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June 30, 2023
Updates in this email:
The Minnesota Department of Education desires to request a one-year waiver of assessment requirements and related accountability requirements for the Rochester Public School District for the 2022-23 school year. A cyberattack midway through the testing window made administration of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments in mathematics, reading and science impossible for the district.
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 ESSA Waiver Request for Rochester Public School District to Cabinet now through July 6 by emailing MDE.ESSA@state.mn.us.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is looking for three more schools (with two already on board) to pilot a successful collaborative/technology K-12 model that is utilized in Michigan, Pennsylvania and other states. Join at no cost to your school to launch this model in September.
- Help prevent youth suicides, anxiety, depression and more.
- Address youth disparities.
- Use technology for greater efficiency
Participating schools will be provided with bhworks, a student mental health software platform from mdlogix worth $100,000, at no cost. Easy to use and all web-based, the software will allow you to:
- Streamline documentation and manage workflows all online.
- Reduce errors.
- Generate and follow best practices.
- Inform and guide policy.
- Supply evidence-based outcome measures with real-time collected data.
- Achieve sustainability.
- Enhance Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) programs.
- Intrastate and multistate collaboratives to break siloes and share solutions (view information about collaboratives from Pennsylvania and mdlogix).
bhworks offers interoperability with the features listed below but not limited to:
- Electronic consent.
- Comprehensive, evidence-based screening.
- Plans of care.
- Referral and support tracking.
- Telehealth.
- Real-time data and visualization reporting.
- Billing/school information service (SIS) integration.
- Medicaid expansion infrastructure.
View client testimonials about how this collaborative/technology model is working in their schools on YouTube or from mdlogix.
For more information, contact Stephanie Downey, Suicide Prevention Coordinator, MDH Suicide Prevention Unit at 218-308-2148 or stephanie.downey@state.mn.us.
Governor Tim Walz signed legislation passed in the 2023 session requiring that each school district and charter school maintain a minimum of two doses of nasal naloxone in each school building, effective on July 1. MDE will be setting up a webinar for school leaders to provide information and guidance closer to the start of the school year. Additional guidance about ordering will be forthcoming. Here is a list of current resources for your review:
Model Policy for Naloxone Administration- The Minnesota School Board Association worked with MDE and MDH to finalize a Model Policy for Naloxone Administration. You can access this information on their website https://mnmsba.org under the Resource Library tab/Policies.
To find training resources for your schools, please follow the link below:
Resources for Education and Staff Training – MDH
Developing a School Emergency Response Procedure:
Developing a School Emergency Response Procedure - MDH
More resources for where to obtain naloxone can be found at:
Naloxone Medication - MDH
If you need further assistance, please email our MDE State School Nurse Consultant Tara Swaby.
Due to strong demand, the Minnesota Department of Education has added Peer Coaching and Observation Training sessions. The professional development series is centered on foundational coaching and observational skills that lead to teacher effectiveness, increased student learning, and that support equitable outcomes for every learner. This interactive series will include sessions around conditions for effective coaching and collaboration, productive listening and questioning, collecting useful evidence, and leveraging the coaching cycle. The series will consist of four virtual sessions on October 4, 11, 25, and November 1 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Sessions will be limited to 80 registrants.
Audience: Teacher, school or district leaders with a role that includes peer coaching, classroom instructional observations, and providing spaces for reflection and feedback. Register in advance to attend the Peer Coaching and Observation Training sessions. For assistance with questions or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Chris Ramadan (651-582-8810) at least two weeks prior to the first session.
On June 26, the 2020 Minnesota K-12 English Language Arts Standards (ELA) were published in the state register. They are effective five days after that publication date and are to be fully implemented in the 2025-26 school year. Supports for implementation are on the English Language Arts Standards Implementation website.
MDE ELA Specialist, Victoria Mucha (mde.academic-standards@state.mn.us), will answer questions and provide assistance as districts work toward implementation.
