Special education teacher pathway program modification to include related services providers

A bill for an act

relating to education finance; modifying the special education teacher pathway

program to include related services providers; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024,

section 122A.77, as amended.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.77, as amended by Laws 2025, First

Special Session chapter 10, article 3, section 17, is amended to read:

122A.77 SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER
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AND RELATED SERVICES

PROVIDER
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PATHWAY PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.

Grant program established.

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(a)
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The commissioner of education must

administer a grant program to develop a pathway for trained, licensed Tier 3 or Tier 4 special

education teachers
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and related services providers under paragraph (d)
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. A school district,

charter school, Tribal contract school, or cooperative unit under section
123A.24, subdivision

2
, may apply for a grant under this section.

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(b)
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An applicant
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seeking funding for a special education teacher pathway grant
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must

partner with:

(1) a Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved teacher preparation

program;

(2) a Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation-accredited teacher preparation

program from a private, not-for-profit, institution of higher education; or

(3) an institution that has an articulated transfer pathway with a board-approved teacher

preparation program.

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(c) An applicant seeking funding for a related services provider pathway grant must

partner with a regionally accredited college or university or an appropriate preparation

program in which candidates enroll to meet licensure requirements necessary for Tier 3

licensure as related services providers.

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(d) For purposes of this section, "related services providers" means:

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(1) school counselors;

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(2) school nurses;

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(3) school psychologists;

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(4) school social workers; or

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(5) school speech-language pathologists.

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Subd. 2.

Grant uses.

(a) A grant recipient must use grant funds to support participants

who are employed by the grant recipient and demonstrate a willingness to be a special

education teacher
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or a related services provider
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after completing the program.

(b) A grant recipient may use grant funds for:

(1) tuition assistance or stipends for participants;

(2) supports for participants, including mentoring, licensure test preparation, and

technology support; or

(3) participant recruitment.

Subd. 3.

Grant procedure.

(a) Applicants must apply for a grant under this section in

the form and manner specified by the commissioner.

(b) In awarding grants, the commissioner must prioritize funding for training to allow

participants holding a Tier 1 or Tier 2 special education license to obtain a Tier 3 special

education license.

(c) To the extent that there are sufficient applications, the commissioner must, to the

extent practicable, award an equal number of grants between applicants in greater Minnesota

and applicants in the metropolitan area.

Subd. 4.

Report.

Within one year of receiving grant funds, and for each year that a

recipient receives grant funds, a grant recipient must report to the commissioner in the form

and manner determined by the commissioner the number of participants in the program and

how grant funds were used. The commissioner must publish an annual report that identifies

the grant recipients and summarizes how grant funds are used.

Subd. 5.

Special education teacher
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and related services provider
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pathway program

account.

(a) An account is established in the special revenue fund known as the special

education teacher
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and related services provider
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pathway program account.

(b) Funds appropriated for the special education teacher
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and related services provider
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pathway program under this section must be transferred to the special
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educator
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education
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teacher
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and related services provider
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pathway program account in the special revenue fund.

(c) Money in the account is annually appropriated to the commissioner for the special

education teacher
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and related services provider
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pathway program under this section. Any

returned funds are available to be regranted. Grant recipients may apply to use grant money

over a period of up to 60 months.

(d) Up to $175,000 annually is appropriated to the commissioner for costs associated

with administering and monitoring the program under this section.

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EFFECTIVE DATE.

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This section is effective July 1, 2026.

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