Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to improve school safety by increasing funding and resources available for safe schools initiatives within Minnesota's educational institutions. It seeks to provide additional revenue for school districts, intermediate school districts, and cooperative units to enhance school security measures and prevention programs.

Main Provisions

1. Increased Safe Schools Revenue: The bill proposes an increase in the safe schools revenue, providing school districts with either $100,000 or the amount resulting from multiplying 44 by the number of pupil units, whichever is greater, starting in fiscal year 2026.

2. Safe Schools Levy: School districts are authorized to levy an amount based on 36 times their adjusted pupil units for each school year.

3. Safe Schools Aid: Introduces a method to calculate school district aid based on the difference between proposed revenue and actual levy amounts, essentially covering gaps in funding.

4. Extend to Cooperative Units: Expands safe schools revenue to include cooperative units, with specific calculations from fiscal year 2027 and additional funding mechanisms through levies.

5. Use of Funds: The revenue must be used for:

   • Salaries and costs for school liaison officers and security programs.
   • Drug abuse and gang resistance education.
   • School security enhancements such as facility upgrades and cybersecurity.
   • Mental health and student welfare services, including counselors and collaborations with mental health professionals.

6. Revenue Transfer: Allows revenue raised by member districts in intermediate school districts and cooperative units to be transferred to respective units for safe schools programs.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expand Funding: Broadens the scope of safe schools funding to cover cooperative units, not just individual school districts.
• Funding Calculation and Allocation: Introduces new methods for calculating safe schools revenue and aid, aiming to ensure adequate funding distribution based on pupil numbers and actual levies.
• Enhanced Use Categories: Specifies a broader and more detailed range of uses for the safe schools revenue, including mental health service collaborations and technological updates for cybersecurity.

Relevant Terms

• Safe schools revenue
• School districts
• Intermediate school districts
• Cooperative units
• Safe schools levy
• Safe schools aid
• Pupil units
• School security
• Mental health professionals
• Cybersecurity