Section | Headnote |
---|---|
121A.001 | MS 2006 [Renumbered 15.001] |
121A.01 | DEFINITIONS. |
DISCRIMINATION; HARASSMENT; VIOLENCE | |
121A.03 | MODEL POLICY. |
121A.031 | SCHOOL STUDENT BULLYING POLICY. |
121A.0311 | NOTICE OF THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS UNDER THE SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE MINNESOTA SCHOOLS ACT. |
121A.0312 | MALICIOUS AND SADISTIC CONDUCT. |
121A.035 | CRISIS MANAGEMENT POLICY. |
121A.037 | SCHOOL SAFETY DRILLS. |
121A.038 | STUDENT SAFETY DRILLS AT SCHOOL. |
121A.04 | ATHLETIC PROGRAMS; SEX DISCRIMINATION. |
121A.041 | AMERICAN INDIAN MASCOTS PROHIBITED. |
121A.05 | POLICY TO REFER FIREARMS POSSESSOR. |
121A.06 | REPORTS OF DANGEROUS WEAPON INCIDENTS IN SCHOOL ZONES. |
121A.065 | DISTRICT SURVEYS TO COLLECT STUDENT INFORMATION; PARENT NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OPTING OUT. |
121A.0695 | [Repealed, 2014 c 160 s 8] |
121A.08 | SMUDGING PERMITTED. |
MOMENT OF SILENCE; UNITED STATES FLAG | |
121A.10 | MOMENT OF SILENCE. |
121A.11 | UNITED STATES FLAG. |
STUDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY | |
121A.15 | HEALTH STANDARDS; IMMUNIZATIONS; SCHOOL CHILDREN. |
121A.16 | [Renumbered 142D.09] |
121A.17 | Subdivisions renumbered, repealed, or no longer in effect |
121A.18 | [Renumbered 142D.092] |
121A.19 | [Renumbered 142D.093] |
121A.20 | LICENSED SCHOOL NURSE. |
121A.201 | MTSS AND COLLABORATIVE MINNESOTA PARTNERSHIPS TO ADVANCE STUDENT SUCCESS (COMPASS). |
121A.21 | SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES. |
121A.212 | ACCESS TO MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS. |
121A.215 | LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WELLNESS POLICIES; WEBSITE. |
121A.216 | ACCESS TO SPACE FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE THROUGH TELEHEALTH. |
121A.22 | ADMINISTRATION OF DRUGS AND MEDICINE. |
121A.2205 | POSSESSION AND USE OF EPINEPHRINE AUTO-INJECTORS; MODEL POLICY. |
121A.2207 | LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGIES IN SCHOOLS; STOCK SUPPLY OF EPINEPHRINE AUTO-INJECTORS. |
121A.221 | POSSESSION AND USE OF ASTHMA INHALERS BY ASTHMATIC STUDENTS. |
121A.222 | POSSESSION AND USE OF NONPRESCRIPTION PAIN RELIEVERS BY SECONDARY STUDENTS. |
121A.223 | POSSESSION AND USE OF SUNSCREEN. |
121A.224 | OPIATE ANTAGONISTS. |
121A.23 | PROGRAMS TO PREVENT AND REDUCE THE RISKS OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS AND DISEASES. |
121A.24 | SEIZURE TRAINING AND ACTION PLAN. |
121A.25 | CHEMICAL ABUSE PREASSESSMENT TEAMS; DEFINITIONS. |
121A.26 | SCHOOL PREASSESSMENT TEAMS. |
121A.27 | [Repealed, 2009 c 96 art 6 s 12] |
121A.28 | LAW ENFORCEMENT RECORDS. |
121A.29 | REPORTING; CHEMICAL ABUSE. |
121A.30 | PESTICIDE APPLICATION AT SCHOOLS. |
121A.31 | SAFETY REQUIREMENT GUIDELINES. |
121A.32 | EYE PROTECTIVE DEVICES. |
121A.33 | CERTAIN MERCURY USE IN SCHOOLS PROHIBITED. |
121A.335 | LEAD IN SCHOOL DRINKING WATER. |
121A.336 | NOTIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS. |
121A.34 | SCHOOL SAFETY PATROLS. |
121A.35 | SUICIDE PREVENTION INFORMATION; IDENTIFICATION CARDS. |
121A.36 | MS 2012 [Renumbered 171.335] |
121A.37 | YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS. |
121A.38 | CONCUSSION PROCEDURES. |
121A.39 | SCHOOL COUNSELORS. |
PUPIL FAIR DISMISSAL ACT | |
121A.40 | CITATION. |
121A.41 | DEFINITIONS. |
121A.42 | POLICY. |
121A.425 | FULL AND EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION IN EARLY LEARNING. |
121A.43 | EXCLUSION AND EXPULSION OF PUPILS WITH A DISABILITY. |
121A.44 | EXPULSION FOR POSSESSION OF FIREARM. |
121A.45 | GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL. |
121A.46 | SUSPENSION PROCEDURES. |
121A.47 | EXCLUSION AND EXPULSION PROCEDURES. |
121A.48 | GOOD FAITH EXCEPTION. |
121A.49 | APPEAL. |
121A.50 | JUDICIAL REVIEW. |
121A.51 | REPORTS TO SERVICE AGENCY. |
121A.52 | NONAPPLICATION OF COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE LAW. |
121A.53 | REPORT TO COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION. |
121A.54 | NOTICE OF RIGHT TO BE REINSTATED. |
121A.55 | POLICIES TO BE ESTABLISHED. |
121A.56 | APPLICATION. |
121A.57 | [Renumbered 121A.035] |
121A.575 | ALTERNATIVES TO PUPIL SUSPENSION. |
DISCIPLINE; ALL STUDENTS | |
121A.58 | CORPORAL PUNISHMENT; PRONE RESTRAINT; AND CERTAIN PHYSICAL HOLDS. |
121A.582 | STUDENT DISCIPLINE; REASONABLE FORCE. |
121A.585 | NOTICE OF RECORDING DEVICE ON A SCHOOL BUS. |
121A.59 | BUS TRANSPORTATION A PRIVILEGE NOT A RIGHT. |
121A.60 | DEFINITIONS. |
121A.61 | DISCIPLINE AND REMOVAL OF STUDENTS FROM CLASS. |
121A.611 | RECESS AND OTHER BREAKS. |
121A.612 | UNSCHEDULED STUDENT REMOVAL FROM CLASS; SCHOOL POLICY. |
121A.62 | [Repealed, 2012 c 239 art 2 s 21] |
121A.63 | [Repealed, 2012 c 239 art 2 s 21] |
121A.64 | NOTIFICATION; TEACHERS' LEGITIMATE EDUCATIONAL INTEREST. |
121A.642 | PARAPROFESSIONAL TRAINING. |
121A.65 | REVIEW OF POLICY. |
121A.66 | MS 2010 [Repealed, 2009 c 96 art 3 s 22] |
121A.67 | REMOVAL BY PEACE OFFICER. |
121A.69 | HAZING POLICY. |
121A.70 | SECRET FRATERNITIES AND SOCIETIES. |
121A.72 | SCHOOL LOCKER POLICY. |
121A.73 | SCHOOL CELL PHONE POLICY. |
JUVENILE JUSTICE DATA | |
121A.75 | RECEIPT OF RECORDS; SHARING. |
STUDENT EXPRESSION | |
121A.80 | STUDENT JOURNALISM; STUDENT EXPRESSION. |
For purposes of this chapter, the words defined in section 120A.05 have the same meanings.
Ex1959 c 71 art 7 s 1; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3
The commissioner shall maintain and make available to school boards a model sexual, religious, and racial harassment and violence policy. The model policy shall address the requirements of subdivision 2, and may encourage violence prevention and character development education programs, consistent with section 120B.232, subdivision 1, to prevent and reduce policy violations.
A school board must adopt a written sexual, religious, and racial harassment and sexual, religious, and racial violence policy that conforms with chapter 363A. The policy shall apply to pupils, teachers, administrators, and other school personnel, include reporting procedures, and set forth disciplinary actions that will be taken for violation of the policy. Disciplinary actions must conform with collective bargaining agreements and sections 121A.41 to 121A.56. The policy must be conspicuously posted throughout each school building, given to each district employee and independent contractor at the time of entering into the person's employment contract, and included in each school's student handbook on school policies. Each school must develop a process for discussing the school's sexual, religious, and racial harassment and violence policy with students and school employees.
Each school board must submit to the commissioner a copy of the sexual, religious, and racial harassment and sexual, religious, and racial violence policy the board has adopted.
1989 c 329 art 8 s 7,8; 1990 c 426 art 1 s 17; 1992 c 499 art 8 s 17; 1992 c 571 art 10 s 7; 1993 c 224 art 9 s 37,38; 1994 c 647 art 8 s 25; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 21,22,26; art 11 s 3; 1Sp2005 c 5 art 2 s 25
(a) This section applies to bullying by a student against another student enrolled in a public school and which occurs:
(1) on the school premises, at the school functions or activities, or on the school transportation;
(2) by use of electronic technology and communications on the school premises, during the school functions or activities, on the school transportation, or on the school computers, networks, forums, and mailing lists; or
(3) by use of electronic technology and communications off the school premises to the extent such use substantially and materially disrupts student learning or the school environment.
(b) A nonpublic school under section 123B.41, subdivision 9, consistent with its school accreditation cycle, is encouraged to electronically transmit to the commissioner its antibullying policy, if any, and any summary data on its bullying incidents.
(c) This section does not apply to a home school under sections 120A.22, subdivision 4, and 120A.24, or a nonpublic school under section 123B.41, subdivision 9.
(d) A school-aged child who voluntarily participates in a public school activity, such as a cocurricular or extracurricular activity, is subject to the same student bullying policy provisions applicable to the public school students participating in the activity.
(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given them.
(b) "District" means a district under section 120A.05, subdivision 8.
(c) "Public school" or "school" means a public school under section 120A.05, subdivisions 9, 11, 13, and 17, and a charter school under chapter 124E.
(d) "Student" means a student enrolled in a school under paragraph (c).
(e) "Bullying" means intimidating, threatening, abusive, or harming conduct that is objectively offensive and:
(1) there is an actual or perceived imbalance of power between the student engaging in prohibited conduct and the target of the behavior and the conduct is repeated or forms a pattern; or
(2) materially and substantially interferes with a student's educational opportunities or performance or ability to participate in school functions or activities or receive school benefits, services, or privileges.
(f) "Cyberbullying" means bullying using technology or other electronic communication, including but not limited to a transfer of a sign, signal, writing, image, sound, or data, including a post on a social network Internet website or forum, transmitted through a computer, cell phone, or other electronic device.
(g) Intimidating, threatening, abusive, or harming conduct may involve, but is not limited to, conduct that causes physical harm to a student or a student's property or causes a student to be in reasonable fear of harm to person or property; under Minnesota common law, violates a student's reasonable expectation of privacy, defames a student, or constitutes intentional infliction of emotional distress against a student; is directed at any student or students, including those based on a person's actual or perceived race, ethnicity, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, sex, marital status, familial status, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, sexual orientation, including gender identity and expression, academic status related to student performance, disability, or status with regard to public assistance, age, or any additional characteristic defined in chapter 363A. However, prohibited conduct need not be based on any particular characteristic defined in this paragraph or chapter 363A.
(h) "Prohibited conduct" means bullying or cyberbullying as defined under this subdivision or retaliation for asserting, alleging, reporting, or providing information about such conduct or knowingly making a false report about bullying.
(i) "Remedial response" means a measure to stop and correct prohibited conduct, prevent prohibited conduct from recurring, and protect, support, and intervene on behalf of the student who is the target of the prohibited conduct.
(a) Districts and schools, in consultation with students, parents, and community organizations, to the extent practicable, shall adopt, implement, and, on a cycle consistent with other district policies, review, and revise where appropriate, a written policy to prevent and prohibit student bullying consistent with this section. The policy must conform with sections 121A.41 to 121A.56. A district or school must adopt and implement a local policy under subdivisions 3 to 5 or comply with the provisions of the state model policy in subdivision 6.
(b) Each local district and school policy must establish research-based, developmentally appropriate best practices that include preventive and remedial measures and effective discipline for deterring policy violations; apply throughout the school or district; and foster active student, parent, and community participation. The policy shall:
(1) define the roles and responsibilities of students, school personnel, and volunteers under the policy;
(2) specifically list the characteristics contained in subdivision 2, paragraph (g);
(3) emphasize remedial responses;
(4) be conspicuously posted in the administrative offices of the school and school district in summary form;
(5) be given to each school employee and independent contractor, if a contractor regularly interacts with students, at the time of employment with the district or school;
(6) be included in the student handbook on school policies; and
(7) be available to all parents and other school community members in an electronic format in the languages appearing on the district or school website, consistent with the district policies and practices.
(c) Consistent with its applicable policies and practices, each district and school under this subdivision must discuss its policy with students, school personnel, and volunteers and provide appropriate training for all school personnel to prevent, identify, and respond to prohibited conduct. Districts and schools must establish a training cycle, not to exceed a period of three school years, for school personnel under this paragraph. Newly employed school personnel must receive the training within the first year of their employment with the district or school. A district or school administrator may accelerate the training cycle or provide additional training based on a particular need or circumstance.
(d) Each district and school under this subdivision must submit an electronic copy of its prohibited conduct policy to the commissioner.
(a) Each district and school policy implemented under this section must, at a minimum:
(1) designate a staff member as the primary contact person in the school building to receive reports of prohibited conduct under clause (3), ensure the policy and its procedures including restorative practices, consequences, and sanctions are fairly and fully implemented, and serve as the primary contact on policy and procedural matters implicating both the district or school and the department;
(2) require school employees who witness prohibited conduct or possess reliable information that would lead a reasonable person to suspect that a student is a target of prohibited conduct to make reasonable efforts to address and resolve the prohibited conduct;
(3) provide a procedure to begin to investigate reports of prohibited conduct within three school days of the report, and make the primary contact person responsible for the investigation and any resulting record and for keeping and regulating access to any record;
(4) indicate how a school will respond to an identified incident of prohibited conduct, including immediately intervening to protect the target of the prohibited conduct; at the school administrator's discretion and consistent with state and federal data practices law governing access to data, including section 13.02, subdivision 8, a presumption that a district or school official will notify the parent of the reported target of the prohibited conduct and the parent of the actor engaged in the prohibited conduct; providing other remedial responses to the prohibited conduct; and ensuring that remedial responses are tailored to the particular incident and nature of the conduct and the student's developmental age and behavioral history;
(5) prohibit reprisals or retaliation against any person who asserts, alleges, or reports prohibited conduct or provides information about such conduct and establish appropriate consequences for a person who engages in reprisal or retaliation;
(6) allow anonymous reporting but do not rely solely on an anonymous report to determine discipline;
(7) provide information about available community resources to the target, actor, and other affected individuals, as appropriate;
(8) where appropriate for a child with a disability to prevent or respond to prohibited conduct, allow the child's individualized education program or section 504 plan to address the skills and proficiencies the child needs to respond to or not engage in prohibited conduct;
(9) use new employee training materials, the school publication on school rules, procedures, and standards of conduct, and the student handbook on school policies to publicize the policy;
(10) require ongoing professional development, consistent with section 122A.60, to build the skills of all school personnel who regularly interact with students, including but not limited to educators, administrators, school counselors, social workers, psychologists, other school mental health professionals, school nurses, cafeteria workers, custodians, bus drivers, athletic coaches, extracurricular activities advisors, and paraprofessionals to identify, prevent, and appropriately address prohibited conduct;
(11) allow the alleged actor in an investigation of prohibited conduct to present a defense; and
(12) inform affected students and their parents of their rights under state and federal data practices laws to obtain access to data related to the incident and their right to contest the accuracy or completeness of the data.
(b) Professional development under a local policy includes, but is not limited to, information about:
(1) developmentally appropriate strategies both to prevent and to immediately and effectively intervene to stop prohibited conduct;
(2) the complex dynamics affecting an actor, target, and witnesses to prohibited conduct;
(3) research on prohibited conduct, including specific categories of students at risk for prohibited conduct in school;
(4) the incidence and nature of cyberbullying; and
(5) Internet safety and cyberbullying.
(a) Districts and schools are encouraged to provide developmentally appropriate programmatic instruction to help students identify, prevent, and reduce prohibited conduct; value diversity in school and society; develop and improve students' knowledge and skills for solving problems, managing conflict, engaging in civil discourse, and recognizing, responding to, and reporting prohibited conduct; and make effective prevention and intervention programs available to students. Districts and schools must establish strategies for creating a positive school climate and use evidence-based social-emotional learning to prevent and reduce discrimination and other improper conduct.
(b) Districts and schools are encouraged to:
(1) engage all students in creating a safe and supportive school environment;
(2) partner with parents and other community members to develop and implement prevention and intervention programs;
(3) engage all students and adults in integrating education, intervention, and other remedial responses into the school environment;
(4) train student bystanders to intervene in and report incidents of prohibited conduct to the school's primary contact person;
(5) teach students to advocate for themselves and others;
(6) prevent inappropriate referrals to special education of students who may engage in prohibited conduct; and
(7) foster student collaborations that foster a safe and supportive school climate.
