Bill
HF 3764
Requires all Minnesota public schools to implement 24/7 anonymous reporting systems with evidence-based crisis response and annual transparency reporting.
Jurisdiction: Minnesota
Purpose and intent
- Establish a state framework requiring anonymous reporting systems in all Minnesota public elementary, middle, and secondary schools, with the goal of strengthening safety and crisis response.
- Create mandatory reporting, oversight, training, and public reporting requirements related to anonymous reporting systems and school discipline data.
Key provisions and changes
1) Anonymous Reporting System Requirements (Section 1)
- Definition of “evidence-based” as a standard (Subd. 1):
- A program or practice must show statistically significant outcomes via strong experimental evidence, or well-designed quasi-experimental/controlled correlational evidence, or be rational based on high-quality research with ongoing evaluation.
- School implementation deadline (Subd. 2):
- By July 1, 2028, each elementary, middle, and secondary school must implement an anonymous reporting system.
- System features (Subd. 2(a)):
- 24/7 anonymous reporting via a mobile app and multilingual crisis center.
- Crisis centers staffed with personnel trained in evidence-based counseling and crisis intervention.
- Immediate forwarding of reports to the appropriate school-based team.
- Coordinated response involving schools, 911 telecommunicators, and sworn law enforcement when safety requires.
- Training and certification for a school-based team to receive reports.
- Public education about the system and how to use it.
- Evidence-based student violence prevention training that teaches warning signs, seriousness of threats, seeking help, and how to report risk using the system.
- Data practices compliance under Minnesota law and FERPA.
- System options (Subd. 2(b)):
- A school may implement its own system or participate in a state-wide system developed/implemented by the Department of Education.
- Schools may contract to develop/implement a compliant system.
- Additional system requirements (Subd. 2(c)):
- Requires a website educating about the system and a toll-free hotline for anonymous tips related to dangerous or potentially harmful activity on school property or involving students or staff.
- School-based team formation (Subd. 2(d)):
- By Sept 1, 2027, each school must form a school-based team of at least three school employees and inform the commissioner of Education of the primary contact for each school-based team.
- Exemption for nonpublic schools (Subd. 2(e)):
- Nonpublic schools may implement an anonymous reporting system but are not subject to the subdivision’s requirements.
2) Department of Education Role (Section 1, Subd. 3)
- The Department, in collaboration with the Department of Public Safety, must:
- Make available a list of third-party anonymous reporting systems that meet the requirements, including free/low-cost options (Subd. 3(a)).
- By Jan 1, 2027, begin compiling and maintaining school-based team information reported to the Department (Subd. 3(b)).
- May operate or contract for a statewide anonymous reporting system meeting the requirements (Subd. 3(c)).
3) Annual Reporting and Transparency (Section 1, Subd. 4)
- By December 15, 2028, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Education must report to relevant legislative committees on:
- Total number of anonymous reporting system reports received (previous school year).
- Disaggregated data since enactment by school site: report type, reporting method, and number of false reports (Subd. 4(2)).
- How schools responded to reports, including disciplinary actions, non-disciplinary actions, and interventions (Subd. 4(3)).
- Demographic details (gender and race) of students subject to disciplinary actions, non-disciplinary actions, or interventions as a result of a report (Subd. 4(4)).
4) Funding (Section 1, Subd. 5)
- Departments and schools may accept funds from public and private sources (state/federal) to support the anonymous reporting system, including funding intended to enhance school safety.
Effective dates
- Section 1 (anonymous reporting system requirements): July 1, 2026.
- Subsection-related department actions and reporting: ongoing with specified deadlines (e.g., Jan 1, 2027 for data compilation; July 1, 2028 target for full implementation and reporting).
- Section 2 (amendment to 121A.53) takes effect July 1, 2026.
Other statutory provisions (Section 2)
- Changes to 121A.53 require reporting related to exclusions/expulsions, assaults on district employees, and student withdrawals within 30 days, with data fields including age, grade, gender, race, and special education status.
- Reports must indicate whether discipline is related to anonymous reporting system notices.
- Aggregate data will be included in the annual school performance reports.
Impact and scope
Notes
- The bill emphasizes evidence-based approaches in program definitions and requires coordination among schools, emergency services, and law enforcement.
- Data privacy and FERPA-compliant practices are required for reported information.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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