Special Education MonitoringAccountability Programs :

The role of monitoring is to provide general supervision and oversight of special education programs in Minnesota public schools, charter schools and care and treatment facilities to ensure compliance with federal and state legislation. This is accomplished through Minnesota Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process (MNCIMP).

MNCIMP provides the vehicle for MDE oversight of due process and procedural safeguards, conferred education benefit and the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE). MDE and the division of compliance and assistance have the authority to ensure that each district demonstrates general compliance and continuous improvement in the implementation of the full provision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Each district is monitored for compliance under one of two continuous improvement options: Traditional Review (TR) or Self-Review (SR).

• Traditional Review identifies a district’s compliance status during a monitoring visit and subsequent follow-up visits.
• Self-Review brings compliance and special education program evaluation into a single strategic plan to improve due process compliance and program results for students with disabilities.

Both monitoring options include record reviews, on-site observations and the collection of stakeholder information. A team comprised of both MDE specialists and compliance peers from the field of special education collects this data.