SF 474

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 01/28/2025 01:52 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; authorizing school districts and charter schools to
use student support personnel aid to fund personnel who work to reduce chronic
absenteeism; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 124D.901, subdivisions
1, 2, 4.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 124D.901, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Definitions.

For the purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given:

(1) "new position" means a student support services personnel full-time or part-time
position not under contract by a school district, charter school, or cooperative unit at the
start of the 2022-2023 school year;

(2) "part-time position" means a student support services personnel position less than
1.0 full-time equivalent at the start of the 2022-2023 school year;

(3) "American Rescue Plan Act" means the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021,
Public Law 117-2, that awarded funds; and

(4) "student support services personnel" means new text begin :
new text end

new text begin (i) new text end an individual licensed to serve as a school counselor, school psychologist, school
social worker, school nurse, or chemical dependency counselor in Minnesota deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (ii) an individual not included in item (i) whose work duties primarily consist of activities
that reduce chronic student absenteeism.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2026 and later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 124D.901, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Purpose.

The purpose of student support personnel aid is to:

(1) address shortages of student support services personnel within Minnesota schools;

(2) decrease caseloads for existing student support services personnel to ensure effective
services;

(3) ensure that students receive effective student support services and integrated and
comprehensive services to improve prekindergarten through grade 12 academic, physical,
social, and emotional outcomes supporting career and college readiness and effective school
mental health services;

(4) ensure that student support services personnel serve within the scope and practice
of their training and licensure;

(5) fully integrate learning supports, instruction, assessment, data-based decision making,
and family and community engagement within a comprehensive approach that facilitates
interdisciplinary collaboration; and

(6) improve student health, new text begin attendance, new text end school safety, and school climate to support
academic success and career and college readiness.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 124D.901, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Allowed uses.

(a) new text begin Except as provided in paragraph (b), new text end aid under this section
must be used to hire new positions for student support services personnel or increase a
current position that is less than 1.0 full-time equivalent to a greater number of service hours
or make permanent a position hired using onetime resources awarded through the federal
Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, the federal Consolidated Appropriations
Act, the federal Division M-Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations
Act, or the federal American Rescue Plan Act, or to maintain a position that would otherwise
be eliminated.

(b) Cooperative student support personnel aid must be transferred to the intermediate
district or other cooperative unit of which the district is a member and used to new text begin :
new text end

new text begin (1) new text end hire new positions for student support services personnel or increase a current position
that is less than 1.0 full-time equivalent to a greater number of service hours or make
permanent a position hired using onetime resources awarded through the American Rescue
Plan Act at the intermediate district or cooperative unit deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (2) pay the costs of necessary transportation among cooperative member school sites
for student support services personnel.
new text end

(c) If a school district, charter school, or cooperative unit does not receive at least two
applications and is not able to hire a new full-time equivalent position with student support
personnel aid, the aid may be used for contracted services from individuals licensed to serve
as a school counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, school nurse, or chemical
dependency counselor in Minnesota.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2025 and later.
new text end