(a) The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of human rights, shall develop and maintain a state model policy. A district or school that does not adopt and implement a local policy under subdivisions 3 to 5 must implement and may supplement the provisions of the state model policy. The commissioner must assist districts and schools under this subdivision to implement the state policy. The state model policy must:
(1) define prohibited conduct, consistent with this section;
(2) apply the prohibited conduct policy components in this section;
(3) for a child with a disability, whenever an evaluation by an individualized education program team or a section 504 team indicates that the child's disability affects the child's social skills development or the child is vulnerable to prohibited conduct because of the child's disability, the child's individualized education program or section 504 plan may address the skills and proficiencies the child needs to not engage in and respond to such conduct; and
(4) encourage violence prevention and character development education programs under section 120B.232, subdivision 1.
(b) The commissioner shall develop and post departmental procedures for:
(1) periodically reviewing district and school programs and policies for compliance with this section;
(2) investigating, reporting, and responding to noncompliance with this section, which may include an annual review of plans to improve and provide a safe and supportive school climate; and
(3) allowing students, parents, and educators to file a complaint about noncompliance with the commissioner.
(c) The commissioner must post on the department's website information indicating that when districts and schools allow non-curriculum-related student groups access to school facilities, the district or school must give all student groups equal access to the school facilities regardless of the content of the group members' speech.
(d) The commissioner must develop and maintain resources to assist a district or school in implementing strategies for creating a positive school climate and use evidence-based, social-emotional learning to prevent and reduce discrimination and other improper conduct.
This section does not:
(1) establish any private right of action;
(2) limit rights currently available to an individual under other civil or criminal law, including, but not limited to, chapter 363A; or
(3) interfere with a person's rights of religious expression and free speech and expression under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
A district or school subject to section 121A.031 must include in the student discipline policy it distributes or otherwise transmits to students and their parents annually at the beginning of each school year notice about the rights and responsibilities of students and their parents under the Safe and Supportive Minnesota Schools Act.
(a) For purposes of this section, "malicious and sadistic conduct" means creating a hostile learning environment by acting with the intent to cause harm by intentionally injuring another without just cause or reason or engaging in extreme or excessive cruelty or delighting in cruelty.
(b) A school board of a district or charter school must adopt a written policy to address malicious and sadistic conduct and sexual exploitation by a district or school staff member, independent contractor, or student enrolled in a public school against a staff member, independent contractor, or student that occurs as described in section 121A.031, subdivision 1, paragraph (a). The policy must prohibit:
(1) malicious and sadistic conduct involving race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, religion, sexual harassment, and sexual orientation and gender identity, as defined in chapter 363A; and
(2) sexual exploitation.
(c) The policy must apply to students, independent contractors, teachers, administrators, and other school personnel; must include at a minimum the components under section 121A.031, subdivision 4, paragraph (a); and must include disciplinary actions for each violation of the policy. Disciplinary actions must conform with collective bargaining agreements and sections 121A.41 to 121A.56.
(d) The policy must be conspicuously posted throughout each school building, distributed to each district or school employee and independent contractor at the time of hiring or contracting, and included in each school's student handbook on school policies. Each school must develop a process for discussing with students, parents of students, independent contractors, and school employees the policy adopted under this section.
The commissioner shall maintain and make available to school boards and charter schools a model crisis management policy that includes, among other items, cardiac emergency response plans, school lock-down and tornado drills, consistent with subdivision 2, and school fire drills under section 299F.30.
(a) A school board and a charter school must adopt a crisis management policy to address potential violent crisis situations in the district or charter school. The policy must be developed cooperatively with administrators, teachers, employees, students, parents, community members, law enforcement agencies, other emergency management officials, county attorney offices, social service agencies, emergency medical responders, and any other appropriate individuals or organizations. The policy must include at least five school lock-down drills, five school fire drills consistent with section 299F.30, and one tornado drill.
(b) A school board or a charter school may adopt the model cardiac emergency response plan provided by the commissioner under subdivision 1.
Private schools and educational institutions not subject to section 121A.035 must have at least five school lock-down drills, five school fire drills consistent with section 299F.30, and one tornado drill.
(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given.
(b) "Active shooter drill" means an emergency preparedness drill designed to teach students, teachers, school personnel, and staff how to respond in the event of an armed intruder on campus or an armed assailant in the immediate vicinity of the school. An active shooter drill is not an active shooter simulation, nor may an active shooter drill include any sensorial components, activities, or elements which mimic a real life shooting.
(c) "Active shooter simulation" means an emergency exercise including full-scale or functional exercises, designed to teach adult school personnel and staff how to respond in the event of an armed intruder on campus or an armed assailant in the immediate vicinity of the school which also incorporates sensorial components, activities, or elements mimicking a real life shooting. Activities or elements mimicking a real life shooting include, but are not limited to, simulation of tactical response by law enforcement. An active shooter simulation is not an active shooter drill.
(d) "Evidence-based" means a program or practice that demonstrates any of the following:
(1) a statistically significant effect on relevant outcomes based on any of the following:
(i) strong evidence from one or more well designed and well implemented experimental studies;
(ii) moderate evidence from one or more well designed and well implemented quasi-experimental studies; or
(iii) promising evidence from one or more well designed and well implemented correlational studies with statistical controls for selection bias; or
(2) a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluations that the program or practice is likely to improve relevant outcomes, including the ongoing efforts to examine the effects of the program or practice.
(e) "Full-scale exercise" means an operations-based exercise that is typically the most complex and resource-intensive of the exercise types and often involves multiple agencies, jurisdictions, organizations, and real-time movement of resources.
(f) "Functional exercise" means an operations-based exercise designed to assess and evaluate capabilities and functions while in a realistic, real-time environment, however, movement of resources is usually simulated.
An active shooter drill conducted according to section 121A.037 with students in early childhood through grade 12 must be:
(1) accessible;
(2) developmentally appropriate and age appropriate, including using appropriate safety language and vocabulary;
(3) culturally aware;
(4) trauma-informed; and
(5) inclusive of accommodations for students with mobility restrictions, sensory needs, developmental or physical disabilities, mental health needs, and auditory or visual limitations.
Active shooter drill protocols must include a reasonable amount of time immediately following the drill for teachers to debrief with their students. The opportunity to debrief must be provided to students before regular classroom activity may resume. During the debrief period, students must be allowed to access any mental health services available on campus, including counselors, school psychologists, social workers, or cultural liaisons. An active shooter drill must not be combined or conducted consecutively with any other type of emergency preparedness drill. An active shooter drill must be accompanied by an announcement prior to commencing. The announcement must use concise and age-appropriate language and, at a minimum, inform students there is no immediate danger to life and safety.
(a) A school district or charter school must provide notice of a pending active shooter drill to every student's parent or legal guardian before an active shooter drill is conducted. Whenever practicable, notice must be provided at least 24 hours in advance of a pending active shooter drill and inform the parent or legal guardian of the right to opt their student out of participating.
(b) If a student is opted out of participating in an active shooter drill, no negative consequence must impact the student's general school attendance record nor may nonparticipation alone make a student ineligible to participate in or attend school activities.
(c) The commissioner of education must ensure the availability of alternative safety education for students who are opted out of participating or otherwise exempted from an active shooter drill. Alternative safety education must provide essential safety instruction through less sensorial safety training methods and must be appropriate for students with mobility restrictions, sensory needs, developmental or physical disabilities, mental health needs, and auditory or visual limitations.
Any student in early childhood through grade 12 must not be required to participate in an active shooter drill that does not meet the criteria in subdivision 2.
A student must not be required to participate in an active shooter simulation. An active shooter simulation must not take place during regular school hours if a majority of students are present, or expected to be present, at the school. A parent or legal guardian of a student in grades 9 through 12 must have the opportunity to opt their student into participating in an active shooter simulation.
(a) A school district or charter school conducting an active shooter drill must provide students in middle school and high school at least one hour, or one standard class period, of violence prevention training annually.
(b) The violence prevention training must be evidence-based and may be delivered in-person, virtually, or digitally. Training must, at a minimum, teach students the following:
(1) how to identify observable warning signs and signals of an individual who may be at risk of harming oneself or others;
(2) the importance of taking threats seriously and seeking help; and
(3) the steps to report dangerous, violent, threatening, harmful, or potentially harmful activity.
(c) By July 1, 2024, the commissioner of public safety and the commissioner of education must jointly develop a list of evidence-based trainings that a school district or charter school may use to fulfill the requirements of this section, including no-cost programming, if any. The agencies must:
(1) post the list publicly on the Minnesota School Safety Center's website; and
(2) update the list every two years.
(d) A school district or charter school must ensure that students have the opportunity to contribute to their school's safety and violence prevention planning, aligned with the recommendations for multihazard planning for schools, including but not limited to:
(1) student opportunities for leadership related to prevention and safety;
(2) encouragement and support to students in establishing clubs and programs focused on safety; and
(3) providing students with the opportunity to seek help from adults and to learn about prevention connected to topics including bullying, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and suicide.
At a regularly scheduled school board meeting, a school board of a district that has conducted an active shooter drill must consider the following:
(1) the effect of active shooter drills on the safety of students and staff; and
(2) the effect of active shooter drills on the mental health and wellness of students and staff.
The legislature recognizes certain past inequities in access to athletic programs and in the various degrees of athletic opportunity previously afforded members of each sex, race, and ethnicity. The purpose of this section is to provide an equal opportunity for members of each sex and members of all races and ethnicities to participate in athletic programs.
Each educational institution or public service shall provide equal opportunity for members of each sex and members of all races and ethnicities to participate in its athletic program. In determining whether equal opportunity to participate in athletic programs is available for the purposes of this section, at least the following factors shall be considered to the extent that they are applicable to a given situation: whether the opportunity for males and females to participate in the athletic program reflects the demonstrated interest in athletics of the males and females in the student body of the educational institution or the population served by the public service; whether the opportunity for members of all races and ethnicities to participate in the athletic program reflects the demonstrated interest in athletics of members of all races and ethnicities in the student body of the educational institution or the population served by the public service; whether the variety and selection of sports and levels of competition effectively accommodate the demonstrated interests of members of each sex; whether the variety and selection of sports and levels of competition effectively accommodate the demonstrated interests of members of all races and ethnicities; the provision of equipment and supplies; scheduling of games and practice times; assignment of coaches; provision of locker rooms; practice and competitive facilities; and the provision of necessary funds for teams of one sex.
(a) Notwithstanding any other state law to the contrary, in athletic programs operated by educational institutions or public services and designed for participants 12 years old or older or in the 7th grade or above, it is not an unfair discriminatory practice to restrict membership on an athletic team to participants of one sex whose overall athletic opportunities have previously been limited.
(b) When an educational institution or a public service provides athletic teams for children 11 years old or younger or in the 6th grade or below, those teams shall be operated without restrictions on the basis of sex, except that when overall athletic opportunities for one sex have previously been limited and there is a demonstrated interest by members of that sex to participate on a team restricted to members of that sex, the educational institution or public service may provide a team restricted to members of that sex.
(c) When two teams in the same sport are in fact separated or substantially separated according to sex, the two teams shall be provided with substantially equal budgets per participant, exclusive of gate receipts and other revenues generated by that sport, and in all other respects shall be treated in a substantially equal manner. However, nothing in this section shall be construed to require the two teams to conduct combined practice sessions or any other combined activities related to athletics.
(d) If two teams are provided in the same sport, one of these teams may be restricted to members of a sex whose overall athletic opportunities have previously been limited, and members of either sex shall be permitted to try out for the other team.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a), (b), and (d), any wrestling team may be restricted to members of one sex whether or not the overall athletic opportunities of that sex have previously been limited, provided that programs or events are provided for each sex to the extent the educational institution or public service determines that these programs or events are necessary to accommodate the demonstrated interest of each sex to participate in wrestling.
When an equal opportunity to participate in the elementary or secondary school level athletic program of an educational institution or public service is not provided to members of a sex whose overall athletic opportunities have previously been limited, that educational institution or public service shall, where there is demonstrated interest, provide separate teams for members of the excluded sex in sports which it determines will provide members of that excluded sex with an equal opportunity to participate in its athletic program and which will attempt to accommodate their demonstrated interests.
The commissioner of education, after consultation with the commissioner of human rights must promulgate rules in accordance with chapter 14 to implement this section to prevent discrimination in elementary and secondary school athletic programs operated by educational institutions. The rules promulgated by the commissioner pursuant to this section shall not require athletic competition or tournaments for teams whose membership may be restricted to members of a sex whose overall athletic opportunities have previously been limited to be scheduled in conjunction with the scheduling of athletic competition or tournaments for teams whose membership is not so restricted by this section. Any organization, association or league entered into by elementary or secondary schools or public services for the purpose of promoting sports or adopting rules and regulations for the conduct of athletic contests between members shall provide rules and regulations and conduct its activities so as to permit its members to comply fully with this section. The rules of that organization, association or league may provide separate seasons for athletic competition or tournaments in a sport for teams whose membership may be restricted to members of a sex whose overall athletic opportunities have previously been limited from athletic competition or tournaments established for teams in that same sport whose membership is not so restricted by this section, and its rules may prohibit a participating student from competing on more than one school team in a given sport during a single school year.
1975 c 338 s 1; 1980 c 355 s 1; 1981 c 339 s 1; 1982 c 424 s 130; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 8,9,26; 1998 c 398 art 5 s 55; 2003 c 130 s 12; 2023 c 55 art 12 s 1,2
(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given.
(b) "American Indian" means an individual who is:
(1) a member of an Indian Tribe or Band, as membership is defined by the Tribe or Band, including:
(i) any Tribe or Band terminated since 1940; and
(ii) any Tribe or Band recognized by the state in which the Tribe or Band resides;
(2) a descendant, in the first or second degree, of an individual described in clause (1);
(3) considered by the Secretary of the Interior to be an Indian for any purpose;
(4) an Inuit, Aleut, or other Alaska Native; or
(5) a member of an organized Indian group that received a grant under the Indian Education Act of 1988 as in effect the day preceding October 20, 1994.
(c) "District" means a district under section 120A.05, subdivision 8.
(d) "Mascot" means any human, nonhuman animal, or object used to represent a school and its population.
(e) "Public school" or "school" means a public school under section 120A.05, subdivisions 9, 11, 13, and 17, and a charter school under chapter 124E.
(a) Starting September 1, 2026, a public school may not have or adopt a name, symbol, or image that depicts or refers to an American Indian Tribe, individual, custom, or tradition to be used as a mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name of the school, district, or school within the district, unless the school has obtained an exemption under subdivision 3.
(b) The prohibition in paragraph (a) does not apply to a public school located within the reservation of a federally recognized Tribal Nation in Minnesota, where at least 95 percent of students meet the state definition of American Indian student.
(c) A school district with a prohibited American Indian mascot according to paragraph (a), that has not received an exemption according to subdivision 3, must report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education policy by February 14, 2025, and again by February 1, 2026, on the district's progress to comply with this section; and the district must submit copies of the reports to the Legislative Reference Library. The reports must include the following:
(1) confirmation that the district has removed the American Indian mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name from the district website;
(2) confirmation that the board of the district has approved a new mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name;
(3) a summary of the district's progress on removing the American Indian mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name from uniforms, equipment, signs, elements of facilities, and other district items; and
(4) a summary of resources necessary to comply with the prohibition in paragraph (a) and the district's plan to raise and allocate any necessary funds.
A public school may seek an exemption to subdivision 2 by submitting a request in writing to all 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations in Minnesota and to the Tribal Nations Education Committee by September 1, 2023. The exemption is denied if any of the 11 Tribal Nations or the Tribal Nations Education Committee oppose the exemption by December 15, 2023. A public school whose request for an exemption is denied must comply with subdivision 2 by September 1, 2026.
A school board must have a policy requiring the appropriate school official to, as soon as practicable, refer to the criminal justice or juvenile delinquency system, as appropriate, a pupil who brings a firearm to school unlawfully.
As used in this section:
(1) "dangerous weapon" has the meaning given it in section 609.02, subdivision 6;
(2) "school" has the meaning given it in section 120A.22, subdivision 4; and
(3) "school zone" has the meaning given it in section 152.01, subdivision 14a, clauses (1) and (3).
School districts must electronically report to the commissioner of education incidents involving the use or possession of a dangerous weapon in school zones. The form must include the following information:
(1) a description of each incident, including a description of the dangerous weapon involved in the incident;
(2) where, at what time, and under what circumstances the incident occurred;
(3) information about the offender, other than the offender's name, including the offender's age; whether the offender was a student and, if so, where the offender attended school; and whether the offender was under school expulsion or suspension at the time of the incident;
(4) information about the victim other than the victim's name, if any, including the victim's age; whether the victim was a student and, if so, where the victim attended school; and if the victim was not a student, whether the victim was employed at the school;
(5) the cost of the incident to the school and to the victim; and
(6) the action taken by the school administration to respond to the incident.
The commissioner shall provide an electronic reporting format that allows school districts to provide aggregate data.
By July 31 of each year, each public school shall report incidents involving the use or possession of a dangerous weapon in school zones to the commissioner. The reports must be submitted using the electronic reporting system developed by the commissioner under subdivision 2. The commissioner shall compile the information it receives from the schools and report it annually to the commissioner of public safety and the legislature.
1993 c 326 art 1 s 1; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 9 s 7,8; art 16 s 13; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 1,2,26; art 11 s 3; 1Sp2005 c 5 art 2 s 26,27
(a) School districts and charter schools, in consultation with parents, must develop and adopt policies on conducting student surveys and using and distributing personal information on students collected from the surveys. School districts and charter schools must:
(1) directly notify parents of these policies at the beginning of each school year and after making any substantive policy changes;
(2) inform parents at the beginning of the school year if the district or school has identified specific or approximate dates for administering surveys and give parents reasonable notice of planned surveys scheduled after the start of the school year;
(3) give parents direct, timely notice, by United States mail, email, or other direct form of communication, when their students are scheduled to participate in a student survey; and
(4) give parents the opportunity to review the survey and to opt their students out of participating in the survey.
