S.F. No. 4057 - Innovation Research Zone Program

• Establishes the Innovation Research Zone program allowing one or more school districts and charter schools to partner together to research and implement innovative education models aligned with 21st-century workforce goals.

• Partnerships may include postsecondary institutions, employers, nonprofit organizations, and government units; plans must be collaboratively developed with instructional staff and include research methodologies based on proposed hypotheses.

• Approved innovation research zone partners are exempt from specified statutes and rules including online learning program approval requirements, certain instructional hour requirements, and Minnesota Rules part 3500.1000 regarding experimental school year programs, while remaining subject to state assessments and graduation requirements.

• Commissioner establishes a nine-member advisory panel composed of representatives from education organizations to review and recommend approval of innovation research zone plans; commissioner may approve up to six plans in the seven-county metropolitan area and six plans in greater Minnesota.

• Appropriates funds from the general fund for fiscal year 2021 to provide planning and implementation grants to innovation research zone partnerships; partnerships must submit project data and commissioner must report to legislature by February 1 of each odd-numbered year.