Minnesota Statutes Education Code: Prekindergarten-Grade 12 (Ch. 120-129C) § 124D.78. Parent and community participation

Subdivision 1. Parent committee. School boards and American Indian schools must provide for the maximum involvement of parents of children enrolled in education programs, programs for elementary and secondary grades, special education programs, and support services. Accordingly, the board of a school district in which there are ten or more American Indian students enrolled and each American Indian school must establish an American Indian education parent advisory committee. If a committee whose membership consists of a majority of parents of American Indian children has been or is established according to federal, tribal, or other state law, that committee may serve as the committee required by this section and is subject to, at least, the requirements of this subdivision and subdivision 2.

The American Indian education parent advisory committee must develop its recommendations in consultation with the curriculum advisory committee required by section 120B.11, subdivision 3. This committee must afford parents the necessary information and the opportunity effectively to express their views concerning all aspects of American Indian education and the educational needs of the American Indian children enrolled in the school or program. The school board or American Indian school must ensure that programs are planned, operated, and evaluated with the involvement of and in consultation with parents of students served by the programs.

Subd. 2. Resolution of concurrence. Prior to March 1, the school board or American Indian school must submit to the department a copy of a resolution adopted by the American Indian education parent advisory committee. The copy must be signed by the chair of the committee and must state whether the committee concurs with the educational programs for American Indian students offered by the school board or American Indian school. If the committee does not concur with the educational programs, the reasons for nonconcurrence and recommendations shall be submitted directly to the school board with the resolution. By resolution, the board must respond in writing within 60 days, in cases of nonconcurrence, to each recommendation made by the committee and state its reasons for not implementing the recommendations.

Subd. 3. Membership. The American Indian education parent advisory committee must be composed of parents of children eligible to be enrolled in American Indian education programs; secondary students eligible to be served; American Indian language and culture education teachers and paraprofessionals; American Indian teachers; counselors; adult American Indian people enrolled in educational programs; and representatives from community groups. A majority of each committee must be parents of children enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in the programs. The number of parents of American Indian and non-American Indian children shall reflect approximately the proportion of children of those groups enrolled in the programs.

Subd. 4. Alternate committee. If the organizational membership or the board of directors of an American Indian school consists of parents of children attending the school, that membership or board may serve also as the American Indian education parent advisory committee.