This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.30, to allow students enrolled in online instructional sites to complete state assessments remotely starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The commissioner of education is tasked with adopting necessary policies and procedures for remote assessment administration, which will include qualifications for testing personnel, student-to-proctor ratios, verification processes, and monitoring requirements. Additionally, the bill mandates that the department conduct validation activities to ensure the comparability of scores between remote and in-person assessments, with potential incentives for participation in these activities.

The bill also includes provisions for the appropriation of funds from the general fund to the Department of Education to support the development of these remote assessment policies and procedures. New subdivisions are added to the existing statute, including a definition of "validation activities" related to the assessment results. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 120B.30