1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to education; establishing microcredentials for teachers and administrators
1.3 of English learner programs; modifying the English learner revenue formula to
1.4 provide additional revenue for a student with limited or interrupted formal
1.5 education; creating English learner staff ratio reporting; authorizing rulemaking;
1.6 appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 122A.14, by
1.7 adding a subdivision; 122A.187, subdivision 3, by adding a subdivision; 122A.19,
1.8 by adding a subdivision; 124D.65, subdivision 5, by adding a subdivision; 127A.47,
1.9 subdivision 7.
1.10BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.11 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.14, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.12to read:
1.13 Subd. 3a.English learner microcredential.The board may adopt rules establishing a
1.14voluntary administrative microcredential for English learner and emerging multilingual
1.15learner directors and coordinators.
1.16 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
1.17 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.187, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.18 Subd. 3.Professional growth.(a) Applicants for license renewal for a Tier 3 or Tier 4
1.19license under sections 122A.183 and 122A.184, respectively, who have been employed as
1.20a teacher during the renewal period of the expiring license, as a condition of license renewal,
1.21must present to their local continuing education and relicensure committee or other local
1.22relicensure committee evidence of work that demonstrates professional reflection and growth
1.23in best teaching practices, including among other things, cultural competence in accordance
1.24with section 120B.30, subdivision 8, and practices in meeting the varied needs of English
1Sec. 2.
25-04967 as introduced03/17/25 REVISOR CR/ES
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 3182NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: PUTNAM)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading04/01/2025
Referred to Education Policy 2.1learners, from young children to adults under section 124D.59, subdivisions 2 and 2a. A
2.2teacher may satisfy the requirements of this paragraph by submitting the teacher's most
2.3recent summative evaluation or improvement plan under section 122A.40, subdivision 8,
2.4or 122A.41, subdivision 5.
2.5 (b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must ensure that its teacher
2.6relicensing requirements include paragraph (a).
2.7 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for licenses renewed on or after the day
2.8that the rules adopted under section 3 become effective.
2.9 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.187, is amended by adding a subdivision
2.10to read:
2.11 Subd. 8.English learners.The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board
2.12must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers renewing a Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, or Tier
2.134 teaching license under sections 122A.181 to 122A.184, respectively, to include in their
2.14renewal requirements further preparation in best practices in meeting the varied needs of
2.15English learners, from young children to adults under section 124D.59, subdivisions 2 and
2.162a. The rules must:
2.17 (1) require at least five hours of professional development training in content and
2.18pedagogy associated with, at a minimum, the benefits of multilingualism and
2.19multiculturalism, every five years;
2.20 (2) establish qualifications for a person conducting the training; and
2.21 (3) require that the training include culturally validating pedagogy training.
2.22 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.23 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.19, is amended by adding a subdivision to
2.24read:
2.25 Subd. 7.Microcredentials.(a) The board must adopt rules establishing best practices
2.26for teaching English learners in specific content areas. The board must adopt rules
2.27establishing a voluntary microcredential in communication arts and literature, math, science,
2.28and social studies for teachers holding a license in bilingual or bicultural education or English
2.29as a second language. To earn a microcredential, a teacher must demonstrate mastery of the
2.30best practices established in rule for teaching English learners in a specific content area.
2Sec. 4.
25-04967 as introduced03/17/25 REVISOR CR/ES 3.1 (b) The board must adopt rules to establish a voluntary microcredential in bilingual or
3.2bicultural education or English as a second language for teachers holding a license in
3.3communication arts and literature, math, science, or social studies. To earn the
3.4microcredential, a teacher must demonstrate mastery of the best practices established in the
3.5rules developed pursuant to paragraph (a) for teaching English learners in the content area
3.6in which the teacher is licensed.
3.7 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
3.8 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 124D.65, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
3.9 Subd. 5.School district EL revenue.(a) For fiscal year 2024 through fiscal year 2026,
3.10purposes of this subdivision:
3.11 (1) the English learner basic revenue allowance equals $1,228 for fiscal year 2024
3.12through fiscal year 2026, and $1,775 for fiscal year 2027 and later; and
3.13 (2) the English learner concentration allowance equals $436 for fiscal year 2024 through
3.14fiscal year 2026, and $630 for fiscal year 2027 and later.
3.15 (b) A district's English learner programs revenue equals the sum of:
3.16 (1) the product of (i) $1,228 the English learner basic revenue allowance for that year,
3.17and (ii) the greater of 20 or the adjusted average daily membership of eligible English
3.18learners enrolled in the district during the current fiscal year; and
3.19 (2) $436 the English learner concentration allowance times the English learner pupil
3.20units under section 126C.05, subdivision 17; and
3.21 (3) the number of students with limited or interrupted formal education under section
3.22124D.59, subdivision 2a, times 0.5 times the sum of the English learner basic revenue
3.23allowance for that year and the English learner concentration allowance for that year.
