Committee adopts amendment to let student‑support funding cover transportation, training and some technology; Senate file 133 laid over as amended

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Senate Education Finance Committee on Jan. 28 adopted an amendment to Senate File 133 that expands how student support personnel aid may be used and laid the bill over as amended for possible inclusion in an omnibus education bill.

Senate File 133, as amended by the committee's A1 amendment, adds allowable uses for the aid to include necessary transportation between school sites for student support personnel, professional training for those staff, and technology upgrades tied to the roles. The amendment also clarified that funding may be used for ‘‘an individual whose work duties primarily consist of activities that reduce chronic student absenteeism.’’

Senator Weber, who presented the bill and said the changes respond to feedback from rural service cooperatives and school districts, described the amendment as a response to practical barriers. "There was enough money provided for that they could hire 20 additional people. The problem is... they couldn't afford to hire 20 additional people because the only way that they could spend the money that was allocated was for…