1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education finance; authorizing certain
1.3 	students over the age of 21 who attend a contract
1.4 	alternative program to continue to receive instruction
1.5 	at that school until graduation; amending Minnesota
1.6 	Statutes 2004, section 124D.68, subdivisions 2, 3.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.68,
1.9 	subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.10 		Subd. 2.Eligible pupils.  The following pupils are
1.11 	eligible to participate in the graduation incentives program:
1.12 	(a) any pupil under the age of 21 who:
1.13 	(1) performs substantially below the performance level for
1.14 	pupils of the same age in a locally determined achievement test;
1.15 	(2) is at least one year behind in satisfactorily
1.16 	completing coursework or obtaining credits for graduation;
1.17 	(3) is pregnant or is a parent;
1.18 	(4) has been assessed as chemically dependent;
1.19 	(5) has been excluded or expelled according to sections
1.20 	121A.40 to 121A.56;
1.21 	(6) has been referred by a school district for enrollment
1.22 	in an eligible program or a program pursuant to section 124D.69;
1.23 	(7) is a victim of physical or sexual abuse;
1.24 	(8) has experienced mental health problems;
1.25 	(9) has experienced homelessness sometime within six months
1.26 	before requesting a transfer to an eligible program;
2.1 	(10) speaks English as a second language or has limited
2.2 	English proficiency; or
2.3 	(11) has withdrawn from school or has been chronically
2.4 	truant; or 
2.5 	(b) any person who is at least 21 years of age and who:
2.6 	(1) has received fewer than 14 years of public or nonpublic
2.7 	education, beginning at age 5;
2.8 	(2) has not completed the requirements for a high school
2.9 	diploma; and
2.10 	(3) at the time of application, (i) is eligible for
2.11 	unemployment benefits or has exhausted the benefits, (ii) is
2.12 	eligible for, or is receiving income maintenance and support
2.13 	services, as defined in section 116L.19, subdivision 5, or (iii)
2.14 	is eligible for services under the displaced homemaker program,
2.15 	state wage-subsidy program, or any programs under the federal
2.16 	Jobs Training Partnership Act or its successor; or 
2.17 	(c) any person who is between 21 and 22 years of age during
2.18 	fiscal years 2006 and 2007, and any person who is between 21 and
2.19 	23 years of age for fiscal years 2008 and later, who:
2.20 	(1) speaks English as a second language or has limited
2.21 	English proficiency;
2.22 	(2) has received less than 10 years of public education or
2.23 	nonpublic education, beginning at age 5; and 
2.24 	(3) has not completed the requirements for a high school
2.25 	diploma.
2.26 	
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue for
2.27 	fiscal year 2006.

2.28 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.68,
2.29 	subdivision 3, is amended to read:
2.30 		Subd. 3.Eligible programs.  (a) A pupil who is eligible
2.31 	according to subdivision 2, except paragraph (c),may enroll in
2.32 	area learning centers under sections 123A.05 to 123A.08.
2.33 	(b) A pupil who is eligible according to subdivision 2 and
2.34 	who is between the ages of 16 and 21 may enroll in postsecondary
2.35 	courses under section 124D.09.
2.36 	(c) A pupil who is eligible under subdivision 2, except
3.1 	paragraph (c),may enroll in any public elementary or secondary
3.2 	education program.  However, a person who is eligible according
3.3 	to subdivision 2, clause (b), may enroll only if the school
3.4 	board has adopted a resolution approving the enrollment.
3.5 	(d) A pupil who is eligible under subdivision 2, may enroll
3.6 	in any nonpublic, nonsectarian school that has contracted with
3.7 	the serving school district to provide educational services. A
3.8 	pupil who is eligible according to subdivision 2, paragraph (c),
3.9 	may enroll only in a contract alternative school.
3.10 	(e) A pupil who is between the ages of 16 and 21 may enroll
3.11 	in any adult basic education programs approved under section
3.12 	124D.52 and operated under the community education program
3.13 	contained in section 124D.19.
3.14 	
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue for
3.15 	fiscal year 2006.