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February 19, 2025
To: Directors of Special Education, Business Managers and SEDRA Contacts
From: Special Education Funding
Special Education Paraprofessionals Qualification Requirements Update for SFY 2025
Current paraprofessionals qualification requirements
Paraprofessional with Less than Three Years’ Experience or those working in a Title I Schoolwide Program Site
To be eligible for special education funds as a paraprofessional with less than three years’ experience, they must meet one of the following or have the PELSB paraprofessional credential:
- At least two years of college credits (usually 60 credits in Minnesota) through an accredited institution of higher education; or
- An associate’s or higher degree; or
- A passing score on a valid and reliable formal assessment demonstrating the knowledge and ability to assist with instruction in reading/language, writing, mathematics or readiness for each.
Paraprofessional with at least Three Years’ Experience
To be eligible for special education funds as a paraprofessional with three or more years’ experience, they must meet one of the following or have the PELSB professional credential:
- At least two years of college credits (usually 60 credits in Minnesota) through an accredited institution of higher education; or
- An associate’s or higher degree; or
- A passing score on a valid and reliable formal assessment demonstrating the knowledge and ability to assist with instruction in reading/language, writing, mathematics or readiness for each; or
- Has three years’ experience working as a paraprofessional and has met the requirements of the Paraprofessional Credential Competency Grid.
For the first two options, a specific course of college study is not required though the individual must be able to demonstrate the ability to assist with basic skills instruction. In all cases, the individual must demonstrate proficiency in the English language. States, including the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) may not waive the requirements for special education personnel, related service providers or paraprofessionals on an emergency, temporary or provisional basis.
New for only SFY 2025
For school year 2024-25 only, a paraprofessional who doesn’t meet the qualification requirements above may continue be paid in whole or in part with state special education aid if the paraprofessional was employed with the district, charter or cooperative during SFY 2024 and one of the following:
- Demonstrates the competencies established in Minnesota Rules, part 8710.9000, subpart 4, item D (competency 4: instructional content and practice) and item I (competency 9: academic instructional skills); or
- Is enrolled in a ParaPro or Paraeducator training and testing program.
Staff hired in SFY 2025 along with any contracted providers will have to meet the regular qualification requirements listed on the first page to be eligible for reimbursement.
New Coding for SFY 2025
Any paraprofessional staff that do not meet the qualification listed in the “Current paraprofessional qualification requirements” memo above and were employed by the LEA as a paraprofessional in SFY 2024, will need to meet one of the two options above to be eligible for reimbursement in SFY 2025. In addition, to track expenditures for staff meeting one of the two options, MDE has reopened personnel type code (PTC) 21 along with the service code (9) to be used in Special Education Data Reporting System (SEDRA):
- PTC “21” – Salaries for Special Education paraprofessional staff who don’t meet the regular qualification requirements but, can either demonstrate competencies under Minnesota Rules, part 8710.9000, subpart 4, item “D” and item “I” or are enrolled in an eligible training and testing program (only to be used in SFY 2025).
This new PTC will only be allowed under funding codes “A” and “E” with service codes “A” and “U.” Schools will not need to make any changes to staff coding in their Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS) system.
Besides staff salaries, fringe benefits will also need to be recoded in SEDRA for staff charged to state special education who don’t meet the regular qualification requirements.
- Service code “9” – Fringe Benefits for Special Education paraprofessional staff whose corresponding salary is charged to PTC “21” (only to be used in SFY 2025).
Again, schools will not have to make any changes to their UFARS reporting. They will have to split their SEDRA state fringe benefit reporting between funding code “a” with service code “L” and this new service code “9” to account for the time where the individual did not meet the regular qualification requirements.
Special Education MOE
MDE encourages schools to be mindful of their Maintenance of Effort (MOE) for SFY 2025, as paraprofessionals whom don’t meet the regular qualification requirements are not eligible to be included in the MOE calculation. Therefore, LEAs are encouraged to get any paraprofessionals from SFY 2024 whom do not meet the regular qualification requirements, to meet one of those requirements as soon as possible. Staff moved and charged under this option for SFY 2025 will not qualify as an allowable exception if the LEA were to fail MOE.
Assessment Test and Grid Preparation Expenses
The following activities are not eligible for special education funding:
- Test, registration, reschedule, or score report fees
- Training materials
- Preparation classes
- Study time
- Practice exams
- Test taking time
The 2024 legislature made a one-time change for SFY 2025, under 121A.642 Paraprofessional Training. For SFY 2025, schools may reduce the number of mandatory training required to a minimum of six hours instead of the typical eight hours. Schools will receive an additional 33.33 percent increase in their paraprofessional training aid for SFY 2026 to account for the 2 reduced hours (paid under UFARS finance code 314). Schools must then pay for paraprofessional test materials and testing fees for any paraprofessional employed by the school district during the SFY 2024 school year who has not yet successfully completed the paraprofessional assessment or met the requirements of the paraprofessional competency grid.
In addition, for SFY 2025 only, upon request from a paraprofessional employed by the school district, charter or cooperative, the school must provide administrative assistance to the paraprofessional when completing the competencies.
If you have questions, please contact the Special Education Funding and Data Team.
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