MinnesotaMinnesota law sets school funding, qualification, and transfer rules
Minnesota paraprofessionals can use confirmed skills to meet one federal qualification, while Tribal school aid depends on voter approval and two districts may transfer funds.
What it does
Paraprofessionals who demonstrate listed skills can meet one federal qualification when their district or charter school confirms the skills and keeps records.
Tribal contract schools receive aid based on their prior-year student count if voters adopt the specified constitutional amendment.
School districts may use operating capital revenue to pay utility bills, starting with revenue for fiscal year 2027.
Two named districts may move money from building construction funds to operating capital without reducing levies, if their school boards approve.
The law states 2026 and 2027 funding amounts for many school programs, health and family services, and Metro Mobility and Metro Move.
Argument forParaprofessionals who demonstrate the listed skills could meet a federal qualification through employer validation, even without a set amount of training.
Argument againstKeeping skill assessments and proof ready for state or federal review could add recordkeeping work for school districts and charter schools.
More detail
A paraprofessional who demonstrates listed skills is deemed to meet one federal qualification when the employer validates those skills. This applies to paraprofessionals who demonstrate the listed skills, including supporting instruction and following teachers’ plans. The employing district or charter school must validate the skills, keep the assessment and proof in the worker’s personnel file, and provide the records to state or federal reviewers on request. The education department must give school leaders guidance on possible ways to validate the skills by August 1, 2026. This section took effect the day after final enactment.
Tribal contract schools receive permanent school fund aid calculated using a per-pupil amount and student count. This provision covers Tribal contract schools. The formula uses the per-pupil apportionment for the year and the school’s average daily membership in the prior fiscal year. The aid depends on voters adopting the constitutional amendment proposed in H.F. 3900 or a similarly styled bill. The aid applies to fiscal year 2028 and later, starting July 1, 2027, if voters adopt the amendment.
School districts may use total operating capital revenue for utility service costs. This applies to school districts using total operating capital revenue. This applies to revenue in fiscal year 2027 and later.
Two school districts may permanently transfer money from building construction funds to operating capital accounts without reducing their levies. This applies only to Independent School District No. 197 and Independent School District No. 881. The West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan transfer may be up to $4.5 million, and the Maple Lake transfer may be up to $1.8 million. Each school board must approve its district’s transfer. Each transfer is authorized for June 30, 2026; this section took effect the day after final enactment.
The law lists school, health, family, and Metro Mobility funding amounts for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The listed amounts cover many K-12 programs, human services, children and family programs, and Metro Mobility and Metro Move. The education, human services, children and families, and transportation articles took effect the day after final enactment.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 27Secretary of State Chapter 109 05/27/26Latest
- May 27Secretary of State, Filed 05/27/2026
- May 27Governor Tim Walz approval 05/27/2026Became Law
- May 20Presentment date 05/20/26
- May 20Presented to Governor 05/20/2026To Governor
- May 17House adopted SCC report and repassed bill
- May 16Bill was repassed as amended by Conference
- Vote recorded Repassage, as amended by Conference. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Mueller motion Refuse to Adopt. Result: fail.Lower
- May 16Third reading as amended by ConferenceMinor
- May 16Motion prevailed
- May 16Motion to adopt conference committee report question recurred
- May 16Motion did not prevail
- May 16Motion to return bill to conference committee
- May 16Motion to adopt conference committee report
- May 16Conference committee report
- May 16Senate adopted conference committee report, bill repassed
- May 15Third Reading Repassed
- Vote recorded Third Reading Repassed. Result: pass.Upper
- May 15Senate adopted CC report and repassed bill
- May 15Conference committee report
- May 14House conferees Youakim; Noor; Kresha; Schomacker
- May 13Senate conferees Kunesh; Cwodzinski; Clark; Rarick
- Vote recorded Passage. Result: pass.Lower
- May 13Senate not concur, conference committee requested
- May 13Returned from House with amendment
- May 13House conferees Youakim, Noor, Kresha, and Schomacker
- May 13House accedes, conference committee of 4 to be appointed
- May 13Senate conferees Kunesh, Cwodzinski, Clark, and Rarick
- May 13Senate refuses to concur, conference committee of 4 requested
- May 13Bill was passedPassed 2nd Chamber
- May 13Third readingMinor
- May 12House rule 1.21, placed on Calendar for the Day Wednesday, May 13, 2026
- May 11Second readingMinor
- May 11Committee report, to adopt as amendedMinor
- Apr 22Senate file first reading, referred to Ways and Means
- Apr 22Received from SenateMinor
- Apr 21Third reading PassedPassed 1st Chamber
- Vote recorded Third reading Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Motion did not prevail to re-refer to Human Services. Result: fail.Upper
- Apr 21Motion did not prevail to re-refer to Human Services
- Apr 21Special Order
- Apr 15Second readingMinor
- Apr 15Comm report: To pass as amendedMinor
- Mar 26Comm report: To pass and re-referred to FinanceMinor
- Mar 9Referred to Education FinanceMinor
- Mar 9Introduction and first readingIntroduced
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