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September 9, 2022
Updates in this email:
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The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is pleased to announce a formal partnership with the New Teacher Center (NTC) to develop a statewide mentoring and induction model to support new teachers. Working with Minnesota stakeholders, MDE and NTC will develop a mentoring an induction framework that is
- Designed to retain teachers in general and teachers of color and American Indian teachers in particular
- Grounded in culturally responsive, inclusive and sustaining practices
- Based on research, including evidence-based practices as defined under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
- Flexible enough to be adopted in a variety of school settings in Minnesota
- Compliant with Minnesota requirements for mentoring programs (MN Statutes, section 122A.70)
This framework is not intended as a statewide required model; rather, it is intended to be used as a guide for districts in the design and implementation in teacher induction and mentoring programs. MDE and NTC will work closely with Minnesota stakeholders to establish a vision for teacher induction and mentoring in the state, develop key induction resources and materials, and provide a pilot training experience to school leaders and mentors.
NTC believes that every student, from preschool through high school, deserves an excellent and equitable education that empowers them to reach their full potential in classrooms, communities, and beyond.
NTC’s mission is to disrupt the predictability of educational inequities for systemically underserved students by accelerating educator effectiveness. They do this by providing educators across school systems and at each stage of their career with humanized, equity-focused strategic planning and instructional coaching that balances students’ social, emotional, and academic needs and by supporting leaders to create an aligned instructional culture throughout schools and districts.
For information on MDE mentoring and induction supports, contact Chris Ramadan (651-582-8810) at the Minnesota Department of Education. For more information about the New Teacher Center visit Newteachercenter.org.
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The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is offering school IAQ plan trainings in fall 2022, in-person statewide and a webinar. This training will discuss the state’s best practices for school IAQ management plans. School staff, service providers, and others are welcome to attend. The training is free. Registration is required. See MDH School IAQ Plan Training for details and registration.
The IAQ training relates to requirements for school’s Health and Safety Management Programs under Long-Term Facilities Maintenance. If you have further questions, please contact Sarah C. Miller or call 651-582-8370.
Districts are required to report to the Minnesota Department of Education on the number of nonresident pupils denied admission under the Statewide Enrollment Options Program, Minnesota Statutes, Section 124D.03. If your school district denied any open enrollment applications, please complete the Denied Open Enrollment report by Thursday, September 16, 2022.
If you have questions, please contact Cindy Jackson, MDE Ombuds, 651-582-8572, cindy.s.jackson@state.mn.us.
All public school districts must submit to MDE, assurance of compliance with state and federal law prohibiting discrimination based on age, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, or disability with regard to public assistance provided by MDE.
In addition, districts are also required to verify mandated reporter training data via the Assurance of Compliance and Mandated Reporting page. MDE also collects data on the number of staff within the district trained and whether they are licensed or non-licensed. Districts will need to verify that all district staff have been notified of their requirements as mandated reporters and that retaliation against an employee who reports alleged maltreatment is prohibited, as required by Minnesota Statutes, section 260E.30, subdivision 2(b). This verification should be completed annually and can be found at the bottom of the Assurance of Compliance data submission page. By submitting the Assurance of Compliance, the district recognizes and agrees that such federal and state financial assistance will be extended in reliance on the representations, supporting information required by Minnesota Statutes, section 127A.42, subdivision 3, and agreements made in this assurance.
Please note that the data submission and verification process is entirely online and requires a valid EDIAM User account before you can log in. The Assurance of Compliance is due November 15, 2022.
For assistance with questions about access, reporting this information or mandated reporting, please contact Virginia Davis (651-582-8338).
As we look forward to welcoming students back to school this fall, please keep in mind that the tragedy that occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, continues to cause fear and anxiety for many parents when it comes to their children’s safety in school. We have heard from concerned parents and community members that it would help them to better understand their schools’ safety policies, via a letter or packet sent home or engagement opportunities to speak with school leaders on this topic. The letter may include information about the school’s COVID-19 health policy, but it should also provide information about severe weather and intruder emergency drills, school bus safety, how visitors are screened and registered, school-based counseling services, and what parents/guardians can do to help.
We recognize that school safety policies can be lengthy, but we are asking you to work with your schools to coalesce key information about the topics we have identified into a letter or packet no more than three pages in length. Schools may distribute it via email, but we recommend sending paper copies home because this ensures that parents who do not have reliable internet access also receive the information in a timely and accurate manner. It is important that these letters are translated in languages other than English, based on the school’s primary home language demographics. The letter should also include contact information to an individual or unit at the school that answers questions or receives reports on school safety concerns.
