1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; appropriating money to the independent Office of 
1.3 	Educational Accountability through the University of Minnesota; directing 
1.4 	the Office of Educational Accountability to convene measurement experts to 
1.5 	consider how school performance report card data are most usefully displayed;
1.6 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 120B.31, subdivision 3; 120B.36, 
1.7 	subdivision 1.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 120B.31, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.10 		Subd. 3.Educational accountability. (a) The Independent Office of Educational 
1.11 	Accountability, as authorized by Laws 1997, First Special Session chapter 4, article 5, 
1.12 	section 28, subdivision 2, is established, and shall be funded through the Board of Regents 
1.13 	of the University of Minnesota. The office shall advise the education committees of 
1.14 	the legislature and the commissioner of education, at least on a biennial basis, on the 
1.15 	degree to which the statewide educational accountability and reporting system includes a 
1.16 	comprehensive assessment framework that measures school accountability for students 
1.17 	achieving the goals described in the state's results-oriented graduation rule. The office 
1.18 	shall consider whether the statewide system of educational accountability utilizes multiple 
1.19 	indicators to provide valid and reliable comparative and contextual data on students, 
1.20 	schools, districts, and the state, and if not, recommend ways to improve the accountability 
1.21 	reporting system.
1.22 	(b) When the office reviews the statewide educational accountability and reporting 
1.23 	system, it shall also consider:
1.24 	(1) the objectivity and neutrality of the state's educational accountability system; and
1.25 	(2) the impact of a testing program on school curriculum and student learning.

2.1 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.2 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 120B.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.3 		Subdivision 1.School performance report cards. (a) The commissioner shall 
2.4 	use objective criteria based on levels of student performance to identify four to six 
2.5 	designations applicable to high and low performing public schools. The objective criteria 
2.6 	shall include report at least student academic performance, school safety, and staff 
2.7 	characteristics, with a value-added growth component added by the 2006-2007 school 
2.8 	year. The report must indicate a school's adequate yearly progress status.
2.9 	(b) The commissioner shall develop, annually update, and post on the department 
2.10 	Web site school performance report cards. A school's designation must be clearly stated 
2.11 	on each school performance report card.
2.12 	(c) The commissioner must make available the first school designations and school 
2.13 	performance report cards by November 2003, and during the beginning of each school 
2.14 	year thereafter.
2.15 	(d) A school or district may appeal in writing a designation under this section to the 
2.16 	commissioner within 30 days of receiving the designation. The commissioner's decision 
2.17 	to uphold or deny an appeal is final.
2.18 	(e) School performance report cards are nonpublic data under section 13.02, 
2.19 	subdivision 9, until not later than ten days after the appeal procedure described in 
2.20 	paragraph (d) concludes. The department shall annually post school performance report 
2.21 	cards to its public Web site no later than September 1. 

2.22 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment 
2.23 	and applies to the school performance report cards for the 2006-2007 school year and later.

2.24 	Sec. 3. SCHOOL PERFORMANCE REPORT CARDS; ADVISORY GROUP 
2.25 	RECOMMENDATIONS.
 2.26 	(a) To sustain equity and excellence in education, the independent Office of 
2.27 	Educational Accountability under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.31, subdivision 3, 
2.28 	must convene and facilitate an advisory group of measurement experts to consider and 
2.29 	recommend how to structure school performance data and school performance report 
2.30 	cards under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.36, subdivision 1, to fully, fairly, and 
2.31 	accurately report student achievement and emphasize school excellence under Minnesota's 
2.32 	system of educational accountability and public reporting. The advisory group at least 
2.33 	must consider and recommend how to: evaluate student achievement using multiple 
2.34 	measures of growth that take into account student demographic characteristics, consistent 
3.1 	with Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.31, subdivision 4; and identify outstanding schools 
3.2 	based on student achievement and achievement growth and using multiple performance 
3.3 	measures that are objective and consistent with the highest standards in the field of 
3.4 	educational measurements and accountability. The advisory group, at its discretion, may 
3.5 	also consider and make recommendations on other, related statewide accountability and 
3.6 	reporting matters.
3.7 	(b) Advisory group members under paragraph (a) include: two qualified experts in 
3.8 	measurement in education selected by the State Council on Measurement in Education; 
3.9 	three regionally diverse school district research and evaluation directors selected by the 
3.10 	Minnesota Assessment Group; one school superintendent selected by the Minnesota 
3.11 	Association of School Administrators; one University of Minnesota faculty selected by the 
3.12 	dean of the college of education and human development; and the director of evaluation 
3.13 	and testing at the Minnesota Department of Education. Advisory group members' terms 
3.14 	and other advisory group matters are subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, 
3.15 	subdivision 6. The Office of Educational Accountability must present the advisory group's 
3.16 	recommendations under paragraph (a) to the education policy and finance committees of 
3.17 	the legislature by February 15, 2008.  The advisory group expires on February 16, 2008.

3.18 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

3.19 	Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION; OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
 3.20 	$....... in fiscal year 2008 and $....... in fiscal year 2009 are appropriated from the 
3.21 	general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for the Office of 
3.22 	Educational Accountability under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.31, subdivision 3. 
3.23 	The base appropriation for the Office of Educational Accountability in fiscal years 2010 
3.24 	and 2011 is $....... each year.