ACTION ITEMS
Please read the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2019 Special Education Application Materials and Eligibility for Program Approval memo from the Division of School Finance. This memo provides details on the SFY 2019 special education state and federal Special Education Data Reporting Application (SEDRA) data lines, application materials, eligibility for program approval and initial maintenance of effort.
If you have any questions, please contact the special education funding and data team.
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As planned, Minnesota Department of Education's (MDE) Disciplinary Incident Reporting System (DIRS) Extensible Markup Language (XML) batch submission process will reopen on Monday, April 23, 2018. At that time, Minnesota schools will be provided with the ability to submit their DIRS XML batch submission files through the DIRS application.
For technical assistance with DIRS processing, including approvals and set-up, please contact Ann Iweriebor at 651-582-8352.
- For help with DIRS system problems and passwords, please contact MDE Helpdesk Support.
- For other DIRS questions related to clarification of statutes and legal requirements, please contact compliance and assistance at 651-582-8689.
- For DIRS project related questions and XML batch file upload specifications, please contact Diane Bertsch at 651-582-8225.
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ITEMS OF INTEREST
As required by Minnesota Statutes, section 121A.335, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) have jointly developed a model plan for reducing lead in school drinking water. The model plan guidance, Education and Communication Toolkit and 2017 Lead Legislation Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are now posted on the MDH website. This information is also posted on the MDE Long-Term Facilities Maintenance (LTFM) webpage under Related Offsite Resources.
You are invited to participate as an attendee in the April 26 Reducing Lead in Schools webinar scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.
For questions about reducing lead in school drinking water, please contact MDH at 651-201-4700 or Sarah C. Miller at 651-582-8370.
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On February 28, 2018, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced new federal assistance for students and schools impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and the 2017 California wildfires. In order to help districts identify potentially displaced, homeless and migrant students, Minnesota Department of Education homeless education and migrant education staff will offer a webinar on Monday, April 23 at 1:30 p.m. Register for the webinar. Contact Roberto Reyes with further questions.
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We have extended the due date for applications on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth Education Grant Opportunity (CFDA 84.196). Applications will be accepted until May 2, 2018, by 3:30 p.m. CDT. You may access the grant documentation, including the instructions, application, and budget documentation on Minnesota Department of Education's grant opportunity webpage. Additionally, the threshold for eligibility has been lowered from 700 to 350 homeless children and youth as specified in the revised grant application.
This grant will address the challenging educational needs of students who are homeless by removing barriers to their enrollment and attendance in school and supporting their educational success. Review the grant instructions for the specific, allowable outcomes for this grant program.
Please contact Roberto Reyes at 651-582-8302 for further information.
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Minnesota Decision Day (MDD) is an event associated with the Better Make Room campaign to celebrate seniors making their post-high school plans. This event is also an opportunity to encourage a postsecondary planning culture among all students. Focused on celebrating ALL students who are continuing their education after high school, MDD was inspired by a college athletics tradition, where high school athletes get national attention as they sign letters of intent to attend a particular institution. In a similar way, MDD publicly commends seniors who commit to pursue a postsecondary pathway (college, trade school, military service).
Minnesota Decision Day is Friday, May 4 at the University of Minnesota in Ted Mann Concert Hall at 10 a.m. This event is being hosted by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, Get Ready, the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Reach Higher Team. Students who attend are eligible to win gift cards, concert tickets and a limited number of $500 college scholarships.
Other ways for students to participate include:
- Watch the events at Ted Mann Concert Hall via Facebook Live on May 4.
- Apply for funding to host an event at their high school.
- Hosts can receive up to a $500 grant towards their Minnesota Decision
Day/College Signing Day event.
- Visit the Better Make Room webpage to register your event.
- Create a school counselor or teacher account by
visiting DonorsChoose.org.
- Participate in social media events scheduled for that day.
Education leaders, including administrators, teachers and counselors, play an important role for all students as they make life-changing decisions. There is none bigger than the decision to continue ones education after high school. Please join in making the first Minnesota Decision Day a success.
For more information and to register, visit the Minnesota Office of Higher Education MDD webpage. Contact Marcio Thompson with any questions at 651-207-9788.
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Minnesota Housing and the Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Education, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, and the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness are pleased to announce the anticipated availability of funds for the Homework Starts with Home program. This initiative will support collaborative efforts between schools, housing organizations, and local governments to identify, engage, and stabilize students experiencing homelessness and their families. Minnesota Housing will allocate up to $3.5 million in Housing Trust Fund resources and up to $400,000 in Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program funds. An additional $250,000 will be made available by the Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative.
The partners believe that schools and school districts; local, county and tribal governments; housing agencies; philanthropic and community-based organizations; faith-based organizations; associations and trade groups; the business sector; and other partners all have roles to play in ending student homelessness. This Request for Proposal (RFP) specifically requests collaborative responses from multiple organizations or entities operating within the same geographic area, each of which are named as collaborators on a single application.
Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. CDT on Monday, June 4, 2018. An information session about the RFP and application process will be held on Friday, April 27, 2018, 1 p.m. CDT at Minnesota Housing, located at 400 Wabasha Street, Suite 400, Treasure Island Center Building, Saint Paul, MN 55102. The session will also be available over web- and tele-conference. To register for this session and for details about participating remotely, please send an email to hswh.mde@state.mn.us or call 651-582-8511 by Thursday, April 26, 2018.
For more information and application materials, visit the Homework Starts with Home webpage.
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WEBINAR
Black students represent 10.7 percent of Minnesota’s total student population; however, black students account for 38.8 percent of suspensions, expulsions, and exclusions. Special education students represent 13.8 percent of the total student population and 42.1 percent of suspensions, expulsions, and exclusions; and American Indian students represent just 1.6 percent of the total student population but 6.2 percent of suspensions, expulsions, and exclusions. As part of Minnesota’s focus on equity and addressing inequities in our education systems, the Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Midwest Comprehensive Center, will be offering a number of new supports for districts. These activities are open to all districts, and are designed to support districts as they work to address disproportionate rates of suspensions and expulsions for students of color, American Indian students, and students receiving special education services.
Access additional information and register for the kickoff webinar and convening.
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