At the conclusion of each legislative session, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) provides an estimate of revenue impacts for each district and charter school. Visit the Enacted E-12 Funding Summary on our Funding Projections and Trends webpage to view the latest estimates. These projections include the estimated increase in major funding categories for fiscal years (FY) 2024 and 2025 based on enacted 2023 legislation.
It is important to note that the estimated amount per Adjusted Average Daily Membership (AADM) student count may not be reflective of the student count associated with calculating the base revenue increases. Districts and charter schools should review their latest pupil data and applicable revenues to determine projected revenue increases.
Other tools, such as the Interactive Projection Model and Revenue Simulation Model, will be updated as FY2024 and future year data are submitted to MDE. Questions on the estimates or supplemental revenue tools should be directed to mde.funding@state.mn.us.
Governor Tim Walz signed legislation passed in the 2023 session making changes to restrictive procedures, prone restraint and reasonable force in Minnesota schools. The changes to Minnesota Statutes will be effective as of July 1, 2023. They are applicable both to students with disabilities and to students without disabilities. View the changes to the Minnesota Statutes on the Legislative Update Pertaining to Restrictive Procedures, Prone Restraint and Reasonable Force webpage.
MDE will develop guidance for the field on this topic. Please direct any questions to mde.assistance-compliance@state.mn.us.
The Career and College Success Division (CCSD) posted the following competitive grant programs:
Concurrent Enrollment Introduction to Teaching Grant – Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025
State funds are available to eligible applicants to develop or expand Concurrent Enrollment “Introduction to Teaching” or “Introduction to Education” courses consistent with Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 124D.09, subdivision 10 to encourage secondary school students, especially American Indian students and students of color, to pursue teaching.
Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) STEM Grant – Fiscal Years 2024, 2025 and 2026
State funds are available to charter schools and school districts to raise K–12 academic achievement through increased student participation in Pre-AP, AP, and/or IB science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs, particularly for historically underserved student groups.
Applications for both grants are due July 21, with an anticipated grant start date of October 1. Visit the Competitive Grant Opportunities from the Minnesota Department of Education webpage for more information and application materials.
Reimagining Arts Education: Native Arts Summer Institute and 2023-24 Cohort
July 25–27, 8 a.m to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Cansayapi Wicoicage Oti, Lower Sioux Cultural Incubator and Morton, Minnesota
Register for July 25-27 Reimagining Arts Education Summer Institute and Cohort
This summer institute and cohort will support educators designing and piloting meaningful and authentic standards-based learning experiences about Dakota and Ojibwe arts and cultural expression. Participants will dive deep into Dakota and Ojibwe arts and cultural expression and essential understandings about contemporary Native arts, learning with Iyekiyapiwin Darlene St. Clair, artists, makers, performers from Tribal Nations in Minnesota, MDE arts specialists and Indigenous education specialists. This institute and cohort focuses on supporting K-12 arts educators. Continued support during the following school year for curriculum development and piloting will consist of three professional development days. Costs will be covered for qualifying participants.
For a complete description of participant eligibility, institute and cohort details and financial supports, visit the Culturally Responsive Arts Education webpage and download the Native Arts Summer Institute and 2023-24 Cohort Overview document.
Reimagining Arts and Ethnic Studies Summer Institute: Identity, Power, and Resistance in Education
August 1–3, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: To be determined (Twin Cities Metro)
Register for Aug. 1-3 Reimagining Arts and Ethnic Studies Summer Institute
Participants will explore the intersection of the arts and ethnic studies and unpack the connection between identity, social activism and the arts. Participants will also investigate how the arts can empower students to reclaim, envision and create, centering their voices as counter-narratives against historical and contemporary injustices. This institute will focus on arts, social studies and ethnic studies educators working at the secondary level. Continued support during the following school year for curriculum development and piloting will consist of three professional development days. Costs will be covered for qualifying participants.
For a complete description of participant eligibility, institute and cohort details, and financial supports, visit the Culturally Responsive Arts Education website and download the Reimagining Arts and Ethnic Studies Summer Institute: Identity, Power, and Resistance in Education information document.
