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August 7, 2026
Join school-based services office hours on August 10 and 19 for update on NPI and MHCP enrollment.
The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) and Health Care Administration (HCA) of the Minnesota Department of Human Services have been working on necessary updates to National Provider Identifier (NPI) and Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) enrollment for school personnel.
We will provide updates at the school-based services online office hours on Monday, August 10 and Wednesday, August 19 at 3 p.m. All school providers are encouraged to join. Office Hours are held online and registration is not required to attend.
Back-to-School Training Highlights for Special Education Directors
Just in time for staff development season, the special education program monitoring team is pleased to announce a new training and key resources designed to support strong and compliant special education practices across your district.
IEP Implementation: This training equips new special education teachers and service providers with the essential knowledge and skills needed to confidently navigate their responsibilities from day one of picking up an IEP.
Special Education Essentials: Collection of training modules and resources offering on-demand, bite-size compliance information for special education teachers, geared toward those holding Tier 1, 2, and out of field placement licensure.
Special Education Program Monitoring Process: A streamlined overview of the program monitoring process including timelines, monitoring tasks, correction process, and preparation tips for upcoming program monitoring activities.
Share these resources with your teams as part of back-to-school training. Thank you for your leadership and partnership in supporting Minnesota students!
9:30-11:30 a.m. Special Education Directors' Forum webinar
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Lunch Break (food truck will be on-site)
12:30-3:30 p.m. Engagement Session
Register for the August 14 Director's Forum and Afternoon Engagement Session.
Are you passionate about improving children’s mental health in Minnesota? Do you have innovative ways and solutions that could strengthen mental health support for children and families in Minnesota? If so, we invite you to join us for an engaging feedback session during the second half of Friday’s Special Education Directors' Forum on August 14. Space is limited for in-person attendees, so RSVP soon! If being in-person is not an option, you are welcome to join virtually.
This session will use a World Café model and bring together special education leaders from across the state. Together, we will align around a shared vision for child, youth, and family well‑being and explore strategies to ensure every young person receives the right support at the right time.
Participants of the session will:
- Identify cross-system challenges families face and opportunities to strengthen coordination.
- Build a shared vision for a family-centered System of Care that reduces disparities and improves access.
- Support collaborative problem-solving focused on sustainability, regional partnership, and upstream prevention.
- Generate actionable ideas to strengthen funding, workforce stability, and community partnerships.
Hosted by the Departments of Human Services – Behavioral Health Administration, Children, Youth and Families, Education, Health, and the Children’s Cabinet, and co-designed by the Special Education Interagency Partnerships Division, this session provides an opportunity to co-create recommendations for a unified vision of children’s mental health.
This memorandum provides guidelines for determining whether the placement of a student with a program for Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) or Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) should be considered a placement for care and treatment under Minnesota Statutes 2025, sections 125A.15, 125A.51, and 125A.515.
Wednesday, August 12, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The annual Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Summer Institute and Sustaining Exemplar Ceremony is back, offering a flexible hybrid format, so you can join us either in person at the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) or virtually via Zoom.
Rooted in over two decades of statewide collaboration, this institute brings together educators, practitioners, and PBIS advocates to connect and share success stories. This year, our breakout sessions are specifically created using real-world Minnesota examples to help your team deepen implementation, boost fidelity, and ensure long-term sustainability. Learn alongside an incredible lineup of local and national partners and walk away with actionable strategies to support your school's ongoing PBIS journey.
Register on Alchemer for Minnesota PBIS Summer Institute (https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8821580/2026-PBIS-Summer-Institute-Registration).
MDE has updated our Federal Updates webpage with recent communications and resources for schools and families, including the new resource, Learning Choices for Minnesota Families, for parents and caregivers. Other languages are available on the Federal Updates webpage. Please feel free to share this resource in your school communities.
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