(b) School districts and charter schools must not impose an academic or other penalty upon a student who opts out of participating in a survey under paragraph (a).
An American Indian student or staff member may use tobacco, sage, sweetgrass, and cedar to conduct individual or group smudging in a public school. The process for conducting smudging is determined by the building or site administrator. Smudging must be conducted under the direct supervision of an appropriate staff member, as determined by the building or site administrator.
A moment of silence may be observed.
Every public school in Minnesota must display an appropriate United States flag when in session. The flag shall be displayed upon the school grounds or outside the school building, on a proper staff, on every legal holiday occurring during the school term and at such other times as the board of the district may direct. The flag must be displayed within the principal rooms of the school building at all other times while school is in session.
The board must provide the flag for each of the school buildings in their districts, together with a suitable staff to display the flag outside of the school building and proper arrangement to display the flag in the building, and a suitable receptacle for the safekeeping of the flag when not in use.
(a) All public and charter school students shall recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America one or more times each week. The recitation shall be conducted:
(1) by each individual classroom teacher or the teacher's surrogate; or
(2) over a school intercom system by a person designated by the school principal or other person having administrative control over the school.
A local school board or a charter school board of directors may annually, by majority vote, waive this requirement.
(b) Any student or teacher may decline to participate in recitation of the pledge.
(c) A school district or charter school that has a student handbook or school policy guide must include a statement that anyone who does not wish to participate in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance for any personal reasons may elect not to do so and that students must respect another person's right to make that choice.
(d) A local school board or a charter school board of directors that waives the requirement to recite the Pledge of Allegiance under paragraph (a) may adopt a district or school policy regarding the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Unless the requirement in subdivision 3 is waived by a majority vote of the school board, a school district must instruct students in the proper etiquette toward, correct display of, and respect for the flag, and in patriotic exercises.
Ex1959 c 71 art 7 s 14; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 4,26; 2003 c 120 s 1,2
Except as provided in subdivisions 3, 4, and 10, no person over two months old may be allowed to enroll or remain enrolled in any elementary or secondary school or child care facility in this state until the person has submitted to the administrator or other person having general control and supervision of the school or child care facility, one of the following statements:
(1) a statement from a physician or a public clinic which provides immunizations stating that the person has received immunization, consistent with medically acceptable standards, against measles after having attained the age of 12 months, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, mumps, haemophilus influenzae type b, and hepatitis B; or
(2) a statement from a physician or a public clinic which provides immunizations stating that the person has received immunizations, consistent with medically acceptable standards, against measles after having attained the age of 12 months, rubella, mumps, and haemophilus influenzae type b and that the person has commenced a schedule of immunizations for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and hepatitis B and which indicates the month and year of each immunization received.
No person who has commenced a treatment schedule of immunization pursuant to subdivision 1, clause (2), may remain enrolled in any child care facility, elementary, or secondary school in this state after 18 months of enrollment unless there is submitted to the administrator, or other person having general control and supervision of the school or child care facility, a statement from a physician or a public clinic which provides immunizations that the person has completed the primary schedule of immunizations for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and hepatitis B. The statement must include the month and year of each additional immunization received. For a child less than seven years of age, a primary schedule of immunizations shall consist of four doses of vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis and three doses of vaccine for poliomyelitis and hepatitis B. For a child seven years of age or older, a primary schedule of immunizations shall consist of three doses of vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and hepatitis B.
(a) If a person is at least seven years old and has not been immunized against pertussis, the person must not be required to be immunized against pertussis.
(b) If a person is at least 18 years old and has not completed a series of immunizations against poliomyelitis, the person must not be required to be immunized against poliomyelitis.
(c) If a statement, signed by a physician, is submitted to the administrator or other person having general control and supervision of the school or child care facility stating that an immunization is contraindicated for medical reasons or that laboratory confirmation of the presence of adequate immunity exists, the immunization specified in the statement need not be required.
(d) If a notarized statement signed by the minor child's parent or guardian or by the emancipated person is submitted to the administrator or other person having general control and supervision of the school or child care facility stating that the person has not been immunized as prescribed in subdivision 1 because of the conscientiously held beliefs of the parent or guardian of the minor child or of the emancipated person, the immunizations specified in the statement shall not be required. This statement must also be forwarded to the commissioner of the Department of Health. This paragraph does not apply to a child enrolling or enrolled in a child care center or family child care program that adopts a policy under subdivision 3b.
(e) If the person is under 15 months, the person is not required to be immunized against measles, rubella, or mumps.
(f) If a person is at least five years old and has not been immunized against haemophilus influenzae type b, the person is not required to be immunized against haemophilus influenzae type b.
(g) If a person who is not a Minnesota resident enrolls in a Minnesota school online learning course or program that delivers instruction to the person only by computer and does not provide any teacher or instructor contact time or require classroom attendance, the person is not subject to the immunization, statement, and other requirements of this section.
(a) This paragraph applies to any written information about immunization requirements for enrollment in a school or child care facility that:
(1) is provided to a person to be immunized or enrolling or enrolled in a school or child care facility, or to the person's parent or guardian if the person is under 18 years of age and not emancipated; and
(2) is provided by the Department of Health; the Department of Education; the Department of Children, Youth, and Families; an immunization provider; or a school or child care facility.
Such written information must describe the exemptions from immunizations permitted under subdivision 3, paragraphs (c) and (d). The information on exemptions from immunizations provided according to this paragraph must be in a font size at least equal to the font size of the immunization requirements, in the same font style as the immunization requirements, and on the same page of the written document as the immunization requirements.
(b) Before immunizing a person, an immunization provider must provide the person, or the person's parent or guardian if the person is under 18 years of age and not emancipated, with the following information in writing:
(1) a list of the immunizations required for enrollment in a school or child care facility;
(2) a description of the exemptions from immunizations permitted under subdivision 3, paragraphs (c) and (d);
(3) a list of additional immunizations currently recommended by the commissioner; and
(4) in accordance with federal law, a copy of the vaccine information sheet from the federal Department of Health and Human Services that lists possible adverse reactions to the immunization to be provided.
(c) The commissioner will continue the educational campaign to providers and hospitals on vaccine safety including, but not limited to, information on the vaccine adverse events reporting system (VAERS), the federal vaccine information statements (VIS), and medical precautions and contraindications to immunizations.
(d) The commissioner will encourage providers to provide the vaccine information statements at multiple visits and in anticipation of subsequent immunizations.
(e) The commissioner will encourage providers to use existing screening for immunization precautions and contraindication materials and make proper use of the vaccine adverse events reporting system (VAERS).
(f) In consultation with groups and people identified in subdivision 12, paragraph (a), clause (1), the commissioner will continue to develop and make available patient education materials on immunizations including, but not limited to, contraindications and precautions regarding vaccines.
(g) The commissioner will encourage health care providers to use thimerosal-free vaccines when available.
A child care center licensed under chapter 245A and Minnesota Rules, chapter 9503, and a family child care provider licensed under chapter 245A and Minnesota Rules, chapter 9502, may adopt a policy prohibiting a child over two months of age from enrolling or remaining enrolled in the child care center or family child care program if the child:
(1) has not been immunized in accordance with subdivision 1 or 2 and in accordance with Minnesota Rules, chapter 4604; and
(2) is not exempt from immunizations under subdivision 3, paragraph (a), (c), (e), or (f).
(a) A person who is enrolling or enrolled in an elementary or secondary school or child care facility may substitute a statement from the emancipated person or a parent or guardian if the person is a minor child in lieu of the statement from a physician or public clinic which provides immunizations. If the statement is from a parent or guardian or emancipated person, the statement must indicate the month and year of each immunization given.
(b) In order for the statement to be acceptable for a person who is enrolling in an elementary school and who is six years of age or younger, it must indicate that the following was given: no less than one dose of vaccine each for measles, mumps, and rubella given separately or in combination; no less than four doses of vaccine for poliomyelitis, unless the third dose was given after the fourth birthday, then three doses are minimum; no less than five doses of vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, unless the fourth dose was given after the fourth birthday, then four doses are minimum; and no less than three doses of vaccine for hepatitis B.
(c) In order for the statement to be consistent with subdivision 10 and acceptable for a person who is enrolling in an elementary or secondary school and is age seven through age 19, the statement must indicate that the person has received no less than one dose of vaccine each for measles, mumps, and rubella given separately or in combination, and no less than three doses of vaccine for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, and hepatitis B.
(d) In order for the statement to be acceptable for a person who is enrolling in a secondary school, and who was born after 1956 and is 20 years of age or older, the statement must indicate that the person has received no less than one dose of vaccine each for measles, mumps, and rubella given separately or in combination, and no less than one dose of vaccine for diphtheria and tetanus within the preceding ten years.
(e) In order for the statement to be acceptable for a person who is enrolling in a child care facility and who is at least 15 months old but who has not reached five years of age, it must indicate that the following were given: no less than one dose of vaccine each for measles, mumps, and rubella given separately or in combination; no less than one dose of vaccine for haemophilus influenzae type b; no less than four doses of vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; and no less than three doses of vaccine for poliomyelitis.
(f) In order for the statement to be acceptable for a person who is enrolling in a child care facility and who is five or six years of age, it must indicate that the following was given: no less than one dose of vaccine each for measles, mumps, and rubella given separately or in combination; no less than four doses of vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; and no less than three doses of vaccine for poliomyelitis.
(g) In order for the statement to be acceptable for a person who is enrolling in a child care facility and who is seven years of age or older, the statement must indicate that the person has received no less than one dose of vaccine each for measles, mumps, and rubella given separately or in combination and consistent with subdivision 10, and no less than three doses of vaccine for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, and tetanus.
(h) The commissioner of health, on finding that any of the above requirements are not necessary to protect the public's health, may suspend for one year that requirement.
If a person transfers from one elementary or secondary school to another, the school board of a public school district or the administrator of a nonpublic school may allow the person up to a maximum of 30 days to submit one or more of the statements as specified in subdivision 1 or 3, during which time the person may enroll in and attend the school. If a person enrolls in a child care facility in which at least 75 percent of children in the facility participate on a onetime only or occasional basis to a maximum of 45 hours per child, per month, or is placed in a facility by a crisis nursery, the person shall be exempt from all requirements of this section for up to five consecutive days, starting from the first day of attendance.
Each school or child care facility shall maintain on file immunization records for all persons in attendance that contain the information required by subdivisions 1, 2, and 3. The school shall maintain the records for at least five years after the person attains the age of majority. The Department of Health and the community health board, as defined in section 145A.02, subdivision 5, in whose jurisdiction the school or child care facility is located, shall have access to the files maintained pursuant to this subdivision. When a person transfers to another elementary or secondary school or child care facility, the administrator or other person having general control and supervision of the school or child care facility shall assist the person's parent or guardian in the transfer of the immunization file to the person's new school or child care facility within 30 days of the transfer. Upon the request of a public or private postsecondary educational institution, as defined in section 135A.14, the administrator or other person having general control or supervision of a school shall assist in the transfer of a student's immunization file to the postsecondary institution.
The administrator or other person having general control and supervision of the elementary or secondary school shall file a report with the commissioner on all persons enrolled in the school. The superintendent of each district shall file a report with the commissioner for all persons within the district receiving instruction in a home school in compliance with sections 120A.22 and 120A.24. The parent of persons receiving instruction in a home school shall submit the statements as required by subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12 to the superintendent of the district in which the person resides by October 1 of the first year of their homeschooling in Minnesota and the grade 7 year. The school report must be prepared on forms developed jointly by the commissioner of health and the commissioner of education and be distributed to the local districts by the commissioner of health. The school report must state the number of persons attending the school, the number of persons who have not been immunized according to subdivision 1 or 2, and the number of persons who received an exemption under subdivision 3, clause (c) or (d). The school report must be filed with the commissioner of education within 60 days of the commencement of each new school term. Upon request, a district must be given a 60-day extension for filing the school report. The commissioner of education shall forward the report, or a copy thereof, to the commissioner of health who shall provide summary reports to community health boards as defined in section 145A.02, subdivision 5. The administrator or other person having general control and supervision of the child care facility shall file a report with the commissioner of children, youth, and families on all persons enrolled in the child care facility. The child care facility report must be prepared on forms developed jointly by the commissioner of health and the commissioner of children, youth, and families and be distributed to child care facilities by the commissioner of health. The child care facility report must state the number of persons enrolled in the facility, the number of persons with no immunizations, the number of persons who received an exemption under subdivision 3, clause (c) or (d), and the number of persons with partial or full immunization histories. The child care facility report must be filed with the commissioner of children, youth, and families by November 1 of each year. The commissioner of children, youth, and families shall forward the report, or a copy thereof, to the commissioner of health who shall provide summary reports to community health boards as defined in section 145A.02, subdivision 5. The report required by this subdivision is not required of a family child care or group family child care facility, for prekindergarten children enrolled in any elementary or secondary school provided services according to sections 125A.03 and 125A.06, nor for child care facilities in which at least 75 percent of children in the facility participate on a onetime only or occasional basis to a maximum of 45 hours per child, per month.
As used in this section the following terms have the meanings given them.
(a) "Elementary or secondary school" includes any public school as defined in section 120A.05, subdivisions 9, 11, 13, and 17, or nonpublic school, church, or religious organization, or home school in which a child is provided instruction in compliance with sections 120A.22 and 120A.24.
(b) "Person enrolled in any elementary or secondary school" means a person born after 1956 and enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12, and a child with a disability receiving special instruction and services as required in sections 125A.03 to 125A.24 and 125A.65, excluding a child being provided services at the home or bedside of the child or in other states.
(c) "Child care facility" includes those child care programs subject to licensure under chapter 142B, and Minnesota Rules, chapters 9502 and 9503.
(d) "Family child care" means child care for no more than ten children at one time of which no more than six are under school age. The licensed capacity must include all children of any caregiver when the children are present in the residence.
(e) "Group family child care" means child care for no more than 14 children at any one time. The total number of children includes all children of any caregiver when the children are present in the residence.
(a) A statement required to be submitted under subdivisions 1, 2, and 4 to document evidence of immunization shall include month, day, and year for immunizations administered after January 1, 1990.
(b) A person who has received at least three doses of tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, with the most recent dose given after age six and before age 11, is not required to have additional immunization against diphtheria and tetanus until ten years have elapsed from the person's most recent dose of tetanus and diphtheria toxoid.
(c) The requirement for hepatitis B vaccination shall apply to persons enrolling in kindergarten beginning with the 2000-2001 school term.
(d) The requirement for hepatitis B vaccination shall apply to persons enrolling in grade 7 beginning with the 2001-2002 school term.
Nothing in this section relieves the commissioner of children, youth, and families of the responsibility, under chapter 245A, to inspect and assure that statements required by this section are on file at child care programs subject to licensure.
(a) The commissioner of health may adopt modifications to the immunization requirements of this section. A proposed modification made under this subdivision must be part of the current immunization recommendations of each of the following organizations: the United States Public Health Service's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. In proposing a modification to the immunization schedule, the commissioner must:
(1) consult with (i) the commissioner of education; the commissioner of children, youth, and families; the chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; and the president of the University of Minnesota; and (ii) the Minnesota Natural Health Coalition, Vaccine Awareness Minnesota, Biological Education for Autism Treatment (BEAT), the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics-Minnesota Chapter, and the Minnesota Nurses Association; and
(2) consider the following criteria: the epidemiology of the disease, the morbidity and mortality rates for the disease, the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, the cost of a vaccination program, the cost of enforcing vaccination requirements, and a cost-benefit analysis of the vaccination.
(b) Before a proposed modification may be adopted, the commissioner must notify the chairs of the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over health policy issues. If the chairs of the relevant standing committees determine a public hearing regarding the proposed modifications is in order, the hearing must be scheduled within 60 days of receiving notice from the commissioner. If a hearing is scheduled, the commissioner may not adopt any proposed modifications until after the hearing is held.
(c) The commissioner shall comply with the requirements of chapter 14 regarding the adoption of any proposed modifications to the immunization schedule.
(d) In addition to the publication requirements of chapter 14, the commissioner of health must inform all immunization providers of any adopted modifications to the immunization schedule in a timely manner.
1967 c 858 s 1,2; 1973 c 137 s 1-3; 1977 c 305 s 45; 1978 c 758 s 1; 1980 c 504 s 1; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 309 s 24; 1988 c 430 s 1-8; 1989 c 215 s 1-7; 1991 c 30 s 1-10; 1991 c 265 art 3 s 38; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 9 s 26; art 16 s 13; 1996 c 398 s 25; 1Sp1997 c 3 s 20-22; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 6 s 8-10; 1998 c 305 s 1-4; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 54-56,103; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 407 art 2 s 24; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 1 s 24,25; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 2003 c 130 s 12; 2004 c 279 art 10 s 1,2; 1Sp2005 c 5 art 2 s 29; 2006 c 263 art 7 s 2; 2011 c 76 art 1 s 12,13; 1Sp2011 c 11 art 1 s 7; 2014 c 149 s 74; 2014 c 291 art 7 s 28,29; 2024 c 80 art 2 s 74; art 8 s 70; 2024 c 115 art 16 s 11; art 18 s 5,6
(a) The Department of Education must employ a school health services specialist to:
(1) provide technical assistance to school districts and charter schools for the education-related health needs of students;
(2) serve as the primary source of information and support for schools in addressing emergency readiness, public health, and the needs of children and youth with acute and chronic health conditions and related disorders; and
(3) serve as the primary liaison to the Department of Health and other state agencies to coordinate school-based, health-related services for students.
