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The Senate passed an education policy bill on May 7 that will provide parents with more academic information, help students to be physically active and healthy, and help enhance academic achievement by requiring that students stay in school until they are 18. The bill is the culmination of work done by a group of subcommittees that met last summer and fall.

The policy bill:

• Provides more accountability for our schools with a revised State Report Card that includes a “growth model” testing provision;
• Encourages districts that have disparities in academic achievement to develop a plan to improve student achievement.
• Requires Minnesota students to stay in school until they are 18, up from age 16 (effective 2012);
• Requires students to obtain a half credit in physical education to graduate;
• Arms new teachers entering the classroom with new reading techniques;
• Sets up technology for school and students; and
• Expands the P-20 partnership provision that is charged with providing a seamless education system for all Minnesota students.

The bill must pass the House and then will be sent to the Governor.

Student Transportation Safety Bill Signed into Law
This week, legislation increasing the licensing qualifications for Type III vehicle drivers was signed into law. Type III vehicles are vans or cars used by school districts to transport students. Last year, a Minnesota student was killed in a Type III vehicle accident. The driver of the vehicle, who was also killed, was found to have had marijuana in his system and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.

Under this new law, drivers cannot use a cell phone, and zero tolerance is allowed for controlled substances while operating these vehicles. Type III drivers are also subject to the same background check, drug testing, and physical exam requirements as bus drivers, along with safety training.

“School bus safety has been a top legislative priority this session. Leaders from
both sides of the aisle want to make sure all Minnesota kids are getting to and
from school safely. I’m optimistic that through this new law, we can prevent
further tragedies and give parents the peace of mind that the people transporting
their kids are safe and responsible.”
—Sen. Rick Olseen

Higher Education Policy Conference Committee Report Approved
The Senate and House unanimously passed the Higher Education Omnibus Policy legislation this week. Senate and House conferees have been working together to create one comprehensive piece of legislation using their separate higher education bills.  The result of their work was a bill that no senator or representative could vote against on final passage.

The legislation included language to:

• Authorize the Department of Education and the Office of Higher Education to share attendance data, including name of school or institution, school district, year or term of attendance;
• Clarify nurses’ Loan Forgiveness Program eligibility,
• Establish a work group made up of stakeholders to look at creation of an oral health practitioner (OHP) that will have a master’s degree and be able to provide restorative and preventive dental services, and
• Clarify the procedures used to import the Indian Scholarship Program.