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SF2250 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Hours of educational instruction modification

Related bill: HF1607

AI Generated Summary

This bill, S.F. No. 2250, proposes modifications to Minnesota's school instruction hours requirements as outlined in Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120A.41. The key changes in the bill include:

  1. Minimum Instruction Hours and Days:

    • Kindergarten: 425 hours per school year.
    • Full-day Kindergarten: 850 hours per school year.
    • Grades 1-6: 935 hours per school year.
    • Grades 7-12: 1,020 hours per school year.
    • Pre-kindergarten (if offered): 350 hours per school year.
    • Grades 1-11: At least 165 instructional days per year, unless a four-day week schedule is approved by the commissioner.

  2. Online Instruction Due to Inclement Weather:

    • Schools may include up to five days of online instruction in their annual plan to account for emergency weather closures.
    • These plans must conform to section 120A.414.

  3. Definition of Secondary School Instruction Hours:

    • Hours of instruction include all educational experiences that:
      1. Allow students to earn academic credit.
      2. Are available to all enrolled students.
      3. Are supervised, coordinated, and verified by a qualified teacher.
    • Instructional hours can include activities:
      • Offered in any secondary school course prescribed by a school board.
      • Occurring outside regular school hours, but not outside the school year.

  4. Special Education and Equal Access:

    • The bill ensures that districts cannot deny a student access to legally required services such as special education under state or federal law.

  5. Department of Education Oversight:

    • The Department of Education must regularly review its policies to ensure schools have flexibility in providing educational opportunities.
    • The bill does not modify school funding formulas (pupil units under chapter 126C) or provide additional funding for expanded instructional experiences.

Summary:

This bill revises the instructional time requirements for students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12, ensures flexibility in instructional methods (such as online learning on snow days), defines what qualifies as instructional hours for secondary students, and mandates equitable access to education for all students, including those requiring special services.

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
March 05, 2025SenateFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
March 05, 2025SenateFloorActionReferred toEducation Policy
March 23, 2025SenateFloorActionComm report: To pass and re-referred toEducation Finance
March 23, 2025SenateFloorActionComm report: To pass and re-referred toEducation Finance
March 26, 2025SenateFloorActionAuthors added

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Provides allowances for up to five days of online instruction due to inclement weather."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill modifies the required number of instructional hours for various grade levels according to section 120A.41.",
      "modified": [
        "Clarifies hours of instruction requirements for different educational stages, such as prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 through 12."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "120A.41"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references section 124D.126 for approval of four-day school week schedules.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "124D.126"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references section 120A.414 for plans related to online instruction during inclement weather.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "120A.414"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references section 120B.018 to define academic credit within hours of instruction.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "120B.018"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references section 122A.16 to define a qualified teacher supervising educational experiences.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "122A.16"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references section 123B.09 for the prescription of secondary school course study by a school board.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "123B.09"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill mentions chapter 126C related to pupil units but does not modify them.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "126C"
  }
]

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