Training requirements for members and their colleagues
This content was prepared as a compilation of the various training requirements for members and their colleagues. If your district is not providing one or more of these trainings to those required to receive it, please contact your building representative or Education Minnesota field staff.
Anti-harassment / Violence
For: All employees
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 121A.03: “Sexual, Religious, and Racial Harassment and Violence Policy”
Frequency: Upon hire
Reqs: Discuss “the school’s sexual, religious, and racial harassment and violence policy.”
Blood Borne Pathogens
For: Positions where the employer determines that exposure to blood borne pathogens is reasonably anticipated (as in, the employee is a designated “first aider.”)
Citation: Blood Borne Pathogens
Frequency: At the time of assignment & then annually.
Reqs: In addition to training, some these employees must be offered the hepatitis B vaccine free of charge.
Concussions
For: School coaches/officials in youth athletics.
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 121A.38, subd. 2(b)
Frequency: Initial training, then every three yrs
Reqs: Concussion in Youth Sports online training program (This must be offered by the MSHSL (not the school district), but members should be aware they are entitled to this training).
De-escalation in Security
For: School Resource Officers (SROs)
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 626.8482 (effective 9.1.25)
Frequency: Within six months of assignment; Refresher course due 6.1.27; Mandatory refresher course after three yrs, 40 hr training
Reqs: Security, use of force, and de-escalation tactics
ESPs
For: New paraprofessionals
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 120B.363
Frequency: Within first 60 days of supervising or working with students
Reqs: “Initial training in emergency procedures, confidentiality, vulnerability, reporting obligations, discipline policies, roles and responsibilities, and a building orientation”
Specific Requirements
ESPs
For: Paraprofessionals, Title I aides, other instructional support staff
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 121A.642
Frequency: Eight hours annually (six of eight hours before first instruct. day or within 30 days of hire).
Reqs: Paid orientation or professional development.
ESPs – Special Ed
For: Paraprofessionals whose role in part is to provide direct support to students with disabilities
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 125A.08, subd. 2(1)
Frequency: Before/beginning at time of employment.
Reqs: “[M]ust develop sufficient knowledge and skills in: emergency procedures, building orientation, roles and responsibilities, confidentiality, vulnerability, and reportability.”
ESPs – Special Ed
For: Paraprofessionals whose role in part is to provide direct support to students with disabilities
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 125A.08, subd. 2(3)
Frequency: Annually
Reqs: Training opportunities “to enable the paraprofessional to continue to further develop the knowledge and skills that are specific to the students with whom the paraprofessional works, including: understanding disabilities, the unique and individual needs of each student according to the student’s disability and how the disability affects the student’s education and behavior, following lesson plans, and implementing follow-up instructional procedures and activities.”
ESPs, Special Ed, 1:1 assignments
For: Paraprofessionals working alone with a student with a disability
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 125A.08, subd. 2(2)
Frequency: Within five days of beginning to work alone with the student.
Reqs: Paid time “to review a student’s [IEP] or be briefed on the student’s specific needs by appropriate staff.”
Mandatory Reporting
For: Mandatory reporters—professionals & professionals’ delegates engaged in the practice of child care & education
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 260E.065
Frequency: (Local welfare agency is tasked with the training, & can direct mandatory reporters to trainings offered by the Commissioner of Children, Youth and Families) Can be online.
Reqs:
“The training must provide an explanation of the legal obligations of a reporter, consequences for failure to report, and instruction on how to detect and report suspected maltreatment.
‘[A]t least half of the training time must be spent on how to identify signs of suspected maltreatment or abuse … [and] must cover the definition of each maltreatment type…’”
Nutrition Program
For: School nutrition directors
Citation: USDA
Frequency: Annually, 12 hours
Reqs: Civil rights must be included, food safety must be covered every five years for eight hours.
Nutrition Program
For: School Nutrition Program staff
Citation: USDA
Frequency: Annually, six hrs (three if starting after Jan. 1 and four if part time).
Reqs: Civil rights must be included.
Reading
For: Teachers and support staff who teach or support reading instruction
Citation: READ Act
Frequency: Once
Reqs: Evidence-based reading instruction.
Restraints in Special Ed (restrictive procedures and de-escalation)
For: Any employee prior to being authorized to use restraints on students with disabilities
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 125A.0942, subd. 5(a)
Reqs: Training must include:
• positive behavioral interventions
• communicative intent of behaviors
• relationship building
• alternatives to restrictive procedures
• de-escalation methods
• emergency-only standards
• obtaining emergency medical assistance
• physiological & psychological impact of physical holding
• monitoring distress
• recognizing positional asphyxia
• reporting/documentation
• schoolwide positive behavior strategies
School-Aged Child Care
For: Child care staff (sometimes before/after school programs)
Citation:
Frequency: Within 90 days of starting work, then every three years.
Reqs: First aid.
Seizure Training
For: Designated staff in seizure action plan
Citation: Minn. Stat. § 121A.24
Frequency: Effective as of SY 22-23
Reqs: Training to meet the needs of students with a seizure disorder and who may need seizure rescue medication administration; how to recognize, respond and provide medication for seizures.
Sex Discrimination
For: All employees (Additional training required for investigators, decisionmakers, and others responsible for implementing grievance procedures.)
Citation: Title IX
Frequency:
Reqs: The school/district’s obligation to address sex discrimination; scope of conduct; notice/information requirements in Title IX regulations.
Transportation (other than school bus drivers)
For: School staff who regularly interact with students
Citation: Safe and Supportive Schools Act, Minn. Stat. § 121A.031 subds. 3 & 4
Frequency: Within first year of employment & at least every three years.
Reqs: Developmentally appropriate strategies to prevent/intervene in prohibited conduct; complex dynamics affecting actor/target/witnesses; research on prohibited conduct; cyberbullying; internet safety and cyberbullying.
Note: Under recent amendments to PELRA, the employer must allow an exclusive representative (the union) to meet in person for at least 30 minutes of paid time with a newly hired employee within 30 calendar days from the date of hire during new employee orientations (if conducted) or other group meetings.
