Ensure The Safety Of Minnesota Public Schools

 

To protect Minnesota students, educators, and staff by improving the structural security of all public K–12 school

entrances. This Act requires every public elementary, middle, and high school in Minnesota to redesign and reinforce

their primary entrances to create safer, controlled-access environments. The project will be implemented over a 20-year

timeline. To fully fund this statewide initiative, a wealth tax shall be levied on Minnesotans earning over $400,000

annually. Revenue generated from this tax will be used exclusively for school-security infrastructure upgrades.

Therefore, be it enacted that the Minnesota House of Representatives require all public schools to:

1. Restructure their primary entrances to include secure vestibules, reinforced doors, surveillance systems, and

single-point access where possible.

2. Comply with security design standards established by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).

3. Complete all required entrance upgrades within a 20-year implementation period.

 

School safety concerns have risen significantly across the nation, and Minnesota schools must adapt to ensure the

protection of students and staff. Many school buildings in the state were constructed decades ago and lack modern safety

features such as controlled-access vestibules, reinforced entry points, and updated monitoring systems. These

vulnerabilities can be reduced through consistent statewide standards and long-term structural improvements.

A 20-year implementation plan ensures that every public school—regardless of size, location, or district wealth—can

undergo necessary redesign while maintaining manageable timelines and minimizing disruption. A wealth tax applied only

to Minnesotans earning over $400,000 annually ensures that this project is fully funded without placing financial burden

on middle-class or working families.

Safe learning environments benefit everyMinnesota student and create stability for teachers, staff, and surrounding

communities. This Act invests in long-term security infrastructure to protect future generations and strengthen

statewide school safety standards.

 

Primary entrance”: The main access point through which students, staff, and visitors enter a school building.

“Restructure”: Updating, redesigning, or rebuilding an entrance to meet MDE-approved safety standards, including but not

limited to secure vestibules, controlled-access technology, and reinforced materials.

“Wealth tax”: A state tax applied to residents with annual incomes exceeding $400,000.

“Public school”: Any elementary or secondary school under the jurisdiction of a public school district or charter

school.

“Department”: The Minnesota Department of Education.

 

A state-level wealth tax will be levied on households or individuals earning over $400,000 annually, at a reasonable

rate determined by the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

All collected revenue shall be placed into a dedicated School Safety Infrastructure Fund, used solely to finance the

20-year entrance-restructuring initiative.

 

a) Annual Certification

Each school district shall submit an annual certification to the Department affirming its compliance with

entrance-restructuring progress requirements.

(b) Review Mechanism

The Department may request architectural plans, construction updates, or related documentation as part of its periodic

infrastructure audits.

(c) Corrective Action

If the Department determines that a district has not met the requirements of this Act, it shall issue a written notice

and require a corrective action plan within 60 days.

 

This Act shall take effect upon enactment. Funding mechanisms will begin at the start of the next fiscal year, and

compliance by public schools begins immediately with the adoption of the 20-year implementation timeline.