Week 2 – Education Committees Focus on Safety, Supports
The Week in Review
The Education Committees in both the House and Senate put a focus on student safety, student supports, attendance improvements, and statewide systems of academic improvement for schools. Additional subjects including PSEO, the Permanent School Trust Funds, Health Standards and more were teed up through various presentations and several bills. Despite the divided legislature, some bills are starting to advance in the process, while others that have been flagged as partisan are falling short in the House’s tied committee process.
Senate Education Policy
The committee advanced SF 2769 (Oumou Verbeten), establishing a time-limited Dual Enrollment/PSEO task force. Testifiers—including students, advocates, and principals—spoke to their positive experiences with PSEO. The aim of the task force is to explore funding to address equity gaps in information, transportation and meals. The bill passed as amended and was referred to the committee on Higher Education. The committee also received the annual update from the Minnesota P-20 Education Partnership, a cross-sector working group, of which MREA is a member.
Members also heard a briefing from the Minnesota Office of School Trust Lands, who shared that approximately $58 million in trust funds were distributed to districts in 2025. SF 3594 (Kunesh) was presented to adjust the Trust’s reporting timeline from quarterly to annually, allowing for more comprehensive data analysis and better legislative oversight. The bill passed and was moved to the committee on Environment, Climate, and Legacy.
Discussion then turned to school climate and safety. SF 508 (Mann), would create statewide limits on cell phone use (bell-to-bell restrictions K–8 and classroom restrictions 9–12, with exceptions). While there was broad agreement that phones impede focus, learning, student mental health, and well-being, testimony split between support for the bill’s consistent statewide standard and concerns about preserving local control over school safety policies as well as family communication during non-instructional time. The bill was laid over for potential inclusion in the Education Policy Omnibus bill. On Wednesday, members heard from Minnesota’s School Counselor of the Year about staffing shortages (Minnesota ranks 48th nationally for counselor-to-student ratios) and the need for clearer statutory roles and consistent funding for student support services.
Finally, the committee advanced two measures aimed at operational clarity and student protections. SF 3611 (Kunesh) requires law enforcement or immigration agents to present a valid judicial warrant and identification before entering school sites and to notify district leadership, addressing learning disruptions and attendance concerns; it passed unanimously on a 10-0 roll-call vote, with one absence. This bill failed to advance in the House Education Policy committee on a tied, party-line vote a week ago. SF 3803 (Mann) would codify into state law protections aligned with Plyler v. Doe, prohibiting denial of education based on real or perceived immigration status and creating a civil remedy; it passed 6–4 along party lines with DFL support. Both bills will be sent to the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.
Senate Education Finance
The committee’s primary focus on Tuesday was student attendance and its fiscal impacts on districts. For example, testimony from Columbia Heights Public Schools described significant enrollment declines linked to recent immigration enforcement activity, with implications of an estimated $2.5 million loss in general revenue and $3.6 million in compensatory funding, without the stabilization support districts had during COVID. MDE staff provided updates on the COMPASS attendance initiative (led by a statewide team that includes Minnesota Service Cooperative staff) and MnMTSS supports, and county and district partners reported on the Student Attendance Pilot Program. Much of the discussion centered on the need for more consistency in attendance definitions and reporting (including the “15-day drop”), improved real-time data sharing across systems, and statewide clarity so funding, accountability, and interventions can better align across districts.
Thursday was Library Day in committee. Testifiers highlighted the importance of public libraries in ensuring equitable access to physical and digital materials statewide, and spoke to the vital role of Licensed K-12 Media Specialists in developing student literacy and research skills, as well as a lifelong love of reading. SF 3684 (Kunesh) was passed to the Capital Investment Committee. The bill adds $10 million in state bonding funds to the Mary C. Murphy Library Construction Grants program which supports renovation or replacement of library facilities.
House Education Finance
The House Education Finance Committee spent Tuesday’s hearings focused on school safety funding proposals and the structure of existing aid programs. Multiple bills (HFs 3492, 3495, 3493, 3494 and 3602) sought to provide one-time safety grants, expand funding eligibility to charter, non-public, cooperative units, and tribal schools, or establish more formalized safety planning requirements and advisory structures. Members and testifiers generally agreed that student safety is a bipartisan priority, but disagreement arose over how limited resources should be allocated. Several public school leaders and labor representatives cautioned that expanding eligibility to non-public schools without increasing overall funding could dilute already strained district budgets and reduce staffing or student supports, while charter and non-public advocates emphasized equitable access to safety dollars for all Minnesota students. A consistent theme was balancing one-time “hardening” investments (secured entrances, technology, facilities upgrades) with ongoing needs such as counselors, social workers, and school resource officers, which many legislators noted require sustainable funding rather than grants. All four bills were laid over for further consideration.
