November 26, 2019

Special Education Directors’ Forum Agenda
December 6, 2019

Minnesota Department of Education, 1500 Highway 36 W., Roseville, MN 55113  Conference Center B, Rooms 15-16

Morning sessions will be broadcast via Mediasite; watch the Special Education Directors' listserv for more information.

8:30 a.m.: Networking and Registration

9 a.m.: Welcome, Announcements and Division Updates – Robyn Widley, Director; Eric Kloos, Assistant Director; Aaron Barnes, Carolyn Cherry, Tom Delaney, Supervisors, Special Education

9:30 a.m.: Legislative and Administration Updates - Daron Korte, Assistant Commissioner

9:45 a.m.: Minnesota Administrators for Special Education Announcements – John Klaber, Executive Director; Cheryl Hall, President

10 a.m.: Homeless Transportation and English language learner (ELL) Assessment – Leigh Schleicher, Supervisor, Student Support Federal Programs

10:10 a.m.: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) One Percent Alternative Assessment Participation Updates – Eric Kloos, Assistant Director, Special Education; Lauren Walker, Alternate Assessment Specialist

10:30 a.m.: Compliance and Assistance Updates – Marikay Canaga Litzau, Director, Compliance and Assistance

10:45 a.m.: Break

11:05 a.m.: Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) Updates – Alex Liuzzi, Executive Director, PELSB

11:20 a.m.: Early Childhood Special Education Updates – Lisa Backer, Supervisor, Early Childhood Special Education

11:40 a.m.: Lunch

1 p.m.: School Finance Updates – David Lobejko, Education Finance Specialist; special acknowledgement to Tom Melcher – Robyn Widley

1:30 p.m.: Break

1:45 p.m.: Afternoon Breakouts

CC-15 (Mediasite session) – Homeless Transportation and ELL Assessment
This is a two-part session. First, participants will learn about the Minnesota Homeless Transportation FAQ with a focus on legislative change that was effective July 1, 2019. The presenters will include MDE staff Roberto Reyes, Homeless and McKinney-Vento State Coordinator; Leigh Schleicher; and Kelly Wosika, Student Accounting Specialist. Second, participants will learn about MDE work on English learners with disabilities assessments. The presenters will include MDE staff Kat Edwards, Data Analytics, Statewide Testing; Tracy Montez Lindner, English Learner and Training Project Manager; and Leigh Schleicher.

CC-16 – Special Education Postsecondary Transition: State Trends and MDE Supports
This session will provide participants with a data-informed perspective on state trends in postsecondary education and employment for students with disabilities. Presented trend data will include data reported for the Minnesota Olmstead Plan and results from a recent one-year follow-up study by the Regional Education Laboratory – Midwest. Participants will be able to compare data to local data. The presenters will also review MDE supports for implementing effective school district improvement strategies for postsecondary transition of students with disabilities, as well as review relevant recent federal and state guidance.
Tom Delaney, Supervisor, Interagency Partnerships; Lindsey Horowitz, Postsecondary Transition Specialist

2:45 p.m.: Adjourn