1      (4) encourage teachers' continuous improvement in content 
  2.2   knowledge, pedagogy, and use of best practices; and 
  2.3      (5) implement an objective evaluation system. 
  2.4      Subd. 3.  [TEACHER ACADEMY.] Independent School District No.
  2.5   15, St. Francis, may use a portion of the amount appropriated in 
  2.6   subdivision 5 for the costs associated with the teacher 
  2.7   academy.  The teacher academy must offer new teacher induction 
  2.8   activities, site staff development, and academy courses.  The 
  2.9   teacher academy must offer courses in reading that focus on 
  2.10  early reading intervention, beginning reading, and reading 
  2.11  comprehension.  The teacher academy may offer additional courses.
  2.12     Subd. 4.  [REPORT.] Independent School District No. 15, St. 
  2.13  Francis, must submit a preliminary report on February 15, 2005, 
  2.14  and a final report on February 15, 2006, to the education 
  2.15  committees of the legislature.  The report must describe the 
  2.16  alternative compensation structure, list the number of teachers 
  2.17  participating in the alternative compensation program, summarize 
  2.18  the impact of the alternative compensation system on the 
  2.19  district's educational performance, and highlight the activities 
  2.20  of the teacher academy. 
  2.21     Subd. 5.  [APPROPRIATION.] $200,000 is appropriated in 
  2.22  fiscal year 2005 from the general fund to the commissioner of 
  2.23  education for a grant to Independent School District No. 15, St. 
  2.24  Francis, for the purposes of this section. 
  2.25     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  2.26  following final enactment.