1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to education policy; modifying safe and supportive schools programming
1.3 requirements; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 121A.031, subdivisions
1.4 5, 6.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 121A.031, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
1.7 Subd. 5.Safe and supportive schools programming.(a) Districts and schools are
1.8encouraged to must provide developmentally appropriate programmatic instruction to help
1.9students identify, prevent, and reduce prohibited conduct; value diversity in school and
1.10society; develop and improve students' knowledge and skills for solving problems, managing
1.11conflict, engaging in civil discourse, and recognizing, responding to, and reporting prohibited
1.12conduct; and make effective prevention and intervention programs available to students.
1.13Districts and schools must establish strategies for creating a positive school climate and use
1.14evidence-based social-emotional learning to prevent and reduce discrimination and other
1.15improper conduct.
1.16 (b) Districts and schools are encouraged to:
1.17 (1) engage all students in creating a safe and supportive school environment;
1.18 (2) partner with parents and other community members to develop and implement
1.19prevention and intervention programs;
1.20 (3) engage all students and adults in integrating education, intervention, and other
1.21remedial responses into the school environment;
1Section 1.
25-04406 as introduced02/26/25 REVISOR CR/HL
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 2435NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: MAYE QUADE, Dibble and Kunesh)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading03/13/2025
Referred to Education Policy 2.1 (4) train student bystanders to intervene in and report incidents of prohibited conduct to
2.2the school's primary contact person;
2.3 (5) teach students to advocate for themselves and others;
2.4 (6) prevent inappropriate referrals to special education of students who may engage in
2.5prohibited conduct; and
2.6 (7) foster student collaborations that foster a safe and supportive school climate.
2.7 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025.
2.8 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 121A.031, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
2.9 Subd. 6.State model policy.(a) The commissioner, in consultation with the
2.10commissioner of human rights, shall develop and maintain a state model policy. A district
2.11or school that does not adopt and implement a local policy under subdivisions 3 to 5 must
2.12implement and may supplement the provisions of the state model policy. The commissioner
2.13must assist districts and schools under this subdivision to implement the state policy. The
2.14state model policy must:
2.15 (1) define prohibited conduct, consistent with this section;
2.16 (2) apply the prohibited conduct policy components in this section;
2.17 (3) for a child with a disability, whenever an evaluation by an individualized education
2.18program team or a section 504 team indicates that the child's disability affects the child's
2.19social skills development or the child is vulnerable to prohibited conduct because of the
2.20child's disability, the child's individualized education program or section 504 plan may
2.21address the skills and proficiencies the child needs to not engage in and respond to such
2.22conduct; and
2.23 (4) encourage violence prevention and character development education programs under
2.24section 120B.232, subdivision 1.
2.25 (b) The commissioner shall develop and post departmental procedures for:
2.26 (1) periodically reviewing district and school programs and policies for compliance with
2.27this section;
2.28 (2) investigating, reporting, and responding to noncompliance with this section, which
2.29may include including an annual review of plans to improve and provide a safe and supportive
2.30school climate; and
2Sec. 2.
25-04406 as introduced02/26/25 REVISOR CR/HL 3.1 (3) allowing students, parents, and educators to file a complaint about noncompliance
3.2with the commissioner, including a clear process for follow-up on complaints received and
3.3an annual review process for districts or schools receiving a substantial number of complaints
3.4during an academic year.
3.5 (c) The commissioner must post on the department's website information indicating that
3.6when districts and schools allow non-curriculum-related student groups access to school
3.7facilities, the district or school must give all student groups equal access to the school
3.8facilities regardless of the content of the group members' speech.
3.9 (d) The commissioner must develop and maintain resources to assist a district or school
3.10in implementing strategies for creating a positive school climate and use evidence-based,
3.11social-emotional learning to prevent and reduce discrimination and other improper conduct.
3Sec. 2.
25-04406 as introduced02/26/25 REVISOR CR/HL