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September 14, 2026
Thursday, October 1, 2026, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
This training is recommended for anyone beginning a leadership role or seeking a clearer understanding of MDE’s processes and expectations.
Register for the training. You will receive the Zoom meeting link after you register.
The Special Education New Leaders Training provides foundational knowledge and practical guidance for educators stepping into special education leadership roles across Minnesota. Designed by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Division of Special Education, this course introduces participants to essential state processes, data systems, and compliance expectations that support effective program administration.
Through a series of targeted presentations, participants will learn key components of MDE workflows and receive actionable tips for navigating critical responsibilities, including:
- Minnesota Automated Reporting Student System (MARSS) Special Education reporting
- Overview of Fiscal Monitoring requirements
- Overview of Program monitoring systems and platform (SharePoint)
- Understanding timelines, communication channels, and support resources within MDE
This training aims to equip new leaders with the knowledge and confidence needed to manage special education programs effectively, uphold compliance, and support positive outcomes for students with disabilities.
- Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (EBD)
- Other Health Disabilities (OHD)
- Speech or Language Impairments (SLI)
- Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)
High Incidence Disabilities Office Hours provide a dedicated space to share updates, resources, and high-leverage practices related to high-incidence and often co-occurring disabilities (EBD, OHD, SLI, SLD). Each session highlights current research, upcoming training opportunities, helpful online and print resources, team-based problem-solving, and strategies to strengthen specialized instruction in both behavior and academics.
These sessions are interactive, with opportunities for group discussion, questions, and shared concerns.
Registration Information
Sessions are recorded and posted for later viewing. CEUs will be available.
October 8, 2026, 11 a.m.-noon: Register for Beyond the Checklist: Turning IEPS into Shared Commitments
This session will focus on how parents and Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams work together to distinguish between student wants and documented educational needs when developing an IEP. Participants will explore how to interpret and synthesize multiple sources of evaluation and progress monitoring data to identify meaningful patterns rather than focusing on isolated data points—learning to "see the forest for the trees."
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has established a grant program to support the remediation of identified sources of lead in drinking water in schools and licensed child care settings. This funding is intended to help reduce lead exposure and improve the safety of drinking water for children.
Eligible Applicants: Schools and Licensed Child Care Settings
Rolling Submission Window:
Submit applications by 4:30 p.m. Central Time on the last day of each month. Submissions received after the monthly deadline will be reviewed and scored during the following month’s cycle.
Learn more at Lead Remediation in Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Settings.
Each year, the Minnesota Department of Education’s Division of Special Education hosts listening sessions to get feedback from community members about special education services in our state. The first round of 2026-27 community listening sessions will be on November 5, 10, and 18. All sessions will be virtual.
These listening sessions will focus on Transition Planning and Graduation. We want to hear your stories and experiences about secondary transition planning and supporting students toward high school graduation.
Intended audience: Individuals with disabilities and parents of students with disabilities. Your perspectives are needed.
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Who are the people that support you or your child in secondary transition planning?
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What could be improved?
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How can MDE support schools in ensuring successful transition planning and graduation for students with disabilities?
Below are the days and times for the virtual sessions. Please select the registration link to sign up for a session. You are asked to register to ensure there is enough space in the virtual environment and to accommodate any accessibility needs you may have.
If you have any questions about the community listening sessions, please contact mde.special-ed@state.mn.us.
The Program Monitoring unit will host monthly drop-in sessions, beginning in September. These sessions will be an opportunity for district special education leadership to connect with members of the Program Monitoring team for assistance with the District Collaboration SharePoint site, Student Level and District Level Correction requirements, and program monitoring activities.
Sessions will take place monthly on the third Tuesday of the month at 3 p.m. Drop-in sessions are online, and registration is not required to attend.
Tuesday, September 15 at 3 p.m. Drop-in Session: Join the September 15 session
Mark your calendars for the remaining sessions: October 20, 2026; November 17, 2026; December 15, 2026; January 19, 2027; February 16, 2027; March 16, 2027; April 20, 2027; May 18, 2027; and June 15, 2027.
Educators are invited to attend the Co-teaching Community of Practice (CoP). These virtual sessions provide a space to connect with colleagues across the state, share challenges and strategies, and engage in collaborative problem-solving focused on co-teaching practices. By joining this CoP, you will increase your ability to use practical, innovative, and research-based strategies to improve co-teaching practices.
These CoP sessions are spaces MDE facilitates by providing some framing for each session, but they are flexible based on attendees’ needs at the time. Attendees are encouraged to bring their co-teaching questions, issues, and barriers, as well as examples of co-teaching practices that are working well.
K-12 classroom educators are the target audience, but other school employees in various roles are welcome.
Registration
After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join the meeting.
Contact
Holly Andersen (Holly.Andersen@state.mn.us)
Billy Brooks (billy.brooks@state.mn.us)
Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) School Districts and Individualized Education Program (IEP) Providers
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is aware that claims for Children’s Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS) IEP services in schools are incorrectly denied.
We are working on a system update and will automatically reprocess all impacted claims. School districts and providers do not need to take any action or resubmit claims. You may continue to submit new claims as usual; however, they will continue to be denied until the system update is complete.
DHS will post a message on the MHCP provider news and updates webpage when an update is available. Call the Minnesota Health Care Programs Provider Resource Center at 651-431-2700, option 3, or 800-366-5441, option 3, with questions about this message.
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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