1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to education finance; authorizing school districts and charter schools to
1.3 use student support personnel aid to fund personnel who work to reduce chronic
1.4 absenteeism; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 124D.901, subdivisions
1.5 1, 2, 4.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 124D.901, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.8 Subdivision 1.Definitions.For the purposes of this section, the following terms have
1.9the meanings given:
1.10 (1) "new position" means a student support services personnel full-time or part-time
1.11position not under contract by a school district, charter school, or cooperative unit at the
1.12start of the 2022-2023 school year;
1.13 (2) "part-time position" means a student support services personnel position less than
1.141.0 full-time equivalent at the start of the 2022-2023 school year;
1.15 (3) "American Rescue Plan Act" means the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021,
1.16Public Law 117-2, that awarded funds; and
1.17 (4) "student support services personnel" means:
1.18 (i) an individual licensed to serve as a school counselor, school psychologist, school
1.19social worker, school nurse, or chemical dependency counselor in Minnesota.; or
1.20 (ii) an individual not included in item (i) whose work duties primarily consist of activities
1.21that reduce chronic student absenteeism.
1.22 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2026 and later.
1Section 1.
25-01926 as introduced01/09/25 REVISOR CR/BM
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 474NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: KUNESH)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading01/21/2025
Referred to Education Finance 2.1 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 124D.901, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.2 Subd. 2.Purpose.The purpose of student support personnel aid is to:
2.3 (1) address shortages of student support services personnel within Minnesota schools;
2.4 (2) decrease caseloads for existing student support services personnel to ensure effective
2.5services;
2.6 (3) ensure that students receive effective student support services and integrated and
2.7comprehensive services to improve prekindergarten through grade 12 academic, physical,
2.8social, and emotional outcomes supporting career and college readiness and effective school
2.9mental health services;
2.10 (4) ensure that student support services personnel serve within the scope and practice
2.11of their training and licensure;
2.12 (5) fully integrate learning supports, instruction, assessment, data-based decision making,
2.13and family and community engagement within a comprehensive approach that facilitates
2.14interdisciplinary collaboration; and
2.15 (6) improve student health, attendance, school safety, and school climate to support
2.16academic success and career and college readiness.
2.17 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 124D.901, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
2.18 Subd. 4.Allowed uses.(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), aid under this section
2.19must be used to hire new positions for student support services personnel or increase a
2.20current position that is less than 1.0 full-time equivalent to a greater number of service hours
2.21or make permanent a position hired using onetime resources awarded through the federal
2.22Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, the federal Consolidated Appropriations
2.23Act, the federal Division M-Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations
2.24Act, or the federal American Rescue Plan Act, or to maintain a position that would otherwise
2.25be eliminated.
2.26 (b) Cooperative student support personnel aid must be transferred to the intermediate
2.27district or other cooperative unit of which the district is a member and used to:
2.28 (1) hire new positions for student support services personnel or increase a current position
2.29that is less than 1.0 full-time equivalent to a greater number of service hours or make
2.30permanent a position hired using onetime resources awarded through the American Rescue
2.31Plan Act at the intermediate district or cooperative unit.; or
2Sec. 3.
25-01926 as introduced01/09/25 REVISOR CR/BM 3.1 (2) pay the costs of necessary transportation among cooperative member school sites
3.2for student support services personnel.
3.3 (c) If a school district, charter school, or cooperative unit does not receive at least two
3.4applications and is not able to hire a new full-time equivalent position with student support
3.5personnel aid, the aid may be used for contracted services from individuals licensed to serve
3.6as a school counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, school nurse, or chemical
3.7dependency counselor in Minnesota.
3.8 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for revenue in fiscal year 2025 and later.
3Sec. 3.
25-01926 as introduced01/09/25 REVISOR CR/BM