1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; establishing a pilot program to improve educational outcomes, 
1.3 	safety, and accountability for students with disabilities; requiring reports; 
1.4 	appropriating money.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES, 
1.7 	SAFETY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
 1.8 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. (a) The Department of Education must establish a grant 
1.9 	program to fund a pilot program starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The program must:
1.10 	(1) improve achievement and educational outcomes for students with disabilities;
1.11 	(2) increase access to general education settings;
1.12 	(3) foster positive school environments; and
1.13 	(4) address service delivery costs.
1.14 	(b) The program must involve collaboration with students, families, community leaders, 
1.15 	and the Department of Education Special Education Advisory Panel to redesign inclusion 
1.16 	frameworks that support continuous improvement and measure performance beyond test 
1.17 	scores.
1.18 		Subd. 2.Selection process. (a) Grantees must be selected based on proposals that:
1.19 	(1) provide a detailed timeline for implementing program goals;
1.20 	(2) describe a plan for how to provide an inclusive educational model and how the model 
1.21 	can be adapted over time to meet the needs of all students;
2.1 	(3) differentiate between mainstreaming and true inclusion models;
2.2 	(4) address accessibility needs, classroom layouts, sensory accommodations, assistive 
2.3 	technology, transition supports, appropriate staffing, and innovative ways to present 
2.4 	classroom curricula, lessons, and special education services;
2.5 	(5) address the overrepresentation of students of color in the most restrictive special 
2.6 	education settings;
2.7 	(6) identify how students in restrictive settings may be included in the general education 
2.8 	classroom more in the general education model and what steps will be taken to provide 
2.9 	special education services in the general education setting whenever feasible;
2.10 	(7) prioritize neurodiversity-affirming practices, trauma-informed practices, student 
2.11 	connection, and evidence-based developmentally appropriate practices;
2.12 	(8) identify the prevention and early intervention strategies, including de-escalation, that 
2.13 	may be used to meet the needs of students who become dysregulated;
2.14 	(9) incorporate Universal Design for Learning principles;
2.15 	(10) include measurable outcomes such as student achievement, extracurricular 
2.16 	participation, restorative justice interventions, number of disciplinary referrals, suspensions 
2.17 	and expulsions, and family and community engagement; and
2.18 	(11) incorporate staff training on ableism and disability inclusion.
2.19 	(b) The program team must include representatives from the Department of Education, 
2.20 	school administrators, special education staff, parents, and students.
2.21 		Subd. 3.Reports. (a) By July 1, 2026, the Department of Education must submit a report 
2.22 	to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction 
2.23 	over education detailing the pilot program's effectiveness, best practices, and cost-benefit 
2.24 	analysis, including draft guidelines and professional development recommendations for 
2.25 	implementing inclusion models.
2.26 	(b) By July 1, 2027, the Department of Education must submit a report to the chairs and 
2.27 	ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over education 
2.28 	containing a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot program, including final best practice 
2.29 	guidelines and assessment tools created to help Individualized Education Programs teams 
2.30 	identify how to meet the needs of students in general education settings whenever possible 
2.31 	and appropriate.

3.1 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 3.2 	$....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the Department of 
3.3 	Education to implement the pilot program to improve educational outcomes, safety, and 
3.4 	accountability for students with disabilities.

3.5 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2026.