October 16, 2026

If you have any questions regarding the announcement below, please email the Division of Special Education (mde.special-ed@state.mn.us).

Program Monitoring Drop-in Sessions

The Program Monitoring unit hosts monthly drop-in sessions. These sessions are 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 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, October 20 at 3 p.m. Drop-in Session: Join the October 20 session

MTAS/Alternate MCA Fall Meetings

When/Where: Registration is required at least 24 hours in advance.

• Register for October 21, 10 a.m.–noon via Zoom.
• Register for November 4, 3:30–5:30 p.m. via Zoom.

What: This fall MDE will host online Alternate Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (Alt MCA) Fall Meetings. Educators will be given continuing education units. The fall meetings will focus on:

• Preparation and administration for the Reading and Science Alt MCA
• Tools for making decisions about student administration modes (online, paper or hybrid)
• Early Stopping Rule Guidance
• How to use the Alt MCA Student Readiness Tools (online and paper)
• How to implement the Eligibility Requirements and Decision-Making Tool for Minnesota Alternate Assessments

Who: MTAS/Alt MCA Test Administrators. District Assessment Coordinators, Special Education Directors/Coordinators, and any district staff involved in administering alternate assessments are also welcome to attend, however the focus will be on the one-on-one administration activities.

A Zoom recording will be available at a later date.

2026-27 Alternate Assessment Chat and Connect Series

When: November 12 from 4 to 5 p.m. The series will continue monthly, meeting on the second Wednesday of each month (except November). The remaining 2026-27 dates are Dec. 9, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 10, April 14, and May 12.

How: Register now for the entire series. You only need to register once to join any of the monthly Chat and Connects that work for you. However, when registering for the first time, registration for each session closes 24 hours before the meeting time.

What: MTAS/Alternate MCA Test Administrators and special education staff are invited to meet with MDE Alternate Assessment Specialists to give feedback, ask questions, and connect with other special education staff from across the state.

Why: In October, learn about the Reading and Science Alt MCA Student Readiness Tools (SRTs), hear about the feedback Test Administrators gave on the 2026 Alt MCA, and see examples of the Reading and Science Individual Student Reports (ISR) that will be released this fall. Please fill out this form to submit questions for the October Chat & Connect.

Reminder: Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) Offers New and Updated Online Career Classes for Students

School staff can register students with disabilities for online career classes that cover the following Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS):  

• Job Exploration 
• Work-Based Learning Experiences 
• Postsecondary Education Exploration 
• Workplace Readiness Skills 
• Self-Advocacy 

To get more information:  

• Go to the VRS Information for High School Staff
• Register for a 30 minute 1:1 information session for school staff 
• Subscribe to the VRS Youth Services email for monthly updates on VRS Introductory Career Classes

The Minnesota Department of Education's (MDE) Special Education Division works toward its vision that all children get necessary support for healthy development and lifelong learning; its mission is to provide leadership to ensure a high-quality education for Minnesota's children and youth with disabilities.

To learn more, visit the Special Education section of the MDE website.

mde.special-ed@state.mn.us |651-582-8616 | website