relating to BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.3    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.125, is amended to read:
1.4120B.125 PLANNING FOR STUDENTS' SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION
1.5TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT; INVOLUNTARY
1.6CAREER TRACKING PROHIBITED.
1.7(a) Consistent with sections 120B.128, 120B.13, 120B.131, 120B.132, 120B.14,
1.8120B.15 , 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), 125A.08, and other related sections,
1.9school districts are strongly encouraged to, beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, must
1.10 assist all students by no later than grade 9 to explore their college and career interests and
1.11aspirations and develop a plan for a smooth and successful transition to postsecondary
1.12education or employment. All students' plans must be designed to:
1.13(1) provide a comprehensive academic plan for completing a college and
1.14career-ready curriculum premised on meeting state and local academic standards and
1.15developing 21st century skills such as team work, collaboration, and good work habits;
1.16(2) emphasize academic rigor and high expectations;
1.17(3) help students identify personal learning styles that may affect their postsecondary
1.18education and employment choices;
1.19(4) help students succeed at gaining gain access to postsecondary education and
1.20career options;
1.21(5) integrate strong academic content into career-focused courses and integrate
1.22relevant career-focused courses into strong academic content;
1.23(6) help students and families identify and gain access to appropriate counseling
1.24and other supports and assistance that enable students to complete required coursework,
1.25prepare for postsecondary education and careers, and obtain information about
1.26postsecondary education costs and eligibility for financial aid and scholarship;
1.27(7) help students and families identify collaborative partnerships of kindergarten
1.28through grade 12 schools, postsecondary institutions, economic development agencies, and
1.29employers that support students' transition to postsecondary education and employment
1.30and provide students with experiential learning opportunities; and
1.31(8) be reviewed and revised at least annually by the student, the student's parent or
1.32guardian, and the school or district to ensure that the student's course-taking schedule
1.33keeps the student "on track" making adequate progress to meet state and local high school
1.34graduation requirements and with a reasonable chance to succeed with employment or
1.35postsecondary education without the need to first complete remedial course work.
2.1(b) A school district may develop grade-level curricula or provide instruction that
2.2introduces students to various careers, but must not require any curriculum, instruction,
2.3or employment-related activity that obligates an elementary or secondary student to
2.4involuntarily select a career, career interest, employment goals, or related job training.
2.5(c) School districts are encouraged to seek and use revenue and in-kind contributions
2.6from nonstate sources and to seek administrative cost savings through innovative local
2.7funding arrangements, such as the Collaboration Among Rochester Educators (CARE)
2.8model for funding postsecondary enrollment options, among other sources, for purposes
2.9of implementing this section.
2.10EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.11    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.128, is amended to read:
2.12120B.128 EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
2.13(EPAS) PROGRAM.
2.14(a) School districts and charter schools may elect to participate in the Educational
2.15Planning and Assessment System (EPAS) program offered by ACT, Inc. to provide a
2.16longitudinal, systematic approach to student educational and career planning, assessment,
2.17instructional support, and evaluation. The EPAS achievement tests include English,
2.18reading, mathematics, science, and components on planning for high school and
2.19postsecondary education, interest inventory, needs assessments, and student education
2.20plans. These tests are linked to the ACT assessment for college admission and allow
2.21students, parents, teachers, and schools to determine the student's college readiness before
2.22grades 11 and 12.
2.23(b) The commissioner of education shall provide ACT Explore tests for students
2.24in grade 8 or grade 9 but not in grade 8 and grade 9 and the ACT Plan test for students
2.25in grade 10 to assess individual student academic strengths and weaknesses, academic
2.26achievement and progress, higher order thinking skills, and college readiness.
2.27(c) Students entering grade 9 before the 2013-2014 school year who have not
2.28yet demonstrated proficiency on the Minnesota comprehensive assessments, the
2.29graduation-required assessments for diploma, or the basic skills testing requirements
2.30may satisfy state high school graduation requirements for assessments in reading, math,
2.31and writing by taking the ACT assessment for college admission in their senior year
2.32of high school.
2.33(d) The state shall pay the test costs for school districts and charter schools that
2.34choose to participate in the EPAS program to participate in the assessments under this
3.1section. The commissioner shall establish an application procedure and a process for
3.2state payment of costs.
3.3EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment
3.4and applies through the 2015-2016 school year.

