SF5111

Purpose

• Increase and broaden safe schools funding to support district safety efforts and expand access to safe schools revenue for charter schools, cooperative units, nonpublic schools, and American Indian Tribal contract schools. The aim is to fund security, mental health, and related safety services in and around schools.

Main Provisions

• Safe schools revenue for districts

  • A district’s safe schools revenue is equal to its safe schools levy.
  • The safe schools levy equals 36 times the district’s adjusted pupil units for the year.

• Cooperative units and intermediate districts

  • Intermediate districts: districts that are members may include safe schools costs for intermediate programs, up to a limit (the authority may not exceed 15 times the district’s adjusted pupil units). Revenue raised goes to the intermediate district.
  • Other cooperative units: the safe schools aid equals 36 times the member districts’ pupil units for the year.
  • Payment: safe schools aid for cooperative units is paid to the cooperative unit in the commissioner-prescribed form.
  • Recipient designation: a district must designate only one cooperative unit as the recipient of its cooperative unit state aid.
  • Cooperative unit definition: the term has the meaning given in another statute (section 123A.24, subdivision 2).

• Safe schools aid for charter schools

  • For fiscal year 2027 and later, safe schools aid for a charter school equals 36 times the school’s adjusted pupil units.

• Safe schools aid for nonpublic schools

  • For fiscal year 2027 and later, safe schools aid for a nonpublic school equals 36 times the school’s enrollment for the school year.
  • Nonpublic schools must report enrollment and other necessary information to the commissioner; the commissioner will establish a payment schedule for these aid payments.
  • Nonpublic school definition: the term follows the definition in section 123B.41, subdivision 9.

• Safe schools aid for American Indian Tribal contract schools

  • Safe schools aid for tribal contract schools eligible under section 124D.83 equals 36 times the pupil units for the school year (calculated under 124D.83, subdivision 2).

Use of Safe Schools Revenue

• Eligible purposes (revenue must be reserved and used for these directly or reimbursing cities/counties that contract with districts):

  • Pay salaries, benefits, and transportation costs of peace officers and sheriffs for school liaison services.
  • Pay costs for drug abuse prevention programs (as defined in state law) in elementary schools.
  • Pay costs for gang resistance education and training curriculum.
  • Pay costs for security in district schools and on school property.
  • Pay costs for other crime prevention, drug abuse, student and staff safety measures, voluntary opt-in suicide prevention tools, and violence prevention measures.
  • Pay costs for licensed school counselors, nurses, social workers, school psychologists, and licensed professionals for alcohol/substance use disorder counseling to help provide early responses to problems.
  • Pay for facility security enhancements (e.g., laminated glass, public announcement systems, emergency communications devices, and related violence-prevention/security facility modifications).
  • Pay for improvements to school climate.
  • Pay for colocating and collaborating with mental health professionals not employed by the district or for school-linked mental health services delivered by telehealth.
  • Pay for cybersecurity measures (updating hardware/software, other system upgrades, and cybersecurity insurance).

• Implementation details for services (clause 1)

  • Districts should first try to contract for services with local police or sheriff departments within the district (city police or county sheriff). If a local department does not provide the needed services, districts may contract with any other police or sheriff department located wholly or partly within the district boundaries.

Administration and Timeline

• The bill specifies timing (notably, 2027 and later for certain new recipients) and the process for distributing and administering safe schools revenue to districts, cooperative units, charter schools, nonpublic schools, and tribal contract schools.

Significant Changes from Current Law

• Expands eligibility for safe schools revenue beyond traditional school districts to include charter schools, cooperative units, nonpublic schools, and American Indian Tribal contract schools.
• Increases the levy/aid calculation to 36 times various pupil-related measures (adjusted pupil units or enrollment) for multiple recipient types.
• Introduces formal methods for payment, reporting, and recipient designation (e.g., one designated cooperative unit per district).
• Broadens allowable uses to cover a wide range of safety, security, mental health, climate, and cybersecurity activities, with specific priority areas.
• Adds explicit contracting flexibility with police departments to secure required safety services.

Relevant Terms - Safe schools revenue - Safe schools levy - Adjusted pupil units - Intermediate school district - Cooperative unit - Charter school - Nonpublic school - American Indian Tribal contract school - 36 times (multiplier) - Enrollment (for nonpublic schools) - Drug abuse prevention program - Gang resistance education training - School climate - School-linked mental health services - Telehealth - Cybersecurity measures - Peace officers and sheriffs liaison - Violence prevention measures - School safety funding administration and payment schedule