HF 4181
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 03/16/2026 05:37 p.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to education finance; modifying the special education teacher pathway
program to include related services providers; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024,
section 122A.77, as amended.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.77, as amended by Laws 2025, First
Special Session chapter 10, article 3, section 17, is amended to read:
122A.77 SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER new text begin AND RELATED SERVICES
PROVIDER new text end PATHWAY PROGRAM.
Subdivision 1.
Grant program established.
new text begin (a) new text end The commissioner of education must
administer a grant program to develop a pathway for trained, licensed Tier 3 or Tier 4 special
education teachersnew text begin and related services providers under paragraph (d)new text end . A school district,
charter school, Tribal contract school, or cooperative unit under section 123A.24, subdivision
2, may apply for a grant under this section.
new text begin (b)new text end An applicant new text begin seeking funding for a special education teacher pathway grant new text end must
partner with:
(1) a Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved teacher preparation
program;
(2) a Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation-accredited teacher preparation
program from a private, not-for-profit, institution of higher education; or
(3) an institution that has an articulated transfer pathway with a board-approved teacher
preparation program.
new text begin
(c) An applicant seeking funding for a related services provider pathway grant must
partner with a regionally accredited college or university or an appropriate preparation
program in which candidates enroll to meet licensure requirements necessary for Tier 3
licensure as related services providers.
new text end
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(d) For purposes of this section, "related services providers" means:
new text end
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(1) school counselors;
new text end
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(2) school nurses;
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(3) school psychologists;
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(4) school social workers; or
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(5) school speech-language pathologists.
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Subd. 2.
Grant uses.
(a) A grant recipient must use grant funds to support participants
who are employed by the grant recipient and demonstrate a willingness to be a special
education teacher new text begin or a related services provider new text end after completing the program.
(b) A grant recipient may use grant funds for:
(1) tuition assistance or stipends for participants;
(2) supports for participants, including mentoring, licensure test preparation, and
technology support; or
(3) participant recruitment.
Subd. 3.
Grant procedure.
(a) Applicants must apply for a grant under this section in
the form and manner specified by the commissioner.
(b) In awarding grants, the commissioner must prioritize funding for training to allow
participants holding a Tier 1 or Tier 2 special education license to obtain a Tier 3 special
education license.
(c) To the extent that there are sufficient applications, the commissioner must, to the
extent practicable, award an equal number of grants between applicants in greater Minnesota
and applicants in the metropolitan area.
Subd. 4.
Report.
Within one year of receiving grant funds, and for each year that a
recipient receives grant funds, a grant recipient must report to the commissioner in the form
and manner determined by the commissioner the number of participants in the program and
how grant funds were used. The commissioner must publish an annual report that identifies
the grant recipients and summarizes how grant funds are used.
Subd. 5.
Special education teacher new text begin and related services provider new text end pathway program
account.
(a) An account is established in the special revenue fund known as the special
education teachernew text begin and related services providernew text end pathway program account.
(b) Funds appropriated for the special education teacher new text begin and related services provider
new text end pathway program under this section must be transferred to the special deleted text begin educatordeleted text end new text begin educationnew text end
teacher new text begin and related services provider new text end pathway program account in the special revenue fund.
(c) Money in the account is annually appropriated to the commissioner for the special
education teacher new text begin and related services provider new text end pathway program under this section. Any
returned funds are available to be regranted. Grant recipients may apply to use grant money
over a period of up to 60 months.
(d) Up to $175,000 annually is appropriated to the commissioner for costs associated
with administering and monitoring the program under this section.
new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
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This section is effective July 1, 2026.
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