3.5    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
3.6    Subdivision 1. Statewide testing. (a) The commissioner, with advice from experts
3.7with appropriate technical qualifications and experience and stakeholders, consistent
3.8with subdivision 1a, shall include in the comprehensive assessment system, for each
3.9grade level to be tested, state-constructed tests developed from and as computer-adaptive
3.10reading and mathematics assessments for students that are aligned with the state's required
3.11academic standards under section 120B.021, include multiple choice questions, and be
3.12 are administered annually to all students in grades 3 through 8. State-developed high
3.13school tests aligned with the state's required academic standards under section 120B.021
3.14and administered to all high school students in a subject other than writing must include
3.15multiple choice questions. The commissioner shall establish one or more months during
3.16which schools shall administer the tests to students each school year. For students enrolled
3.17in grade 8 before the 2005-2006 school year, Minnesota basic skills tests in reading,
3.18mathematics, and writing shall fulfill students' basic skills testing requirements for a
3.19passing state notation. The passing scores of basic skills tests in reading and mathematics
3.20are the equivalent of 75 percent correct for students entering grade 9 based on the first
3.21uniform test administered in February 1998. Students who have not successfully passed a
3.22Minnesota basic skills test by the end of the 2011-2012 school year must pass and students
3.23in their senior year who have not yet demonstrated proficiency on the graduation-required
3.24assessments for diploma under paragraph (c), except that for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014
3.25school years only, these students may satisfy the state's graduation test requirement for math
3.26by complying with paragraph (d), clauses (1) and (3) by the end of the 2012-2013 school
3.27year must take a college admission assessment under paragraph (c) and consistent with
3.28section 120B.128, paragraph (c), that supports career and college readiness for all students.
3.29(b) The state assessment system must be aligned to the most recent revision of
3.30academic standards as described in section 120B.023 in the following manner:
3.31(1) mathematics;
3.32(i) grades 3 through 8 beginning in the 2010-2011 school year; and
3.33(ii) high school level beginning in the 2013-2014 school year;
3.34(2) science; grades 5 and 8 and at the high school level beginning in the 2011-2012
3.35school year; and
4.1(3) language arts and reading; grades 3 through 8 and high school level beginning in
4.2the 2012-2013 school year.
4.3    (c) For students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 2012-2013 school year and
4.4later, only the following options shall fulfill students' state graduation test requirements,
4.5based on a longitudinal, systematic approach to student education and career planning,
4.6assessment, instructional support, and evaluation, include the following:
4.7    (1) for reading and mathematics:
4.8    (i) obtaining an achievement level equivalent to or greater than proficient as
4.9determined through a standard setting process on the Minnesota comprehensive
4.10assessments in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics or achieving a passing
4.11score as determined through a standard setting process on the graduation-required
4.12assessment for diploma in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics or
4.13subsequent retests;
4.14    (ii) achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process
4.15on the state-identified language proficiency test in reading and the mathematics test for
4.16English learners or the graduation-required assessment for diploma equivalent of those
4.17assessments for students designated as English learners;
4.18    (iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment for
4.19diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individualized
4.20education program or 504 plan;
4.21    (iv) obtaining achievement level equivalent to or greater than proficient as
4.22determined through a standard setting process on the state-identified alternate assessment
4.23or assessments in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics for students with
4.24an individualized education program; or
4.25    (v) achieving an individual passing score on the state-identified alternate assessment
4.26or assessments as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an
4.27individualized education program; and
4.28    (2) for writing:
4.29    (i) achieving a passing score on the graduation-required assessment for diploma;
4.30    (ii) achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process on
4.31the state-identified language proficiency test in writing for students designated as English
4.32learners;
4.33    (iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment for
4.34diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individualized
4.35education program or 504 plan; or
5.1    (iv) achieving an individual passing score on the state-identified alternate assessment
5.2or assessments as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an
5.3individualized education program.
5.4    (1) attainment of required academic standards and career and college readiness
5.5benchmarks under section 120B.023 as demonstrated on a nationally normed college
5.6entrance exam;
5.7    (2) achievement and career and college readiness tests in mathematics, reading, and
5.8writing, consistent with paragraph (e), to monitor students' continuous development of
5.9and growth in requisite knowledge and skills; analyze students' progress and performance
