Continued enrollment authorization for certain online students with a temporary break in residency

A bill for an act

relating to education finance; authorizing continued enrollment for certain online

students with a temporary break in residency; appropriating money; amending

Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 120A.20, subdivision 1; 126C.05, subdivision

1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120A.20, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Age limitations; pupils.

(a) All schools supported in whole or in part

by state funds are public schools. Admission to a public school is free to any person who:

(1) resides within the district that operates the school
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or qualifies under paragraph (d)
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; (2)

is under 21 years of age or who meets the requirements of paragraph (c); and (3) satisfies

the minimum age requirements imposed by this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of

any law to the contrary, the conduct of all students under 21 years of age attending a public

secondary school is governed by a single set of reasonable rules and regulations promulgated

by the school board.

(b) A person shall not be admitted to a public school (1) as a kindergarten pupil, unless

the pupil is at least five years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school

year for which the pupil seeks admission commences; or (2) as a 1st grade student, unless

the pupil is at least six years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school

year for which the pupil seeks admission commences or has completed kindergarten; except

that any school board may establish a policy for admission of selected pupils at an earlier

age under section
124D.02
.

(c) A pupil who becomes age 21 after enrollment is eligible for continued free public

school enrollment until at least one of the following occurs: (1) the first September 1 after

the pupil's 21st birthday; (2) the pupil's completion of the graduation requirements; (3) the

pupil's withdrawal with no subsequent enrollment within 21 calendar days; (4) the end of

the school year; or (5) in the case of a student with a disability as defined under section

125A.02
, the pupil's 22nd birthday.

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(d) A pupil continues to qualify for free public school under paragraph (a), clause (1),

if:

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(1) the pupil has been continuously enrolled in the school district or charter school for

at least one year;

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(2) at least one parent of the pupil remains a resident of Minnesota;

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(3) the pupil has enrolled in online learning under section 124D.094;

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(4) the public school where the pupil is enrolled and the pupil mutually agree on a course

of study for the pupil while the pupil is a nonresident;

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(5) the pupil participating in online learning is physically absent from the school district

for not more than 60 consecutive school days; and

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(6) the pupil intends to return to the pupil's school district or charter school after the

pupil's physical absence from the state ends.

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EFFECTIVE DATE.

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This section is effective July 1, 2026.

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Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 126C.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Pupil unit.

Pupil units for each Minnesota resident pupil under the age

of 21 or who meets the requirements of section
120A.20
, subdivision 1, paragraph (c)
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or

(d)
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, in average daily membership enrolled in the district of residence, in another district

under sections
123A.05
to
123A.08
,
124D.03
,
124D.08
, or
124D.68
; in a charter school

under chapter 124E; or for whom the resident district pays tuition under sections
123A.18
,

123A.22
,
123A.30
,
123A.32
,
123A.44
,
123A.488
,
123B.88, subdivision 4
,
124D.04
,

124D.05
,
125A.03
to
125A.24
,
125A.51
, or
125A.65
, shall be counted according to this

subdivision.

(a) A prekindergarten pupil with a disability who is enrolled in a program approved by

the commissioner and has an individualized education program is counted as the ratio of

the number of hours of assessment and education service to 825 times 1.0 with a minimum

average daily membership of 0.28, but not more than 1.0 pupil unit.

(b) A prekindergarten pupil who is assessed but determined not to be disabled is counted

as the ratio of the number of hours of assessment service to 825 times 1.0.

(c) A prekindergarten pupil who is not included in paragraph (a) or (b) and is enrolled

in an approved voluntary prekindergarten program under section
142D.08
is counted as the

ratio of the number of hours of instruction to 850 times 1.0, but not more than 0.6 pupil

units.

(d) A kindergarten pupil is counted as 1.0 pupil unit if the pupil is enrolled in a free

all-day, every day kindergarten program available to all kindergarten pupils at the pupil's

school that meets the minimum hours requirement in section
120A.41
, or is counted as .55

pupil unit, if the pupil is not enrolled in a free all-day, every day kindergarten program

available to all kindergarten pupils at the pupil's school.

(e) A pupil who is in any of grades 1 to 6 is counted as 1.0 pupil unit.

(f) A pupil who is in any of grades 7 to 12 is counted as 1.2 pupil units.

(g) A pupil who is in the postsecondary enrollment options program is counted as 1.2

pupil units.

(h) A prekindergarten pupil who:

(1) is not included in paragraph (a), (b), or (c);

(2) is enrolled in a school readiness plus program under section
142D.07
; and

(3) has one or more of the risk factors specified by the eligibility requirements for a

school readiness plus program,

is counted as the ratio of the number of hours of instruction to 850 times 1.0, but not more

than 0.6 pupil units. A pupil qualifying under this paragraph must be counted in the same

manner as a voluntary prekindergarten student for all general education and other school

funding formulas.

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EFFECTIVE DATE.

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This section is effective July 1, 2026.

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Sec. 3.
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APPROPRIATION; STATE AID FOR ADDITIONAL ONLINE PUPILS.
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Subdivision 1.

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Department of Education.

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The sum indicated in this section is

appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal year

designated.

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Subd. 2.

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Additional state aid.

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For additional state aid for general education revenue

and other education programs:

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$

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.......

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.....

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2027

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