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HF 56

Safe schools aid created, student support personnel aid repealed, and money appropriated.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ben Bakeberg and 4 co-sponsors

Summary of HF 56: Safe Schools Aid Created, Student Support Personnel Aid Repealed OverviewThis bill, titled "Safe schools aid created, student support personnel aid repealed, and

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Bill Summary · HF 56

Summary of HF 56: Safe Schools Aid Created, Student Support Personnel Aid Repealed

Overview

This bill, titled "Safe schools aid created, student support personnel aid repealed, and money appropriated", seeks to establish a new funding program for school safety initiatives while repealing an existing student support personnel aid program.

Key Provisions

  • Safe Schools Aid Program: The bill creates a new "Safe Schools Aid" program, which would provide funding to school districts and charter schools for a variety of safety-related expenses, including:

    • Hiring and training school resource officers, counselors, social workers, and other support staff
    • Purchasing safety equipment and technology (e.g. surveillance cameras, access control systems)
    • Implementing school safety training and preparedness programs
  • Funding Allocation: The bill appropriates $25 million per year for the Safe Schools Aid program. Funds would be distributed to schools based on their student enrollment, with a minimum allocation of $30,000 per district.

  • Repeal of Student Support Personnel Aid: The bill repeals the existing "Student Support Personnel Aid" program, which currently provides funding to hire counselors, social workers, and other student support staff. This program would be replaced by the new Safe Schools Aid.

Impact and Timeline

  • Affected Entities: The Safe Schools Aid program would impact all K-12 public school districts and charter schools in the state, providing them with additional resources for school safety initiatives.

  • Implementation Timeline: The bill specifies that the Safe Schools Aid program would be implemented starting in the 2026-2027 school year, with the first round of funding distributed to schools that fall.

  • Procedural Details: The bill requires the Minnesota Department of Education to establish application and allocation procedures for the Safe Schools Aid program. Schools would need to submit annual plans detailing how they intend to use the funds.

In summary, HF 56 aims to enhance school safety by creating a new funding program for security-related expenses, while discontinuing an existing student support personnel aid initiative. This legislation could have a significant impact on how schools approach safety and security, as well as the staffing and resources available to support students' social-emotional needs.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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