State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026 MN Education Grants System (MEGS) Central Data Collection and Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) Grant Applications DEADLINE REMINDER

To: Special Education Directors, Business Managers, SEDRA Contacts
From: Special Education Funding and Data Team, Division of School Finance

In order to be substantially approved to obligate your federal funds for SFY 2026, Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) will need to have the Identified Official with Authority (IOwA) log into MEGS and complete the Central Data Collection tile and Program Assurances. In MEGS, the IOwA will need to complete all the required information for each of the blue tabs in Central Data, (i.e., District Entered Contacts, Risk Assessment, Assurances, etc.). Under the Program Assurances, they will need to make sure they are selecting either “yes” or “no” for each of the finance codes they are eligible to apply for, they cannot be left blank. Once this is completed, they can sign off as the Legal Entity under the Assurances Summary tab, then run the Consistency Check under the Submit tab and Submit to MDE.

The SFY 2026 Central Data Collection dashboard tile will need to be in Approved status by June 30, 2025.

Once this has been completed, MDE will run a report to know who has submitted/accepted the Assurances to be eligible to receive federal special education funds and will load allocations ONLY for those who have completed these steps.

If your LEA was identified for being in Mandatory CEIS Finance Code (FIN) 429 for SFY 2026, you are required to set aside 15% of the total amount of the allocation for FIN 419/FIN 420 and submit a grant application. The Mandatory CEIS FIN 429 and Voluntary CEIS FIN 425 grant applications are now available in MEGS for submission. The deadline to submit the grant applications to MDE is also June 30, 2025.

In MEGS, locate the CEIS grant application box and click Create an application for 2026. The CEIS grant application sections are now embedded into MEGS to be completed; no paper applications will be accepted. Please make sure you are completing all of the required blue tabs within the grant application.

Example:

Once all the program and budget sections have been completed, click on the Submit tab and run the Consistency Check to process and submit the application for review. The same review/approval process by the Special Education Program Division and School Finance will still apply. The CEIS grant applications will need to be in Submitted for Review status in order for MDE to review/approve.

If you have questions regarding the application process, please direct them to the Special Education Funding and Data Team (mde.spedfunding@state.mn.us).