Like their Senate counterparts, House committee members also heard detailed presentations on attendance reporting from MDE, including Average Daily Membership (ADM) calculations and compensatory aid, with particular attention to the “15-day drop” rule. Districts raised concerns about the administrative complexity of tracking attendance in current systems (MARS/Ed-Fi), the need for more real-time data, and the local variability in absence definitions. Lawmakers asked MDE to consider flexibility and clearer guidance, especially as external disruptions and mobility issues may be affecting attendance patterns.
Finally, testimony from school nurses, counselors, social workers, and psychologists highlighted significant staffing shortages and emphasized that preventative, relationship-based supports are critical to keeping students in school. Presenters described increasing student anxiety and trauma, and urged sustained investment in licensed student support personnel and coordinated, evidence-based interventions.
House Education Policy
Co-Chair Bennett’s bill HF 3489, which would establish a statewide field trip policy, add grooming to mandatory reporting requirements, and create a new felony offense for grooming, received strong bipartisan support. Testimony from survivors, law enforcement, and education groups emphasized closing gaps that allow isolated adult–student contact, particularly on overnight trips, while also ensuring clear training and practical exceptions for staffing realities. The bill was amended and advanced to Public Safety, reflecting broad agreement on strengthening preventative protections for students and reporting structures.
The committee also reviewed MDE’s proposed health standards and the implementation of updated social studies standards, including ethnic studies and inquiry-based instructional approaches. Members questioned transparency, costs, and teacher preparation impacts, while some public commenters raised concerns about process and perceived ideological bias. MDE reported one-time rulemaking and implementation costs and described the shift as aligned with national trends toward student inquiry, disciplinary literacy, and interdisciplinary learning. HF 3550 (Bennett), a related bill to allow districts to set local health standards, was held over for later discussion.
Additional hearings addressed student rights and school safety measures. Rep. Sencer-Mura’s bill HF 3409, a proposal to prohibit denial of education based on immigration status, generated a split vote, did not pass, and was laid over, reflecting disagreement about whether additional state protections are necessary beyond existing federal law.
Members also considered firearm storage and access restrictions on school property and at activities (HF 3401 Greene), as well as requirements for anonymous threat reporting systems (HF 3487 Rehrauer). Testimony from students, school leaders, law enforcement, and prevention advocates—including Sandy Hook Promise—stressed evidence-based prevention, consistent policies, and proactive reporting as more effective than reactive measures. Both bills were laid over for further refinement, underscoring ongoing debate about scope, implementation, and balancing safety with operational practicality.
The Week Ahead
House Education Finance
The House Ed Finance committee, with Co-Chair Rep. Kresha (R-Little Falls) holding the gavel on Tuesday, will hear organizational and funding overview reports from MDE and the Perpich Center for Arts Education. On Thursday, with Co-Chair Rep. Youakim (D-Hopkins) holding the gavel, members will hear a presentation from The Violence Prevention Project, and will consider three bills related to safe school revenue and anonymous threat reporting systems grants (HF 3653, HF 2717, HF 3451).
House Education Policy
On Tuesday, with Co-Chair Rep. Bennett (R-Albert Lea) holding the gavel, the House Education Policy Committee will hear updates about educator licensing, current and anticipated rulemaking, and teacher preparation programs from PELSB; and they will discuss two related bills including HF 3635 (Hill) and HF 3638 (Hill). When Co-Chair Rep. Jordan (D-Minneapolis) holds the gavel on Wednesday, members will hear a COMPASS Attendance Presentation by MDE and discuss a related bill, HF 3585 (Keeler). Two more bills, one on establishing a climate literacy seal (HF 3557 Kraft), and one prohibiting screen time for children in preschool and kindergarten (HF 3776 Sencer-Mura), will be presented.
Senate Education Finance
This week, Senate Ed Finance will hear presentations from the MN Violence Prevention Project and the Vital Network for Staff Mental Health and Retention. Pending Committee Referral, they will hear a bill requiring access to relationship-building and de-escalation training in schools. Finally, they will hear a report from the Permanent School Fund Task Force, and related bills on modifications to permanent school fund calculations (SF 3593 Kunesh) and a proposal to create a statewide mandatory system of health insurance coverage for all school employees, using an amendment to SF 1201 (Kunesh) for this discussion.
Senate Education Policy
Agendas for this week’s Senate Education Policy Committee meetings have not yet been posted.
Join MREA Advocacy Briefings
MREA’s Advocacy Briefings, held Mondays at 10 am, are the best way to stay informed about weekly developments at the Capitol, including updates on MREA’s priorities and platform issues. Members can register today to join the MREA Advocacy Briefings. Find the detailed budget forecast materials here.