(b) The school health services specialist's duties include:
(1) increasing professional awareness and competencies of school nurses and other specialized instructional support personnel, using the competencies defined in the most recent edition of the document jointly prepared by the American Nurses Association and the National Association of School Nurses identified as "School Nursing; Scope and Standards of Practice" to meet the educational needs of students with acute or chronic health conditions or students identified with risk characteristics associated with health and mental health;
(2) developing implementation guidance to assist general education and special education teachers in (i) recognizing health-related educational needs of children and youth, and (ii) improving students' attendance and full participation in instruction and other school activities;
(3) developing implementation guidance to assist teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, and school administrators in prevention of and intervention with health-harming behavior and mental health; and
(4) increasing the availability of online and asynchronous professional development programs and materials for school staff.
For purposes of this section, "health services specialist" means a professional registered nurse who:
(1) is licensed as a public health nurse in Minnesota;
(2) is licensed as a school nurse in Minnesota;
(3) has a minimum of three years of experience in school nursing services or as a public health nurse serving schools; and
(4) has experience in managing a districtwide health policy.
The Department of Education's school health services specialist must be highly trained in school nursing, which includes knowledge about child growth and development; public health; health education; and special education with a focus on the impact of health on learning, comprehensive assessment of learning-related health using interventions that are evidence-based, and documentation and evaluation of child health knowledge, skills, status, and education implications. The specialist must have knowledge of section 504 plans, health insurance and third-party reimbursement, health privacy, and emergency preparedness. The specialist must also have skills in interdisciplinary collaboration, policy development, parent involvement, health teaching and learning, and staff development.
Beginning July 1, 2023, all Minnesota school districts and charter schools must be offered training and support in implementing MTSS through the Department of Education COMPASS team and the Department of Education's regional partners, the Minnesota Service Cooperatives. COMPASS is the state school improvement model providing a statewide system through which all districts and schools may receive support in the areas of literacy, math, social-emotional learning, and mental health within the MTSS framework. The MTSS framework is the state's systemic, continuous school improvement framework for ensuring positive social, emotional, behavioral, developmental, and academic outcomes for every student. MTSS provides access to layered tiers of culturally and linguistically responsive, evidence-based practices. The MTSS framework relies on the understanding and belief that every student can learn and thrive, and it engages an anti-bias and socially just approach to examining policies and practices and ensuring equitable distribution of resources and opportunity. The MTSS systemic framework requires:
(1) a district-wide infrastructure consisting of effective leaders, collective efficacy among staff, positive school climate, linked teams, and professional learning that supports continuous improvement;
(2) authentic engagement with families and communities to develop reciprocal relationships and build new opportunities for students together;
(3) multilayered tiers of culturally and linguistically responsive instruction and support that allows every student the support they need to reach meaningful and rigorous learning standards. Tiers of support include core (Tier 1), supplemental (Tier 2), and intensive (Tier 3) instruction levels;
(4) valid and reliable assessment tools and processes to assess student and system performance and inform necessary changes; and
(5) a data-based decision-making approach in which problems are precisely defined and analyzed, solutions address root causes, and implementation is monitored to ensure success. The data-based problem-solving component of the MTSS framework consists of three major subcomponents: accessible and integrated data, decision-making process, and system performance.
(a) Every school board must provide services to promote the health of its pupils.
(b) The board of a district with 1,000 pupils or more in average daily membership in early childhood family education, preschool disabled, elementary, and secondary programs must comply with the requirements of this paragraph. It may use one or a combination of the following methods:
(1) employ personnel, including at least one full-time equivalent licensed school nurse;
(2) contract with a public or private health organization or another public agency for personnel during the regular school year, determined appropriate by the board, who are currently licensed under chapter 148 and who are certified public health nurses; or
(3) enter into another arrangement approved by the commissioner.
Ex1959 c 71 art 4 s 17; 1961 c 225 s 1; 1967 c 173 s 2; 1969 c 21 s 1; 1969 c 104 s 1; 1973 c 491 s 1; 1975 c 359 s 23; 1978 c 616 s 5; 1979 c 334 art 6 s 9; 1980 c 609 art 6 s 16; 1981 c 194 s 1; 1981 c 358 art 7 s 22; 1982 c 548 art 6 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 309 s 24; 1987 c 398 art 7 s 20; 1988 c 626 s 1; 1988 c 668 s 2; 1988 c 718 art 7 s 21; 1991 c 265 art 6 s 22; art 9 s 36; 1992 c 499 art 12 s 8; 1993 c 224 art 12 s 16; art 13 s 17; 1994 c 647 art 6 s 11-13; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 9 s 20; art 16 s 13; 1996 c 412 art 3 s 10; art 6 s 1; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 6 s 7; art 7 s 4; 1998 c 397 art 1 s 54; art 3 s 53,103; art 5 s 88-90; art 6 s 62-68; art 8 s 1,2; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 398 art 6 s 17; 1Sp2003 c 9 art 12 s 2; 2005 c 56 s 1
A school district or charter school must provide students with access to menstrual products at no charge. The products must be available to all menstruating students in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12 according to a plan developed by the school district. For purposes of this section, "menstrual products" means pads, tampons, or other similar products used in connection with the menstrual cycle.
When available, a school district must post its current local school wellness policy on its website.
(a) Beginning October 1, 2024, to the extent space is available, a school district or charter school must provide an enrolled secondary school student with access during regular school hours, and to the extent staff is available, before or after the school day on days when students receive instruction at school, to space at the school site that a student may use to receive mental health care through telehealth from a student's licensed mental health provider. A secondary school must develop a plan with procedures to receive requests for access to the space.
(b) The space must provide a student privacy to receive mental health care.
(c) A student may use a school-issued device to receive mental health care through telehealth if such use is consistent with the district or school policy governing acceptable use of the school-issued device.
(d) A school may require a student requesting access to space under this section to submit to the school a signed and dated consent from the student's parent or guardian, or from the student if the student is age 16 or older, authorizing the student's licensed mental health provider to release information from the student's health record that is requested by the school to confirm the student is currently receiving mental health care from the provider. Such a consent is valid for the school year in which it is submitted.
(a) This section applies only:
(1) when the parent of a pupil requests school personnel to administer drugs or medicine to the pupil; or
(2) when administration is allowed by the individualized education program of a child with a disability.
The request of a parent may be oral or in writing. An oral request must be reduced to writing within two school days, provided that the district may rely on an oral request until a written request is received.
(b) If the administration of a drug or medication described in paragraph (a) requires a school to store the drug or medication, the parent or legal guardian must inform the school if the drug or medication is a controlled substance. For a drug or medication that is not a controlled substance, the request must include a provision designating the school district as an authorized entity to transport the drug or medication for the purpose of destruction if any unused drug or medication remains in the possession of school personnel. For a drug or medication that is a controlled substance, the request must specify that the parent or legal guardian is required to retrieve the drug or controlled substance when requested by the school.
In addition, this section does not apply to drugs or medicine that are:
(1) purchased without a prescription;
(2) used by a pupil who is 18 years old or older;
(3) used in connection with services for which a minor may give effective consent, including section 144.343, subdivision 1, and any other law;
(4) used in situations in which, in the judgment of the school personnel, including a licensed nurse, who are present or available, the risk to the pupil's life or health is of such a nature that drugs or medicine should be given without delay;
(5) used off the school grounds;
(6) used in connection with athletics or extra curricular activities;
(7) used in connection with activities that occur before or after the regular school day;
(8) provided or administered by a public health agency to prevent or control an illness or a disease outbreak as provided for in sections 144.05 and 144.12;
(9) prescription asthma or reactive airway disease medications self-administered by a pupil with an asthma inhaler, consistent with section 121A.221, if the district has received a written authorization from the pupil's parent permitting the pupil to self-administer the medication, the inhaler is properly labeled for that student, and the parent has not requested school personnel to administer the medication to the pupil. The parent must submit written authorization for the pupil to self-administer the medication each school year; or
(10) epinephrine auto-injectors, consistent with section 121A.2205, if the parent and prescribing medical professional annually inform the pupil's school in writing that (i) the pupil may possess the epinephrine or (ii) the pupil is unable to possess the epinephrine and requires immediate access to epinephrine auto-injectors that the parent provides properly labeled to the school for the pupil as needed.
Drugs or medicine subject to this section must be in a container with a label prepared by a pharmacist according to section 151.212 and applicable rules.
Drugs and medicine subject to this section must be administered in a manner consistent with instructions on the label. Drugs and medicine subject to this section must be administered, to the extent possible, according to school board procedures that must be developed in consultation:
(1) with a licensed nurse, in a district that employs a licensed nurse under section 148.171;
(2) with a licensed school nurse, in a district that employs a licensed school nurse licensed under Minnesota Rules, part 8710.6100;
(3) with a public or private health or health-related organization, in a district that contracts with a public or private health or health-related organization, according to section 121A.21; or
(4) with the appropriate party, in a district that has an arrangement approved by the commissioner of education, according to section 121A.21.
(a) Each school district must adopt a procedure for the collection and transport of any unclaimed or abandoned prescription drugs or medications remaining in the possession of school personnel in accordance with this subdivision. The procedure must ensure that before the transportation of any prescription drug or medication under this subdivision, the school district shall make a reasonable attempt to return the unused prescription drug or medication to the student's parent or legal guardian. The procedure must provide that transportation of unclaimed or unused prescription drugs or medications occur at least annually, or more frequently as determined by the school district.
(b) If the unclaimed or abandoned prescription drug is not a controlled substance as defined under section 152.01, subdivision 4, or is an over-the-counter medication, the school district may designate an individual who shall be responsible for transporting the drug or medication to a designated drop-off box or collection site or may request that a law enforcement agency transport the drug or medication to a drop-off box or collection site on behalf of the school district.
(c) If the unclaimed or abandoned prescription drug is a controlled substance as defined in section 152.01, subdivision 4, a school district or school personnel is prohibited from transporting the prescription drug to a drop-off box or collection site for prescription drugs identified under this paragraph. The school district must request that a law enforcement agency transport the prescription drug or medication to a collection bin that complies with Drug Enforcement Agency regulations, or if a site is not available, under the agency's procedure for transporting drugs.
For drugs or medicine used by children with a disability, administration may be as provided in the individualized education program.
For the purpose of this section, special health treatments and health functions, such as catheterization, tracheostomy suctioning, and gastrostomy feedings, do not constitute administration of drugs or medicine.
1988 c 626 s 2; 1991 c 265 art 3 s 38; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 103; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 398 art 5 s 55; 2001 c 84 s 1; 2003 c 130 s 12; 2004 c 294 art 2 s 6; 1Sp2011 c 11 art 3 s 12; 2013 c 116 art 3 s 6; 1Sp2017 c 5 art 1 s 3; 1Sp2020 c 8 art 3 s 2,3; 2024 c 109 art 8 s 5,6
As used in this section:
(1) "administer" means the direct application of an epinephrine auto-injector to the body of an individual;
(2) "epinephrine auto-injector" means a device that automatically injects a premeasured dose of epinephrine; and
(3) "school" means a public school under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, or a nonpublic school, excluding a home school, under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, that is subject to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
(a) At the start of each school year or at the time a student enrolls in school, whichever is first, a student's parent, school staff, including those responsible for student health care, and the prescribing medical professional must develop and implement an individualized written health plan for a student who is prescribed epinephrine auto-injectors that enables the student to:
(1) possess epinephrine auto-injectors; or
(2) if the parent and prescribing medical professional determine the student is unable to possess the epinephrine, have immediate access to epinephrine auto-injectors in close proximity to the student at all times during the instructional day.
The plan must designate the school staff responsible for implementing the student's health plan, including recognizing anaphylaxis and administering epinephrine auto-injectors when required, consistent with section 121A.22, subdivision 2, clause (10). This health plan may be included in a student's 504 plan.
(b) Other nonpublic schools are encouraged to develop and implement an individualized written health plan for students requiring epinephrine auto-injectors, consistent with this section and section 121A.22, subdivision 2, clause (10).
(c) A school district and its agents and employees are immune from liability for any act or failure to act, made in good faith, in implementing this section and section 121A.2207.
(d) The education commissioner may develop and transmit to interested schools a model policy and individualized health plan form consistent with this section and federal 504 plan requirements. The policy and form may:
(1) assess a student's ability to safely possess epinephrine auto-injectors;
(2) identify staff training needs related to recognizing anaphylaxis and administering epinephrine when needed;
(3) accommodate a student's need to possess or have immediate access to epinephrine auto-injectors in close proximity to the student at all times during the instructional day; and
(4) ensure that the student's parent provides properly labeled epinephrine auto-injectors to the school for the student as needed.
(e) Additional epinephrine auto-injectors may be available in school first aid kits.
(f) The school board of the school district must define instructional day for the purposes of this section.
(a) Notwithstanding section 151.37, districts and schools may obtain and possess epinephrine auto-injectors to be maintained and administered by school personnel, including a licensed nurse, to a student or other individual if, in good faith, it is determined that person is experiencing anaphylaxis regardless of whether the student or other individual has a prescription for an epinephrine auto-injector. The administration of an epinephrine auto-injector in accordance with this section is not the practice of medicine.
(b) Registered nurses may administer epinephrine auto-injectors in a school setting according to a condition-specific protocol as authorized under section 148.235, subdivision 8. Notwithstanding any limitation in sections 148.171 to 148.285, licensed practical nurses may administer epinephrine auto-injectors in a school setting according to a condition-specific protocol that does not reference a specific patient and that specifies the circumstances under which the epinephrine auto-injector is to be administered, when caring for a patient whose condition falls within the protocol.
A district or school may enter into arrangements with manufacturers of epinephrine auto-injectors to obtain epinephrine auto-injectors at fair-market, free, or reduced prices. A third party, other than a manufacturer or supplier, may pay for a school's supply of epinephrine auto-injectors.
(a) Consistent with section 121A.22, subdivision 2, clause (9), in a school district that employs a school nurse or provides school nursing services under another arrangement, the school nurse or other appropriate party must assess the student's knowledge and skills to safely possess and use an asthma inhaler in a school setting and enter into the student's school health record a plan to implement safe possession and use of asthma inhalers.
(b) Consistent with section 121A.22, subdivision 2, clause (9), in a school that does not have a school nurse or school nursing services, the student's parent or guardian must submit written verification from the prescribing professional that documents an assessment of the student's knowledge and skills to safely possess and use an asthma inhaler in a school setting has been completed.
A secondary student may possess and use nonprescription pain relief in a manner consistent with the labeling, if the district has received a written authorization from the student's parent or guardian permitting the student to self-administer the medication. The parent or guardian must submit written authorization for the student to self-administer the medication each school year. The district may revoke a student's privilege to possess and use nonprescription pain relievers if the district determines that the student is abusing the privilege. This section does not apply to the possession or use of any drug or product containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine as its sole active ingredient or as one of its active ingredients.
A school district must allow a student to possess and apply a topical sunscreen product during the school day, while on school property, or at a school-sponsored event without a prescription, physician's note, or other documentation from a licensed health care professional. A school district may adopt a policy related to student possession and use of sunscreen consistent with this section. Nothing in this section requires school personnel to provide sunscreen or assist students in applying sunscreen.
(a) A school district or charter school must maintain a supply of opiate antagonists, as defined in section 604A.04, subdivision 1, at each school site to be administered in compliance with section 151.37, subdivision 12.
(b) Each school building must have at least two doses of a nasal opiate antagonist available on site.
(c) The commissioner of health shall identify resources, including at least one training video, to help schools implement an opiate antagonist emergency response and make the resources available for schools.
(d) A school board may adopt a model plan for use, storage, and administration of opiate antagonists.
The commissioner of education, in consultation with the commissioner of health, shall assist districts in developing and implementing a program to prevent and reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections and diseases, including but not exclusive to human immune deficiency virus and human papilloma virus. Each district must have a program that includes at least:
(1) planning materials, guidelines, and other technically accurate and updated information;
(2) a comprehensive, technically accurate, and updated curriculum that includes helping students to abstain from sexual activity until marriage;
(3) cooperation and coordination among districts and SCs;
(4) a targeting of adolescents, especially those who may be at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and diseases, for prevention efforts;
(5) involvement of parents and other community members;
(6) in-service training for appropriate district staff and school board members;
(7) collaboration with state agencies and organizations having a sexually transmitted infection and disease prevention or sexually transmitted infection and disease risk reduction program;
(8) collaboration with local community health services, agencies and organizations having a sexually transmitted infection and disease prevention or sexually transmitted infection and disease risk reduction program; and
(9) participation by state and local student organizations.
The department may provide assistance at a neutral site to a nonpublic school participating in a district's program. District programs must not conflict with the health and wellness curriculum developed under Laws 1987, chapter 398, article 5, section 2, subdivision 7.
If a district fails to develop and implement a program to prevent and reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infection and disease, the department must assist the service cooperative in the region serving that district to develop or implement the program.
Districts may accept funds for sexually transmitted infection and disease prevention programs developed and implemented under this section from public and private sources including public health funds and foundations, department professional development funds, federal block grants or other federal or state grants.
1988 c 718 art 5 s 1; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1996 c 305 art 1 s 138; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 3,103; 1999 c 241 art 2 s 1; 2003 c 130 s 12
(a) For purposes of this section, "seizure action plan" means a written individualized health plan designed to acknowledge and prepare for the health care needs of a student with a seizure disorder diagnosed by the student's treating licensed health care provider.
