The maximum number of school-age pupils that may be assigned to a teacher:
for pupils who receive direct special instruction from a teacher more than 60 percent of the instructional day, but less than a full school day:
deaf-blind, autism spectrum disorders, developmental cognitive disability: severe-profound range, or severely multiply impaired, three pupils;
deaf-blind, autism spectrum disorders, developmental cognitive disability: severe-profound range, or severely multiply impaired with one paraprofessional, six pupils;
developmental cognitive disability: mild-moderate range or specific learning disabled, 12 pupils;
developmental cognitive disability: mild-moderate range or specific learning disabled with one paraprofessional, 15 pupils;
under special circumstances, for children who receive special education services for 60 percent or more of the instructional day, that are highly disruptive or create an unsafe environment due to the high behavioral or mental health needs of the students, districts have the option of lowering the number of such students in the classroom, so that both students and staff are safe; and
for pupils who receive direct special education for a full day:
deaf-blind, autism spectrum disorders, developmental cognitive disability: severe-profound range, or severely multiply impaired with one paraprofessional, four pupils;
deaf-blind, autism spectrum disorders, developmental cognitive disability: severe-profound range, or severely multiply impaired with two paraprofessionals, six pupils; and
For pupils who receive direct special education 60 percent or less of the instructional day, the school district must establish a board-approved policy for determining workload limits for special education staff based on student contact minutes, evaluation and reevaluation time, indirect services, IEPs managed, travel time, and other services required in the IEPs of eligible students.
A teacher's case load must be adjusted downward based on pupils' severity of disability or delay, travel time necessary to serve pupils in more than one program alternative, and if the pupils on the teacher's case loads are receiving services in more than one program alternative or the pupils are involved with other agencies. The maximum number of pupils that can be assigned to a teacher in any early childhood program alternative is:
birth through six years: 14 pupils per teacher.
District early childhood special education (ECSE) classes must have at least one paraprofessional employed while pupils are in attendance. The maximum number of pupils in an ECSE classroom at any one time with a teacher and a paraprofessional is eight. The maximum number of pupils in an ECSE classroom at any one time with an early childhood team is 16.
MS s 14.389; 120.17; 121.11; L 1994 c 647 art 3 s 23; L 1999 c 213 s 19,20; L 2014 c 312 art 17 s 12
8 SR 596; 16 SR 1543; 19 SR 2432; L 1998 c 397 art 11 s 3; 24 SR 1799; 26 SR 657; 39 SR 1168
February 10, 2015
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes