1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to education; implementing a small school 
  1.3             viability pilot project; requiring reporting; 
  1.4             appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [SMALL SCHOOL VIABILITY PROJECT.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [PILOT PROJECT.] A small school viability 
  1.8   pilot project is created.  The purpose of the small school 
  1.9   viability project is to serve as a small school model for the 
  1.10  state of Minnesota demonstrating the capability of a small 
  1.11  school district to provide a curriculum and teaching methodology 
  1.12  allowing students to reach high levels of performance on the 
  1.13  state graduation standards. 
  1.14     Subd. 2.  [ACTIVITIES.] The school board of independent 
  1.15  school district No. 330, Heron Lake-Okabena, must develop its 
  1.16  small school viability project including its academic framework, 
  1.17  goals, and delivery system in consultation with community 
  1.18  members, teachers, and parents. 
  1.19     Sec. 2.  [FACILITY NEEDS.] 
  1.20     Independent school district No. 330, Heron Lake-Okabena, 
  1.21  shall develop a recommendation for facility funding needs for 
  1.22  small schools.  The facilities formula must be developed in 
  1.23  consultation with local taxpayers and the department of 
  1.24  children, families, and learning.  The formula may include 
  1.25  reliance on state aid, local bond proceeds, or state bond 
  2.1   proceeds.  The facilities formula must demonstrate how 
  2.2   efficiencies of scale can be achieved for small schools. 
  2.3      Sec. 3.  [REPORT.] 
  2.4      The school district shall conduct an ongoing study of the 
  2.5   pilot program.  The study shall evaluate program outcomes and 
  2.6   student performance.  The study shall compare outcomes and 
  2.7   student performance to other similarly situated school districts 
  2.8   and measure changes in outcomes and student performance within 
  2.9   the school over time.  The school district shall annually report 
  2.10  its results to the legislature by February 15 of each year.  A 
  2.11  final report must be issued by February 15, 2002. 
  2.12     Sec. 4.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  2.13     $117,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 1998 from the 
  2.14  general fund to the department of children, families, and 
  2.15  learning for a grant to independent school district No. 330, 
  2.16  Heron Lake-Okabena, to establish the Southwest Star Concept 
  2.17  School.  Of this amount, up to $74,000 is for equipment needs; 
  2.18  up to $8,100 is for activities beyond the classroom walls; and 
  2.19  up to $17,000 is for professional planning assistance.  Any 
  2.20  remaining funds may be used for monitoring, evaluating, and 
  2.21  reporting activities related to the case study prepared in 
  2.22  section 3.  
  2.23     This appropriation is available until June 30, 1999. 
  2.24     Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.25     Sections 1 to 4 are effective July 1, 1997.