This bill aims to enhance funding and support for prekindergarten through grade 12 education in Minnesota, while also modifying existing provisions related to educational excellence, teacher support, and student safety. Key amendments include the establishment of a reserve account for English learner revenue, adjustments to compensatory education revenue calculations, and expanded allowable uses for total operating capital revenue to cover utility service costs. The bill also introduces new requirements for capital project levy referendums, emphasizing transparency in funding allocation, particularly for compensatory education, and mandates that at least 80 percent of compensatory revenue be allocated to the schools generating the revenue.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for improving health insurance transparency for school districts and charter schools, requiring annual surveys on health insurance costs and reporting to legislative committees. It also addresses child maltreatment reporting, expanding the grounds for teacher license revocation to include grooming offenses, and introduces new penalties for licensed educators committing acts against students. Funding for school safety initiatives is allocated, including a one-time appropriation for safety aid and grants to nonpublic schools. The bill modifies various educational aid appropriations, ensuring that funding reflects the current needs of Minnesota's educational institutions, with effective dates for many provisions set for August 1, 2026, or elections held on or after September 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 126C.21
1st Engrossment: 120B.30, 123B.63, 124D.65, 126C.10, 126C.15, 126C.17, 275.60, 124D.094, 471.6161, 122A.20, 260E.15, 260E.28, 609.352