1.1 .................... moves to amend H. F. No. 988 as follows:
1.2Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:
1.3 "Section 1.
TECHNOLOGY GRANTS; TASK FORCE ESTABLISHED.
1.4 Subdivision 1. Task force established. A school technology task force is
1.5established.
1.6 Subd. 2. Task force goals. The goals of the school technology task force include:
1.7 (1) developing minimum standards for technology infrastructure and capacity;
1.8 (2) creating standards for local and state online student assessments;
1.9 (3) creating standards for electronic student records;
1.10 (4) developing school interoperability frameworks;
1.11 (5) developing policies and procedures that ensure instructional resource availability
1.12to help students successfully achieve education excellence and state standards;
1.13 (6) developing databases that are accessible to and within each district and on the
1.14Internet;
1.15 (7) developing policies, procedures, and systems that stimulate and promote teacher
1.16and student curriculum and learning collaboration;
1.17 (8) developing uniform technology standards;
1.18(9) establishing adequate Internet and bandwith capacity; and
1.19(10) analyzing the Department of Education's data collection procedures under each
1.20of the department's major data reporting systems, and developing recommendations for
1.21streamlining the reporting of school district data and eliminating duplication.
1.22 Subd. 3. Task force members. The commissioner of education shall appoint the
1.23members of the task force from each of the following:
1.24 (1) one member from the Department of Education who shall serve as chair;
1.25 (2) one member from the Office of Enterprise Technology;
2.1 (3) one member from a list of school technology experts submitted to the
2.2commissioner by Education Minnesota;
2.3 (4) one member from a list of school technology experts submitted to the
2.4commissioner by the Minnesota School Boards Association;
2.5 (5) one member from a list of school technology experts submitted to the
2.6commissioner by the Association of Metropolitan School Districts;
2.7 (6) one member from a list of school technology experts submitted to the
2.8commissioner by the Minnesota Rural Education Association;
2.9 (7) one member from a list of school technology experts submitted to the
2.10commissioner by the Schools for Equity in Education;
2.11 (8) one member from a list of school technology experts submitted to the
2.12commissioner by the service cooperatives;
2.13(9) one member from a list of school technology experts submitted to the
2.14commissioner by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators;
2.15(10) one member from a list of school technology experts submitted to the
2.16commissioner by Minnesota Educational Media Organization;
2.17(11) one member from a list of school technology experts submitted to the
2.18commission by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; and
2.19 (12) one member from a list of school technology experts submitted to the
2.20commissioner by the president of the University of Minnesota.
2.21 The commissioner of education shall provide necessary materials and assistance to
2.22the task force.
2.23 Subd. 4. Task force recommendations. The task force must submit a report to the
2.24education committees of the legislature by January 15, 2008, describing the minimum
2.25technology standards that it has established. The commissioner of education must use
2.26these recommendations and standards when awarding grants under section 2.
2.27EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.28 Sec. 2.
SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY GRANTS.
2.29 Subdivision 1. Establishment; eligibility. A school technology grant program
2.30is established to assist school districts, consortiums of school districts, and charter
2.31schools to achieve the technology standards established under section 1. School districts,
2.32consortiums of districts, and charter schools eligible to participate under this section must
2.33submit to the commissioner an approved district technology plan that describes how the
2.34district, consortium of districts, or charter school will meet the goals and standards of the
2.35task force. The commissioner shall develop a competitive grant process to determine
3.1recipients. Districts, consortiums of districts, and charter schools must propose how the
3.2grant funds will be used to support the goals described in section 1, subdivision 2, to
3.3achieve the following components in rank order by:
3.4 (1) obtaining minimum statewide standards of technology infrastructure and
3.5capacity;
3.6 (2) incorporating student technology content standards within the district curriculum
3.7and the professional development necessary for effective instruction of those standards;
3.8 (3) developing data-driven decision-making models in the classroom, school, and
3.9district; and
3.10 (4) developing innovation in student learning and teacher professional development.