(b) The requirements of this subdivision apply to a school district or charter school where an enrolled student's parent or guardian has notified the school district or charter school that the student has a diagnosed seizure disorder and has seizure rescue medication or medication prescribed by the student's licensed health care provider to treat seizure disorder symptoms approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The parent or guardian of a student with a diagnosed seizure disorder must collaborate with school personnel to implement the seizure action plan.
(c) A seizure action plan must:
(1) identify a school nurse or a designated individual at each school site who is on duty during the regular school day and can administer or assist with the administration of seizure rescue medication or medication prescribed to treat seizure disorder symptoms approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration;
(2) require training on seizure medications for an employee identified under clause (1), recognition of signs and symptoms of seizures, and appropriate steps to respond to seizures;
(3) be provided to the person identified under clause (1); and
(4) be filed in the office of the school principal or licensed school nurse or, in the absence of a licensed school nurse, a professional nurse or designated individual.
(d) A school district or charter school employee or volunteer responsible for the supervision or care of a student with a diagnosed seizure disorder must be given notice and a copy of the seizure action plan, the name or position of the employee identified under paragraph (c), clause (1), and the method by which the trained school employee may be contacted in an emergency.
A school district or charter school must provide all licensed school nurses or, in the absence of a licensed school nurse, a professional nurse or designated individual, and other school staff working with students with self-study materials on seizure disorder signs, symptoms, medications, and appropriate responses.
The definitions in this section apply to sections 121A.26 to 121A.29 and 121A.61, subdivision 3.
"Controlled substances" means the term as defined in section 152.01, subdivision 4, and "marijuana" as defined in section 152.01, subdivision 9.
"Chemical abuse" means use of any psychoactive or mood-altering chemical substance, without compelling medical reason, in a manner that induces mental, emotional, or physical impairment and causes socially dysfunctional or socially disordering behavior, to the extent that the minor's normal functioning in academic, school, or social activities is chronically impaired.
1987 c 295 s 1; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3; 2000 c 254 s 3
Every public school, and every nonpublic school that participates in a school district chemical abuse program shall establish a chemical abuse preassessment team. The preassessment team must be composed of classroom teachers, administrators, and to the extent they exist in each school, school nurse, school counselor or psychologist, social worker, chemical abuse specialist, and other appropriate professional staff. The superintendents or their designees shall designate the team members in the public schools. The preassessment team is responsible for addressing reports of chemical abuse problems and making recommendations for appropriate responses to the individual reported cases.
Within 45 days after receiving an individual reported case, the preassessment team shall make a determination whether to provide the student and, in the case of a minor, the student's parents with information about school and community services in connection with chemical abuse. Data may be disclosed without consent in health and safety emergencies pursuant to section 13.32 and applicable federal law and regulations.
Notwithstanding section 138.163, destruction of records identifying individual students shall be governed by this section. If the preassessment team decides not to provide a student and, in the case of a minor, the student's parents with information about school or community services in connection with chemical abuse, records created or maintained by the preassessment team about the student shall be destroyed not later than six months after the determination is made. If the preassessment team decides to provide a student and, in the case of a minor, the student's parents with information about school or community services in connection with chemical abuse, records created or maintained by the preassessment team about the student shall be destroyed not later than six months after the student is no longer enrolled in the district.
A law enforcement agency shall provide notice of any drug incident occurring within the agency's jurisdiction, in which the agency has probable cause to believe a student violated section 152.021, 152.022, 152.023, 152.024, 152.025, 152.0262, 152.027, 152.097, or 340A.503, subdivision 1, 2, or 3. The notice shall be in writing and shall be provided, within two weeks after an incident occurs, to the chemical abuse preassessment team in the school where the student is enrolled.
1988 c 691 s 3; 1991 c 199 art 1 s 33; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; 2001 c 18 s 1; 2005 c 136 art 7 s 21; 2023 c 52 art 15 s 1
A teacher in a nonpublic school participating in a school district chemical use program, or a public school teacher, who knows or has reason to believe that a student is using, possessing, or transferring alcohol or a controlled substance while on the school premises or involved in school-related activities, shall immediately notify the school's chemical abuse preassessment team of this information. A teacher who complies with this section shall be defended and indemnified under section 466.07, subdivision 1, in any action for damages arising out of the compliance.
Nothing in this section prevents a teacher or any other school employee from reporting to a law enforcement agency any violation of law occurring on school premises or at school sponsored events.
Subdivisions 2 to 14 may be cited as the Janet B. Johnson Parents' Right-to-Know Act of 2000.
A school that plans to apply a pesticide which is a toxicity category I, II, or III pesticide product, as classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or a restricted use pesticide, as designated under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, on school property, must provide a notice to parents and employees that it applies such pesticides. The notice required under subdivision 3 must:
(1) provide that an estimated schedule of the pesticide applications is available for review or copying at the school offices where such pesticides are applied;
(2) state that long-term health effects on children from the application of such pesticides or the class of chemicals to which they belong may not be fully understood;
(3) inform parents that a parent may request to be notified by the school in the manner specified in subdivision 6 before any application of a pesticide listed in this subdivision.
The notice must be provided no later than September 15 of each school year during which pesticides listed in subdivision 2 are planned to be applied. The notice may be included with other notices provided by the school, but must be separately identified and clearly visible to the reader.
In addition to the notice provided according to subdivision 3, a school that is required to provide notice under this section shall include in an official school handbook or official school policy guide of a general nature a section informing parents that an estimated schedule of applications of pesticides listed in subdivision 2 is available for review or copying at the school offices, and that a parent may receive prior notice of each application if specifically requested.
A school that uses a pesticide listed in subdivision 2 must keep a copy of all notifications required under subdivisions 2 and 3 for at least six years in a manner available to the public.
A parent of a student at a school may request that the school principal or other person having general control and supervision of the school notify the parent prior to the application of any pesticides listed in subdivision 2 at the school on a day different from the days specified in the notice under subdivision 3. The school principal or other person having general control and supervision of the school must provide reasonable notice to a parent who has requested such notification prior to applying such pesticides. The notice may be waived for emergency applications required only by appropriate state or local health officials. The notice must include the pesticide to be applied, the time of the planned application, and the location at the school of the planned application. A school may request reimbursement for the school's reasonable costs of providing notice under this subdivision, including any costs of mailing, from individuals requesting notification under this subdivision.
The Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Education, the Pollution Control Agency, and University of Minnesota Extension Service, shall develop and make available to schools by August 1, 2000, a model notice in a form that can be used by a school if it chooses to do so. The model notice must include the information required by this section. The Department of Health must provide an opportunity for environmental groups, interested parents, public health organizations, and other parties to work with the department in developing the model notice.
A school is not required to adopt an integrated pest management plan. A school board may only notify students, parents, or employees that it has adopted an integrated pest management plan if the plan is a managed pest control program designed to minimize the risk to human health and the environment and to reduce the use of chemical pesticides, and which ranks the district's response to pests in the following manner:
(1) identifying pests which need to be controlled;
(2) establishing tolerable limits of each identified pest;
(3) designing future buildings and landscapes to prevent identified pests;
(4) excluding identified pests from sites and buildings using maintenance practices;
(5) adapting cleaning activities and best management practices to minimize the number of pests;
(6) using mechanical methods of controlling identified pests; and
(7) controlling identified pests using the least toxic pesticides with the least exposure to persons as is practicable.
For purposes of this section, the term "pesticide" has the meaning given it in section 18B.01, subdivision 18, except that it does not include any disinfectants, sanitizers, deodorizers, or antimicrobial agents used for general cleaning purposes.
For purposes of this section, the term "pest" has the meaning given it in section 18B.01, subdivision 17.
For the purposes of this section, "school" means a school as defined in section 120A.22, subdivision 4, excluding home schools.
No cause of action may be brought against a school district, a school, or the districts or school's employees or agents for any failure to comply with the requirements under this section.
A failure to comply with the requirements of this section may not be presented as evidence in any lawsuit based upon physical injury resulting from exposure to pesticides applied at a school.
Nothing in this section affects the duty of a parent or a student to comply with the compulsory attendance law or the duty of a school employee to comply with the provisions of an applicable employment contract or policy.
The department, in cooperation with the Minnesota Fire Marshal's Division, must develop guidelines for school lab safety. The guidelines shall include a list of safety requirements and an explanation of the minimum state and national laws, codes, and standards affecting school lab safety the Minnesota fire marshal considers necessary for schools to implement. The district superintendent shall ensure that every school lab within the district complies with the school lab safety requirements. Lack of funding is not an excuse for noncompliance.
1989 c 329 art 9 s 13; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 7,26
Every person shall wear industrial quality eye protective devices when participating in, observing or performing any function in connection with, any courses or activities taking place in eye protection areas, as defined in subdivision 3, of any school, college, university or other educational institution in the state.
Any student failing to comply with such requirements may be temporarily suspended from participation in said course and the registration of a student for such course may be canceled for willful, flagrant, or repeated failure to observe the above requirements.
Eye protection areas shall include, but not to be limited to, vocational or industrial art shops, science or other school laboratories, or school or institutional facilities in which activities are taking place and materials are being used involving:
(1) hot molten metals;
(2) milling, sawing, turning, shaping, cutting, grinding or stamping of any solid materials;
(3) heat treatment, tempering or kiln firing of any metal or other materials;
(4) gas or electric arc welding;
(5) repair or servicing of any vehicle or mechanical equipment;
(6) any other activity or operation involving work in any area that is potentially hazardous to the eye.
Any person desiring protective-corrective lenses instead of the protective devices supplied by the educational institution shall pay for, procure, keep, and use industrial quality eye protective devices.
"Industrial quality eye protective devices," as used in this section, shall mean devices meeting the standards of the American National Standard Institute, currently identified as Z87.1-1968.
Ex1967 c 14 s 1 subds 1-6; 1976 c 40 s 1; 1986 c 444; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26
(a) For the purposes of this section, "school" has the meaning given under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, excluding home schools.
(b) After December 31, 2007, a school shall not:
(1) purchase or use elemental mercury for any purpose; and
(2) purchase or use an instrument of measurement that contains mercury, including, but not limited to, a thermometer, barometer, or sphygmomanometer, or a manometer containing mercury.
(c) After December 31, 2009, a school shall not:
(1) store elemental mercury for any purpose; and
(2) store an instrument of measurement that contains mercury, including, but not limited to, a thermometer, barometer, sphygmomanometer, or a manometer containing mercury.
(d) This section does not apply to thermostats for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning in the school.
The commissioners of health and education shall jointly develop a model plan to require school districts to accurately and efficiently test for the presence of lead in water in public school buildings serving students in kindergarten through grade 12. To the extent possible, the commissioners shall base the plan on the standards established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The plan may be based on the technical guidance in the Department of Health's document, "Reducing Lead in Drinking Water: A Technical Guidance for Minnesota's School and Child Care Facilities." The plan must include recommendations for remediation efforts when testing reveals the presence of lead at or above five parts per billion.
(a) By July 1, 2018, the board of each school district or charter school must adopt the commissioners' model plan or develop and adopt an alternative plan to accurately and efficiently test for the presence of lead in water in school buildings serving prekindergarten students and students in kindergarten through grade 12.
(b) By July 1, 2024, a school district or charter school must revise its plan to include its policies and procedures for ensuring consistent water quality throughout the district's or charter school's facilities. The plan must document the routine water management strategies and procedures used in each building or facility to maintain water quality and reduce exposure to lead. A district or charter school must base the plan on the United States Environmental Protection Agency's "Ensuring Drinking Water Quality in Schools During and After Extended Closures" fact sheet and the United States Environmental Protection Agency's "3Ts Toolkit for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities" manual. A district or charter school's plan must be publicly available upon request.
(a) The plan under subdivision 2 must include a testing schedule for every building serving prekindergarten through grade 12 students. The schedule must require that each building be tested at least once every five years. A school district or charter school must begin testing school buildings by July 1, 2018, and complete testing of all buildings that serve students within five years.
(b) A school district or charter school that finds lead at a specific location providing cooking or drinking water within a facility must formulate, make publicly available, and implement a plan that is consistent with established guidelines and recommendations to ensure that student exposure to lead is reduced to below five parts per billion as verified by a retest. This includes, when a school district or charter school finds the presence of lead at or above five parts per billion in any water fixture that can provide cooking or drinking water, immediately shutting off the water fixture or making it unavailable until the hazard has been remediated as verified by a retest.
(c) A school district or charter school must test for the presence of lead after completing remediation activities required under this section to confirm that the water contains lead at a level below five parts per billion.
A school district may include lead testing and remediation as a part of its ten-year facilities plan under section 123B.595.
(a) A school district or charter school must send parents an annual notice that includes the district's or charter school's annual testing and remediation plan, information about how to find test results, and a description of remediation efforts on the district website. The district or charter school must update the lead testing and remediation information on its website at least annually. In addition to the annual notice, the district or charter school must include in an official school handbook or official school policy guide information on how parents may find the test results and a description of remediation efforts on the district or charter school website and how often this information is updated.
(b) If a test conducted under subdivision 3, paragraph (a), reveals the presence of lead at or above five parts per billion, the school district or charter school must, within 30 days of receiving the test result, either remediate the presence of lead to below five parts per billion, verified by retest, or directly notify parents of the test result.
(c) Starting July 1, 2024, school districts and charter schools must report their test results and remediation activities to the commissioner of health in the form and manner determined by the commissioner in consultation with school districts and charter schools, by July 1 of each year. The commissioner of health must post and annually update the test results and remediation efforts on the department website by school site.
(d) A district or charter school must maintain a record of lead testing results and remediation activities for at least 15 years.
(a) A district or charter school is not financially responsible for remediation of documented elevated lead levels in drinking water caused by the presence of lead infrastructure owned by a public water supply utility providing water to the school facility, such as lead service lines, meters, galvanized service lines downstream of lead, or lead connectors. The district or charter school must communicate with the public water system regarding its documented significant contribution to lead contamination in school drinking water and request from the public water system a plan for reducing the lead contamination.
(b) If the infrastructure is jointly owned by a district or charter school and a public water supply utility, the district or charter school must attempt to coordinate any needed replacements of lead service lines with the public water supply utility.
(c) A district or charter school may defer its remediation activities under this section until after the elevated lead level in the public water system's infrastructure is remediated and postremediation testing does not detect an elevated lead level in the drinking water that passes through that infrastructure. A district or charter school may also defer its remediation activities if the public water supply exceeds the federal Safe Drinking Water Act lead action level or is in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act Lead and Copper Rule.
By January 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the commissioner of health must report to the legislative committees having jurisdiction over health and kindergarten through grade 12 education any recommended changes to this section. The recommendations must be based on currently available scientific evidence regarding the effects of lead in drinking water.
1Sp2017 c 5 art 5 s 1; 1Sp2019 c 11 art 6 s 1,2; 2020 c 83 art 1 s 23; 2023 c 70 art 4 s 13
Upon notification by the Department of Health or Pollution Control Agency to a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school of environmental hazards that may affect the health of students or school staff, the school must notify school staff, students, and parents of the hazards as soon as practicable. The notice must include direction on how to obtain additional information about the hazard, including any actions that may reduce potential harm to those affected by the hazard.
In the exercise of authorized control and supervision over pupils attending schools and other educational institutions, both public and private, the governing board or other directing authority of any such school or institution is empowered to authorize the organization and supervision of school safety patrols for the purpose of influencing and encouraging other pupils to refrain from crossing public highways at points other than regular crossings and for the purpose of directing pupils when and where to cross highways.
Unless the parents or guardian of a pupil object in writing to the school authorities to the appointment of the pupil on a school safety patrol, it is lawful for any pupil over nine years of age to be appointed and designated as a member of the patrol in any school in which there are no pupils who have attained such age, any pupil in the highest grade therein may be so appointed and designated. School authorities may also appoint and designate nonpupil adults as members of a school safety patrol on a voluntary or for-hire basis.
No liability shall attach either to the school, educational institution, governing board, directing authority, or any individual director, board member, superintendent, principal, teacher, or other school authority by virtue of the organization, maintenance, or operation of such a school safety patrol because of injuries sustained by any pupil, whether a member of the patrol or otherwise by reason of the operation and maintenance of the patrol.
Identification and operation of school safety patrols shall be uniform throughout the state and the method of identification and signals to be used shall be as prescribed by the commissioner of public safety. School safety patrol members may wear fluorescent reflective vests.
Notwithstanding Minnesota Rules, part 7415.0300, vests, sashes, ponchos, and Sam Browne belts worn by school safety patrol members may be fluorescent yellow, fluorescent yellow-green, or blaze orange.
Notwithstanding any rule of the commissioner of public safety, school safety patrol flags may be (1) blaze orange with a yellow octagon bearing the word "Stop" in black letters, or (2) fluorescent yellow or fluorescent yellow-green with an octagon of sharply contrasting color bearing the word "Stop" in black letters.
Ex1959 c 71 art 7 s 15; 1971 c 491 s 4; 1994 c 647 art 12 s 10; 1995 c 103 s 1; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 2 s 29; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 5,6,26; 2004 c 294 art 1 s 1,2
A school district or charter school that issues an identification card to students in middle school, junior high, or high school must provide contact information for the 988 Suicide and Crisis LifeLine (988 LifeLine), the Crisis Text line, and the county mobile crisis services. The contact information must also be included in the school's student handbook and the student planner if a student planner is custom printed by the school for distribution to students in grades 6 through 12. A nonpublic school is encouraged to issue student identification cards consistent with this paragraph.
