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January 19, 2024
Governor Tim Walz has proclaimed the week of January 21–27, 2024, as Paraprofessional Recognition Week.
Paraprofessionals have stepped up in many ways over the past few years—supporting school-age care, assisting with virtual learning, helping deliver meals for students and more. We are grateful for their commitment to meeting the needs of students.
Read the full memo from Commissioner Willie Jett, including ideas for how to recognize and celebrate paraprofessionals next week. Schools can use this signed certificate from Governor Walz to honor each of the paraprofessionals in your school community.
Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) Administration 2024 Informational Meeting
The Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment Division will host informational meetings in January for MTAS test administrators and special education staff to share important changes to the MTAS in the spring of 2024. While this information will also be included in the required training materials for MTAS administration, this event will highlight some MTAS test administration changes and show a sample of reading and science field test tasks that are included in a portion of the assessment. Test administrators and other district staff involved in administering the MTAS are encouraged to attend so they are prepared for the changes, are familiar with the reading and science tasks and can have their questions answered. Note: This meeting does not replace the required MTAS Test Administrator trainings that will be available on the Training Management System (TMS). Both events cover the same information, so please select one date to attend.
Register for the January 23, 10-11 a.m. meeting on the ZoomGov website.
Register for the January 25, 4-5 p.m. meeting on the ZoomGov website.
Contact mde.testing@state.mn.us to request accommodations to participate in this event. Note: MDE requires a two-week advance notice to provide accommodations and 48-hour notice to cancel the request.
A recording of the informational meeting will be available at a later date. Look for information about the recorded session in an upcoming Special Education Update.
Strengthening Community by Lifting the Voices of Indigenous Special Education Staff Webinar Series
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College encourage Native special education staff, special education staff, administrators, special education directors, special education coordinators and all others interested to attend a webinar series intended to strengthen community by lifting the voices of Indigenous special education staff.
These focused webinar topics and dialogues emerged through listening sessions with Native special education staff around the state of Minnesota. MDE's Special Education Division and the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College are partnering and using State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) funding to provide these webinars. While intended to serve the needs of and retain Native special education staff, the sessions are expansive enough to be a learning experience for all special education staff, administrators and institutes of higher education. We are hopeful the partnership and the webinars contribute to developing allyship.
The third webinar in the series will be held January 24, 2024:
Time: 3:30-5 p.m.
Location: Zoom (link is sent with your registration confirmation)
Topic: Mental Health from an Indigenous Perspective
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for both teachers and administrators.
Register for the SPDG Webinar: Mental Health from an Indigenous Perspective – January 24, 2024, on the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College website.
For more information on these webinars or the Native special education network, please contact Govinda Budrow, govinda.budrow@fdltcc.edu.
For more information on the State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), please contact Dr. Becky Gerdes.
Webinar Series: Check and Connect
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is continuing the webinar series into the 2023-24 school year. The series is provided to help support educators in the implementation of proactive and positive evidence-based strategies and resources, to highlight local examples of work that is being done to align systems of support across needs of diverse learners, and to provide information on specific disabilities and include voices of individuals and families within the community alongside educators and community organizations. We are excited to announce our next webinar in the series.
Check and Connect Mentor Panel Discussion: Producing Great Results Over Time
February 6, 2024, 3-4 p.m.
Presenters: Elizabeth Xiong, Staff Development Assessment Specialist, Angie VanHee, Student Services Coordinator, Suzanne Blum Grundyson, Special Education Building Coordinator, Park Center Senior High; and Dane Sislo, School Psychologist, Maple Grove Senior High
Description:
Osseo Area School District adopted Check and Connect in 2015 and has been on the implementation journey ever since. Despite the pandemic, staff, and leadership turnover, this group of high school mentors will share their experience while working more intentionally using the evidence-based intervention of Check and Connect with students. They will share their successes and barriers and how they have scaled implementation to improve graduation rates and outcomes for American Indian and Black students over time.
Register for Check and Connect Mentor Panel Discussion: Producing Great Results Over Time on ZoomGov
Special Education Trainings
In addition to the current webinar offerings, MDE has posted previous webinars that would be helpful for teams to review any school year. The insights and resources here are valuable for general educators and those serving students receiving special education services. All recordings are closed captioned and include links to accessible slide shows and other materials.
Access webinar recordings from MDE Special Education webpage (https://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/sped/spedtrain/).
Other topics included in the webinar series that are fully accessible are:
- Alternative Delivery of Special Education Services (ADSIS) 101
- Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) 101
- Integrating PBIS and School Linked Behavioral Health Services
- Evidence Based Practices used by School Linked Behavioral Health (SLBH) Providers and Exemplar Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Schools
- Statewide Assessment General Supports and Accommodations
- Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS)
- Five Practically Good Ideas for Any Reality
- Returning to School During and After Crisis
- Check-in/Check-Out as a Tier 2 Support
- The Interconnected Systems Framework
- Systematic Screening in the COVID-19 Era
- Behavior Specific Praise: Implementing, Coaching, and Measuring the Impact of this Simple yet Specific Strategy
Seclusion Reporting: Quarter Two Past Due
If you have not already completed seclusion reporting, please do so now via Stepwell MN. Quarter two seclusion reporting for the 2023-24 school year was due on January 15, and is now past due. If you have questions or cannot find the relevant tasks, please contact Carolyn Ellstra for assistance. Quarter three seclusion reporting will be open April 1-15, 2024.
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