In the upcoming months, Saint Paul Public Schools will begin providing menstrual products at no cost to students. These products will be available in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12. This new offering is in response to legislation that was passed by Minnesota lawmakers last spring. Research has shown that one in four teens missed class due to a lack of menstrual products, and this legislation is aimed at removing the barrier of limited access to menstrual products for students.
SPPS has already begun ordering and installing supplies including product dispensers, waste receptacles, pads and tampons. Installation of the dispensers and receptacles are complete at the high schools, and will continue to take place at other schools as products arrive. Locations will include non-gendered single-stall toilets, such as in main offices, toilets in the Health Offices, the group toilets for girls and for buildings that have inclusive model toilets, one third of individual toilet rooms. The legislation states that the products need to be available to students by January 1, 2024.