5.10levels, identifying students' academic strengths and diagnosing areas where students
5.11require curriculum or instructional adjustments, targeted interventions, or remediation;
5.12and based on analysis of students' progress and performance data, determine students'
5.13learning and instructional needs and the instructional tools and best practices that support
5.14academic rigor for the student; and
5.15    (3) consistent with this paragraph and section 120B.125, age-appropriate exploration
5.16and planning activities and career assessments to encourage students to identify personally
5.17relevant career interests and aptitudes and help students and their families develop a
5.18regularly reexamined transition plan for postsecondary education or employment without
5.19need for postsecondary remediation.
5.20Expectations of schools, districts, and the state for career or college readiness under
5.21this subdivision must be comparable in rigor, clarity of purpose, and rates of student
5.22completion. A student under clause (2) must receive targeted, relevant, academically
5.23rigorous, and resourced instruction, which may include a targeted instruction and
5.24intervention plan focused on improving the student's knowledge and skills in core subjects
5.25so that the student has a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without need
5.26for postsecondary remediation. Consistent with sections 120B.13, 124D.09, 124D.091,
5.27124D.49, and related sections, an enrolling school or district must actively encourage a
5.28student in grade 11 or 12 who is identified as academically ready for a career or college
5.29to participate in courses and programs awarding college credit to high school students.
5.30Students are not required to achieve a specified score or level of proficiency on an
5.31assessment under this subdivision to graduate from high school.
5.32    (d) Students enrolled in grade 8 in any school year from the 2005-2006 school
5.33year to the 2009-2010 school year who do not pass the mathematics graduation-required
5.34assessment for diploma under paragraph (c) are eligible to receive a high school diploma
5.35if they:
6.1(1) complete with a passing score or grade all state and local coursework and credits
6.2required for graduation by the school board granting the students their diploma;
6.3(2) participate in district-prescribed academic remediation in mathematics; and
6.4    (3) fully participate in at least two retests of the mathematics GRAD test or until
6.5they pass the mathematics GRAD test, whichever comes first. To improve the secondary
6.6and postsecondary outcomes of all students, the alignment between secondary and
6.7postsecondary education programs and Minnesota's workforce needs, and the efficiency
6.8and cost-effectiveness of secondary and postsecondary programs, the commissioner, after
6.9consulting with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities chancellor and using a
6.10request for proposal process, shall contract for a series of assessments that are consistent
6.11with this subdivision, aligned with state academic standards, and include career and
6.12college readiness benchmarks. Mathematics, reading, and writing assessments for students
6.13in grades 8 and 10 must be predictive of and aligned with a nationally normed assessment
6.14for career and college readiness. This nationally recognized assessment must be a college
6.15entrance exam and given to students in grade 11 or 12. The series of assessments must
6.16include a college placement diagnostic exam and contain career exploration elements.
6.17The commissioner and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities chancellor must
6.18collaborate in aligning instruction and assessments for adult basic education students to
6.19provide the students with diagnostic information about any targeted interventions they
6.20need so that they may seek postsecondary education or employment without need for
6.21postsecondary remediation.
6.22    (1) Districts and schools, on an annual basis, must use the career exploration
6.23elements in these assessments to help students, beginning no later than grade 9, and their
6.24families explore and plan for postsecondary education or careers based on the students'
6.25interests, aptitudes, and aspirations. Districts and schools must use timely regional labor
6.26market information and partnerships, among other resources, to help students and their
6.27families successfully develop, pursue, review, and revise an individualized plan for
6.28postsecondary education or a career. This process must help increase students' engagement
6.29in and connection to school, improve students' knowledge and skills, and deepen students'
6.30understanding of career pathways as a sequence of academic and career courses that lead
6.31to an industry-recognized credential, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree and are
6.32available to all students, whatever their interests and career goals.
6.33    (2) Students who, based on their growth in academic achievement between grades
6.348 and 10, show adequate progress toward meeting state career and college readiness
6.35benchmarks must be given the college entrance exam part of these assessments in grade
6.3611. A student under this clause who demonstrates attainment of required state academic
7.1standards, which include career and college readiness benchmarks, on these assessments
7.2is academically ready for a career or college and is encouraged to participate in courses
7.3and programs awarding college credit to high school students. Such courses and programs
7.4may include sequential courses of study within broad career areas and technical skill
7.5assessments that extend beyond course grades.
7.6    (3) All students in grade 11 not subject to clause (2) must be given the college
7.7placement diagnostic exam so that the students, their families, the school, and the district
7.8can use the results to diagnose areas for targeted instruction, intervention, or remediation
7.9and improve students' knowledge and skills in core subjects sufficient for the student
7.10to graduate and have a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without
7.11remediation. These students must be given the college entrance exam part of these
7.12assessments in grade 12.
7.13    (4) A student in clause (3) who demonstrates (i) attainment of required state
7.14academic standards, which include career and college readiness benchmarks, on these
7.15assessments, (ii) attainment of career and college readiness benchmarks on the college
7.16placement diagnostic part of these assessments, and, where applicable, (iii) successfully
7.17completes targeted instruction, intervention, or remediation approved by the commissioner
7.18and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities chancellor after consulting with local
7.19school officials and educators, is academically ready for a career or college and is
7.20encouraged to participate in courses and programs awarding college credit to high school
7.21students. Such courses and programs may include sequential courses of study within
7.22broad career areas and technical skill assessments that extend beyond course grades.
7.23    (5) The commissioner and the assessments vendor must conduct a study to determine
7.24the alignment between these assessments and state academic standards under this chapter.
7.25Where alignment exists, the commissioner must seek federal approval to, and immediately
7.26upon receiving approval replace the federally required assessments referenced under
7.27subdivision 1a and section 120B.35, subdivision 2, with assessments under this paragraph.
7.28The commissioner shall require the assessment vendor to provide an individual student
7.29item analysis of exam results and a summary of specific diagnostic strand areas targeted
7.30for instruction, intervention, and remediation.
7.31    (e) In developing, supporting, and improving students' academic readiness for a
7.32career or college, schools, districts, and the state must have a continuum of empirically
7.33derived, clearly defined benchmarks focused on students' attainment of knowledge and
7.34skills so that students, their parents, and teachers know how well students must perform to
7.35have a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without need for postsecondary
7.36remediation. The commissioner and Minnesota's public postsecondary institutions must
8.1ensure that the foundational knowledge and skills for students' successful performance
8.2in postsecondary employment or education and an articulated series of possible targeted
8.3interventions are clearly identified and satisfy Minnesota's postsecondary admissions
8.4requirements.
8.5    (f) A school, district, or charter school must place record on the high school
8.6transcript a student's current pass status for each subject that has a required graduation
8.7assessment progress toward career and college readiness.
8.8    In addition, (g) The school board granting the students their diplomas may formally
8.9decide to include a notation of high achievement on the high school diplomas of those
8.10graduating seniors who, according to established school board criteria, demonstrate
8.11exemplary academic achievement during high school.
8.12(e) (h) The 3rd through 8th grade computer-adaptive assessment results and
8.13high school test results shall be available to districts for diagnostic purposes affecting
8.14student learning and district instruction and curriculum, and for establishing educational
8.15accountability. The commissioner must establish empirically derived benchmarks on
8.16adaptive assessments in grades 3 through 8 that reveal a trajectory toward career and
8.17college readiness. The commissioner must disseminate to the public the computer-adaptive
8.18assessments and high school test results upon receiving those results.
8.19    (f) (i) The 3rd through 8th grade computer-adaptive assessments and high school
8.20tests must be aligned with state academic standards. The commissioner shall determine the
8.21testing process and the order of administration. The statewide results shall be aggregated
8.22at the site and district level, consistent with subdivision 1a.
8.23    (g) In addition to the testing and reporting requirements under this section, (j) The
8.24commissioner shall include the following components in the statewide public reporting
8.25system:
8.26    (1) uniform statewide testing computer-adaptive assessments of all students
8.27in grades 3 through 8 and testing at the high school level that provides appropriate,
8.28technically sound accommodations or alternate assessments;
8.29    (2) educational indicators that can be aggregated and compared across school
8.30districts and across time on a statewide basis, including average daily attendance, high
8.31school graduation rates, and high school drop-out rates by age and grade level;
8.32    (3) state results on the American College Test; and
8.33    (4) state results from participation in the National Assessment of Educational
8.34Progress so that the state can benchmark its performance against the nation and other
8.35states, and, where possible, against other countries, and contribute to the national effort
8.36to monitor achievement.
9.1EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment
9.2and applies to the 2013-2014 school year and later except that paragraph (a) applies
9.3the day following final enactment and the requirements for using computer-adaptive
9.4mathematics and reading assessments for grades 3 through 8 apply in the 2015-2016
9.5school year and later.

