|
June 13, 2025
The captioned June 2025 Special Education Directors' Forum is available. If you attended on June 6 or have viewed the recording, please complete the evaluation survey for the June 2025 Special Education Directors' Forum. CEUs will be emailed following the completion of the survey.
Annual Physical Holding and Quarter Four seclusion reporting is now due in Stepwell MN. Please complete your reporting as soon as possible, but no later than July 15, 2025. If you encounter any issues or have questions regarding restrictive procedures reporting, please reach out directly to Ellen Seibert for assistance.
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Division of Special Education is continuing the webinar series to help support educators in the implementation of proactive and positive evidence-based strategies and resources, to highlight local examples of work done to align systems of support across the needs of diverse learners, and to provide information on specific disabilities that include voices of individuals and families within the community alongside educators and community organizations.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Presenters: Kelsey Black, Dana Page, Ph.D., and Sarah Robinson from the Division of Special Education, MDE
Register on Zoom for PCP Series Part 2.
This is the second webinar in the Person-Centered Practices (PCP) Series. Join Kelsey Black, Sarah Robinson, and Dana Page from the Minnesota Department of Education’s PCP team as they explore how to create more person-centered and effective individualized education programs (IEPs). This session will highlight the importance of focusing on a student's strengths, interests, and needs throughout the IEP planning process. Gain practical tips for pre-planning, conducting, and following up on IEP meetings to boost student and family engagement. Learn strategies to ensure IEPs truly reflect a student's desires and support their long-term goals.
Please share the following opportunity with families, students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and educators within your networks.
The Minnesota Inclusive Higher Education Consortium (MIHEC) at the Institute on Community Integration is conducting a brief Needs Assessment Survey to better understand awareness of college options for students with IDD, interest in inclusive higher education, and resource needs.
Your feedback is crucial and will directly inform our work, helping us tailor resources to your needs.
-
Who should complete the survey? Students with IDD, their families, and educators.
-
How long will it take? Approximately 10 minutes.
-
Ready to take the survey? MIHEC Needs Assessment
Your participation helps us ensure our work remains student-centered and our resources are accessible to all.
If you have any questions, please contact MIHEC (mihec@umn.edu). Thank you for your support in reaching all demographics across the state!
The competency grid option for paraprofessionals supporting children with disabilities in special education programs has been updated. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) establishes and maintains this updated competency grid as one of the qualification options for districts to determine eligibility for state special education aid calculations.
The updated competency grid may now be used for new and recently hired paraprofessionals if no other federal or local requirements are in place; however, a paraprofessional must meet the minimum qualifications before serving in special education programs. The regulation does not permit a provisional period to meet requirements, and the U.S. Department of Education has denied requests to waive or relax the requirements.
The competency grid could be an option for paraprofessionals who do not have two years of college credits or an associate degree or higher, or who have not yet received a passing score on an MDE-approved formal assessment (ParaPro or Paraeducator). For specific questions about local staffing policies or practices, MDE continues to direct community members to reach out to their special education director.
More information about the updated competency grid was shared at the Special Education Directors' Forum on June 6, 2025 (link to recording above). A frequently asked questions (FAQ) will be posted in June to provide additional guidance for all the paraprofessional requirement options, including the competency grid option.
If you have any questions about the updated competency grid and other personnel qualification options, please email the MDE Special Education Division (MDE.Special-Ed@state.mn.us).
|
