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July 6, 2022
Federal Fiscal Year 2020 Determinations: Minnesota “Meets Requirements” for Part B and Part C
The U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has released determinations for states’ implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for Part B (children and youth between the ages of 3 and 21 years) and Part C (children between birth and 5 years). IDEA legislation requires each state educational agency to submit an Annual Performance Report that summarizes progress meeting targets in the states’ state performance plan. IDEA details four categories for determination: meets the requirements and purposes of IDEA, needs assistance, needs intervention, or needs substantial intervention. While this information is not new for many of you, we include background information each year for those who may not be familiar with the determinations process.
OSERS reviews both outcome data (e.g., graduation, outcomes from statewide assessments) and compliance data (e.g., mediations held, disproportionality in discipline) and weights them equally in making each state’s determinations. This year Minnesota, along with 22 other states and territories, is in the “Meets Requirements” determination category for Part B. Minnesota is also one of 30 states and territories in the “Meets Requirements” determination category for Part C. And Minnesota is one of 15 states and territories that “Meets Requirements” for both Part B and Part C. Minnesota continues to have much to celebrate about the quality work teachers and administrators are doing across the state for students with disabilities. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) acknowledges and thanks you for all the work you and your staff put in each day to serve all students and appreciate your continuing efforts.
The Part B and C annual performance reports will be available to the public in July. For questions or more information about Minnesota’s Part B state performance plan or annual performance report, please contact Kirsten Rewey. For more information about Minnesota’s Part C state performance plan or annual performance report, please contact Danielle Hayden.
House File 2 Data Collection has Begun
House File 2, Special Education Recovery Services, requires that districts and charters make a one-time report to MDE regarding the number of students with disabilities who received extra supports or services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of those services. MDE is required to aggregate and share the results with the Legislature and will also present the results at an upcoming Director’s Forum.
Data collection of the HF2 counts and dollars spent has now begun. All special education directors should have received an email inviting them to submit HF2 data via an online survey site (Alchmer). However, if you have not received an invitation to submit your data, please submit your HF2 data via the Alchemer survey site (http://s.alchemer.com/s3/HF2-Survey).
As a reminder, MDE is collecting aggregate counts and fiscal information. Only total costs and total counts of students: no individual student or spending information is required in this data submission. Completing the survey should take approximately 10 minutes.
Please complete data entry by Monday, August 15, 2022. If you have any questions about this data collection, how your responses will used, or who will have access to the data, please contact Kirsten Rewey (651-582-8638).
American Sign Language/English Interpreters
Due to shortages of American Sign Language Interpreters for students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH) in Minnesota and the current practice only allowing new or recent graduates from interpreter training programs (ITP) to be eligible for a two-year provisional certificate, the Commissioner of Education’s designee will grant an exemption starting July 1, 2022.
The exemption will allow MDE to grant a one-time, non-renewable two-year provisional certificate to interpreters who graduated from an ITP more than two years ago and do not currently meet certification requirements as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.31 and 1) did not go into educational interpreting upon graduation and/or 2) are from another state and desire to be an educational interpreter in a Minnesota K-12 school. All other provisions of the current statute (Minn. Stat. § 122A.31, subd. 1, 3 [2000]) and related MDE memos regarding educational interpreting will still apply, including requirements for provisional interpreters to have a written educational plan, participate in mentoring, and become certified.
With this provisional certificate, the interpreter must take either the nationally recognized Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) or the Registry Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) test before the end of the two-year provisional period. These interpreters must have a written educational plan and receive mentoring every seven days from the local educational agency (LEA) or district of employment. Interpreters who do not achieve certification during their provisional period will also be eligible to apply for a one-time extension to their provisional certificate, including test results in their extension application. They must comply with all the other requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.31.
To complete the process for initial certification or two-year provisional certification, applicants need to verify the following: 1) their certification status, level, and evaluation taken (including a copy of the certificate), 2) their understanding that an education plan must be developed and kept on file, including mentoring at least every seven days, 3) a copy of the applicant’s interpreter training diploma if they graduated Spring 2000 or later, 4) a copy of the applicant’s diploma if they have a bachelor’s degree, 5) indication of whether their district requires assistance in finding a mentor, and 6) whether this application is for a non-renewable provisional two-year certificate.
Application forms for certifications, two-year provisional certifications, and extensions can be found with additional resources and references on the MDE website.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mary Cashman-Bakken at MDE.
2022 Summer Symposium: Evidence-Based Practices for Students with Autism and Emotional Behavioral Health Needs
The Minnesota Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Autism Society of Minnesota, Minnesota Positive Behavior Support Network, MDE and Minnesota Regional Low Incidence Projects are sponsoring a professional development event featuring national speakers from CEC's divisions on Autism and Developmental Disabilities and Emotional and Behavioral Health. Individuals can attend in person on the University of St. Thomas downtown Minneapolis campus or participate virtually.
On August 2-3, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, attendees can participate in a keynote and eight breakout sessions in two strands, academic and social-emotional-behavioral.
Register for the summer symposium on the CEC website. Individual registration is $30 for one or $50 for both days. Institutes of higher education, school districts and other organizations may host a site and bring in educators and professionals to watch the presentations virtually and discuss the session contents together. This opportunity is $100 a day for each host site.
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