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November 19, 2021
Minnesota Recognized for School Linked Mental Health Grants
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) noted Minnesota's School Linked Mental Health (SLMH) grant program in a recent publication. ED praised Minnesota for encouraging schools to implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) along with SLMH, supporting evidence-based practices, improving capacity and infrastructure development and building partnerships between practitioners and schools.
View "Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Needs" on the ED website. View more information about SLMH grants on the Minnesota Department of Human Services website. View more information about PBIS on the PBIS Minnesota website.
COVID-19 Vaccination Information for Children with Disabilities
The Minnesota Department of Health has released two fact sheets with information about COVID-19 vaccinations for children with disabilities and those who work with and care for them. "Information for Caregivers" includes facts about the vaccines, side effects and accommodations that can be requested at vaccination sites. It states, "the known benefits of COVID-19 vaccination far outweigh the risks."
"Creating Accessible COVID-19 Vaccine Sites for Youth with Disabilities" contains suggestions and best practices for flexibility and considering factors such as transportation, parental consent, scheduling and outreach along with links to accessibility checklists and the etiquette of working with individuals with disabilities.
View "Information for Caregivers" and "Creating Accessible COVID-19 Vaccine Sites for Youth with Disabilities" on the MDH website. For more information, contact MDH's Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control (IDEPC) Division.
Social Emotional Learning Modules for Educators
The School Climate Center, in partnership with the Collaborative for Academic and Social Emotional Learning, is excited to announce the release of 13 Social Emotional Learning modules for educator and school/district use. These modules aim to build educator capacity about social emotional competence so that participating educators, in turn, can support SEL for their students.
The modules are provided in two different formats, with a Module Facilitation Guide or as a self-paced course. The Module Facilitation Guides provides facilitators with a script, facilitation notes, activities, and a PowerPoint deck that will help the educators develop strategies to blend direct and active instruction to help students learn directly about and engage in the content through multiple methods, including games, play, projects, and other types of learning activities. The information, knowledge, and tools included here can be used by professional learning communities focused on SEL and by administrators or other leaders or coaches to support the social and emotional competencies of their educators and students.
If individuals want to engage in this learning on their own, it is recommended they utilize the self-paced training, which can be found in the MDE learning management system, Canvas. In order to access the self-paced modules you will need to select “Join this Course” and register with Canvas, which is free. Please contact the School Climate Center if you have questions.
COMPASS Updates
Throughout the 2021-22 school year and beyond, educators, school staff and school leaders will have new opportunities for professional learning and coaching, along with coordinated support from experts through COMPASS, Collaborative Minnesota Partnerships to Advance Student Success. COMPASS will provide schools support in the areas of literacy, math, and school climate and mental health using the Minnesota Multi-Tiered System of Support (MnMTSS) framework with a focus on data and assessment literacy and evidence-based practices.
Recordings of the COMPASS Overview webinar and the Multi-tiered System of Support (MnMTSS) Overview Part I webinar are available now on the COMPASS web page.
Upcoming Webinars
School COVID-19 Testing Programs
COVID-19 testing in schools remains a powerful tool for preventing the spread of the virus as part of a broader mitigation strategy. School districts, charter schools, tribal schools and nonpublic schools have autonomy in developing their testing program. Through Minnesota’s COVID-19 school testing program, schools have access to individual PCR tests, pooled PCR tests and rapid tests – both antigen and molecular – at no cost.
New Vault Test Ordering Option
One of the offerings offered through the state is continuing to use Vault tests provided during the 2020-21 school year. Schools that would like to continue using Vault tests can now order tests through the state’s contract with Vault. The process for ordering through the contract was explained at the Minnesota COVID-19 School Testing Program webinar on November 3.
BinaxNOW Professional Tests Available
The State of Minnesota has a supply of BinaxNow Professional rapid, antigen COVID-19 tests that are available to schools at no cost and can be shipped immediately. These rapid antigen tests can be used on students and staff in your school buildings who develop symptoms while attending and want testing before going home. BinaxNow Professional tests will be available to order through mid-November 2021 for use through December 1, 2021. Details on how to order these tests are available in the BinaxNow Professional one-pager.
Note: A Minnesota Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) Certificate of Waiver is needed to administer these tests. Schools can use the How to Get Certification for In-School COVID-19 Testing and the Quick Start Guide for CLIA Certification to help navigate the process.
Training Opportunities, Important Dates and Announcements
Teacher Loan Forgiveness Update
Teachers seeking student loan forgiveness who have received a TEACH grant must teach at a qualified low-income school for the required periods designated by the specific program. Schools or education agencies must meet the criteria set by the federal government as a low-income school, such as, a minimum of 30% of the school’s total enrollment must qualify for free-reduced lunch. For this purpose, it is important to continue to collect and report free and reduced-priced meal data so that schools remain eligible for this program. At present, the Teacher Loan Forgiveness program does not allow states to use data from a previous year as with other programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
Career and Technical Education (CTE) U.S. Presidential Scholars Program
Minnesota can nominate five students to be Presidential scholars in CTE based on their experiences and achievement in the classroom, work-based learning (WBL), social-emotional learning (leadership, CTSOs), and community involvement. Nominations must come from school staff, not the individual student. Please review more information on the CTE U.S. Presidential Scholars program. Submissions are due by December 1, 2021.
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