This Minnesota House bill proposes the creation of an Academic Acceleration Pilot Program to be implemented in six selected school districts or charter schools from the 2026-2027 to 2028-2029 school years. The goal is to expand access to advanced coursework, such as Advanced Placement (AP), Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), concurrent enrollment, and honors courses.

Key Provisions:

1. Automatic Enrollment:

   • Schools must adopt policies for automatic enrollment in advanced coursework for students who meet eligibility criteria (e.g., achieving state assessment standards or earning top grades in prior courses).
     
   • Parents may opt their students out of the program.

2. Participation Requirements:

   • Schools must recruit teachers of color or provide funding for their training to teach these courses.
     
   • Schools must notify parents at least two weeks prior to enrollment, providing information in the district's three most common languages.
     
   • Schools must identify and provide academic support services (e.g., tutoring) for struggling students.
     
   • Schools must submit disaggregated data on student participation, success rates, and AP exam outcomes.

3. Funding and Grant Uses:

   • Grants will cover AP exam fees for all automatically enrolled students.
     
   • Additional funds can be used for teacher training, textbooks, instructional materials, student tutoring, administrative costs, and family engagement.
     
   • Teachers may receive bonuses based on the number of students who pass AP exams.

4. Selection Criteria:

   • At least one chosen district must have a high percentage of American Indian students.
     
   • The remaining five districts should represent urban, suburban, rural, and charter schools.
     

5. State Report & Legislative Recommendations:

   • The Commissioner of Education must submit a report by January 1, 2030, detailing student outcomes, teacher recruitment data, implementation feedback, and recommendations for expanding the program statewide.

Purpose:

The bill aims to increase equity in access to advanced coursework, improve college readiness, and support historically underrepresented student groups by providing financial and academic support mechanisms for advanced learning opportunities.