3.11 Subd. 2. Application and review process; funding priority. A district,
3.12consortium of districts, or a charter school eligible under subdivision 1 may apply to the
3.13commissioner, in the form and manner the commissioner determines, for competitive
3.14funding to achieve technology standards set by the commissioner. The application must
3.15identify, through a commonly used technology audit process that determines the district's,
3.16consortium of districts', or charter school's current technology capabilities, the disparity
3.17between the district's, consortium of districts', or charter school's current technology
3.18infrastructure and capacity and the minimum statewide standards that are established by
3.19the commissioner. The application must detail the specific efforts the applicant intends
3.20to undertake to achieve the components, consistent with subdivision 1, and a proposed
3.21budget detailing the district's, consortium of districts', or charter school's current and
3.22proposed expenditures. The proposed budget must demonstrate that the applicant's
3.23efforts will support the components in subdivision 1 in rank order. Expenditures for
3.24administration must not exceed five percent of the proposed budget. The commissioner
3.25may require an applicant to provide additional information. When reviewing applications,
3.26the commissioner must determine whether the applicant satisfied all the requirements in
3.27this subdivision and subdivision 1. The commissioner may give funding priority to an
3.28otherwise qualified applicant that demonstrates:
3.29 (1) previous attempts through district referenda or other funding mechanisms to
3.30increase its technology infrastructure and capacity;
3.31 (2) an effective plan to focus on closing the disparity between the district's,
3.32consortium of districts', or charter school's current technology infrastructure and
3.33capabilities and the minimum statewide technology standards established by the
3.34commissioner;
3.35 (3) previous efforts to participate in online field testing of statewide assessments; or
4.1 (4) an effective ability to actively involve local business and community
4.2organizations in efforts to stimulate and promote teacher and student curriculum and
4.3learning collaboration.
4.4 Subd. 3. Application review; grant awards. The commissioner shall award grants
4.5to applicant school districts, consortiums of districts, and charter schools that meet the
4.6requirements of subdivisions 1 and 2. The commissioner may award grants as funding
4.7allows and, to the extent feasible, must distribute the grant awards on an equitable
4.8geographical basis. The commissioner must base the amount of the grant award on the
4.9number of students in the participating district or charter school. District expenditures of
4.10the grant proceeds must be consistent with budget information the grantee periodically
4.11submits to the commissioner. School districts, consortiums of school districts, and charter
4.12schools that submit an application and receive funding under this section must use the
4.13funding, consistent with the components in subdivision 1, as stated in the application. The
4.14commissioner may spend up to one percent of the appropriation for administering the
4.15program.
4.16 Subd. 4. Annual reports. Each school district, consortium of school districts, and
4.17charter school that receives a grant under this section must demonstrate and measure the
4.18extent to which the district, consortium of districts, or charter school achieved the goals
4.19set forth in the grant application and consistent with section 1, subdivision 2. This report
4.20is due at the end of the grant period and must be submitted to the commissioner in the
4.21form and manner the commissioner determines. The commissioner must make summary
4.22data about this program available to the education policy and finance committees of the
4.23legislature by February 15, 2010. Each school district, consortium of school districts,
4.24and charter school that receives a grant under this section annually must report to the
4.25commissioner, consistent with the uniform financial accounting and reporting standards,
4.26its actual expenditures for school technology funding. The report must demonstrate that
4.27the school district, consortium of school districts, or charter school has maintained its
4.28effort from other sources for technology and capacity compared with the previous fiscal
4.29year, and the district, consortium of districts, or charter school has expended all grant
4.30funds, consistent with its approved budget.
4.31EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for fiscal years 2008 and 2009.
4.32 Sec. 3.
ONLINE LEARNING EXPANSION GRANTS.
4.33 Subdivision 1. Outcomes. The general framework outcomes for expanding online
4.34learning in education are:
5.1 (1) provide grant funding to encourage expansion and access to online learning
5.2courses and opportunities for Minnesota students;
5.3 (2) expand academic opportunities, increase graduation rates, increase college
5.4eligibility and preparedness, and provide online resources for remediation;
5.5 (3) increase the number of students successfully completing online courses; and
5.6 (4) develop innovative online courses or programming.
5.7 Subd. 2. Establishment; eligibility. To promote the outcomes of subdivision
5.81, a program is established to expand online learning courses and programs to school
5.9districts, charter schools, consortiums of school districts, intermediate school districts,
5.10service cooperatives, or higher education institutions. The commissioner shall develop
5.11a competitive grant process for the purpose of determining recipients. Districts, charter
5.12schools, consortiums of school districts, intermediate school districts, service cooperatives,
5.13or higher education institutions must propose to use the grant funds that support the
5.14outcomes of subdivision 1 in a manner that develops or expands online courses or
5.15programs in one or more of the following areas:
5.16 (1) dual high school or postsecondary education credit;
5.17 (2) science, technology, engineering, and math fields;
5.18 (3) preadvanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate; and
5.19 (4) remediation efforts.