(a) Consistent with section 121A.38, any municipality, business, or nonprofit organization that organizes a youth athletic activity for which an activity fee is charged shall:
(1) make information accessible to all participating coaches, officials, and youth athletes and their parents or guardians about the nature and risks of concussions, including the effects and risks of continuing to play after receiving a concussion, and the protocols and content, consistent with current medical knowledge from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, related to:
(i) the nature and risks of concussions associated with athletic activity;
(ii) the signs, symptoms, and behaviors consistent with a concussion;
(iii) the need to alert appropriate medical professionals for urgent diagnosis and treatment when a youth athlete is suspected or observed to have received a concussion; and
(iv) the need for a youth athlete who sustains a concussion to follow proper medical direction and protocols for treatment and returning to play; and
(2) require all participating coaches and officials to receive initial online training and online training at least once every three calendar years thereafter, consistent with clause (1) and the Concussion in Youth Sports online training program available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
(b) A coach or official shall remove a youth athlete from participating in any youth athletic activity when the youth athlete:
(1) exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion; or
(2) is suspected of sustaining a concussion.
(c) When a coach or official removes a youth athlete from participating in a youth athletic activity because of a concussion, the youth athlete may not again participate in the activity until the youth athlete:
(1) no longer exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion; and
(2) is evaluated by a provider trained and experienced in evaluating and managing concussions and the provider gives the youth athlete written permission to again participate in the activity.
(d) Failing to remove a youth athlete from an activity under this section does not violate section 604A.11, subdivision 2, clause (6), consistent with paragraph (e).
(e) This section does not create any additional liability for, or create any new cause of legal action against, a municipality, business, or nonprofit organization or any officer, employee, or volunteer of a municipality, business, or nonprofit organization.
(f) For the purposes of this section, a municipality means a home rule charter city, a statutory city, or a town.
(a) For purposes of this section and section 121A.37, the following terms have the meanings given them.
(b) "Concussion" means a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biokinetic forces caused by a direct blow to either the head, face, or neck, or elsewhere on the body with an impulsive force transmitted to the head, that may involve the rapid onset of short-lived impairment of neurological function and clinical symptoms, loss of consciousness, or prolonged postconcussive symptoms.
(c) "Provider" means a health care provider who is:
(1) registered, licensed, certified, or otherwise statutorily authorized by the state to provide medical treatment;
(2) trained and experienced in evaluating and managing pediatric concussions; and
(3) practicing within the person's medical training and scope of practice.
(d) "Youth athlete" means a young person through age 18 who actively participates in an athletic activity, including a sport.
(e) "Youth athletic activity" means any sport or other athletic activity related to competition, practice, or training exercises which is intended for youth athletes and at which a coach or official is present in an official capacity as a coach or official. For purposes of school-sponsored sports under this section, youth athletic activities are extracurricular athletic activities.
(a) The appropriate sports governing body, including the high school league under chapter 128C, among other sports governing bodies, shall work with public and nonpublic school coaches, officials, and youth athletes and their parents or guardians to make information available about the nature and risks of concussions, including the effects of continuing to play after receiving a concussion. The information shall include protocols and content, consistent with current medical knowledge from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, related to:
(1) the nature and risks of concussions associated with athletic activity;
(2) the signs, symptoms, and behaviors consistent with a concussion;
(3) the need to alert appropriate medical professionals for urgent diagnosis and treatment when a youth athlete is suspected or observed to have received a concussion; and
(4) the need for a youth athlete who sustains a concussion to follow proper medical direction and protocols for treatment and returning to play.
A sports governing body that posts or provides appropriate links to the information indicated in this paragraph has complied with the requirements of this paragraph.
(b) Consistent with paragraph (a), the appropriate sports governing body shall provide access to the Concussion in Youth Sports online training program available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Each school coach and official involved in youth athletic activities must receive initial online training and online training at least once every three school years thereafter.
(c) At the start of each school year, school officials shall make information available about the nature and risks of concussions to youth athletes and their parents or guardians. If a parent of a youth athlete must sign a consent form to allow the youth athlete to participate in a school-sponsored athletic activity, the form must include information about the nature and risk of concussions.
(d) A coach or official shall remove a youth athlete from participating in any youth athletic activity when the youth athlete:
(1) exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion; or
(2) is suspected of sustaining a concussion.
(e) When a coach or official removes a youth athlete from participating in a youth athletic activity because of a concussion, the youth athlete may not return to the activity until the youth athlete:
(1) no longer exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion; and
(2) is evaluated by a provider trained and experienced in evaluating and managing concussions and the provider gives the youth athlete written permission to again participate in the activity.
(f) Failing to remove a youth athlete from an activity as required under this section does not violate section 604A.11, subdivision 2, clause (6), consistent with paragraph (g).
(g) This section does not create any additional liability for, or create any new cause of legal action against, a school or school district or any officer, employee, or volunteer of a school or school district.
(a) A school district is strongly encouraged to have an adequate student-to-counselor ratio for its students beginning in the 2015-2016 school year and later.
(b) A school counselor shall assist a student in meeting the requirements for high school graduation, college and career exploration, and selection, college affordability planning, and successful transitions into postsecondary education or training.
1974 c 572 s 1; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 10; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3
As used in sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, the terms defined in this section shall have the meanings assigned them.
"Dismissal" means the denial of the current educational program to any pupil, including exclusion, expulsion, and suspension. It does not include removal from class.
"Exclusion" means an action taken by the school board to prevent enrollment or reenrollment of a pupil for a period that shall not extend beyond the school year.
"Expulsion" means a school board action to prohibit an enrolled pupil from further attendance for up to 12 months from the date the pupil is expelled.
"Parent" means (a) one of the pupil's parents, (b) in the case of divorce or legal separation, the parent or parents with physical custody of the pupil, including a noncustodial parent with legal custody who has provided the district with a current address and telephone number, or (c) a legally appointed guardian. In the case of a pupil with a disability under the age of 18, parent may include a district-appointed surrogate parent.
(a) "Pupil" means any student:
(1) without a disability under 21 years of age; or
(2) with a disability under 22 years old who has not received a regular high school diploma; and
(3) who remains eligible to attend a public elementary or secondary school.
(b) A "student with a disability" or a "pupil with a disability" has the same meaning as a "child with a disability" under section 125A.02.
"School" means any school defined in section 120A.05, subdivisions 9, 11, 13, and 17. "School" also means a charter school.
"Suspension" means an action by the school administration, under rules promulgated by the school board, prohibiting a pupil from attending school for a period of no more than ten school days. If a suspension is longer than five days, the suspending administrator must provide the superintendent with a reason for the longer suspension. This definition does not apply to dismissal from school for one school day or less, except as provided in federal law for a student with a disability. Each suspension action may include a readmission plan. The readmission plan shall include, where appropriate, a provision for implementing alternative educational services upon readmission and may not be used to extend the current suspension. Consistent with section 125A.091, subdivision 5, the readmission plan must not obligate a parent to provide a sympathomimetic medication for the parent's child as a condition of readmission. The school administration may not impose consecutive suspensions against the same pupil for the same course of conduct, or incident of misconduct, except where the pupil will create an immediate and substantial danger to self or to surrounding persons or property, or where the district is in the process of initiating an expulsion, in which case the school administration may extend the suspension to a total of 15 school days.
"Alternative educational services" may include, but are not limited to, special tutoring, modified curriculum, modified instruction, other modifications or adaptations, instruction through electronic media, special education services as indicated by appropriate assessment, homebound instruction, supervised homework, or enrollment in another district or in an alternative learning center under section 123A.05 selected to allow the pupil to progress toward meeting graduation standards under section 120B.02, although in a different setting.
"Nonexclusionary disciplinary policies and practices" means policies and practices that are alternatives to dismissing a pupil from school, including but not limited to evidence-based positive behavior interventions and supports, social and emotional services, school-linked mental health services, counseling services, social work services, academic screening for Title 1 services or reading interventions, and alternative education services. Nonexclusionary disciplinary policies and practices include but are not limited to the policies and practices under sections 120B.12; 121A.575, clauses (1) and (2); 121A.031, subdivision 4, paragraph (a), clause (1); 121A.61, subdivision 3, paragraph (r); and 122A.627, clause (3).
"Pupil withdrawal agreement" means a verbal or written agreement between a school administrator or district administrator and a pupil's parent to withdraw a student from the school district to avoid expulsion or exclusion dismissal proceedings. The duration of the withdrawal agreement cannot be for more than a 12-month period.
1974 c 572 s 2; 1975 c 162 s 41; 1983 c 7 s 1; 1983 c 163 s 1; 1983 c 243 s 5 subd 1; 1986 c 444; 1991 c 265 art 3 s 38; 1994 c 647 art 4 s 36; 1995 c 226 art 3 s 9; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 11-16; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 398 art 2 s 39-41; 1999 c 123 s 1; 1Sp2001 c 6 art 3 s 1; 1Sp2003 c 9 art 3 s 1; 1Sp2005 c 5 art 11 s 2; 2009 c 96 art 3 s 1,2; 2023 c 55 art 2 s 26,27; art 7 s 2; 2024 c 109 art 8 s 8
No public school shall deny due process or equal protection of the law to any public school pupil involved in a dismissal proceeding which may result in suspension, exclusion, or expulsion.
(a) A pupil enrolled in the following is not subject to dismissals under this chapter:
(1) a preschool or prekindergarten program, including an early childhood family education, school readiness, school readiness plus, voluntary prekindergarten, Head Start, or other school-based preschool or prekindergarten program; or
(2) kindergarten through grade 3.
(b) This provision does not apply to a dismissal from school for less than one school day, except as provided under chapter 125A and federal law for a student receiving special education services.
(c) Notwithstanding this subdivision, expulsions and exclusions may be used only after resources outlined in subdivision 2 have been exhausted, and only in circumstances where there is an ongoing serious safety threat to the child or others.
For purposes of this section, nonexclusionary discipline must include at least one of the following:
(1) collaborating with the pupil's family or guardian, child mental health consultant or provider, education specialist, or other community-based support;
(2) creating a plan, written with the parent or guardian, that details the action and support needed for the pupil to fully participate in the current educational program, including a preschool or prekindergarten program; or
(3) providing a referral for needed support services, including parenting education, home visits, other supportive education interventions, or, where appropriate, an evaluation to determine if the pupil is eligible for special education services or section 504 services.
(a) Consistent with federal law governing days of removal and section 121A.46, school personnel may suspend a child with a disability. When a child with a disability has been suspended for more than five consecutive school days or ten cumulative school days in the same school year, and that suspension does not involve a recommendation for expulsion or exclusion or other change of placement under federal law, relevant members of the child's individualized education program team, including at least one of the child's teachers, shall meet and determine the extent to which the child needs services in order to continue to participate in the general education curriculum, although in another setting, and to progress toward meeting the goals in the child's individualized education program. That meeting must occur as soon as possible, but no more than ten days after the sixth consecutive day of suspension or the tenth cumulative day of suspension has elapsed.
(b) A dismissal for one school day or less is a day or a partial day of suspension if the child with a disability does not receive regular or special education instruction during that dismissal period. The notice requirements under section 121A.46 do not apply to a dismissal of one day or less.
(c) A child with a disability shall be provided alternative educational services to the extent a suspension exceeds five consecutive school days.
(d) Before initiating an expulsion or exclusion under sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, the district, relevant members of the child's individualized education program team, and the child's parent shall, consistent with federal law, determine whether the child's behavior was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the child's disability and whether the child's conduct was a direct result of a failure to implement the child's individualized education program. When a child with a disability who has an individualized education program is excluded or expelled under sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 for misbehavior that is not a manifestation of the child's disability, the district shall continue to provide special education and related services during the exclusion or expulsion.
1991 c 265 art 3 s 19,38; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 17; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3; 1999 c 123 s 2; 1999 c 241 art 2 s 2; 2009 c 96 art 3 s 3
(a) Notwithstanding the time limitation in section 121A.41, subdivision 5, a school board must expel for a period of at least one year a pupil who is determined to have brought a firearm to school except the board may modify this expulsion requirement for a pupil on a case-by-case basis. For the purposes of this section, firearm is as defined in United States Code, title 18, section 921.
(b) Notwithstanding chapter 13, a student's expulsion or withdrawal or transfer from a school after an expulsion action is initiated against the student for a weapons violation under paragraph (a) may be disclosed by the school district initiating the expulsion proceeding. Unless the information is otherwise public, the disclosure may be made only to another school district in connection with the possible admission of the student to the other district.
1995 c 226 art 3 s 10; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3
No school shall dismiss any pupil without attempting to use nonexclusionary disciplinary policies and practices before dismissal proceedings or pupil withdrawal agreements, except where it appears that the pupil will create an immediate and substantial danger to self or to surrounding persons or property.
A pupil may be dismissed on any of the following grounds:
(a) willful violation of any reasonable school board regulation. Such regulation must be clear and definite to provide notice to pupils that they must conform their conduct to its requirements;
(b) willful conduct that significantly disrupts the rights of others to an education, or the ability of school personnel to perform their duties, or school sponsored extracurricular activities; or
(c) willful conduct that endangers the pupil or other pupils, or surrounding persons, including school district employees, or property of the school.
If a pupil's total days of removal from school exceeds ten cumulative days in a school year, the school district shall make reasonable attempts to convene a meeting with the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian before subsequently removing the pupil from school and, with the permission of the parent or guardian, arrange for a mental health screening for the pupil. The district is not required to pay for the mental health screening. The purpose of this meeting is to attempt to determine the pupil's need for assessment or other services or whether the parent or guardian should have the pupil assessed or diagnosed to determine whether the pupil needs treatment for a mental health disorder.
1974 c 572 s 4; 1978 c 764 s 93; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 18; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; 2001 c 183 s 1,2; 2004 c 294 art 2 s 8; 2023 c 55 art 2 s 29
The school administration shall not suspend a pupil from school without an informal administrative conference with the pupil. The informal administrative conference shall take place before the suspension, except where it appears that the pupil will create an immediate and substantial danger to self or to surrounding persons or property, in which case the conference shall take place as soon as practicable following the suspension.
At the informal administrative conference, a school administrator shall notify the pupil of the grounds for the suspension, provide an explanation of the evidence the authorities have, and the pupil may present the pupil's version of the facts.
A written notice containing the grounds for suspension, a brief statement of the facts, a description of the testimony, a readmission plan, and a copy of sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, shall be personally served upon the pupil at or before the time the suspension is to take effect, and upon the pupil's parent or guardian by mail within 48 hours of the conference. The district shall make reasonable efforts to notify the parents of the suspension by telephone as soon as possible following suspension. In the event a pupil is suspended without an informal administrative conference on the grounds that the pupil will create an immediate and substantial danger to surrounding persons or property, the written notice shall be served upon the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian within 48 hours of the suspension. Service by mail is complete upon mailing.
(a) Alternative education services must be provided to a pupil who is suspended for more than five consecutive school days.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions 1 and 3, the pupil may be suspended pending the school board's decision in the expulsion or exclusion hearing; provided that alternative educational services are implemented to the extent that suspension exceeds five consecutive school days.
School administration must allow a suspended pupil the opportunity to complete all school work assigned during the period of the pupil's suspension and to receive full credit for satisfactorily completing the assignments. The school principal or other person having administrative control of the school building or program is encouraged to designate a district or school employee as a liaison to work with the pupil's teachers to allow the suspended pupil to (1) receive timely course materials and other information, and (2) complete daily and weekly assignments and receive teachers' feedback.
1974 c 572 s 5; 1978 c 764 s 94; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 19-22; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3; 2023 c 55 art 2 s 30,31
No exclusion or expulsion shall be imposed without a hearing, unless the right to a hearing is waived in writing by the pupil and parent or guardian. The action shall be initiated by the school board or its agent.
Written notice of intent to take action shall:
(a) be served upon the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian personally or by mail;
(b) contain a complete statement of the facts, a list of the witnesses and a description of their testimony;
(c) state the date, time, and place of the hearing;
(d) be accompanied by a copy of sections 121A.40 to 121A.56;
(e) describe the nonexclusionary disciplinary practices accorded the pupil in an attempt to avoid the expulsion proceedings; and
(f) inform the pupil and parent or guardian of the right to:
(1) have a representative of the pupil's own choosing, including legal counsel, at the hearing. The district must advise the pupil's parent or guardian that free or low-cost legal assistance may be available and that a legal assistance resource list is available from the Department of Education and is posted on their website;
(2) examine the pupil's records before the hearing;
(3) present evidence; and
(4) confront and cross-examine witnesses.
The hearing shall be scheduled within ten days of the service of the written notice unless an extension, not to exceed five days, is requested for good cause by the school board, pupil, parent or guardian.
The hearing shall be at a time and place reasonably convenient to pupil, parent or guardian.
The hearing shall be closed unless the pupil, parent or guardian requests an open hearing.
The hearing shall take place before:
(1) an independent hearing officer;
(2) a member of the school board;
(3) a committee of the school board; or
(4) the full school board;
as determined by the school board. The hearing shall be conducted in a fair and impartial manner.
The school board shall record the hearing proceedings at district expense, and a party may obtain a transcript at its own expense. Testimony shall be given under oath. The hearing officer or a member of the school board shall have the power to issue subpoenas and administer oaths.
At a reasonable time prior to the hearing, the pupil, parent or guardian, or representative, shall be given access to all public school system records pertaining to the pupil, including any tests or reports upon which the proposed action may be based.
