Minnesota lawmakers are now debating whether to partially unwind a 2023 law that banned suspensions for kindergarten through third-grade students, after some districts reported a spike in alarming behavior that has emptied classrooms and left staff injured. The proposed change has sharpened the divide between officials who want more disciplinary options and advocates who insist that even the youngest students need more support, not more time at home.
What districts are reporting
Anoka‑Hennepin, a large suburban district north of Minneapolis, says it has seen a clear escalation in disruptive and dangerous incidents. District reports show 142 K‑3 classroom clearings this school year, with staff injuries rising to 101 in 2024‑25 and 157 so far this year. Roughly 70% of those injuries involve kindergarten through third-grade students, according to the Anoka‑Hennepin School District.
District leaders have pointed to specific episodes at Ramsey Elementary, including a second grader who dismantled classroom furniture and a third grader who struck Principal Denise Schnabel, as examples of the kind of behavior that has pushed them to ask lawmakers for more tools.
What lawmakers are proposing
Last Wednesday, Sen. Jim Abeler added language to the Senate education policy bill that would allow one-day out-of-school suspensions for K‑3 students and require schools to convene teachers, parents, counselors, and special education staff after a student’s second suspension, as reported by the Star Tribune.
The measure would not bring back longer-term expulsions but would roll back part of the 2023 ban on suspending the state’s youngest students. Supporters told lawmakers they see short suspensions as one way to stabilize chaotic classrooms and protect staff while schools work to line up additional supports for the child.
Data and attendance
Statewide data tell a more complicated story. The Minnesota Department of Education report card shows that assaults on school employees in grades K‑5 dropped from 611 in 2022‑23 to 349 in 2023‑24, a notable decline even as some districts say serious incidents persist.
At the same time, advocates are pointing to warning lights on attendance and staffing. EdAllies senior policy director Matt Shaver told lawmakers that Anoka‑Hennepin’s attendance has slid from about 88% before the pandemic to around 77% in 2023‑24. He also noted that some districts are planning 2026‑27 budget cuts that would hit counselors and social workers, the very people many say are crucial to addressing behavior before it boils over.
Opposition and trade-offs
Advocacy groups argue that bringing back suspensions for very young children is the wrong fix for a real problem. Solutions Not Suspensions leader Erin Sandsmark said she was disappointed by the move toward a partial repeal and urged lawmakers to put money into counseling, behavioral supports, and staff training instead of exclusionary discipline.
Critics also warn that suspensions can disproportionately affect students with disabilities and students of color, and that briefly removing a child from class may do little to address the underlying academic, social, or mental health needs that led to the behavior in the first place.
Next steps
The Abeler language now sits inside the broader Senate education policy bill. It would need approval from the full Legislature and the governor’s signature before any change could take effect. Lawmakers on both sides have signaled that more hearings and amendments are likely as committees try to navigate the tension between classroom safety and keeping Minnesota’s youngest learners in school, supported and learning.
