Takeaways from the 2026-27 Minnesota Governor’s Biennial Budget

What’s changing:
The proposal increases MDE’s administrative capacity to support the A&I program and clarifies district responsibilities, responding directly to findings from the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA).

Cost:

• No new money
• No reduction in aid to districts
• Funds are reallocated within the program by increasing the administrative set-aside from 0.03% to 1.3%
  (≈ $1.16M per year for administration).

Why this is needed:

• The number of participating districts has more than tripled (from 53 to ~180), but:
  • MDE has only 3 staff supporting all A&I districts
  • No dedicated funding exists for training, travel, or professional development
• Districts need timely coaching, feedback, and technical assistance to meet statutory A&I requirements.

What improves under this proposal:

• Increases A&I staffing (from 3 to ~8 specialists)
• Provides districts with:
  • Faster feedback on plans and budgets
  • More coaching and professional development
  • Clearer timelines and expectations
• Clarifies that:
  • Districts, not MDE, are responsible for using up to 20% of A&I funds to implement improvement plans when goals aren’t met (per OLA recommendation).

What does NOT change:

• District eligibility
• Total A&I funding
• Program purpose (integration, achievement, equity)

Impact on students and districts:

• Better-supported district plans
• Stronger implementation of integration and achievement strategies
• Improved capacity to address Minnesota’s large racial and economic achievement gaps

Bottom line:
This is a capacity and accountability fix, not an expansion—ensuring the A&I program can function effectively at its current scale.