The pupil, parent or guardian, or representative, shall have the right to compel the attendance of any official employee or agent of the public school system or any public employee or any other person who may have evidence upon which the proposed action may be based, and to confront and to cross-examine any witness testifying for the public school system.
The pupil, parent or guardian, or representative, shall have the right to present evidence and testimony, including expert psychological or educational testimony.
The pupil cannot be compelled to testify in the dismissal proceedings.
The recommendation of the hearing officer or school board member or committee shall be based solely upon substantial evidence presented at the hearing and must be made to the school board and served upon the parties within two days of the end of the hearing.
The school board shall base its decision upon the recommendation of the hearing officer or school board member or committee and shall render its decision at a meeting held within five days after receiving the recommendation. The school board may provide the parties with the opportunity to present exceptions and comments to the hearing officer's recommendations provided that neither party presents any evidence not admitted at the hearing. The decision by the school board must be based on the record, must be in writing, and must state the controlling facts on which the decision is made in sufficient detail to apprise the parties and the commissioner of education of the basis and reason for the decision.
(a) A school administrator must prepare and enforce an admission or readmission plan for any pupil who is excluded or expelled from school. The plan must include measures to improve the pupil's behavior, which may include completing a character education program, consistent with section 120B.232, subdivision 1, social and emotional learning, counseling, social work services, mental health services, referrals for special education or 504 evaluation, and evidence-based academic interventions. The plan must include reasonable attempts to obtain parental involvement in the admission or readmission process, and may indicate the consequences to the pupil of not improving the pupil's behavior.
(b) The definition of suspension under section 121A.41, subdivision 10, does not apply to a student's dismissal from school for less than one school day, except as provided under federal law for a student with a disability. Each suspension action may include a readmission plan. A readmission plan must provide, where appropriate, alternative education services, which must not be used to extend the student's current suspension period. Consistent with section 125A.091, subdivision 5, a readmission plan must not obligate a parent or guardian to provide psychotropic drugs to their student as a condition of readmission. School officials must not use the refusal of a parent or guardian to consent to the administration of psychotropic drugs to their student or to consent to a psychiatric evaluation, screening or examination of the student as a ground, by itself, to prohibit the student from attending class or participating in a school-related activity, or as a basis of a charge of child abuse, child neglect or medical or educational neglect.
1974 c 572 s 6; 1986 c 444; 1994 c 647 art 4 s 37; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 23-28; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 398 art 2 s 42; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2005 c 5 art 2 s 30; 2023 c 55 art 2 s 32,33
A violation of the technical provisions of the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, made in good faith, is not a defense to a disciplinary procedure under the act unless the pupil can demonstrate actual prejudice as a result of the violation.
A party to an exclusion or expulsion decision made under sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 may appeal the decision to the commissioner of education within 21 calendar days of school board action. Upon being served with a notice of appeal, the district shall provide the commissioner and the parent or guardian with a complete copy of the hearing record within five days of its receipt of the notice of appeal. All written submissions by the appellant must be submitted and served on the respondent within ten days of its actual receipt of the transcript. All written submissions by the respondent must be submitted and served on the appellant within ten days of its actual receipt of the written submissions of the appellant. The decision of the school board must be implemented during the appeal to the commissioner.
In an appeal under this section, the commissioner may affirm the decision of the agency, may remand the decision for additional findings, or may reverse or modify the decision if the substantial rights of the petitioners have been prejudiced because the administrative findings, inferences, conclusions, or decisions are:
(1) in violation of constitutional provisions;
(2) in excess of the statutory authority or jurisdiction of the school district;
(3) made upon unlawful procedure, except as provided in section 121A.48;
(4) affected by other error of law;
(5) unsupported by substantial evidence in view of the entire record submitted; or
(6) arbitrary or capricious.
The commissioner or the commissioner's representative shall make a final decision based upon the record. The commissioner shall issue a decision within 30 calendar days of receiving the entire record and the parties' written submission on appeal. The commissioner's decision shall be final and binding upon the parties after the time for appeal expires under section 121A.50.
1974 c 572 s 7; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 30; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 398 art 2 s 43; 2003 c 130 s 12
The decision of the commissioner of education made under sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 is subject to judicial review under sections 14.63 to 14.69. The decision of the commissioner is stayed pending an appeal under this section.
1974 c 572 s 8; 1983 c 247 s 60; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 31; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3; 2003 c 130 s 12
The school board shall report any action taken pursuant to sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 to the appropriate public service agency, when the pupil is under the supervision of such agency.
1974 c 572 s 9; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3
The provisions of section 120A.22, subdivision 5, shall not apply to any pupil during a dismissal pursuant to sections 121A.40 to 121A.56.
1974 c 572 s 10; 1989 c 209 art 2 s 11; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3
Consistent with subdivision 2, the school board must report through the department electronic reporting system each exclusion or expulsion, each physical assault of a district employee by a pupil, and each pupil withdrawal agreement within 30 days of the effective date of the dismissal action, pupil withdrawal, or assault, to the commissioner of education. This report must include a statement of nonexclusionary disciplinary practices, or other sanction, intervention, or resolution in response to the assault given the pupil and the reason for, the effective date, and the duration of the exclusion or expulsion or other sanction, intervention, or resolution. The report must also include the pupil's age, grade, gender, race, and special education status.
(a) The school board must include state student identification numbers of affected pupils on all dismissal and other disciplinary reports required by the department. The department must report annually to the commissioner summary data on the number of dismissals and physical assaults of district employees by a student by age, grade, gender, race, and special education status of the affected pupils. All dismissal and other disciplinary reports must be submitted through the department electronic reporting system.
(b) The commissioner must aggregate the district data reported under this section and include the aggregated data, including aggregated data on physical assaults of a district employee by a student, in the annual school performance reports under section 120B.36.
1974 c 572 s 11; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 32; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; 1998 c 398 art 2 s 44; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2005 c 5 art 2 s 31; 2016 c 189 art 25 s 28; 2023 c 55 art 2 s 34
Whenever a pupil fails to return to school within ten school days of the termination of dismissal, a school administrator shall inform the pupil and the pupil's parents by mail of the pupil's right to attend and to be reinstated in the public school.
(a) The commissioner of education must promulgate guidelines to assist each school board. Each school board must establish uniform criteria for dismissal and adopt written policies and rules to effectuate the purposes of sections 121A.40 to 121A.56. The policies must include nonexclusionary disciplinary policies and practices consistent with section 121A.41, subdivision 12, and must emphasize preventing dismissals through early detection of problems. The policies must be designed to address students' inappropriate behavior from recurring.
(b) The policies must recognize the continuing responsibility of the school for the education of the pupil during the dismissal period.
(c) The school is responsible for ensuring that alternative educational services, if the pupil wishes to take advantage of them, must be adequate to allow the pupil to make progress toward meeting the graduation standards adopted under section 120B.02 and help prepare the pupil for readmission in accordance with section 121A.46, subdivision 5.
(d) For expulsion and exclusion dismissals and pupil withdrawal agreements as defined in section 121A.41, subdivision 13:
(1) for a pupil who remains enrolled in the district or is awaiting enrollment in a new district, a school district's continuing responsibility includes reviewing the pupil's schoolwork and grades on a quarterly basis to ensure the pupil is on track for readmission with the pupil's peers. A school district must communicate on a regular basis with the pupil's parent or guardian to ensure that the pupil is completing the work assigned through the alternative educational services as defined in section 121A.41, subdivision 11. These services are required until the pupil enrolls in another school or returns to the same school;
(2) a pupil receiving school-based or school-linked mental health services in the district under section 245.4889 continues to be eligible for those services until the pupil is enrolled in a new district; and
(3) a school district must provide to the pupil's parent or guardian information on accessing mental health services, including any free or sliding fee providers in the community. The information must also be posted on the district or charter school website.
(e) An area learning center under section 123A.05 may not prohibit an expelled or excluded pupil from enrolling solely because a district expelled or excluded the pupil. The board of the area learning center may use the provisions of the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act to exclude a pupil or to require an admission plan.
(f) Each school district shall develop a policy and report it to the commissioner on the appropriate use of peace officers and crisis teams to remove students who have an individualized education program from school grounds.
1974 c 572 s 13; 1986 c 444; 1994 c 647 art 4 s 38; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 34; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 398 art 2 s 45; 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 4; 1Sp2011 c 11 art 3 s 12; 2023 c 55 art 2 s 35
Sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 shall not be deemed to amend or otherwise affect or change section 363A.13, subdivision 2.
1974 c 572 s 14,15; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3
Notwithstanding any law to the contrary and in accordance with sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, after a school administration notifies a pupil of the grounds for suspension, the school administration may, instead of imposing the suspension, do one or more of the following:
(1) strongly encourage a parent or guardian of the pupil to attend school with the pupil for one day;
(2) assign the pupil to attend school on Saturday as supervised by the principal or the principal's designee; and
(3) petition the juvenile court that the student is in need of services under chapter 260C.
(a) For the purpose of this section, "corporal punishment" means conduct involving:
(1) hitting or spanking a person with or without an object; or
(2) unreasonable physical force that causes bodily harm or substantial emotional harm.
(b) For the purpose of this section, "employee or agent of a district" does not include a school resource officer as defined in section 626.8482, subdivision 1, paragraph (c).
(c) For the purpose of this section, "prone restraint" means placing a child in a face-down position.
An employee or agent of a district shall not inflict corporal punishment or cause corporal punishment to be inflicted upon a pupil to reform unacceptable conduct or as a penalty for unacceptable conduct.
(a) An employee or agent of a district shall not use prone restraint.
(b) An employee or agent of a district shall not inflict any form of physical holding that restricts or impairs a pupil's ability to breathe; restricts or impairs a pupil's ability to communicate distress; places pressure or weight on a pupil's head, throat, neck, chest, lungs, sternum, diaphragm, back, or abdomen; or results in straddling a pupil's torso.
Conduct that violates subdivision 2 is not a crime under section 645.241, but may be a crime under chapter 609 if the conduct violates a provision of chapter 609. Conduct that violates subdivision 2a is not per se corporal punishment under this statute. Nothing in this section or section 125A.0941 precludes the use of reasonable force under section 121A.582.
1989 c 114 s 1; 1990 c 382 s 1; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 20,26; 2023 c 55 art 2 s 36; 2024 c 78 s 1,2
(a) A teacher or school principal, in exercising the person's lawful authority, may use reasonable force when it is necessary under the circumstances to correct or restrain a student to prevent bodily harm or death to the student or to another.
(b) A school employee, school bus driver, or other agent of a district, in exercising the person's lawful authority, may use reasonable force when it is necessary under the circumstances to restrain a student to prevent bodily harm or death to the student or to another.
(c) Paragraphs (a) and (b) do not authorize conduct prohibited under section 125A.0942.
(d) Districts must report data on their use of any reasonable force used on a student with a disability to correct or restrain the student to prevent bodily harm or death to the student or another that is consistent with the definition of physical holding under section 125A.0941, paragraph (c), as outlined in section 125A.0942, subdivision 3, paragraph (b).
(e) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, districts must report annually by July 15, in a form and manner determined by the commissioner, data from the prior school year about any reasonable force used on a general education student to correct or restrain the student to prevent bodily harm or death to the student or another that is consistent with the definition of physical holding under section 125A.0941, paragraph (c).
(a) A teacher or school principal who, in the exercise of the person's lawful authority, uses reasonable force under the standard in subdivision 1, paragraph (a), has a defense against a civil action for damages under section 123B.25.
(b) A school employee, bus driver, or other agent of a district who, in the exercise of the person's lawful authority, uses reasonable force under the standard in subdivision 1, paragraph (b), has a defense against a civil action for damages under section 123B.25.
(a) A teacher or school principal who, in the exercise of the person's lawful authority, uses reasonable force under the standard in subdivision 1, paragraph (a), has a defense against a criminal prosecution under section 609.06, subdivision 1.
(b) A school employee, bus driver, or other agent of a district who, in the exercise of the person's lawful authority, uses reasonable force under the standard in subdivision 1, paragraph (b), has a defense against a criminal prosecution under section 609.06, subdivision 1.
Any right or defense in this section is supplementary to those specified in section 121A.58, 121A.67, 123B.25, or 609.06, subdivision 1.
For the purpose of this section, a school resource officer, as defined in section 626.8482, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), is not a school employee or agent of the district.
2000 c 489 art 6 s 3; 1Sp2001 c 6 art 2 s 6; 2014 c 272 art 4 s 1; 2023 c 55 art 12 s 4; 2024 c 78 s 3,4
If a video or audio recording device is placed on a school bus, the bus also must contain a sign or signs, conspicuously placed, notifying riders that their conversations or actions may be recorded on tape.
Transportation by school bus is a privilege not a right for an eligible student. A student's eligibility to ride a school bus may be revoked for a violation of school bus safety or conduct policies, or for violation of any other law governing student conduct on a school bus, pursuant to a written school district discipline policy. Revocation of a student's bus riding privilege is not an exclusion, expulsion, or suspension under the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act. Revocation procedures for a student who is an individual with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, United States Code, title 20, section 1400 et seq., section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, United States Code, title 29, section 794, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Public Law 101-336, are governed by these provisions.
"Removal from class" and "removal" mean any actions taken by a teacher, principal, or other school district employee to prohibit a pupil from attending a class or activity period for a period of time not to exceed five days, pursuant to procedures established in the school district discipline policy adopted by the school board pursuant to section 121A.61.
"Class period" or "activity period" means a period of time as defined in the district's written discipline policy.
1983 c 163 s 2; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 9 s 31; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 13,26; art 11 s 3
Each school board must adopt a written districtwide school discipline policy which includes written rules of conduct for students, minimum consequences for violations of the rules, and grounds and procedures for removal of a student from class. The policy must contain the discipline complaint procedure that any member of the school community may use to file a complaint regarding the application of discipline policies and seek corrective action. The policy must be developed in consultation with administrators, teachers, employees, pupils, parents, community members, law enforcement agencies, county attorney offices, social service agencies, and such other individuals or organizations as the board determines appropriate. A school site council may adopt additional provisions to the policy subject to the approval of the school board.
The policy must establish the various grounds for which a student may be removed from a class in the district for a period of time under the procedures specified in the policy. The policy must include a procedure for notifying and meeting with a student's parent or guardian to discuss the problem that is causing the student to be removed from class after the student has been removed from class more than ten times in one school year. The grounds in the policy must include at least the following provisions as well as other grounds determined appropriate by the board:
(a) willful conduct that significantly disrupts the rights of others to an education, including conduct that interferes with a teacher's ability to teach or communicate effectively with students in a class or with the ability of other students to learn;
(b) willful conduct that endangers surrounding persons, including school district employees, the student or other students, or the property of the school; and
(c) willful violation of any rule of conduct specified in the discipline policy adopted by the board.
The policy must include at least the following components:
(a) rules governing student conduct and procedures for informing students of the rules;
(b) the grounds for removal of a student from a class;
(c) the authority of the classroom teacher to remove students from the classroom pursuant to procedures and rules established in the district's policy;
(d) the procedures for removal of a student from a class by a teacher, school administrator, or other school district employee;
(e) the period of time for which a student may be removed from a class, which may not exceed five class periods for a violation of a rule of conduct;
(f) provisions relating to the responsibility for and custody of a student removed from a class;
(g) the procedures for return of a student to the specified class from which the student has been removed;
(h) the procedures for notifying a student and the student's parents or guardian of violations of the rules of conduct and of resulting disciplinary actions;
(i) any procedures determined appropriate for encouraging early involvement of parents or guardians in attempts to improve a student's behavior;
(j) any procedures determined appropriate for encouraging early detection of behavioral problems;
(k) any procedures determined appropriate for referring a student in need of special education services to those services;
(l) any procedures determined appropriate for ensuring victims of bullying who respond with behavior not allowed under the school's behavior policies have access to a remedial response, consistent with section 121A.031;
(m) the procedures for consideration of whether there is a need for a further assessment or of whether there is a need for a review of the adequacy of a current individualized education program of a student with a disability who is removed from class;
(n) procedures for detecting and addressing chemical abuse problems of a student while on the school premises;
(o) the minimum consequences for violations of the code of conduct;
(p) procedures for immediate and appropriate interventions tied to violations of the code;
(q) a provision that states that a teacher, school employee, school bus driver, or other agent of a district may use reasonable force in compliance with section 121A.582 and other laws;
(r) an agreement regarding procedures to coordinate crisis services to the extent funds are available with the county board responsible for implementing sections 245.487 to 245.4889 for students with a serious emotional disturbance or other students who have an individualized education program whose behavior may be addressed by crisis intervention;
(s) a provision that states a student must be removed from class immediately if the student engages in assault or violent behavior. For purposes of this paragraph, "assault" has the meaning given it in section 609.02, subdivision 10. The removal shall be for a period of time deemed appropriate by the principal, in consultation with the teacher;
(t) a prohibition on the use of exclusionary practices for early learners as defined in section 121A.425; and
(u) a prohibition on the use of exclusionary practices to address attendance and truancy issues.
The discipline policy must contain procedures for students, parents and other guardians, and school staff to file a complaint and seek corrective action when the requirements of sections 121A.40 to 121A.61, including the implementation of the local behavior and discipline policies, are not being implemented appropriately or are being discriminately applied. Each district and school policy implemented under this section must, at a minimum:
(1) provide procedures for communicating this policy including the ability for a parent to appeal a decision under section 121A.49 that contains explicit instructions for filing the complaint;
(2) provide an opportunity for involved parties to submit additional information related to the complaint;
(3) provide a procedure to begin to investigate complaints within three school days of receipt, and identify personnel who will manage the investigation and any resulting record and are responsible for keeping and regulating access to any record;
(4) provide procedures for issuing a written determination to the complainant that addresses each allegation and contains findings and conclusions;
(5) if the investigation finds the requirements of sections 121A.40 to 121A.61, including any local policies that were not implemented appropriately, contain procedures that require a corrective action plan to correct a student's record and provide relevant staff with training, coaching, or other accountability practices to ensure appropriate compliance with policies in the future; and
(6) prohibit reprisals or retaliation against any person who asserts, alleges, or reports a complaint, and provide procedures for applying appropriate consequences for a person who engages in reprisal or retaliation.
