HF3568

Purpose

• The bill aims to authorize the use of student support services personnel aid to cover costs associated with certain licensed special education teachers.
• It adjusts Minnesota Statutes by adding definitions to guide how aid is used and who qualifies as student support services personnel.

Main Provisions

• Adds a new subdivision to Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement section 124D.901, subdivision 1, to establish clear definitions for the purposes of this section.
• Defines “new position” as a student support services personnel full-time or part-time position that is not under contract by a school district, charter school, or cooperative unit at the start of the 2022-2023 school year.
• Defines “parttime position” as a student support services personnel position with less than 1.0 full-time equivalent at the start of the 2022-2023 school year.
• Defines “student support services personnel” to include:
  • i) an individual licensed to serve as a school counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, school nurse, or chemical dependency counselor in Minnesota; or
  • ii) a special education teacher licensed in Minnesota as either an academic and behavioral strategist or in developmental disabilities, emotional or behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, or autism spectrum disorders.
• This provision sets the scope for who can be funded or supported under the student support personnel aid.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands the definitions used to determine eligibility for student support personnel aid by explicitly including certain licensed special education teachers (academic and behavioral strategist or those licensed in disabilities/disorders areas) as part of the eligible personnel.
• Establishes terms related to staffing (new position, parttime position) with their qualification criteria tied to the 2022-2023 school year start, guiding when and how aid can be applied.

Practical Implications

• School districts, charter schools, or cooperative units may be able to use student support personnel aid to cover costs for the defined licensed professionals, including certain special education teachers.
• The bill clarifies who counts as a student support services personnel and what constitutes a new or part-time position for funding purposes.

Relevant Terms - new position - parttime position - student support services personnel - school counselor - school psychologist - school social worker - school nurse - chemical dependency counselor - special education teacher - academic and behavioral strategist - developmental disabilities - emotional or behavioral disorders - learning disabilities - autism spectrum disorders - Minnesota Statutes 124D.901 - student support personnel aid - full-time equivalent (FTE)