We are Minnesota residents who support HF 3969.

In 2025, a law was passed that assumes $250 million in reductions to special education funding every two years starting in 2027. If those savings are not found, schools will still be required to reduce funding.

At the same time, schools are required by law to provide special education services. These services do not stop when funding is reduced.

Right now, schools already pay part of the cost of special education. When funding is cut further, they have to stretch staff and somehow do more with even less. 

We’ve already had long-term shortages, burnout, and high turnover in SPED staff. Our children are losing supports and consistency they need and progress is getting more and more challenging. High turnover and  recruiting costs our school districts a lot. 

Stripping our Special Education departments of their funding doesn't resolve anything, it just shifts those costs elsewhere.

There’s a better way: invest in building a system that keeps good staff and supports students. 

HF 3969 would repeal these upcoming repeated reductions of millions to our special education funding.

We urge legislators to support HF 3969 for all the K-12 students and families of Minnesota that would be impacted negatively by these arbitrary cuts to special education funding.