ACTION ITEMS
Read the Nonpublic Pupil Aids memorandum from Greg Sogaard, Division of School Finance. Public school districts are reimbursed for expenditures incurred in providing pupils the instructional materials and pupil support services required when pupils are attending a nonpublic school (includes home schools), which are established and operating within the district’s boundaries. Please forward this information to your district administrator for nonpublic pupil aids. If you have any questions, contact Greg Sogaard.
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The annual reporting of e-rate cost data for the purpose of calculating the fiscal year (FY) 2019 Minnesota telecommunications/internet access equity aid begins February 1, 2020, and continues until February 28. Details on data submission and telecom cluster addresses are included in the Online Telecommunications/Internet Access Aid Cost Reporting – FY 2019 Actual Costs memorandum from Lonn Moe. Further information is available on the Minnesota Department of Education Facilities and Technology webpage. For assistance with questions, contact Lonn Moe.
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Please read the January 30, 2020, memo titled Special Education Statewide Average Expenditures Fiscal Year 2019. This memo explains calculations for fiscal year 2019 statewide average special education expenditures, per December 1 child count, by primary disability area. If you have questions, please contact Paul Ferrin.
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ITEMS OF INTEREST
In partnership with Minnesota Information Technology (MNIT) and an outside vendor, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is currently in the process of converting all school finance mainframe system applications and databases to a new, more modern language and platforms. This project includes many of the applications used by the School Finance Division to calculate and distribute aids and levies, and process student, transportation and financial data collected from school districts, charter schools and other local educational agencies (LEA). As most of these 28 systems are interconnected, the goal of this project is to convert them all as a group and retire the old mainframe systems at the end of a transition period.
Most agency web application and report systems as well as ClearPath mainframe systems and DataBridge access will be shut down starting Thursday, February 13, 2020, starting at 5 p.m. until start of business on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, for the mainframe system conversion. A maintenance webpage will be displayed to users who try to launch any web applications or web reports during this conversion downtime period.
For more information on what this will mean for LEAs, please read the Mainframe Modernization Project Update document found on the School Finance webpage.
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The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) will publish the first round of frequently asked questions for the Social Emotional Learning Communities of Practice by January 31, 2020. The window for questions will close on February 5, 2020, and the second round of frequently asked questions will be published by February 10, 2020.
MDE invites all Minnesota public school districts and charter schools to apply for this opportunity in order to build knowledge and capacity to install, implement and sustain schoolwide SEL. For assistance with questions, contact Sabrina Winkleman.
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The Minnesota Academic Standards Social Studies are being revised during the 2019-20 school year and the state would appreciate your feedback on the current standards. This 17-question survey has four sections:
- Survey Participant Information
- General Feedback on the 2011 Minnesota Social Studies Standards
- Specific Standards and Benchmarks Feedback
- Standards Implementation
Please forward this information to staff and other stakeholders in your organization and community. Complete the Feedback on the 2011 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies survey. The survey will be open now through February 28, 2020.
Communication on the application process for the Standards Review Committee will be available later in the spring. Another announcement will be made with appropriate links when the application process opens. For assistance with questions, contact Filiz Yargici.
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About 70 randomly selected Minnesota elementary schools are participating in a children’s dental screening this spring. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is gathering data on cavity prevalence in kids. The non-invasive screening is voluntary, but Minnesota Department of Education and MDH encourage selected schools to participate. Supporting kids' oral health supports school readiness and children’s ability to thrive. Research shows that dental problems are the number one reason kids miss school, and dental pain can interfere with talking, eating and breathing. Data from the screening provides insight on unmet needs and opportunities to improve policies or practices to help kids stay healthy. Learn more about the upcoming Basic Screening Survey and explore 2014-2015 data on Tooth Decay in Minnesota Children from the previous screening. If you have questions, contact Prasida Khanal, 651-201-3538. Thank you to all participating schools!
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The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) encourages eligible schools and organizations to sponsor the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and provide free meals to Minnesota children ages 18 and under when school is out for the summer. There are many low-income areas in Minnesota underserved and in need of a sponsor to operate a summer feeding site, especially in Greater Minnesota. MDE provides sponsors with SFSP training, on-site technical assistance, and meal reimbursement for providing eligible meals. Learn more in MDE’s press release.
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