February forecast adjustments law features miscellaneous educational provisions

A new law adjusts budgets for the Department of Education, Department of Human Services, Department of Children, Youth, and Families and Metropolitan Council to match the February 2026 forecast data and contains various educational provisions.

Sponsored by Rep. Cheryl Youakim (DFL-Hopkins) and Sen. Mary Kunesh (DFL-New Brighton), the law takes effect July 1, 2026, unless otherwise noted.

The law contains several non-budget educational provisions:

• paraprofessionals who have demonstrated work skill competencies satisfy state and federal requirements for paraprofessionals;

• establishing a General Fund aid program for the state’s four tribal contract schools, equal to the amount apportioned to school districts and charter schools from the permanent school fund;

• authorizing school districts to use operating capital revenue to pay utility service costs starting in Fiscal Year 2027;

• effective May 28, 2026, extending availability of previously allocated grants for gender-neutral single-user restrooms through June 30, 2029; and

• also effective May 28, 2026, authorizing West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan ($4.5 million) and Maple Lake ($1.8 million) school districts to make permanent transfers on June 30, 2026, from their building construction funds to the reserved account for operating capital in the general fund without making levy reductions if the districts’ respective school boards approve the transfer.

HF4213/SF4282*/CH109

SF4282* / HF4213 / CH109