A district may request approval from the commissioner of education for an experimental program of study, a four-day school week, or a flexible school year program. They shall be designed to accomplish at least one of the following:
establish an alternative eligibility criteria intended to identify pupils in need of special education services.
If the proposed program is approved, the commissioner of education shall provide an exemption to state rules that otherwise would apply.
The proposal shall include: specific state rules from which the district requests exemption, the goals and objectives of the program, the activities to be used to accomplish the objectives, a definite time limit which may not exceed three years, and the evaluation procedures to be used.
The district shall provide evidence that the district staff, pupils, and parents who would be affected, participated in the development and will participate in the annual review of the proposal, and that the proposal has the approval of the district school board.
Parents whose children will be involved shall be fully informed at the IEP meeting and shall have the opportunity to approve or disapprove placement in the experimental program.
If the commissioner of education finds that the program has met the proposed goals and objectives, the commissioner shall authorize continuation of the program and specify the state rules from which the program is exempt and the period of time the program will be continued.
19 SR 2432; L 1998 c 397 art 11 s 3; L 1998 c 398 art 5 s 55; L 2003 c 130 s 12
August 8, 2013
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes