Safe schools funding increase sought for first time in 13 years

The last time safe school funding was increased in Minnesota was in 2013.

Thirteen years later, Rep. Julie Greene (DFL-Edina) is seeking to increase the money schools receive for security expenses.

She sponsors HF3653, which as amended, would increase safe schools revenue from $36 per pupil unit to $100 per pupil unit for Fiscal Year 2027 and expand safe school funding to intermediate, cooperative and charter schools.

Safe schools revenue is primarily spent on school resource officers, but can also be used for security, drug abuse and gang resistance programs, counseling, social work, and chemical dependency service.

“Safe school gives districts flexibility to determine what their schools and what their students need,” Greene said.

The House Education Finance Committee laid the bill over Thursday for possible omnibus bill inclusion.

In the Benson school district, the cost of the district’s school resource officer has increased 37% since 2013. “We now must use General Fund dollars to make up the expense,” said Superintendent Dennis Laumeyer, who also spoke on behalf of the Minnesota School Boards Association.

“Safety should not come at the expense of classroom opportunities,” he said.

Several educators from nonpublic schools oppose the bill because it would exclude them in the expanded funding.

Among them was Mike Rogers, president of Risen Christ Catholic School in south Minneapolis, who referenced the many state funds that go to nonpublic schools including for textbooks, transportation and school lunches.

“When it comes to safety, why are we suddenly proposing to treat them differently?” Rogers said.

Republicans largely agreed.

“All kids deserve the protection we are trying to pass. I just wish we could more fully include the other schools in this funding,” Rep. Duane Quam (R-Byron) said.

Rep. Ben Bakeberg (R-Jordan) said, “This is a choice to exclude and if we are going to use nonpublic schools to fit a political narrative that is trying to be driven, we need to be honest about it. We need to fund all kids, period, full stop.”