(a) A school board is strongly encouraged to adopt a policy that promotes the understanding in school staff that when a student is unable to meet adult expectations it is often because the student lacks the skills to respond to a situation appropriately. A school district must support school staff in using tiered interventions that teach students skills and prioritize relationships between students and teachers.
(b) A school board is strongly encouraged to adopt a policy that discourages teachers and staff from reacting to unwanted student behavior with approaches that take away the student's opportunity to build skills for responding more appropriately.
1983 c 163 s 3; 1987 c 295 s 5; 1991 c 265 art 3 s 38; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 9 s 32; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 14,26; 1999 c 241 art 9 s 5; 2000 c 489 art 6 s 4; 2001 c 183 s 3; 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 5; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 11 s 11; 2007 c 147 art 8 s 38; 1Sp2011 c 11 art 3 s 12; 2016 c 189 art 25 s 29; 2023 c 55 art 2 s 37-40
(a) "Recess detention" as used in this chapter means excluding or excessively delaying a student from participating in a scheduled recess period as a consequence for student behavior. Recess detention does not include, among other things, providing alternative recess at the student's choice.
(b) A school district or charter school is encouraged to ensure student access to structured breaks from the demands of school and to support teachers, principals, and other school staff in their efforts to use evidence-based approaches to reduce exclusionary forms of discipline.
(c) A school district or charter school must not use recess detention unless:
(1) a student causes or is likely to cause serious physical harm to other students or staff;
(2) the student's parent or guardian specifically consents to the use of recess detention; or
(3) for students receiving special education services, the student's individualized education program team has determined that withholding recess is appropriate based on the individualized needs of the student.
(d) A school district or charter school must not withhold recess from a student based on incomplete schoolwork.
(e) A school district or charter school must require school staff to make a reasonable attempt to notify a parent or guardian within 24 hours of using recess detention.
(f) A school district or charter school must compile information on each recess detention at the end of each school year, including the student's age, grade, gender, race or ethnicity, and special education status. This information must be available to the public upon request. A school district or charter school is encouraged to use the data in professional development promoting the use of nonexclusionary discipline.
(g) A school district or charter school must not withhold or excessively delay a student's participation in scheduled mealtimes. This section does not alter a district or school's existing responsibilities under section 124D.111 or other state or federal law.
(a) A public school is encouraged to adopt a school policy on parental notification for unscheduled student removal from class. The public school must consult with child abuse prevention experts to incorporate best practices into the school policy. A public school with a policy on parental notification must include the policy in the employee handbook and disseminate information to school staff regarding child abuse prevention in a school setting.
(b) A nonpublic school under section 123B.41, subdivision 9, or a Tribal contract school is encouraged to adopt a policy consistent with this section.
(a) A classroom teacher has a legitimate educational interest in knowing which students placed in the teacher's classroom have a history of violent behavior, including any documented physical assault of a district employee by the student, and must be notified before such students are placed in the teacher's classroom.
(b) Representatives of the school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers shall discuss issues related to the model policy on student records adopted under Laws 1999, chapter 241, article 9, section 50, and any modifications adopted under Laws 2003, First Special Session chapter 9, for notifying classroom teachers and other school district employees having a legitimate educational interest in knowing about students with a history of violent behavior, including any documented physical assault of a district employee by students placed in classrooms. The representatives of the school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers also may discuss the need for intervention services or conflict resolution or training for staff related to placing students with a history of violent behavior in teachers' classrooms.
1Sp1995 c 3 art 9 s 35; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 17,26; 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 6; 2016 c 189 art 25 s 30
(a) For purposes of this section, "school" means a school district, charter school, intermediate school district, other cooperative unit, Perpich Center for Arts Education, or the Minnesota State Academies.
(b) A school must provide a minimum of eight hours of paid orientation or professional development annually to all paraprofessionals, Title I aides, and other instructional support staff.
(c) Six of the eight hours must be completed before the first instructional day of the school year or within 30 days of hire.
(d) The orientation or professional development must be relevant to the employee's occupation and may include collaboration time with classroom teachers and planning for the school year.
(e) For paraprofessionals who provide direct support to students, at least 50 percent of the professional development or orientation must be dedicated to meeting the requirements of this section. Professional development for paraprofessionals may also address the requirements of section 120B.363, subdivision 3.
(f) A school administrator must provide an annual certification of compliance with this requirement to the commissioner.
(g) For the 2024-2025 school year only, a school may reduce the hours of training required in paragraphs (b) to (e) to a minimum of six hours and must pay for paraprofessional test materials and testing fees for any paraprofessional employed by the school district during the 2023-2024 school year who has not yet successfully completed the paraprofessional assessment or met the requirements of the paraprofessional competency grid.
(a) Beginning in fiscal year 2025, the commissioner of education must reimburse schools in the form and manner specified by the commissioner for paraprofessional training costs.
(b) The paraprofessional reimbursement equals the prior year compensation expenses associated with providing up to eight hours of paid orientation and professional development for each paraprofessional trained under subdivision 1. For purposes of this paragraph, "compensation expenses" means the sum of the following amounts attributable to the school's paraprofessionals:
(1) regular hourly wages;
(2) Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes under United States Code, title 26, chapter 21; and
(3) the employer share of retirement contributions required under chapter 352, 353, 354, or 354A.
(c) The commissioner may establish procedures to ensure that any costs reimbursed under this section are excluded from other school revenue calculations.
(d) For reimbursements paid in fiscal year 2026 only, the commissioner must reimburse a school for six hours of paraprofessional training required under subdivision 1, paragraph (b).
(e) In addition to the amounts under paragraph (d), for fiscal year 2026 only, the commissioner must pay each school an additional amount equal to 33.33 percent of the amount in paragraph (d). The school must use these funds either for paraprofessional test preparation and exam fees under subdivision 1, paragraph (g), or additional training under subdivision 1, paragraph (b).
A school district or charter school must consult the exclusive representative for employees receiving this training before creating or planning the training required under this section.
The principal or other person having general control and supervision of the school, and representatives of parents, students, and staff in a school building shall confer at least annually to review the discipline policy and to assess whether the policy has been enforced. A school board must conduct an annual review of the districtwide discipline policy.
1983 c 163 s 4; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 9 s 36; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 18,26
If a pupil who has an individualized education program is restrained or removed from a classroom, school building, or school grounds by a peace officer at the request of a school administrator or a school staff person during the school day twice in a 30-day period, the pupil's individualized education program team must meet to determine if the pupil's individualized education program is adequate or if additional evaluation is needed.
1988 c 554 s 2; 1990 c 495 s 2; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 19,26; 1998 c 398 art 5 s 55; 1Sp2005 c 5 art 3 s 4; 1Sp2011 c 11 art 3 s 12
(a) "Hazing" means committing an act against a student, or coercing a student into committing an act, that creates a substantial risk of harm to a person in order for the student to be initiated into or affiliated with a student organization.
(b) "Student organization" means a group, club, or organization having students as its primary members or participants.
The commissioner of education shall maintain and make available to school boards a model policy on student or staff hazing that addresses the requirements of subdivision 3.
Each school board shall adopt a written policy governing student or staff hazing. The policy must apply to student behavior that occurs on or off school property and during and after school hours. The policy must include reporting procedures and disciplinary consequences for violating the policy. Disciplinary consequences must be sufficiently severe to deter violations and appropriately discipline prohibited behavior. Disciplinary consequences must conform with sections 121A.41 to 121A.56. Each school must include the policy in the student handbook on school policies.
1Sp1997 c 4 art 7 s 35; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 26; art 11 s 3; 2003 c 130 s 12
It is unlawful for any pupil, registered and attending any public school to join, become a member of, or to solicit any other pupil of any public school to join, or become a member of, any secret fraternity or society wholly or partially formed from the membership of pupils attending any public schools or to take part in the organization or formation of any fraternity or society, except societies or associations sanctioned by the district school board.
A school board may suspend or dismiss any pupil from school, or prevent the pupil from graduating or participating in school honors when, after investigation, in the judgment of the board or a majority of its membership, the pupil is guilty of violating any of the provisions of this section or is guilty of violating any rule or regulation adopted by the board for the purpose of governing its schools, or enforcing this section.
It is a misdemeanor for any person, not a pupil of the schools, to be upon school grounds, or to enter any school building, for the purpose of "rushing" or soliciting any pupil of the schools to join any fraternity, society, or association organized outside of the schools. The district court has jurisdiction of offenses committed under this subdivision. All persons found guilty shall be fined not less than $2, nor more than $10, to be paid to the county treasurer or, upon failure to pay the fine, to be imprisoned for not more than ten days.
Ex1959 c 71 art 8 s 17; 1973 c 123 art 5 s 7; 1973 c 349 s 2; 1983 c 359 s 8; 1987 c 258 s 12; 1989 c 246 s 2; 1998 c 254 art 2 s 8; 1998 c 397 art 9 s 10-12,26; art 11 s 3
It is the policy of the state of Minnesota that:
"School lockers are the property of the school district. At no time does the school district relinquish its exclusive control of lockers provided for the convenience of students. Inspection of the interior of lockers may be conducted by school authorities for any reason at any time, without notice, without student consent, and without a search warrant. The personal possessions of students within a school locker may be searched only when school authorities have a reasonable suspicion that the search will uncover evidence of a violation of law or school rules. As soon as practicable after the search of a student's personal possessions, the school authorities must provide notice of the search to students whose lockers were searched unless disclosure would impede an ongoing investigation by police or school officials."
The locker policy must be disseminated to parents and students in the way that other policies of general application to students are disseminated. A copy of the policy must be provided to a student the first time that the student is given the use of a locker.
A school district or charter school must adopt a policy on students' possession and use of cell phones in school by March 15, 2025. The Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association and the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals must collaborate to make best practices available to schools on a range of different strategies in order to minimize the impact of cell phones on student behavior, mental health, and academic attainment.
(a) For purposes of this section "principal" means a principal or other person having general administrative control and supervision of a school.
(b) For purposes of this section, "school" means a public school under section 120A.22, subdivision 4; a nonpublic school under section 120A.22, subdivision 4, that elects to comply with this section; and a charter school under chapter 124E, but does not mean a home school.
(a) On receipt of a disposition order under section 260B.171, subdivision 3, the superintendent of the student's school district or chief administrative officer of the student's school must immediately transmit the order to the principal of the school where the student is in attendance. The principal must place the disposition order in the student's permanent education record. The principal must also immediately notify any counselor directly supervising or reporting on the behavior or progress of the student. In addition, the principal must immediately notify any teacher or administrator who directly supervises or reports on the behavior or progress of the student whom the principal believes needs the data to work with the student in an appropriate manner, to avoid being needlessly vulnerable, or to protect other persons from needless vulnerability. The principal may also notify other district employees, substitutes, and volunteers who are in direct contact with the student, if they determine these individuals need the data to work with the student in an appropriate manner, to avoid being needlessly vulnerable, or to protect other persons from needless vulnerability. When provided in the disposition order, the notice given under this paragraph by the principal must identify the student, outline the offense, and describe any conditions of probation about which the school must provide information.
(b) Information received under this subdivision is private data on individuals as defined in section 13.32 and is received for the limited purpose of serving the educational needs of the student and protecting students or staff. The data may not be further disseminated by the teacher, counselor, staff member, administrator, substitute, or volunteer, except as necessary to serve the student, to protect students or staff, or as otherwise required by law, and only to the following persons:
(1) the student; or
(2) the student's parent or guardian.
(c) If a student is removed from school as part of the disposition order, the superintendent of the student's school district or chief administrative officer of the student's school must maintain the copy of the order in a secure file and shall notify the principal when the student is returned to school. If the student is returned to a different school district or school, the student's probation officer must send a copy of the disposition order to the superintendent of the new school district or the chief administrative officer of the new school.
(d) The disposition order must be included if the student's permanent education record is released to another school district or educational entity to which the student is transferring under section 120A.22, subdivision 7.
(e) Notwithstanding section 138.17, a disposition order received under section 260B.171, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), must be destroyed when the student graduates from school or at the end of the school year in which the student reaches age 23, whichever is earlier. A disposition order received under section 260B.171, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), must be destroyed when the student is discharged from probation.
(a) A law enforcement agency must transmit the notice required by section 260B.171, subdivision 5, to the superintendent of the student's school district who must immediately transmit the notice to the principal of the school the student attends, or to the principal of the school the student attends if there is no superintendent. The principal must place the notice in the student's educational record. The principal must immediately notify any teacher, counselor, or administrator directly supervising the student who the principal believes needs the data to work with the student in an appropriate manner, to avoid being needlessly vulnerable, or to protect other persons from needless vulnerability. The principal may also notify other district employees, substitutes, or volunteers who are in direct contact with the student if the principal determines these individuals need the data to work with the juvenile in an appropriate manner, to avoid being needlessly vulnerable, or to protect other persons from needless vulnerability. When provided in the peace officer notice, the notice from the principal must identify the student and describe the alleged offense.
(b) Data received under this subdivision are private data on individuals under section 13.32 and are received for the limited purpose of serving the student's educational needs and protecting students or staff. The teacher, counselor, staff member, administrator, substitute, or volunteer must not further disseminate the data, except to communicate with the student or the student's parent or guardian as needed to serve the student, protect students or staff, or as otherwise required by law.
(c) The principal must include the notice in the student's educational record as required by section 120A.22, subdivision 7.
(d) If the county attorney determines not to proceed with a petition alleging any offense in section 260B.171, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3), or directs the student into a diversion or mediation program, the county attorney must notify the superintendent of the student's school district who must immediately transmit the notice to the principal of the school the student attends, or to the principal of the school that the student attends if there is no superintendent. The notice must contain the name of the student and a summary of the resolution of the case. Notwithstanding section 138.17, the principal must delete the peace officer's report and notice from the student's educational record and destroy the data and make reasonable efforts to notify any teacher, counselor, staff member, administrator, substitute, or volunteer who received data from the peace officer notice.
(e) If the juvenile court makes a decision on a petition that alleges any offense in section 260B.171, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3), and the decision affects a student and is not a disposition order, the court must notify the superintendent of the student's school district who must immediately transmit the notice to the principal of the school the student attends, or to the principal of the school that the student attends if there is no superintendent, of the decision. Notwithstanding section 138.17, the principal must delete the peace officer's report and notice from the student's educational record and destroy the data and make reasonable efforts to notify any teacher, counselor, staff member, administrator, substitute, or volunteer who received data from the peace officer notice.
(f) In addition to the data destruction requirements of this subdivision, a principal must comply with the requirements of section 120A.22, subdivision 7.
(a) For purposes of this section, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given.
(b) "School-sponsored media" means material that is:
(1) prepared, wholly or substantially written, published, broadcast, or otherwise disseminated by a student journalist enrolled in a school district or charter school;
(2) distributed or generally made available to students in the school; and
(3) prepared by a student journalist under the supervision of a student media adviser.
School-sponsored media does not include material prepared solely for distribution or transmission in the classroom in which the material is produced, or a yearbook.
(c) "School official" means a school principal under section 123B.147 or other person having administrative control or supervision of a school.
(d) "Student journalist" means a school district or charter school student in grades 6 through 12 who gathers, compiles, writes, edits, photographs, records, or otherwise prepares information for dissemination in school-sponsored media.
(e) "Student media adviser" means a qualified teacher, as defined in section 122A.16, that a school district or charter school employs, appoints, or designates to supervise student journalists or provide instruction relating to school-sponsored media.
(a) Except as provided in subdivision 3, a student journalist has the right to exercise freedom of speech and freedom of the press in school-sponsored media regardless of whether the school-sponsored media receives financial support from the school or district, uses school equipment or facilities in its production, or is produced as part of a class or course in which the student journalist is enrolled. Freedom of speech includes freedom to express political viewpoints. Consistent with subdivision 3, a student journalist has the right to determine the news, opinion, feature, and advertising content of school-sponsored media. A school district or charter school must not discipline a student journalist for exercising rights or freedoms under this paragraph or the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
(b) A school district or charter school must not retaliate or take adverse employment action against a student media adviser for supporting a student journalist exercising rights or freedoms under paragraph (a) or the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
(c) Notwithstanding the rights or freedoms of this subdivision or the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, nothing in this section inhibits a student media adviser from teaching professional standards of English and journalism to student journalists.
(a) This section does not authorize or protect student expression that:
(1) is defamatory;
(2) is profane, harassing, threatening, or intimidating;
(3) constitutes an unwarranted invasion of privacy;
(4) violates federal or state law;
(5) causes a material and substantial disruption of school activities; or
(6) is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action on school premises or the violation of lawful school policies or rules, including a policy adopted in accordance with section 121A.03 or 121A.031.
(b) Nothing in this section authorizes the publication of an advertisement by school-sponsored media that promotes the purchase of a product or service that is unlawful for purchase or use by minors.
(c) A school or district must not authorize any prior restraint of school-sponsored media except under this subdivision.
School districts and charter schools must adopt and post on the district or charter school website a student journalist policy consistent with this section.
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes