Gifted and talented programs and services requirements modifications provision, certain gifted and talented program data reported by the commissioner requirement, gifted and talented programs and services revenue increase provision, and appropriation

A bill for an act

relating to education; modifying the requirements for gifted and talented programs

and services; requiring the commissioner to report certain gifted and talented

program data; increasing revenue for gifted and talented programs and services;

appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 120B.15;

120B.36, subdivision 1; 126C.10, subdivision 2b.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.15, is amended to read:

120B.15 GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

new text begin

Subdivision 1.

new text end

new text begin

Assessment and identification.

new text end

(a) School districts
deleted text begin
may
deleted text end
new text begin
must
new text end
identify

students, locally develop programs and services addressing instructional and affective needs,

provide staff development, and evaluate programs to provide gifted and talented students

with challenging and appropriate educational programs and services.

(b) School districts must adopt guidelines for assessing and identifying students for

participation in gifted and talented programs and services consistent with section
120B.11,

subdivision
2, clause (2). The guidelines
deleted text begin
should include the use of
deleted text end
new text begin
must require
new text end
:

new text begin

(1) universal screening for all students in targeted grades;

new text end

deleted text begin

(1)
deleted text end

new text begin
(2)
new text end
multiple and objective criteria; and

deleted text begin

(2)
deleted text end
new text begin
(3)
new text end
assessments and procedures that are valid and reliable, fair, and based on current

theory and research. Assessments and procedures
deleted text begin
should
deleted text end
new text begin
must
new text end
be sensitive to

underrepresented groups, including
deleted text begin
,
deleted text end
but not limited to
deleted text begin
,
deleted text end
low-income, minority,

twice-exceptional, and English learners.

(c)
new text begin
A school district must screen all students under paragraph (b), clause (1), at least

twice by the end of grade 5, including for any gifted and talented programs or services not

previously identified. Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, a school district must use a

screening instrument or procedure approved by the commissioner. No later than July 1,

2027, the commissioner must publish a list of approved screening instruments and procedures.

The commissioner may periodically revise the list of approved screening instruments and

procedures.
new text end

new text begin

Subd. 2.

new text end

new text begin

Academic acceleration; early admission.

new text end

new text begin
(a)
new text end
School districts must adopt

procedures for the academic acceleration of gifted and talented students consistent with

section
120B.11, subdivision 2
, clause (2). These procedures must include how the district

will:

(1) assess a student's readiness and motivation for
new text begin
academic
new text end
acceleration; and

(2) match the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum to a student to achieve the
deleted text begin

best
deleted text end
new text begin
most effective
new text end
type of academic acceleration
deleted text begin
for that student
deleted text end
.

new text begin

(b) A school district's procedures under paragraph (a) must also include criteria that help

the school district identify students for:

new text end

new text begin

(1) single subject acceleration under which a student advances in one or more specific

subject areas based on the student's academic readiness and proficiency; and

new text end

new text begin

(2) grade acceleration under which a student advances whole grade levels based on an

assessment of the student's academic readiness, proficiency, and social-emotional maturity.

new text end

deleted text begin

(d)
deleted text end
new text begin
(c)
new text end
School districts must adopt procedures consistent with section
124D.02
,

subdivision 1, for early admission to kindergarten or first grade of gifted and talented learners

consistent with section
120B.11, subdivision 2
, clause (2). The procedures must be sensitive

to underrepresented groups.

new text begin

(d) A school district is encouraged to integrate gifted and talented programs and services

under this section with the multitiered system of support framework, if one has been adopted

by the district.

new text end

new text begin

Subd. 3.

new text end

new text begin

Professional development.

new text end

new text begin

School districts must provide staff with ongoing

professional development and training on the requirements of this section. The training

must be updated regularly to incorporate current research and best practices.

new text end

new text begin

Subd. 4.

new text end

new text begin

Evaluation.

new text end

new text begin

At least twice each year, school districts must evaluate the

effectiveness of their gifted and talented programs and services. The evaluation must include

information gathered from students, parents, and teachers.

new text end

new text begin

Subd. 5.

new text end

new text begin

Reporting requirements.

new text end

new text begin

School districts must report their expenditures on

gifted and talented programs and services to the commissioner in the form and manner

determined by the commissioner.

new text end

new text begin

EFFECTIVE DATE.

new text end

new text begin

This section is effective for the 2025-2026 school year and later.

new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

School performance reports and public reporting.

