Director of Special Education and Pupil Services
Timely Information
Access Final 2024-25 ESSA and IDEA Reports in SAFE for Continuous Improvement
Final joint federal notification (JFN) packets are scheduled to be available on April 9th in SAFE. If you need help accessing SAFE, please visit the SAFE landing page or complete a WISE Help Ticket. The joint federal notification packets will include:
- About the JFN Packet documents for all local educational agencies (LEAs).
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) LEA Determinations for all LEAs.
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Accountability Reports for all eligible schools.
- ESSA Progress to Exit Reports for schools with an existing Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) identification.
- IDEA Disproportionality in Special Education Reports for all eligible LEAs.
Public ESSA Accountability Reports and a statewide list of ESSA accountability results will also be available in the ESSA Accountability Report Portal.
When the identifications are available to the public, you may share your ESSA and IDEA identification statuses. Please note that LEA Determinations Reports and Disproportionality in Special Education Reports may contain personally identifiable information and should never be shared with the public or shared through public platforms.
The About the JFN Packet document provides further information about the JFN packet’s contents, continuous improvement requirements, and available resources. Each report also provides information about required actions related to the identifications. You can find more information about ESSA accountability on the ESSA Accountability webpage and the ESSA School Identifications webpage and information on IDEA LEA Determinations in the Special Education District Profiles.
LEAs with identifications should plan to schedule a 30-minute consultation with DPI staff (required for districts newly identified under IDEA) and ensure that team members have access to the ESSA and IDEA reports, WISEgrants Continuous Improvement Performance Reporting (CIPR), and the Continuous Improvement Process Criteria and Rubric prior to the consultation.
For more information or questions about IDEA, please contact Mai Choua Thao at MaiChoua.Thao@dpi.wi.gov or (608) 267-2279. For more information or questions about ESSA, please contact Sam Bohrod at samuel.bohrod@dpi.wi.gov or (608) 267-1290.
Register Now for Training About Upcoming Changes to School-Based Services
Wisconsin Medicaid’s school-based services benefit will undergo significant changes beginning July 1, 2026, as required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These updates are necessary for the State to remain compliant with federal requirements and to ensure that Local Education Agencies (LEAs) may continue to receive Medicaid reimbursement for covered student services.
The upcoming changes will affect:
- Random Moment Time Study (RMTS) requirements.
- Transportation policy requirements.
- Requirements for prescribing, referring, or ordering certain services.
To support LEAs through this transition, Public Consulting Group (PCG) will host a series of virtual trainings that will outline the required changes, implementation timelines, and expectations.
In addition to the trainings, LEAs should watch for an upcoming ForwardHealth Update that will give more information on the changes.
A list of available training sessions and registration links is provided below. All sessions are virtual, and you are welcome to attend whichever session best fits your schedule. Additionally, a recording of the training, along with presentation materials, will be posted in the PCG Claiming System for future reference.
Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to SBS.
Training Dates and Registration Links
Each session will cover the same information, so it is only necessary to attend one.
Session 1: Wednesday, April 22,, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. CT Register Here
Session 2: Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT Register Here
Session 3: Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. CT Register Here
Session 4: Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT Register Here
Session 5: Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. CT Register Here
Session 6: Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT Register Here
Session 7: Thursday, April 30, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. CT Register Here
Session 8: Thursday, April 30, 2026, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT Register Here
For any questions about these training sessions, email the PCG helpdesk at wimacs@pcgus.com or call PCG at (877) 395-5019. We look forward to seeing you at one of the sessions.=
Resources
Resource Reminder: Social and Emotional Learning Competencies and Trauma Sensitive School Resources
DPI has several resources that can be used to support special education evaluations, IEP development, and IEP implementation as well as provide universal support to all students. The Wisconsin Social and Emotional Learning Competencies provide information on knowledge and skill development Pre-K to Adult and can be a helpful tool in identifying a student's present levels of functional skills in the area of social and emotional learning. In addition, the Trauma Sensitive Schools Online Professional Development Modules can provide information on effective intensive services to address a variety of disability-related needs in the areas of cognitive problem solving, academic interventions, emotional and physical regulation, as well as strategies of de-escalation for behaviors that interfere with learning. Additional information on ways to use these resources can be found on the DPI Social and Emotional Learning Competency webpage and Trauma Sensitive Schools webpage.
Other DPI News
Ed Leaders Dispatch, April 07, 2026
- 2024-25 ESSA/IDEA Reports Available April 9 in SAFE
News Releases
- School, District Earn 2026 Stewardship and Sustainability Award, April 10, 2026
- State Superintendent Dr. Underly: Another Surge of Referendums Underscores Need for State Commitment to Public Education, April 08, 2026
- Wisconsin Must Act Urgently to Retain Educators, New Data Warns, April 06, 2026
DAC Digest, April 09, 2026
2025 Final Joint Notifications Now Available
The 2025 Final Joint Federal Notifications (JFN) are now available in DPI’s Secure Access File Exchange (SAFE). Click to view the DPI SAFE webpage for additional instructions. Please refer to the April 7 EdLeaders Dispatch and the April 9 DAC Digest for more information.
Upcoming Learning Events
April 14, 2026: Interactive and Personalized Literacy for Students Who are Deafblind (Virtual)
April 14, 2026: Best Practices in Transition Planning (9 AM – 3PM In Person)
April 23-25, 2026: Autism Society’s 37th Annual Conference, Wisconsin Dells (In-Person)
April 28, 2026: AT Forward CoP: Coaching for Sustainable Assistive Technology Impact (12-1 PM Virtual)
May 05, 2026: OT and PT CoP: Breakout Sessions Hot Topics (3:30-4:30 Virtual)
May 05, 2026: WI Statewide Transition Networking – Educators Only (9 AM – 2:30PM In Person)
May 06, 2026: AT Forward CoP: Accessible Gadgets for Gamers: Evaluating and Applying Video Game Accessibility in Therapeutic Settings (12-1 PM Virtual)
May 06, 2026: Special Education/Pupil Services Leadership Virtual Academy (10 AM- 12 PM Virtual)
Recurring Events
Early Learning Technical Assistance and Implementation Professional Learning Opportunities
2/19/26, 3/19/26, 4/16/26: Functional Behavioral Assessment Community of Practice
Monthly, every third Wednesday, 12:30-1:15: Specific Learning Disabilities Community of Practice registration link
Second Tuesdays, 1-2pm: New School Social Worker Resource Sharing Sessions
DPI does not sponsor or endorse any external resources or events. They are provided for your consideration. For questions about this email list, please contact Daniel Parker, daniel.parker@dpi.wi.gov. Past updates for this email list can be found on the DPI Weekly News webpage.
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