If you have further questions, please contact the Public Engagement Division at 651-785-4064 or Lee.Her@state.mn.us
of Education, Health & Human Services are thrilled to announce the 2022 School Behavioral Health Conference will be back in person at Cragun’s Conference Center in Brainerd, MN from November 2 through November 4. This year’s theme is Reshaping through Resiliency: School-Based Behavioral Health in Minnesota. This conference seeks to offer attendees purposeful tools and techniques to implement and produce a positive impact on behavioral health and mental wellness. Attendees include schools, community behavioral health providers, advocates, parents, consumers, policy makers, Tribal Nations, and state government. To register please go to Minnesota Department of Education, Health & Human Services School Behavioral Health Conference November 2-4, 2022 - Formstack
Please make sure the school nurse for your institution receives the message below.
This is an annual communication about vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). The School Health Personnel Immunization and Disease Reporting website is organized to provide you with the information you need to implement the Minnesota school immunization law, report diseases, and provide information to students and families. Also included is a link to directions for completing the Annual Immunization Status Report (AISR).
We need you to:
Complete the AISR by December 1, 2022.
The 2022 AISR application is being updated. Make sure to subscribe to the School Health Personnel Immunization and Disease Reporting website and we’ll send you an email when it is ready.
Report diseases to MDH.
We recommend you:
Additional materials commonly used by school health personnel
Thank you for collaborating with MDH to both ensure compliance with our school immunization law and to further stop the spread of communicable diseases such as influenza, pertussis, varicella, and norovirus. All your work helps to keep Minnesota children healthy.
Questions?
A new school year will be here before we know it! Talk to your child’s health care provider to see what vaccines your child needs. https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/immunize/basics/kids.html
Keep your kids on track – schedule a well-child visit now. As children and adolescents are doing more in-person activities, and as we prepare for the next school year, this is a great time to make sure they are caught up on missed well-child visits to get vaccines and check-in on their physical, mental and emotional health. Contact your child’s health care provider to make an appointment. If your child does not have a regular health care provider, there are resources available to help you schedule an appointment: https://freechildcheckups.com/. #BackToSchool #VaxToSchool
World Languages Education 101 is a workshop offered for educational leaders including principals, superintendents and instructional coaches to learn about some basics of world languages education. This three-hour online workshop addresses types of programs, standards, effective instructional practices and program design. The goal is to increase the knowledge and capacity of leaders in the area of supporting world languages programs and teachers. Minnesota Board of School Administrators (BOSA) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available. All sessions are the same content, please choose one session to attend.
- Friday, September 30, 2022, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
- Saturday, December 10, 2022, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
- Saturday, February 18, 2023, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
- Thursday, June 22, 2023, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
Register for the World Languages Education 101 for School Leaders Workshop
The Minnesota Bilingual Seals Program is an excellent tool to recognize our multilingual learners’ linguistic and cultural assets. It provides an opportunity to earn credit at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, making college pathway as a realistic goal for many of our multilingual learners. The MDE encourages all school districts to participate. Webinars are hosted throughout the school year for any school personnel to learn about the program and implementation. Review the dates and time and register for a webinar.
On August 11, 2022, the CDC updated their COVID-19 guidance to help people better understand their risk, how to protect themselves and others, what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19, and what actions to take if they are sick or test positive for the virus. As part of this update, CDC also revised their operational guidance for K-12 schools and child care programs. Changes to the guidance included:
- Removal of the recommendation to cohort
- Focused recommendations for conducting screening testing on high-risk activities during high COVID-19 community levels or in response to an outbreak
- Removal of the recommendation to quarantine, except in high-risk congregate settings
- Removed information about Test to Stay
- Added detailed information on when to wear a mask, managing cases and exposures, and responding to outbreaks
While the CDC no longer recommends quarantine (staying home) after an exposure to someone with COVID-19, it is still recommended that people take precautions, including getting tested and wearing a mask, regardless of vaccination status or if they had a previous infection.
MDH has updated the MDH Schools and Child Care: COVID-19 webpage to reflect these changes. The CDC guidance can also be accessed directly using the links below:
Questions about the CDC’s guidance can be directed to the MDH COVID-19 Schools and Child Care Team at health.schools.covid19@state.mn.us.
Purpose: $55,000 in State Fiscal Recovery Funds is available from the Minnesota Department of Education to reduce the financial burden for aspiring school bus drivers. The cost of the certification exam associated with obtaining the Class B Commercial Drivers License (CDL) w/School Bus/Passenger endorsement certification will be reimbursed. The cost of this license is approximately $55.
Program Requirements: The individual seeking reimbursement must have received their Class B CDL w/ School Bus/Passenger endorsement and been hired by a school or school bus company. Below is a link to request reimbursement of the above-mentioned certification costs.
