MN SF2487

School boards must adopt and implement a written academic balance policy applicable to pupils, teachers, administrators, and other school personnel, with reporting procedures and disciplinary actions conforming to collective bargaining agreements and student fair dismissal laws.

Academic balance policies must prohibit school employees from requiring students or employees to express specified social or political viewpoints for academic credit, extracurricular participation, or employment, and must ensure learning environments provide access to a broad range of serious opinions without political, ideological, religious, or antireligious indoctrination.

School boards must adopt policies prohibiting district employees from using public funds or resources, including time, materials, equipment, facilities, social media, and communication technologies, to advocate for or against candidates, ballot questions, or pending legislation, except when disseminating factual information consistent with contractual duties.

Charter schools must comply with the academic balance policy requirement under section 120B.25, effective for the 2018-2019 school year and later.

For fiscal year 2019, school districts and charter schools that adopt an academic balance policy are eligible for one-time grants from the commissioner of education (grant amount not specified in document).