1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education finance; authorizing staff development funding for 
1.3 	intermediate school districts and other school cooperatives serving certain 
1.4 	children with disabilities; appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 
1.5 	2014, section 122A.61, by adding a subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 2015 
1.6 	Supplement, section 122A.61, subdivision 1.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.61, subdivision 1, 
1.9 	is amended to read:
1.10 		Subdivision 1.Staff development revenue for school districts. A district is 
1.11 	required to reserve an amount equal to at least two percent of the basic revenue under 
1.12 	section 126C.10, subdivision 2, for:
1.13 	(1) teacher development and evaluation under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 
1.14 	122A.41, subdivision 5;
1.15 	(2) principal development and evaluation under section 123B.147, subdivision 3;
1.16 	(3) professional development under section 122A.60; and
1.17 	(4) in-service education for programs under section 120B.22, subdivision 2.
1.18 	To the extent extra funds remain, staff development revenue may be used for 
1.19 	staff development plans, including plans for challenging instructional activities and 
1.20 	experiences under section 122A.60, and for curriculum development and programs, other 
1.21 	in-service education, teachers' mentoring under section 122A.70 and evaluation, teachers' 
1.22 	workshops, teacher conferences, the cost of substitute teachers for staff development 
1.23 	purposes, preservice and in-service education for special education professionals and 
1.24 	paraprofessionals, and other related costs for staff development efforts. A district may 
1.25 	annually waive the requirement to reserve their basic revenue under this section if a 
2.1 	majority vote of the licensed teachers in the district and a majority vote of the school board 
2.2 	agree to a resolution to waive the requirement. A district in statutory operating debt is 
2.3 	exempt from reserving basic revenue according to this section. Districts may expend an 
2.4 	additional amount of unreserved revenue for staff development based on their needs.

2.5 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2017 
2.6 	and later.

2.7 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.61, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.8 	to read:
2.9 		Subd. 1a.Staff development aid for intermediate school districts and other 
2.10 	cooperative units. (a) An intermediate school district or other cooperative unit providing 
2.11 	instruction to students in federal instructional settings of level 4 or higher qualifies for 
2.12 	staff development aid equal to $1,000 times the full-time equivalent number of licensed 
2.13 	instructional staff and nonlicensed classroom aides employed by the intermediate school 
2.14 	district or other cooperative unit during the previous fiscal year.
2.15 	(b) Staff development aid received under this subdivision must be used for activities 
2.16 	related to enhancing services to students who may have challenging behaviors or mental 
2.17 	health issues or be suffering from trauma. Specific qualifying staff development activities 
2.18 	include but are not limited to:
2.19 	(1) proactive behavior management;
2.20 	(2) personal safety training;
2.21 	(3) de-escalation techniques; and
2.22 	(4) adaptation of published curriculum and pedagogy for students with complex 
2.23 	learning and behavioral needs.
2.24 	(c) The aid received under this subdivision must be reserved and spent only on 
2.25 	the activities specified in this subdivision.

2.26 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2017 
2.27 	and later.

2.28 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; STAFF DEVELOPMENT AID FOR 
2.29 	COOPERATIVE UNITS.
 2.30 	$....... in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
2.31 	of education for payment of staff development aid to intermediate school districts and 
2.32 	other cooperative units under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.61, subdivision 1a.