9.6    Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
9.7    Subd. 1a. Statewide and local assessments; results. (a) For purposes of this
9.8section, the following definitions have the meanings given them.
9.9(1) "Computer-adaptive assessments" means fully adaptive assessments.
9.10(2) "Fully adaptive assessments" include test items that are on-grade level and items
9.11that may be above or below a student's grade level.
9.12(3) "On-grade level" test items contain subject area content that is aligned to state
9.13academic standards for the grade level of the student taking the assessment.
9.14(4) "Above-grade level" test items contain subject area content that is above the
9.15grade level of the student taking the assessment and is considered aligned with state
9.16academic standards to the extent it is aligned with content represented in state academic
9.17standards above the grade level of the student taking the assessment. Notwithstanding
9.18the student's grade level, administering above-grade level test items to a student does not
9.19violate the requirement that state assessments must be aligned with state standards.
9.20(5) "Below-grade level" test items contain subject area content that is below the
9.21grade level of the student taking the test and is considered aligned with state academic
9.22standards to the extent it is aligned with content represented in state academic standards
9.23below the student's current grade level. Notwithstanding the student's grade level,
9.24administering below-grade level test items to a student does not violate the requirement
9.25that state assessments must be aligned with state standards.
9.26(b) The commissioner must use fully adaptive mathematics and reading assessments
9.27for grades 3 through 8 beginning in the 2015-2016 school year and later.
9.28 (c) For purposes of conforming with existing federal educational accountability
9.29requirements, the commissioner must develop and implement computer-adaptive reading
9.30and mathematics assessments for grades 3 through 8, state-developed high school reading
9.31and mathematics tests aligned with state academic standards, and science assessments
9.32under clause (2) that districts and sites must use to monitor student growth toward
9.33achieving those standards. The commissioner must not develop statewide assessments
9.34for academic standards in social studies, health and physical education, and the arts.
9.35The commissioner must require:
10.1    (1) annual computer-adaptive reading and mathematics assessments in grades 3
10.2through 8, and high school reading and mathematics tests; and
10.3    (2) annual science assessments in one grade in the grades 3 through 5 span, the
10.4grades 6 through 8 span, and a life sciences assessment in the grades 9 through 12 span,
10.5and the commissioner must not require students to achieve a passing score on high school
10.6science assessments as a condition of receiving a high school diploma.
10.7(d) The commissioner must ensure that for annual computer-adaptive assessments:
10.8(1) individual student performance data and achievement reports are available within
10.9three school days of when students take an assessment;
10.10(2) growth information is available for each student from the student's first
10.11assessment to each proximate assessment using a constant measurement scale;
10.12(3) parents, teachers, and school administrators are able to use elementary and
10.13middle school student performance data to project students' secondary and postsecondary
10.14achievement; and
10.15(4) useful diagnostic information about areas of students' academic strengths and
10.16weaknesses is available to teachers and school administrators for improving student
10.17instruction and indicating the specific skills and concepts that should be introduced and
10.18developed for students at given performance levels, organized by strands within subject
10.19areas, and aligned to state academic standards.
10.20    (b) (e) The commissioner must ensure that all statewide tests administered to
10.21elementary and secondary students measure students' academic knowledge and skills and
10.22not students' values, attitudes, and beliefs.
10.23    (c) (f) Reporting of assessment results must:
10.24    (1) provide timely, useful, and understandable information on the performance of
10.25individual students, schools, school districts, and the state;
10.26    (2) include a value-added growth indicator of student achievement under section
10.27120B.35, subdivision 3 , paragraph (b); and
10.28    (3)(i) for students enrolled in grade 8 before the 2005-2006 school year, determine
10.29whether students have met the state's basic skills requirements; and
10.30    (ii) for students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 school year and later, determine
10.31whether students have met the state's academic standards.
10.32    (d) (g) Consistent with applicable federal law and subdivision 1, paragraph (d),
10.33clause (1), the commissioner must include appropriate, technically sound accommodations
10.34or alternative assessments for the very few students with disabilities for whom statewide
10.35assessments are inappropriate and for English learners.
11.1    (e) (h) A school, school district, and charter school must administer statewide
11.2assessments under this section, as the assessments become available, to evaluate student
11.3proficiency progress toward career and college readiness in the context of the state's grade
11.4level academic standards. If a state assessment is not available, a school, school district,
11.5and charter school must determine locally if a student has met the required academic
11.6standards. A school, school district, or charter school may use a student's performance
11.7on a statewide assessment as one of multiple criteria to determine grade promotion or
11.8retention. A school, school district, or charter school may use a high school student's
11.9performance on a statewide assessment as a percentage of the student's final grade in a
11.10course, or place a student's assessment score on the student's transcript.
11.11EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for the 2013-2014 school year and
11.12later except the requirements for using computer-adaptive mathematics and reading
11.13assessments for grades 3 through 8 apply in the 2015-2016 school year and later.

