1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to education; authorizing learning year 
  1.3             revenue for half-day kindergarten pupils; amending 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 124.17, subdivision 4.
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 124.17, 
  1.7   subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 4.  [LEARNING YEAR PUPIL UNITS.] (a) When a pupil is 
  1.9   enrolled in a learning year program according to section 
  1.10  121.585, an area learning center according to sections 124C.45 
  1.11  and 124C.46, or an alternative program approved by the 
  1.12  commissioner, for more than 1,020 hours in a school year for a 
  1.13  secondary student and for more than 935 hours in a school year 
  1.14  for an elementary student, that pupil may be counted as more 
  1.15  than one pupil in average daily membership.  The amount in 
  1.16  excess of one pupil must be determined by the ratio of the 
  1.17  number of hours of instruction provided to that pupil in excess 
  1.18  of 1,020 hours to 1,020 for a secondary pupil and of 935 hours 
  1.19  to 935 for an elementary pupil.  Hours that occur after the 
  1.20  close of the instructional year in June shall be attributable to 
  1.21  the following fiscal year. 
  1.22     (b) When a kindergarten pupil is enrolled in a learning 
  1.23  year program according to section 121.585, an area learning 
  1.24  center according to sections 124C.45 and 124C.46, or an 
  1.25  alternative program approved by the commissioner, for more than 
  2.1   417 hours in a school year, that pupil may be counted as more 
  2.2   than one-half pupil in average daily membership.  The amount in 
  2.3   excess of one-half pupil must be determined by the ratio of the 
  2.4   number of hours of instruction provided to that pupil in excess 
  2.5   of 417 hours to 417.  Hours that occur after the close of the 
  2.6   instructional year in June shall be attributable to the 
  2.7   following fiscal year. 
  2.8      (c)(i) To receive general education revenue for a pupil in 
  2.9   an alternative program that has an independent study component, 
  2.10  a school district must meet the requirements in this paragraph.  
  2.11  The school district must develop with the pupil a continual 
  2.12  learning plan for the pupil.  A district must allow a minor 
  2.13  pupil's parent or guardian to participate in developing the 
  2.14  plan, if the parent or guardian wants to participate.  The plan 
  2.15  must identify the learning experiences and expected outcomes 
  2.16  needed for satisfactory credit for the year and for graduation.  
  2.17  The plan must be updated each year. 
  2.18     (ii) General education revenue for a pupil in an approved 
  2.19  alternative program without an independent study component must 
  2.20  be prorated for a pupil participating for less than a full year, 
  2.21  or its equivalent. 
  2.22     (iii) General education revenue for a pupil in an approved 
  2.23  alternative program that has an independent study component must 
  2.24  be paid for each hour of teacher contact time and each hour of 
  2.25  independent study time completed toward a credit necessary for 
  2.26  graduation.  Average daily membership for a pupil shall equal 
  2.27  the number of hours of teacher contact time and independent 
  2.28  study time divided by 1,020. 
  2.29     (iv) For an alternative program having an independent study 
  2.30  component, the commissioner shall require a description of the 
  2.31  courses in the program, the kinds of independent study involved, 
  2.32  the expected learning outcomes of the courses, and the means of 
  2.33  measuring student performance against the expected outcomes. 
  2.34     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.35     Section 1 is effective for revenue for fiscal year 1998.