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

What’s changing:
The Governor proposes expanding how districts can use Student Support Personnel Aid (SSPA) and changing how some of the aid is distributed to cooperatives; with no new cost (budget-neutral).

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Why this change is proposed

• Student mental health needs are high (Minnesota Student Survey data cited).
• Districts report they can’t fully spend SSPA as currently written because:
  • There are severe shortages of licensed staff (especially social workers and nurses).
  • The aid often isn’t enough to fund a full position, making hiring and contracting difficult.
  • The current method of sending cooperative aid through member districts has caused confusion.

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What districts could do with the aid if they can’t hire licensed staff

If an LEA tries in good faith but cannot hire or contract licensed student support personnel, SSPA could also be used for:

1. Keep existing positions from being cut due to enrollment declines
2. Pay for training + job-embedded coaching (SEL, trauma-informed, anti-bias practices, evidence-based interventions, school mental health systems)
3. Buy evidence-based, culturally responsive materials/programs that support student wellbeing
   • With guardrails: funds can’t be used for things like “rewards” for behavior

(Core uses like hiring, increasing FTE, or contracting remain allowed.)

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Distribution change for cooperatives

• Aid for cooperative units/intermediates would be sent directly to eligible cooperatives (instead of flowing through districts).
• The total amount statewide stays the same (revenue-neutral distribution shift).
• New baseline distribution rules include:
  • Minimum $100,000 per cooperative
  • Additional amount for cooperatives with more than 10 member districts (extra per district over 10)
  • Remaining aid distributed per commissioner method

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Bottom line

This is a flexibility and implementation fix: it lets districts use SSPA effectively even during staffing shortages and cleans up how cooperative aid is delivered; so schools can strengthen mental health supports without losing money due to rigid rules.

AND Also:

Rename Student Support Personnel Pipeline Grant Program – Plain-Language Summary

What’s changing:
The grant program will be renamed from “Student Support Personnel Pipeline Grant” to “Student Support Personnel Pathway Grant.”

Cost:

• No fiscal impact
• No program changes
• No new staff or funding

Why this change is proposed:

• The term “pipeline” has negative historical and cultural connotations, particularly for American Indian communities, where pipeline projects are associated with threats to sovereignty.
• Grantees and stakeholders requested more culturally responsive and affirming language.
• “Pathway” better reflects the program’s purpose of supporting individual educational and career journeys.

What the program actually does (unchanged):

• Supports higher-education institutions in preparing students to become:
  • School psychologists
  • School nurses
  • School counselors
  • School social workers
• Focuses on growing a diverse student support workforce, including candidates who are people of color and Indigenous.

Impact on students and families:

• No direct operational impact.
• Reinforces the importance of student support personnel in:
  • Mental health services
  • Social-emotional learning
  • Creating safe, nurturing school environments

Bottom line:
This is a terminology update only, intended to use language that is more culturally respectful—not a change in funding, eligibility, or program goals.