Bus Driver Certification Reimbursement Form
Sixty percent of the funds will initially be available to bus drivers working in the seven-county metro area and 40% will be available to bus drivers working in the non-metro area. All funds will be available on a first come first served basis.
Visit the Driver and Vehicle Services School Bus Endorsement webpage for helpful information regarding how to obtain bus driver certification.
Funding availability: These funds will be available retro-active to February 2, 2022, and available through June 30, 2023.
Funding Information: Funding Source: U.S. Department of Education
CFDA 21.027, Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
Lights On Afterschool is Thursday, October 20, 2022. Lights On Afterschool is a part of a national afterschool movement and celebrates afterschool programs and their role in the lives of young people. As you prepare for your afterschool programming in the 2022-23 school year, please consider hosting an event in October to showcase your program to the community. For ideas on how your program could bring awareness and celebrate keeping the lights on, check out the Lights On Afterschool toolkit!
Due to the unanticipated reduction in testing spending caused by COVID-19, MDE is working to manage these remaining funds so that they will be available to cover upcoming development and standard-setting expenses associated with implementing assessments aligned to revised standards. MDE is requesting tydings for federal testing grant awards S369A200024 from the U.S. Department of Education. Under the federal Tydings Amendment, Section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act, any funds that are not obligated at the end of the federal funding period shall remain available for obligation for an additional period of 12 months.
As stated in ESEA statute, section 8401, the “State educational agency shall provide the public and any interested local educational agency in the State with notice and a reasonable opportunity to comment and provide input on the request, to the extent that the request impacts the local educational agency.” As such, the public is invited to comment on the Tydings request for federal grant awards now through August 31 by emailing mde.testing@state.mn.us.
During the 2021 Legislative Session, legislation was passed on the use of individual-use screens in public prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms. The legislation went into effect on July 1, 2022. The Division of Early Learning Services has created a document that provides guidance on applying the legislation to classrooms and instruction. You can find it on the High-Quality Early Learning webpage or access it using this link: Guidance: Screen Use Limits for Children in Publicly Funded Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Programs.
School Districts and Charter Schools! The MDE Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Center is looking to get connected with the Equity Leads at your respective institutions to share updates, meeting opportunities, resources and tools, and general information to support their work. Please complete the brief Equity Leads of Minnesota Survey to submit the contact details for your Equity Leads. This information will allow the EDI Center to work with and hear from you!
All school districts and charter schools must notify the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) of their intent to provide blended learning or online learning options using this form prior to the first day of instruction. See the Online and Blended Learning Options overview for more information.
Blended learning is when students learn primarily in the building but receive instruction online for up to 50% of their weekly schedule. Districts and charter schools will notify MDE they are providing blended options and sign quality assurance statements.
Online learning is when students learn for more than 50% of their scheduled class time online away from a school building for one or more courses. For online learning, districts and charter schools must have completed an approved application to be an online provider.
It is important to note that the provisional approval process for online learning was for the 21-22 school year only and is no longer in effect. Email mde.onlinelearning@state.mn.us with questions.
As a reminder, one condition for receiving ESSER III awards (FIN 160 and FIN 161) was the development, with community input, of a Safe Return to In-Person Learning Plan. Throughout the full period of the ESSER III award, school districts and charter schools must review at least every six months and, as appropriate, revise its plan for the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services. Districts and charter schools must retain and post documentation of the plan development and plan review.
The requirements for the ESSER III Safe Return to In-Person Learning Plan can be found in the Interim Final Rule. These requirements are not new and have not changed. This is a reminder that these Safe Return to In-Person Learning plans need to be reviewed on a six-month cycle and updated, as needed. Email mde.federalCOVIDfunds@state.mn.us with questions.
Children age 6 months to 5 years can now get their COVID-19 shots! Talk to your child’s health care provider and make a plan to get them vaccinated. Families can also search for vaccine locations on our Find Vaccine Locations map: https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine/locations/index.jsp. The map will be updated as more appointments become available. Demand is expected to be high, so please be patient if an appointment is not immediately available. There will be plenty of vaccine to protect our littlest children from COVID-19.
Additional information for parents, including in Hmong, Somali and Spanish can be found by visiting the Minnesota COVID-19 Response website.
Teacher Development and Evaluation (TDE) and Q Comp are programs intended to develop and support teachers so that they are their best selves for each and every learner. To that end, MDE recently announced several professional development opportunities for school and teacher leaders on topics including:
- Peer coaching and observation
- Student learning goals
- Professional learning communities (PLCs)
- Teacher leadership
Visit the TDE/Q Comp professional development opportunities webpage for more information about the offerings and to register.
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