3.24 (b) For fiscal year 2027 and later, a district's English learner programs revenue equals
3.25the sum of:
3.26 (1) the product of (i) $1,775, and (ii) the greater of 20 or the adjusted average daily
3.27membership of eligible English learners enrolled in the district during the current fiscal
3.28year; and
3.29 (2) $630 times the English learner pupil units under section 126C.05, subdivision 17.
3.30 (c) Revenue under paragraph (b), clause (3), must be used only to support the unique
3.31need of students with limited or interrupted formal education.
3Sec. 5.
25-04967 as introduced03/17/25 REVISOR CR/ES 4.1 (c) (d) A pupil ceases to generate state English learner aid under this subdivision in the
4.2school year following the school year in which the pupil attains the state cutoff score on a
4.3commissioner-provided assessment that measures the pupil's emerging academic English.
4.4 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2026 and later.
4.5 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 124D.65, is amended by adding a subdivision to
4.6read:
4.7 Subd. 9a.English learner student to English learner staff ratio.Each year, a district
4.8receiving revenue under this section must calculate the district's ratio of English learner
4.9students to English learner staff and report that information to the Department of Education
4.10in the form and manner specified by the department. A district with a ratio in excess of 35
4.11English learner students to each one English learner staff person must develop a plan to
4.12increase the district's English learner staff in the following year and submit that plan to the
4.13Department of Education in a form and manner specified by the department.
4.14 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2026.
4.15 Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 127A.47, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
4.16 Subd. 7.Alternative attendance programs.(a) The general education aid and special
4.17education aid for districts must be adjusted for each pupil attending a nonresident district
4.18under sections 123A.05 to 123A.08, 124D.03, 124D.08, and 124D.68. The adjustments
4.19must be made according to this subdivision.
4.20 (b) For purposes of this subdivision, the "unreimbursed cost of providing special
4.21education and services" means the difference between: (1) the actual cost of providing
4.22special instruction and services, including special transportation and unreimbursed building
4.23lease and debt service costs for facilities used primarily for special education, for a pupil
4.24with a disability, as defined in section 125A.02, or a pupil, as defined in section 125A.51,
4.25who is enrolled in a program listed in this subdivision, minus (2) if the pupil receives special
4.26instruction and services outside the regular classroom for more than 60 percent of the school
4.27day, the amount of general education revenue, excluding local optional revenue, plus local
4.28optional aid and referendum equalization aid as defined in section 125A.11, subdivision 1,
4.29paragraph (d), attributable to that pupil for the portion of time the pupil receives special
4.30instruction and services outside of the regular classroom, excluding portions attributable to
4.31district and school administration, district support services, operations and maintenance,
4.32capital expenditures, and pupil transportation, minus (3) special education aid under section
4.33125A.76, excluding cross subsidy reduction aid under section 125A.76, subdivision 2e,
4Sec. 7.
25-04967 as introduced03/17/25 REVISOR CR/ES 5.1attributable to that pupil, that is received by the district providing special instruction and
5.2services. For purposes of this paragraph, general education revenue and referendum
5.3equalization aid attributable to a pupil must be calculated using the serving district's average
5.4general education revenue and referendum equalization aid per adjusted pupil unit.
5.5 (c) For fiscal year 2020, special education aid paid to a resident district must be reduced
5.6by an amount equal to 85 percent of the unreimbursed cost of providing special education
5.7and services. For fiscal year 2021 and later, special education aid paid to a resident district
5.8must be reduced by an amount equal to 80 percent of the unreimbursed cost of providing
5.9special education and services.
5.10 (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (c), special education aid paid to a resident district must
5.11be reduced by an amount equal to 100 percent of the unreimbursed cost of special education
5.12and services provided to students at an intermediate district, cooperative, or charter school
5.13where the percent of students eligible for special education services is at least 70 percent
5.14of the charter school's total enrollment.
5.15 (e) Notwithstanding paragraph (c), special education aid paid to a resident district must
5.16be reduced under paragraph (d) for students at a charter school receiving special education
5.17aid under section 124E.21, subdivision 3, calculated as if the charter school received special
5.18education aid under section 124E.21, subdivision 1.
5.19 (f) Special education aid paid to the district or cooperative providing special instruction
5.20and services for the pupil, or to the fiscal agent district for a cooperative, must be increased
5.21by the amount of the reduction in the aid paid to the resident district under paragraphs (c)
5.22and (d). If the resident district's special education aid is insufficient to make the full
5.23adjustment under paragraphs (c), (d), and (e), the remaining adjustment shall be made to
5.24other state aids due to the district.
5.25 (g) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), general education aid paid to the resident district of
5.26a nonspecial education student for whom an eligible special education charter school receives
5.27general education aid under section 124E.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), must be reduced
5.28by an amount equal to the difference between the general education aid attributable to the
5.29student under section 124E.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), and the general education aid
5.30that the student would have generated for the charter school under section 124E.20,
5.31subdivision 1, paragraph (a). For purposes of this paragraph, "nonspecial education student"
5.32means a student who does not meet the definition of pupil with a disability as defined in
5.33section 125A.02 or the definition of a pupil in section 125A.51.
5Sec. 7.