(a) The commissioner

shall report:

(1) student academic performance data under section
120B.35, subdivisions 2
and 3;

(2) academic progress consistent with federal expectations;

(3) school safety and student engagement and connection under section
120B.35
,

subdivision 3, paragraph (d);

(4) rigorous coursework under section
120B.35, subdivision 3
, paragraph (c)
new text begin
, and

participation in gifted and talented programs under section 120B.15, including information

about the number of students identified for advanced academics, enrichment, full-time

services, grade acceleration or subject acceleration, and expenditures on each category of

programming
new text end
;

(5) the percentage of students under section
120B.35, subdivision 3
, paragraph (b), clause

(2), whose progress and performance levels are meeting career and college readiness

benchmarks under sections
120B.307
and
120B.35, subdivision 3
, paragraph (e);

(6) longitudinal data on the progress of eligible districts in reducing disparities in students'

academic achievement and realizing racial and economic integration under section
124D.861
;

(7) the acquisition of English, and where practicable, native language academic literacy,

including oral academic language, and the academic progress of all English learners enrolled

in a Minnesota public school course or program who are currently or were previously counted

as English learners under section
124D.59
;

(8) two separate student-to-teacher ratios that clearly indicate the definition of teacher

consistent with sections
122A.06
and
122A.15
for purposes of determining these ratios;

(9) staff characteristics excluding salaries;

(10) student enrollment demographics;

(11) foster care status, including all students enrolled in a Minnesota public school course

or program who are currently or were previously in foster care, student homelessness, and

district mobility; and

(12) extracurricular activities.

(b) The school performance report for a school site and a school district must include

school performance reporting information and calculate proficiency rates as required by the

most recently reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

(c) The commissioner shall develop, annually update, and post on the department website

school performance reports consistent with paragraph (a) and section
120B.11
.

(d) The commissioner must make available performance reports by the beginning of

each school year.

(e) A school or district may appeal its results in a form and manner determined by the

commissioner and consistent with federal law. The commissioner's decision to uphold or

deny an appeal is final.

(f) School performance data are nonpublic data under section
13.02, subdivision 9
, until

the commissioner publicly releases the data. The commissioner shall annually post school

performance reports to the department's public website no later than September 1, except

in years when the reports reflect new performance standards. The commissioner shall post

the school performance reports no later than October 1 in years with new performance

standards for academic standards-based assessments, and no later than November 1 in years

with new performance standards adopted under Minnesota Rules, part
3501.1200
, for English

language proficiency assessments.

new text begin

EFFECTIVE DATE.

new text end

new text begin

This section is effective July 1, 2025, for school performance

reports published on or after that date.

new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 126C.10, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:

Subd. 2b.

Gifted and talented revenue.

Gifted and talented revenue for each district

equals the district's adjusted pupil units for that school year times
deleted text begin
$13
deleted text end
new text begin
$.......
new text end
. A school

district must reserve gifted and talented revenue and, consistent with section
120B.15
, must

spend the revenue only to:

(1) identify gifted and talented students;

(2) provide education programs
new text begin
or services
new text end
for gifted and talented students; or

(3) provide staff development to prepare teachers to best meet the unique needs of gifted

and talented students.

new text begin

EFFECTIVE DATE.

new text end

new text begin

This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2026 and later.

new text end

Sec. 4.
new text begin
APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin

Subdivision 1.

new text end

new text begin

Department of Education.

new text end

new text begin

The sums indicated in this section are

appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years

designated.

new text end

new text begin

Subd. 2.

new text end

new text begin

General education aid.

new text end

new text begin

(a) For general education aid under Minnesota Statutes,

section 126C.13, subdivision 4:

new text end

new text begin

$

new text end

new text begin

.......

new text end

new text begin

.....

new text end

new text begin

2026

new text end

new text begin

$

new text end

new text begin

.......

new text end

new text begin

.....

new text end

new text begin

2027

new text end

new text begin

(b) The 2026 appropriation includes $....... for fiscal year 2025 and $....... for fiscal year

2026.

new text end

new text begin

(c) The 2027 appropriation includes $....... for fiscal year 2026 and $....... for fiscal year

2027.

new text end