The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Center is offering Restorative Practices trainings in August. Registration is now available at Restorative Circle and Chats Trainings.
If you have any questions about the trainings, contact Nancy Riestenberg, 651-582-8433, Grace Yang, 651-582-8777, or Gregg Campbell, 651-582-8796.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) announced the final timeline for restarting annual renewals in public health care programs. With Medicaid eligibility becoming a part of the direct certification, and tied to the compensatory revenue formula, schools could be affected by this change.
Due to the pandemic Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare renewals were paused but are now restarting. More than 1.5 million Minnesotans on Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare will need their program eligibility reviewed through a renewal process by May 2024.
Minnesota will restart the renewal processes for Medical Assistance in 2023 beginning with the July renewal cohort. Renewals for MinnesotaCare coverage will restart beginning in October 2023 for coverage effective Jan. 1, 2024. View the timeline for restarting annual renewals in public health care programs.
Please visit DHS's Renew My Coverage communications toolkit for resources in multiple languages. Please share the messages in this toolkit with your district and school communities.
The following documentation has been posted to the Long-Term Facilities Maintenance webpage or school districts to use for the FY 2025 LTFM Ten-Year Plan submission:
- FY 2025 Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Guide
- FY 2025 Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Ten-Year Expenditures Application
- FY 2025 Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Ten-Year Revenue Projection
- FY 2025 Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Cooperative Allocation Worksheet
- FY 2025 Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Revenue – Statement of Assurances
Under 2023 Minnesota Laws, to qualify for LTFM revenue (Minn. Stat. 123B.595, subd. 4 [2023]), a school district, intermediate district, or other cooperative units must have a ten-year facility plan adopted by the school board and approved by the commissioner. This does not include charter schools.
The plan must be updated annually and indicate whether the district will issue bonds to finance the plan or levy for the costs. School districts issuing bonds must include a debt service schedule demonstrating that the debt service revenue required to pay principal and interest on the bonds each year will not exceed the projected LTFM revenue for that year.
For 23 Payable 24 – Levy (FY 2025), the district must submit the updated and approved LTFM documentation to the commissioner by July 31. Please submit to MDE.Facilities@state.mn.us.
For questions about allowed uses of LTFM revenue, process and timelines, LTFM ten-year expenditure projections and LTFM Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting (UFARS) coding, please contact Sarah C. Miller (Sarah.C.Miller@state.mn.us), 651-582-8370.
For questions about the LTFM ten-year revenue projections, Levy Limitation and Certification report adjustments, LTFM aid entitlement and levy calculations or LTFM required debt, please contact Lonn Moe (Lonn.Moe@state.mn.us), 651-582-8569.
Each year, information regarding schools and districts/charters is updated in the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) master database for organizations (MDE Organization Reference Glossary (MDE-ORG)). MDE-ORG validates sites for all major MDE reporting systems, including the Minnesota Automated Reporting Student System (MARSS), Staff Automated Reporting (STAR), Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS), Assessments, etc. It is important that a point person is identified as the Site Verification Coordinator for your organization. This person has access to request and certify school configuration changes and update other essential contact and address information for all sites within the organization.
Please review your organization and school sites, including contacts and addresses, and make changes for the 2023–24 school year. To ensure data collections, payments and reports are correct, organization and school site information and contacts for the 2023–24 school year must be reviewed and certified by August 31. Please read the Annual Verification of District and School Site Information for SFY 2023-24 memorandum found on the District and School Site Verification webpage. This memorandum outlines the timeline and steps to maintaining accurate organization and reporting site directory information which is critical in correctly processing records for your district including students, staff, payments and federal programs.
If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Carey.
The 2023 Read Well by Third Grade (RWBTG) online submission platform is now open. This data is required of all Minnesota districts and charter schools that enroll students in grades K–2 and is due to MDE annually by July 1. Please see the RWBTG Launch Memo for further information.
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