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Omnibus education law signed (new law)

Published (5/25/2012)
By Erin Schmidtke
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A new law addresses veteran’s military pay, postsecondary enrollment options and payment to teachers charged with a felony.

Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington) and Sen. Gen Olson (R-Minnetrista) sponsor the law, effective Aug. 1, 2012, unless otherwise noted.

One section of the law requires school districts to pay employee salary differential to those who have been deployed in the National Guard or other reserves. Funds remaining at the end of the year can be used to pay for substitutes for the deployed employees. The change is effective for school districts with employees serving in active military duty on or after July 1, 2012. Previously, the law oftentimes only resulted in partial payment to service members.

The law will expand postsecondary enrollment options as well. Through that program, students may take classes at certain colleges while still completing high school. The law will extend PSEO from only high school juniors and seniors to 10th grade students by permitting them to enroll in career or technical courses at qualified postsecondary institutions. If a student receives a “C” or better in the class, he or she will be able to take additional credits at the school.

Further changes to PSEO address low-income students by allowing them to apply for transportation reimbursement.

Teachers charged with felonies will also be impacted by the law. Those under that type of investigation can be suspended without pay, pending the conclusion of a hearing. This section is effective April 28, 2012.

Another part of the law provides for an individualized learning agreement for districts. Individualized learning allows schools to work with students to develop their own curriculum based on their unique interests and strengths. This section is also effective April 28, 2012.

HF2949*/ SF2482/CH239

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