Purpose

This bill aims to expand the use of student support services aid so it can cover the costs of certain licensed special education teachers. It also updates how these personnel are defined and categorized for the purposes of the aid.

Main provisions

• The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement section 124D.901 subdivision 1 by adding a new subdivision and defining key terms used for student support services.
• Defines a “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 a “part-time position” as a student support services personnel position with less than 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) at the start of the 2022-2023 school year.
• Defines “student support services personnel” as:
  • 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 an academic and behavioral strategist or in developmental disabilities, emotional or behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, or autism spectrum disorders.
• States that these definitions apply to the purposes of the section and are intended to determine eligibility for student support services aid.
• Establishes that student support services aid may be used to cover the costs of these qualifying licensed personnel, including the costs associated with employing them.

Significant changes to existing law

• Adds a new subdivision to define “new position,” “part-time position,” and “student support services personnel,” clarifying who can be funded under the aid.
• Expands the pool of eligible personnel who can be funded with student support services aid to include licensed special education teachers who work in specified special education roles (academic and behavioral strategist, or qualifications related to developmental disabilities, emotional/behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, or autism spectrum disorders).
• Aligns funding eligibility with positions not under contract at the start of the 2022-2023 school year, effectively shaping how districts, charter schools, and cooperative units plan and fund these roles.

Relevant terms - Minnesota Statutes 124D.901 - 2025 Supplement - student support services personnel - new position - part-time position - 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 - aid (student support services aid)