SF2839 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Unreimbursed special education aid paid by the resident school district to a charter school reduction; state portion of special education aid for unreimbursed charter school expenditures increase; appropriating money
Related bill: HF1099
AI Generated Summary
Purpose of the Bill
This bill is designed to adjust how special education funding is handled for charter schools in Minnesota. It aims to reduce the burden on resident school districts for covering the costs of special education that are not reimbursed to charter schools, and instead increase the state’s financial contribution to these expenses.
Main Provisions
- Increase in State Funding: The bill proposes an increase in the state's contribution toward unreimbursed special education costs incurred by charter schools.
- Funding Adjustments: Adjustments to the special education aid paid to charter schools depend on whether they receive general education revenue. There are specific formulae for these adjustments, which differ based on whether the charter school receives general education revenue on behalf of the student.
- Stage-Based Implementation: The adjustments to the percentage of unreimbursed costs covered by the state are staged, starting from five percent in fiscal year 2020, increasing to ten percent through fiscal year 2025, then rising to 40 percent for fiscal year 2026 and beyond.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- The existing statute is amended to restructure how funds are allocated to cover special education costs without extra reimbursement. The amendments clarify the percentage of costs that will be covered by the state versus what the resident district needs to support.
- Explicitly increases the state’s financial obligation to charter schools that provide special education services, ultimately decreasing the financial responsibility of resident school districts over time.
Relevant Terms
special education aid, charter schools, unreimbursed costs, state funding, resident school district, general education revenue, tuition adjustment
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF file
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 19, 2025 | Senate | Floor | Action | Introduction and first reading | |
| March 19, 2025 | Senate | Floor | Action | Referred to | Education Finance |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Clarifies the adjustment of special education aid for charter schools without general education revenue."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "The bill modifies the allocation of special education aid to charter schools under section 124E.21.",
"modified": [
"Adjustments to the special education aid calculation for fiscal years 2020 to 2026 and later."
]
},
"citation": "124E.21"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "The bill refers to the calculation of special education aid as if the charter school were a school district under section 125A.76.",
"modified": [
"Specifies how special education aid is adjusted based on whether the charter school receives general education revenue."
]
},
"citation": "125A.76"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "The section 127A.47 is crucial for determining adjustments in education aid between school districts and charter schools.",
"modified": [
"The aid is adjusted per paragraphs b to e for schools receiving general education revenue in section 127A.47 subdivision 7."
]
},
"citation": "127A.47"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "References section 125A.11 for aid adjustment for charter schools without general education revenue.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "125A.11"
}
]