Minnesota Senate Bill SF3186

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/1/25
• Refer: 4/1/25

Caption

Literacy incentive aid program modifications, new literacy aid eligible uses establishment, and appropriation

Summary

SF3186 revises Minnesota’s literacy incentive aid program and creates a broader literacy aid structure for school districts. The bill replaces the current proficiency-and-growth-only framework with four components: proficiency aid, growth aid, basic literacy aid, English learner literacy aid, and targeted literacy aid. It also defines how aid is calculated, including formulas tied to third- and fourth-grade reading MCA performance, kindergarten through grade four enrollment, English learner concentration, and poverty concentration. The bill also specifies that districts must use literacy incentive aid to support evidence-based reading instruction and local literacy plans. Eligible uses include staff training on screening and progress-monitoring tools, Read Act-approved training, hiring literacy leads or intervention specialists, approved screeners and coaching, substitute teacher costs for required training, and stipends for teachers completing required training. The bill appropriates general fund money to the Department of Education for literacy aid for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, with the exact dollar amounts left blank in the introduced version.

Impact

The bill would amend Minnesota Statutes section 124D.98 and expand the state’s literacy aid program by adding new aid categories and new distribution formulas. It would shift state education funding toward early literacy, English learner support, and poverty-targeted assistance, while tying district eligibility and spending to local literacy plans under the Read Act framework. The bill would also require the commissioner of education to determine free and reduced-price meal eligibility counts for aid purposes and allow reporting guidelines to improve data accuracy. Its effective date is for aid payable in fiscal year 2026 and later.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears generally supportive of statewide literacy improvement efforts and aligned with existing Read Act and evidence-based reading policy goals. The bill was introduced and referred to the Senate Education Finance Committee, but no committee transcript or recorded vote information is available in the provided materials, so there is no documented public debate or formal sentiment from committee action. The structure of the bill suggests a policy emphasis on targeted support rather than a controversial change in direction.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the available committee materials or voting history. Potential areas of debate, based on the bill’s design, could include the new funding formulas, the use of test-based measures for proficiency and growth aid, and the requirement that districts spend aid on approved evidence-based literacy activities and training. Districts with different student demographics may also have differing views on the English learner and poverty concentration components, but no named opponents or supporters are identified in the record provided.