Subdivision 1. Purpose. The purpose of an education district is to increase educational opportunities for learners by increasing cooperation and coordination among school districts, other governmental units, and postsecondary institutions, and to replace other existing cooperative structures.
Subd. 2. Agreement to establish an education district; special provision. (a) Boards meeting the requirements of subdivision 3 may enter into a written agreement to establish an education district. Once established, cities, counties, and other governmental units as defined in section 471.59, may become members of the education district. The agreement and subsequent amendments must be adopted by majority vote of the full membership of each board.
(b) The education district agreement may contain a special provision adopted by the vote of a majority of the full membership of each of the boards of the member districts to allow a postsecondary institution or cities, counties, and other governmental units to become a member of the education district.
Subd. 3. Requirements for formation. (a) An education district must have one of the following at the time of formation:
(1) at least five districts;
(2) at least four districts with a total of at least 5,000 pupils in average daily membership; or
(3) at least four districts with a total of at least 2,000 square miles.
Members of an education district must be contiguous. Districts with a cooperation agreement according to section 123A.32 may belong to an education district only as a unit.
(b) A noncontiguous district may be a member of an education district if the commissioner of education determines that:
(1) a district between the education district and the noncontiguous district has considered and is unwilling to become a member; or
(2) a noncontiguous configuration of member districts has sufficient technological or other resources to offer effective levels of programs and services.
Subd. 4. Meeting with teacher representatives. Before entering into an agreement, the board of each member district must meet and confer with the exclusive representatives of the teachers of each district proposing to enter the education district.
Subd. 5. Notice and public hearing on proposed agreement. Before entering into an agreement, the board of each member district must publish a summary of the proposed agreement and its effect upon the district at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the district. The board must conduct a public hearing on the proposed agreement not more than ten days after the notice and at least 30 days before entering into an agreement.
Subd. 6. Service cooperatives to assist in establishing education districts. If requested, service cooperatives must provide assistance to districts in establishing education districts. The assistance may include determination of appropriate boundaries of the education district and development of the agreement. The service cooperatives may provide any other services requested by the education district.
1987 c 398 art 8 s 2; 1988 c 718 art 6 s 3; 1989 c 329 art 6 s 19-23; 1990 c 562 art 6 s 8,9; 1991 c 265 art 6 s 19; 1994 c 647 art 6 s 42; art 13 s 2; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 9 s 13-15; 1996 c 305 art 1 s 138; 1998 c 397 art 5 s 77-81,104; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 398 art 5 s 55; 2003 c 130 s 12
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 120 - 129C — Education Code: Prekindergarten - Grade 12
Chapter 123A — School Districts; Forms For Organizing
Section 123A.01 — Definitions.
Section 123A.05 — State-approved Alternative Program Organization.
Section 123A.06 — State-approved Alternative Programs And Services.
Section 123A.07 — Resource Center For Other Programs.
Section 123A.08 — State-approved Alternative Program Funding.
Section 123A.09 — Designating And Approving A Center.
Section 123A.12 — Agreement Regarding Administrative Services.
Section 123A.15 — Establishing Education Districts.
Section 123A.16 — Education District Board.
Section 123A.17 — Powers And Duties Of An Education District Board.
Section 123A.18 — Education District Agreement.
Section 123A.19 — Teaching Positions.
Section 123A.21 — Service Cooperatives.
Section 123A.215 — Innovative Technology Cooperative.
Section 123A.22 — Cooperative Centers For Vocational Education.
Section 123A.23 — Regional Management Information Centers.
Section 123A.24 — Withdrawing From Cooperative Unit; Appealing Denial Of Membership.
Section 123A.245 — Cooperative Units; Eligibility For Grants.
Section 123A.25 — Cooperative Unit; Insurance Pools.
Section 123A.26 — Cooperative Units; Prohibited Aid And Levies.
Section 123A.27 — Reserved Revenue For District Cooperation.
Section 123A.30 — Agreements For Secondary Education.
Section 123A.32 — Interdistrict Cooperation.
Section 123A.33 — Employees Of Cooperative Districts Upon Dissolution Or Withdrawal.
Section 123A.35 — Cooperation And Combination.
Section 123A.36 — Cooperation And Combination Plan.
Section 123A.37 — Commissioner And Voter Approval.
Section 123A.38 — Effective Date Of Combination.
Section 123A.39 — Employees Of Cooperating And Combining Districts.
Section 123A.40 — County Auditor Plat.
Section 123A.41 — Levies For Districts At Time Of Combination.
Section 123A.43 — Reports To Department Of Education.
Section 123A.441 — Policy And Purpose.
Section 123A.442 — Approval Authority; Application Forms.
Section 123A.443 — Grant Application Process.
Section 123A.444 — Levy For Severance Pay.
Section 123A.445 — Transportation.
Section 123A.45 — Detachment And Annexation Of Land.
Section 123A.455 — Realigning Split Residential Parcels.
Section 123A.46 — Dissolution And Attachment.
Section 123A.48 — Consolidation.
Section 123A.482 — Joint Powers Cooperative Facility.
Section 123A.485 — Consolidation Transition Revenue.
Section 123A.488 — Consolidation; Instruction By Nonresidential District.
Section 123A.55 — Classes, Number.
Section 123A.56 — Assignment Of Identification Numbers.
Section 123A.58 — Common District To Independent District.
Section 123A.60 — Remaining Districts, Action Of County Board; Election.
Section 123A.61 — Private Schools In Nonoperating Districts.
Section 123A.62 — Border Districts; Continued Operation; Franconia.
Section 123A.64 — Duty To Maintain Elementary And Secondary Schools.
Section 123A.65 — Phase Out Of Dissolved District.
Section 123A.66 — Procedure For Attachment To Organized Districts.
Section 123A.67 — Allocation Of Assets And Liabilities; Levy.
Section 123A.68 — Officers And Teachers, Transitional Provisions.
Section 123A.69 — Special School Districts, Application; Minneapolis And South St. Paul.
Section 123A.70 — Private Schools; Prinsburg.
Section 123A.72 — Severability.
Section 123A.73 — Levy Limitations Of Reorganized Districts.
Section 123A.74 — Obligations Upon District Reorganization.
Section 123A.75 — Employees Of Reorganized Districts.
Section 123A.76 — Expenses Of Transition.
Section 123A.77 — Surplus County School Tax Funds; Distribution.