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September 8, 2023
Updates in this email:
The 2023 Active Transportation Safety Training requirement is effective August 1. All students in public schools must receive age-appropriate education related to safe walking and bicycling during the first few weeks of school. This legislation is similar to the law that requires students to receive bus safety education at the beginning of each school year. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is providing all the resources necessary for schools to be able to meet this new requirement. Visit the Safe Routes to School webpage for more information.
Districts and charter schools offering concurrent enrollment courses in partnership with eligible institutions during the 2023-24 school year are eligible for aid reimbursements per student per course.
For more information, read the September 1, 2023 memorandum from the Career and College Success Division or email mde.postsecondary@state.mn.us. Visit the MDE Calendar for Concurrent Enrollment Aid Overview sessions.
A Youth Water Safety grant opportunity is available to Minnesota nonprofit organizations and city and county parks and recreation programs providing swimming lessons to youth. These state funds are available primarily for the purpose of providing low-income and at-risk children with scholarships for swimming lessons based on nationally recognized water safety curricula. Up to 15% of the grant funds may also be used to hire water safety instructors or lifeguards, or to train water safety instructors or lifeguards in nationally recognized water safety practices and instruction. The total funding available is $250,000 for this fiscal year only (grant ends June 30, 2024). The minimum award is $10,000 and the maximum award is $24,000. Completed applications are due October 6, 2023. Information and applications can be found on the Minnesota Department of Education Grants webpage for the Minnesota Youth Water Safety grant.
Contact Grants Specialist Coordinator, Bette Benson, with any grant questions.
The Minnesota School Behavioral Health Conference is in its seventh year, bringing together collaborating partners and providers to build a school behavioral health framework of community, practice and support. Attendees include schools, community mental health providers, advocates, consumers, policy makers, Tribal Nations, parents/caregivers and state government. The conference provides opportunities to network and learn about the latest developments and best practices related to supporting students with behavioral health needs, their families and the broader school community.
This year’s theme is Impact through Innovation and Empowerment. This conference seeks to offer attendees purposeful tools and techniques to implement and produce a positive impact on behavioral health and mental well-being. Register for the 2023 School Behavioral Health Conference November 1-3, 2023
The Child Mind Institute’s Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids (HMTK) Project provides bilingual mental health resources to educators of students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The project was funded with $25 million from the state of California and consists of 34 videos in Spanish and English, six educator implementation guides, and 60 skill sheets for school and home settings, all tailored for three developmental ranges (elementary, middle and high school students). More information can be found in this overview video, the Data and Outcomes Report, and this one-page overview of the program.
Please direct questions to Dave Anderson, Vice President of School and Community Programs for the Child Mind Institute.
MDE’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Center is excited to announce the launch of their Gender-Inclusive School Learning Cohort for the upcoming 2023-24 school year. Gender-inclusive schools increase academic achievement, school connectedness and safety for all students. Participants will receive professional development, technical assistance, and implementation and policy support. By participating in this program, your school district will have the opportunity to join school leaders from across the state in ensuring that every student feels valued, supported and empowered to achieve their full potential. Learn more about the Gender-Inclusive School Learning Cohort.
If you are interested in participating, please RSVP for the 2023-2024 Gender Identity Learning Cohort.
If you have any questions, please contact Jason Bucklin, LGBTQ Education Specialist. We look forward to the chance to collaborate with your district.
Indigenous Education for All (IEFA) is new legislation that will educate all students in Minnesota about the 11 Tribal Nations with whom we have geography in common. MDE is gathering feedback from students, (including former students), parents, educators, community leaders (including elders) and residents of Minnesota. The Indigenous Education for All Needs Assessment Survey will be open until September 22.
Information gathered from this survey will inform the legislature and MDE about your needs to implement Indigenous Education for All. We would also like to hear how we can support the work to implement Indigenous Education for All to better serve each student in Minnesota schools.
If you have any questions regarding this survey or Indigenous Education for All, please contact Indigenous.Education.For.All.MDE@state.mn.us.
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