11.14    Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
11.15    Subdivision 1. School performance report cards reports. (a) The commissioner
11.16shall report student academic performance under section 120B.35, subdivision 2; the
11.17percentages of students showing low, medium, and high growth under section 120B.35,
11.18subdivision 3 , paragraph (b); school safety and student engagement and connection
11.19under section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (d); rigorous coursework under section
11.20120B.35, subdivision 3 , paragraph (c), the percentage of students whose progress and
11.21performance levels are meeting career and college readiness benchmarks under section
11.22120B.30, subdivision 1; two separate student-to-teacher ratios that clearly indicate the
11.23definition of teacher consistent with sections 122A.06 and 122A.15 for purposes of
11.24determining these ratios; staff characteristics excluding salaries; student enrollment
11.25demographics; district mobility; and extracurricular activities. The report also must
11.26indicate a school's adequate yearly progress status under applicable federal law, and must
11.27not set any designations applicable to high- and low-performing schools due solely to
11.28adequate yearly progress status.
11.29    (b) The commissioner shall develop, annually update, and post on the department
11.30Web site school performance report cards reports.
11.31    (c) The commissioner must make available performance report cards reports by the
11.32beginning of each school year.
11.33    (d) A school or district may appeal its adequate yearly progress status in writing to
11.34the commissioner within 30 days of receiving the notice of its status. The commissioner's
11.35decision to uphold or deny an appeal is final.
12.1    (e) School performance report card reports data are nonpublic data under section
12.213.02, subdivision 9 , until the commissioner publicly releases the data. The commissioner
12.3shall annually post school performance report cards reports to the department's public Web
12.4site no later than September 1, except that in years when the report card reflects reports
12.5reflect new performance standards, the commissioner shall post the school performance
12.6report cards reports no later than October 1.
12.7EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for the 2013-2014 school year and
12.8later.

