Special EducationLearning Support : Minnesota Department of Education

Special Education

Current Topics

Special Education Licensure Task Force Update

Phase II of the Special Education Licensure Task Force has ended and Phase III is about to begin. During Phase II, over 85 stakeholders with Special Education expertise worked to revise Core Skills and disability-specific standards, incorporating current research and promising practices into already existing standards, creating new standards, and broadening the definition of exceptionality to include those students who are considered gifted and talented. We also received input from dozens of additional stakeholders through focus groups.

The work of Phase III will include examining the Phase II recommendations and ensuring that the final product meets the needs of Minnesota’s students with exceptionalities. We anticipate bringing the final recommendations to the Board of Teaching in August 2009. For more information contact Carol Knicker or call 651 582 8885.

Minnesota Department of Education Announces Training for Student Education Record View Financial System (SERVS)

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) announces training for Student Education Record View Financial System, or SERVS Financial, a new financial system being developed at the Minnesota Department of Education that will replace the Electronic Data Reporting System (EDRS) as the reimbursement system for all federal expenditures beginning in fiscal year 2010. Because Stimulus funds allocated to states through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) must be made available to districts as soon as possible, MDE is expediting the delivery of SERVS Financial, which is designed to be compliant with new and increased federal reporting requirements.

Regional Service Cooperatives will host training sessions on the new financial system for superintendents, business managers, other business office staff, and Regional Management Information Center (RMIC) representatives the last two weeks in May. These sessions will be conducted jointly by MDE Information Technologies staff who have been involved in the development of the new software systems and MDE Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting System (UFARS) experts who can address the changes in UFARS to support ARRA reporting requirements.  Both speakers will discuss how SERVS Financial will support the application and reimbursement process for regular federal programs and new ARRA federal requirements to get staff up to speed for this major change that becomes effective July 1.  View training dates and locations on the MDE Calendar.

Minnesota School Districts and Charter Schools are Invited to Apply for Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instructional Services (ADSIS) for 2009-2010.

Minnesota school districts and charter schools are invited to apply for Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instructional Services (ADSIS) for 2009-2010. To view the application and instructions, visit the Grants Management section of the site and search for ADSIS.  For more information, email Cindy Shevlin-Woodcock or call 651-582-8656.

Special Education Primer for Charter Schools

The Minnesota Department of Education is pleased to announce the availability of a new resource for the delivery of special education and related services in charter schools. The Minnesota Special Education Primer for Charter Schools is now available. View the Primer

Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instructional Programs Selected

Fifty-seven Minnesota school districts, charter schools and educational service cooperatives have been selected for early intervention programming for the 2008-2009 school year. They will provide instruction and services to students who need additional academic and behavioral supports to succeed in the general education environment and who may eventually qualify for special education if the prevention services were not available. For more information contact Cammy Lehr at (651) 582-8563 or e-mail cammy.lehr@state.mn.us. View the list of selected schools here.

Paraprofessional Requirements for Title 1

Paraprofessionals working in Title 1 schools, (including paraprofessionals working in special education in those schools) are required to demonstrate that they meet the requirements established under No Child Left Behind. This can be accomplished with an 1) AA, AS, AAS (or higher) degree, 2) a minimum number of postsecondary academic credits, 3) a passing score on the ParaPro test, 4) demonstrating paraprofessional core competencies by local district validation of a portfolio, or 5)demonstration of skill using Para eLink. For complete information on these various options, visit NCLB Information for Paraprofessionals.  To learn more about the ParaPro test, calendar and test sites, visit ETS ParaPro test information Website.

Minnesota Annual Performance Report, Part B, 2007-2008

Each year the State of Minnesota is required by the Federal Office of Special Education Programs to submit an Annual Performance Report for students with disabilities ages 3-21. Topics covered include graduation, dropout, and suspension/expulsion rates; performance on statewide tests; and special education settings. Data is used by schools for program improvement. View full 07-08 report.

Financial Support for Certain Special Education Teachers to Take a Praxis II Exam

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is providing a one-time opportunity during the 2008-2009  testing cycles for certain special education teachers who need to take a Praxis II content test in mathematics, language arts or science. MDE will pay the test and registration fee directly to Educational Testing Service (ETS) for one (1) of the specified Minnesota-adopted Praxis II content tests for individuals approved by MDE to participate.  View complete test information. 

State Personnel Development Grant

In October 2005, the Special Education Policy Section of the Minnesota Department of Education received a $967,000 State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), renewable for up to five years, from the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of the grant is to link the best scientifically-based practices to states, school systems and families to improve results for infants, toddlers and children with disabilities. If you wish to learn more about SPDG and its activities please contact Minnesota’s SPDG Coordinator Martha Corn at 651-582-8462. View Complete SPDG Grant.

Part B Federal Regulations Update

Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has announced the final regulations to implement Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). The official copy of the final Part B regulations of the IDEA has been published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2006.  * View IDEA 2004 final version. 

Special Education Statutes and Rules

Access links to federal and state statues and rules on special education. MDE makes no representations about any services offered by sites it links to, nor is it responsible for the content of those sites. Please be aware that the laws set forth below may have been revised since this site was last updated.

 

*Links to third-party sites are provided as a service to Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Website visitors. See our disclaimer regarding these sites in our copyright information linked at the bottom of this page. Links will open in a new browser window.