The bill appropriates funding for school safety aid, additional compensatory aid, and contains other student safety provisions
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Today, the Senate Education Finance Committee passed Senate File 3551 – this year’s supplemental education budget. The bill, which focuses on school safety, district funding flexibility, and supporting students with the highest needs, was passed to the Senate Finance Committee with bipartisan support.
Following the passage of last year’s education budget, this year’s supplemental budget appropriates an additional $75 million for schools, including $34 million in compensatory aid adjustments and $40 million in one-time school safety aid.
Senate File 3551 also contains anti-grooming protections and policies for students, and encourages schools to implement anonymous threat reporting systems to keep students and staff safe.
“This budget is a reflection of our committee’s shared commitment to student safety and support,” said Senator Mary Kunesh (DFL-New Brighton), Chair of the Education Finance Committee and author of SF 3551. “After the shooting at Annunciation last summer, it’s clear that we must do more to protect our children and their educators. The funding appropriated in this bill will help us in those pursuits, and I’m glad our state is pushing forward other initiatives to protect students in other ways as well. There is more we can and must do to protect students from gun violence, but this school safety aid is a good starting point.
“I’m also pleased that we are advancing fixes to state compensatory aid. Every student deserves a quality education, and these dollars will help our young learners who need it the most. I look forward to seeing our proposals passed into law.”
The Senate Finance Committee could consider Senate File 3551 as early as next week.
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