12.9    Sec. 6. CAREER PATHWAYS ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
12.10    Subdivision 1. Establishment. A Career Pathways Advisory Task Force is
12.11established to make recommendations to the legislature, consistent with Minnesota
12.12Statutes, sections 120B.30, subdivision 1, and 120B.35, subdivision 3.
12.13    Subd. 2. Membership. The Career Pathways Advisory Task Force shall have 15
12.14members appointed by July 15, 2013, as follows:
12.15(1) one member appointed by the Minnesota Association of Career and Technical
12.16Administrators;
12.17(2) one member appointed by the Minnesota Association for Career and Technical
12.18Education;
12.19(3) one member appointed by the University of Minnesota who is a faculty member
12.20working to develop career and technical educators in Minnesota;
12.21(4) one member appointed by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities who is
12.22a faculty member working to develop career and technical educators in Minnesota;
12.23(5) one member appointed by the National Research Center for Career and Technical
12.24Education;
12.25(6) one member appointed by the Minnesota Department of Education;
12.26(7) one member appointed by the Minnesota Board of Teaching;
12.27(8) one member appointed by the Minnesota Association of Colleges for Teacher
12.28Education;
12.29(9) one member appointed by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities from
12.30faculty for foundational skills and general education; and
12.31(10) six members appointed by the commissioner of education who have expertise in
12.32any of the areas with which the task force has been charged in subdivision 5.
12.33    Subd. 3. Terms. Each member shall serve until the task force sunsets, unless
12.34replaced by their appointing authority.
13.1    Subd. 4. First meeting; acting chair; chair. The commissioner of education shall
13.2convene the first meeting by August 15, 2013, and shall act as chair until the task force
13.3elects a chair from among its members at the first meeting.
13.4    Subd. 5. Duties. (a) The duties of the task force are to develop recommendations
13.5on how to:
13.6(1) improve secondary and postsecondary outcomes for students and adult learners;
13.7(2) align secondary and postsecondary education programs serving students and
13.8adult learners;
13.9(3) align secondary and postsecondary education programs and Minnesota's
13.10workforce needs; and
13.11(4) measure and evaluate the combined effectiveness of Minnesota's public
13.12kindergarten through grade 12 and postsecondary education programs.
13.13(b) In preparing these recommendations, the task force shall seek the advice of
13.14education providers, employers, policy makers, and other interested stakeholders, and
13.15shall consider how to:
13.16(1) better inform students about career options, occupational trends, and educational
13.17paths leading to viable and rewarding careers that reduce the gap between demand for and
13.18preparation of a skilled Minnesota workforce;
13.19(2) in consultation with a student's family, develop and periodically adapt as needed
13.20an education and work plan for each student aligned with the student's personal and
13.21professional interests, abilities, skills, and aspirations;
13.22(3) improve monitoring of high school students' progress with targeted interventions
13.23and support and remove the need for remedial instruction;
13.24(4) increase and accelerate opportunities for secondary school students to earn
13.25postsecondary credits leading to a certificate, industry license, or degree;
13.26(5) better align high school courses and expectations and postsecondary
13.27credit-bearing courses;
13.28(6) better align high school standards and assessments, postsecondary readiness
13.29measures and entrance requirements, and the expectations of Minnesota employers;
13.30(7) increase the rates at which students complete a postsecondary certificate,
13.31industry license, or degree; and
13.32(8) provide graduates of two-year and four-year postsecondary institutions with the
13.33foundational skills needed for civic engagement, ongoing employment, and continuous
13.34learning.
13.35    Subd. 6. Compensation. The task force members shall not be compensated and
13.36their expenses shall not be reimbursed.
14.1    Subd. 7. Staff; technical assistance. The commissioner of education, on request
14.2by the task force, will provide technical assistance and provide staff assistance sufficient
14.3for the task force to carry out its duties.
14.4    Subd. 8. Report. By February 15, 2014, the task force shall submit a written
14.5report describing its recommendations to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
14.6legislative committees and divisions with primary jurisdiction over kindergarten through
14.7grade 12 education.
14.8    Subd. 9. Sunset. The task force expires the day after the task force reports to the
14.9legislature, or February 15, 2014, whichever is earlier.
14.10EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.