5.20 Subd. 3. Application and review process; funding priority. Districts, charter
5.21schools, consortiums of school districts, service cooperatives, intermediate school
5.22districts, or higher education institutions that are eligible under subdivision 2 may
5.23apply to the commissioner, in the form and manner the commissioner determines, for
5.24competitive funding to achieve the grant goals. The application must detail the specific
5.25efforts the applicant intends to undertake to achieve the components, consistent with
5.26subdivisions 1 and 2, and propose the budget detailing the district's, charter school's,
5.27consortiums of school districts', intermediate districts', service cooperative's, or higher
5.28education institution's current and proposed expenditures. The proposed budget must
5.29demonstrate that the applicant's efforts will support the components of subdivisions 1 and
5.302. Expenditures for administration must not exceed five percent of the proposed budget.
5.31The commissioner may require an applicant to provide additional information. When
5.32reviewing applications, the commissioner must determine whether the applicant satisfied
5.33all the requirements in this subdivision and subdivisions 1 and 2.
5.34 Subd. 4. Application review; grant awards. The commissioner shall award grants
5.35to eligible applicants that meet the requirements of subdivisions 1 and 2.
6.1 The commissioner shall award grants as funding allows and, to the extent feasible,
6.2must distribute the grant awards on an equitable geographical basis. The commissioner
6.3must base the amount of the grant award on the number of students in the participating
6.4district charter school, consortium of school districts, intermediate school, or higher
6.5education institutions. Expenditures of the grant proceeds must be consistent with budget
6.6information the grantee periodically submits to the commissioner. School districts and
6.7charter schools that submit an application and receive funding under this section must
6.8use the funding, consistent with the components in subdivisions 1 and 2 as stated in the
6.9application. The commissioner may spend up to one percent of the appropriation for
6.10administering the program.
6.11 Subd. 5. Annual reports. Each applicant that receives a grant under this section
6.12must demonstrate and measure the extent to which the applicant achieved the outcomes set
6.13forth in the grant application and consistent with subdivisions 1 and 2. This report is due
6.14at the end of the grant period and must be submitted to the commissioner in the form and
6.15manner the commissioner determines. The commissioner must make summary data about
6.16this program available to the education policy and finance committees of the legislature by
6.17February 15, 2010. Each applicant that receives a grant under this section must annually
6.18report to the commissioner, consistent with the uniform financial accounting and reporting
6.19standards, its actual expenditures for online learning courses.
6.20EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for revenue for fiscal years 2008
6.21and 2009.
6.22 Sec. 4.
APPROPRIATIONS.
6.23 Subdivision 1. Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are
6.24appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years
6.25designated.
6.26 Subd. 2. School technology grants. For school technology grants under section 2:
6.27
|
|
$
|
60,000,000
|
.....
|
2009
|
6.28 This is a onetime appropriation.
6.29 Subd. 3. Online learning grants. For online learning grants under section 3:
6.30
|
|
$
|
2,500,000
|
.....
|
2008
|
6.31
|
|
$
|
2,500,000
|
.....
|
2009
|
6.32 This is a onetime appropriation.
6.33 Subd. 4. Per pupil technology. (a) For per pupil technology funding consistent
6.34with commissioner of education approved district technology plans:
7.1
|
|
$
|
40,000,000
|
.....
|
2008
|
7.2 (b) The commissioner must calculate a per pupil technology allowance by dividing
7.3the appropriation in paragraph (a) by the total number of adjusted marginal cost pupil units
7.4for fiscal year 2008 and award each district an amount equal to that allowance times each
7.5district's adjusted marginal cost pupil units for that year.
7.6 (c) This is a onetime appropriation.
7.7 Subd. 5. Task force expenses. For expenses of the task force established in section
7.81:
7.9
|
|
$
|
20,000,000
|
.....
|
2008"
|
7.10Delete the title and insert:
7.12relating to education finance; creating a unified technology funding stream;
7.13developing a school district technology plan; establishing a task force;
7.14authorizing technology grants; appropriating money."