The 2026 MN Legislative session was full of ups and downs! We accomplished a lot, but many initiatives and fights were left on the table. What actually happened?
1) Suspensions
This year, another attempt to undo the current K-3 suspension ban moved through the Minnesota legislature. In the Minnesota Senate, the ban on K-3 suspensions became a bargaining for the Education Policy this past year, but our partners held strong. We testified, showed up, and demanded to continue the current ban as it was put in place in 2023. The Senate did pass to gut the current suspension ban, but they were unsuccessful to convince the House.
2) Seclusion
After a year of intense push-back on the K-3 seclusion ban, we came out victorious, and kept the K-3 ban as the law! Solutions Not Suspensions participated in a legislative workgroup that met over 6 months in the latter half of 2025. The conclusions of that workgroup were contentious, and we would not budge on our belief that seclusion is wrong, that it is solitary confinement, and that it has no place in our schools. Senators who were pro seclusion pushed hard, but were met with a resounding NO on any roll-backs from the House.
3) AI Surveillance
For the first time in SNS History, we are coming head to head with AI technologies, and how they are affecting not just our children learning in schools, but now their surveillance of our children. This year, SNS was confronted with a bill that would have allocated 4 million dollars to a AI cameras outside of schools and threat assessment technologies. Of course we want our children to be safe in Minnesota, but AI surveillance streamlines biased systems. With the implemintation of these cameras outside of schools nationally, we are seeing an uptick in Black children being arrested, and an increase in children pushed into the carceral system.
So, what’s next?
We are continuing this fight, and expanding our work. AI technologies are not only affecting surveillance of our students, but we are seeing it being used in IEPs, leaving our children with disabilities with even less consideration that they receive already. We are watching any moves on suspensions and seclusion, and we determined to make sure we can continue our work with the MN Push Forward Coalition to codify Plyler V Doe and add more student privacy protections.