14.11    Sec. 7. STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY; TRANSITION.
14.12Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, students enrolled in grade 8 before the
14.132012-2013 school year are eligible to be assessed under the amended provisions of
14.14Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, to the extent such assessments are
14.15available, or under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.128. Other measures of statewide
14.16accountability, including student performance, preparation, rigorous course taking,
14.17engagement and connection, and transition into postsecondary education or the workforce
14.18remain in effect.
14.19EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.

14.20    Sec. 8. APPROPRIATIONS.
14.21    Subdivision 1. Minnesota Department of Education. The sums indicated in this
14.22section are appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the
14.23fiscal years designated.
14.24    Subd. 2. College and career ready assessments. For the costs necessary for school
14.25district and charter school students to participate in the required assessments:

14.26		$	.......	.....	2014
14.27		$	.......	.....	2015

14.28Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
14.29    Subd. 3. Computer-adapted tests. For the development costs associated with
14.30state-developed, computer-adapted tests:

14.31		$	.......	.....	2014
14.32		$	.......	.....	2015

15.1Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
15.2    Subd. 4. Request for proposals; assessments. For the costs associated with
15.3developing the request for proposals for assessments:

15.4		$	.......	.....	2014
15.5		$	.......	.....	2015

15.6Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
15.7    Subd. 5. Statewide testing and reporting system. For the statewide testing and
15.8reporting system under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.30:

15.9		$	,000	.....	2014
15.10		$	,000	.....	2015

15.11Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
15.12    Subd. 6. Educational planning and assessment system (EPAS) program. For
15.13the educational planning and assessment system program under Minnesota Statutes,
15.14section 120B.128:

15.15		$	,000	.....	2014
15.16		$	,000	.....	2015

15.17Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

15.18    Sec. 9. REPEALER.
15.19 Minnesota Rules, parts 3501.0010; 3501.0020; 3501.0030, subparts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
15.206, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16; 3501.0040; 3501.0050; 3501.0060; 3501.0090;
15.213501.0100; 3501.0110; 3501.0120; 3501.0130; 3501.0140; 3501.0150; 3501.0160;
15.223501.0170; 3501.0180; 3501.0200; 3501.0210; 3501.0220; 3501.0230; 3501.0240;
15.233501.0250; 3501.0270; 3501.0280, subparts 1 and 2; 3501.0290; 3501.1000; 3501.1020;
15.243501.1030; 3501.1040; 3501.1050; 3501.1110; 3501.1120; 3501.1130; 3501.1140;
15.253501.1150; 3501.1160; 3501.1170; 3501.1180; and 3501.1190, are repealed effective the
15.26day following final enactment.