1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; providing for grants for 
  1.3             site-based achievement contracts and for implementing 
  1.4             innovative school personnel methods; appropriating 
  1.5             money. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [GRANTS FOR SITE-BASED ACHIEVEMENT CONTRACTS.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [ELIGIBLE SCHOOLS.] (a) The commissioner of 
  1.9   education shall award grants to public school sites to increase 
  1.10  student achievement and eliminate the achievement gap at the 
  1.11  school site. 
  1.12     (b) The commissioner shall select sites that meet the 
  1.13  following criteria: 
  1.14     (1) have at least 75 percent of their enrollment eligible 
  1.15  for free or reduced-price lunch; 
  1.16     (2) have an enrollment where at least 75 percent of the 
  1.17  students are students of color; and 
  1.18     (3) have failed to meet adequate yearly progress for at 
  1.19  least two consecutive years. 
  1.20     (c) In order to be eligible for a grant under this section, 
  1.21  a public school site shall have an approved site decision-making 
  1.22  agreement under Minnesota Statutes, section 123B.04, including 
  1.23  an achievement contract under Minnesota Statutes, section 
  1.24  123B.04, subdivision 4.  The site decision-making team shall 
  1.25  include the principal of the school site. 
  2.1      (d) The site team shall have a plan approved by the school 
  2.2   board and shall also have an agreement with the exclusive 
  2.3   bargaining unit of the district to participate in this grant 
  2.4   program. 
  2.5      Subd. 2.  [APPLICATION.] (a) The applicant shall submit a 
  2.6   plan that will result in at least 80 percent of the students at 
  2.7   the site testing at a proficient level for their grade by the 
  2.8   end of the grant period of six years, with at least 60 percent 
  2.9   of the students testing at a proficient level for their grade at 
  2.10  the midpoint of the grant period. 
  2.11     (b) The site team shall include in its application a 
  2.12  detailed plan for using multiple objective and measurable 
  2.13  methods for tracking student achievement during the duration of 
  2.14  the grant and shall also include curriculum and academic 
  2.15  requirements that are rigorous and challenging for all 
  2.16  students.  The site shall have the ability to return timely test 
  2.17  data to teachers and have a plan that demonstrates that the 
  2.18  teachers at the site can use the data to help improve curriculum 
  2.19  as well as monitor student achievement. 
  2.20     (c) The applicant shall have in its site-based plan an 
  2.21  agreement between the district and the exclusive bargaining unit 
  2.22  of the district that would give the site-based team increased 
  2.23  stability in the placement of teachers at the site.  The 
  2.24  applicant shall include other innovative site-based personnel 
  2.25  decision-making items in its agreement that may include, but are 
  2.26  not limited to:  hiring bonuses, additional ongoing 
  2.27  collaborative preparation time, on-site staff development, 
  2.28  hiring additional staff, and performance-based incentives. 
  2.29     (d) The site team shall also include in its application a 
  2.30  plan for a greater involvement of parents and the community in 
  2.31  the school, a plan for ensuring that each student at the site 
  2.32  can develop a meaningful relationship with at least one teacher 
  2.33  at the school site, and a clear approach to school safety, 
  2.34  including promoting respect for students and teachers. 
  2.35     Subd. 3.  [GRANT AWARDS.] (a) The commissioner shall award 
  2.36  grants to a school site in three parts:  one-third of the total 
  3.1   grant amount is awarded at the beginning of the grant agreement; 
  3.2   one-third is awarded at the midpoint of the grant agreement if 
  3.3   the site has met the achievement goals established in 
  3.4   subdivision 2, paragraph (a); and one-third is awarded upon the 
  3.5   completion of the grant agreement if the site has met the 
  3.6   achievement goals established in subdivision 2, paragraph (a). 
  3.7      (b) The total grant award for a school site shall be at 
  3.8   least $150,000 and shall not exceed $500,000.  The commissioner 
  3.9   shall determine the grant amount based on the number of students 
  3.10  enrolled at the site. 
  3.11     (c) The commissioner shall determine all other aspects of 
  3.12  the application and grant award process consistent with this 
  3.13  section. 
  3.14     Subd. 4.  [REPORT.] The commissioner shall report annually 
  3.15  by March 1 during the program, with a final report due by 
  3.16  January 15, 2011, to the house of representatives and senate 
  3.17  committees having jurisdiction over education on the progress of 
  3.18  the program, including at least:  improvement in student 
  3.19  achievement, the effect of innovative personnel decision making 
  3.20  on closing the achievement gap, and the characteristics of 
  3.21  highly effective teachers. 
  3.22     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective July 1, 2004. 
  3.23     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.24     $....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2005 from the 
  3.25  general fund to the commissioner of education for the purposes 
  3.26  of section 1.