EDUCATION LAW
Prepared by:
Ron Elwood, Supervising Attorney
Legal Services Advocacy Project
651-842-6909
relwood@mnlsap.org

I. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY STANDARDS
First Special Session, Chapter 11, Article 2, Section 46 (HF 26)
Effective August 1, 2011

Requires the Department of Education to adopt statewide English language proficiency standards developed by World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment in kindergarten through grade 12 for students with limited English language proficiency.

II. SCHOOL SEGREGATION
First Special Session, Chapter 11, Article 2, Section 42 (HF 26)
Adds Minn. Stat. § 124D.855
Effective August 1, 2011

Declares that "the state does not condone separating school children of different socioeconomic, demographic, ethnic, or racial backgrounds into distinct public schools" but rather that "the state's interest lies in offering children a diverse and nondiscriminatory educational experience."

III. SPECIAL EDUCATION - PHYSICAL HOLDING POLICY
First Special Session, Chapter 11, Article 3, Section 2 (HF 26)
Adds Minn. Stat. § 124D.855
Effective August 1, 2011

Ends school districts' authority to use prone restraints on August 1, 2012. Requires that, until August 1, 2012, school districts using prone restraints must, among other things: (1) provide to the Department of Education a list of staff who have had specific training on the use of prone restraints; (2) limit the use of prone restraints to staff who have received specific training; (3) report within five days each incident involving the use of prone restraints; and (4) prior to their use, review any known medical or psychological limitations that would make the use of prone restraints inadvisable. Requires the Department of Education to report to the Legislature by February 1, 2012 on the use of prone restraints in schools.