MN HF2045

Establishes the "Student Support Services Personnel Act" creating a grant program for school districts, charter schools, and cooperatives to hire new student support services personnel including school counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and chemical dependency counselors.

Provides six-year grants with local matching requirements of $1 for every $1 in years 1-4 and $3 for every $1 in years 5-6; grants must be used to hire new positions not under contract as of the 2014-2015 school year.

Prioritizes grant awards to schools lacking student support services personnel positions and considers existing caseloads, school demographics, Title I revenue, Minnesota student survey data, graduation rates, and postsecondary completion rates.

Establishes a separate grant program for Minnesota postsecondary institutions offering student support services personnel preparation programs, with matching requirements and six-year terms to increase the supply of qualified graduates.

Appropriates $95 million in fiscal year 2016 for school district grants (available through June 30, 2022), $500,000 each in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 for postsecondary institution grants, and $250,000 in fiscal year 2016 for program administration.