25-04967 as introduced03/17/25 REVISOR CR/ES 6.1 (h) An area learning center operated by a service cooperative, intermediate district,
6.2education district, or a joint powers cooperative may elect through the action of the
6.3constituent boards to charge the resident district tuition for pupils rather than to have the
6.4general education revenue paid to a fiscal agent school district. Except as provided in
6.5paragraph (f), the district of residence must pay tuition equal to at least 90 and no more than
6.6100 percent of the district average general education revenue per pupil unit minus an amount
6.7equal to the product of the formula allowance according to section 126C.10, subdivision 2,
6.8times .0466, calculated without compensatory revenue, local optional revenue, and
6.9transportation sparsity revenue, times the number of pupil units for pupils attending the area
6.10learning center.
6.11 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2026 and later.
6.12 Sec. 8. APPROPRIATION; BOARD OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
6.13RULEMAKING.
6.14 $30,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the Board of School
6.15Administrators to support the rulemaking process under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.14,
6.16subdivision 3a. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2026.
6.17 Sec. 9. APPROPRIATION; PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR LICENSING AND
6.18STANDARDS BOARD RULEMAKING.
6.19 $100,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the Professional
6.20Educator Licensing and Standards Board to support the rulemaking process required under
6.21Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.19, subdivision 7. This is a onetime appropriation and is
6.22available until June 30, 2026.
6.23 Sec. 10. APPROPRIATION; ENGLISH LEARNER PROGRAMMING.
6.24 Subdivision 1.Department of Education.The sums indicated in this section are
6.25appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal years
6.26designated.
6.27 Subd. 2.English learner aid for students with limited or interrupted formal
6.28education.For additional general education aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.13,
6.29for English learner program aid:
2026............6.30 $
2027............6.31 $
6Sec. 10.
25-04967 as introduced03/17/25 REVISOR CR/ES 7.1 Subd. 3.COMPASS and MTSS.(a) To support the development and implementation
7.2of the Multitiered System of Support (MTSS) framework and the Collaborative Minnesota
7.3Partnerships to Advance Student Success (COMPASS) school improvement model:
2026.....13,500,0007.4 $
2027.....13,500,0007.5 $
7.6 (b) Of this amount, $5,000,000 each year is to support implementation of MTSS and
7.7COMPASS. Money must be used to support increased capacity at the Department of
7.8Education and the Minnesota Service Cooperatives for implementation supports.
7.9 (c) Of this amount, $5,000,000 each year is reserved for grants to school districts, charter
7.10schools, and cooperative units as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 123A.24, subdivision
7.112, for implementation of MTSS, including:
7.12 (1) hiring local MTSS coordinators;
7.13 (2) hiring multilingual specialists;
7.14 (3) deferring costs for personnel to participate in cohort activities and professional
7.15learning; and
7.16 (4) piloting a Department of Education One Plan, the consolidation of multiple reporting
7.17structures to streamline various applications, reports, and submissions by school districts
7.18and charter schools.
7.19Up to five percent of this amount is available for program and grant administration.
7.20 (d) Of this amount, $3,000,000 each year must be used to develop a regional network
7.21focusing on mathematics to provide dedicated mathematics trainers and coaches to train
7.22regional support staff from the Minnesota Service Cooperatives to support school leaders
7.23and teachers in implementing evidence-based instructional strategies in mathematics. Money
7.24may also be used to host an annual Mathematics Standards-Based Instructional Institute.
7.25 (e) Of this amount, $500,000 each year is for the University of Minnesota Center for
7.26Applied Research and Educational Improvement to support implementation and evaluation
7.27of the MTSS framework.
7.28 (f) Support for school districts, charter schools, and cooperative units under this
7.29subdivision may include but is not limited to:
7.30 (1) partnering with the Minnesota Service Cooperatives to support districts in
7.31implementing COMPASS to support schools in the areas of literacy, math, social-emotional
7.32learning, and mental health using the MTSS framework;
7Sec. 10.
25-04967 as introduced03/17/25 REVISOR CR/ES 8.1 (2) providing support to districts and charter schools identified under Minnesota Statutes,
8.2section 120B.11;
8.3 (3) providing support to districts and charter schools in streamlining various applications,
8.4reports, and submissions to the Department of Education through One Plan;
8.5 (4) providing training, guidance, and implementation resources for MTSS, including a
8.6universal screening process approved by the Department of Education to identify students
8.7who may be at risk of experiencing academic, behavioral, and social-emotional development
8.8difficulties;
8.9 (5) providing guidance to convene school-based teams to analyze data provided by
8.10screenings and resources for related identification, instruction, and intervention methods;
8.11 (6) dyslexia screening and intervention that are evidence-based;
8.12 (7) requiring school districts and charter schools to provide parents of students identified
8.13in screenings with notice of screening findings and related support information;
8.14 (8) requiring districts and charter schools to provide at-risk students with interventions
8.15and to monitor the effectiveness of these interventions and student progress; and
8.16 (9) developing and annually reporting findings regarding the implementation of MTSS.
8.17 (g) Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
8Sec. 10.
25-04967 as introduced03/17/25 REVISOR CR/ES