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Special Education Directors' Forum Registration - October 9, 2026

Registration

The next Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Special Education Directors' Forum has been scheduled for Friday, October 9, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. (hybrid webinar) and 12:30-3:30 p.m. (in person breakout sessions).

Please complete the registration form to let us know if you plan to join in person or virtually. 

Morning Webinar Agenda (hybrid webinar):
  • Division of Special Education Updates
  • Agency and Legislative Updates
  • Special Education Funding Update
  • Print Disability, National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC), and Local Educational Agency (LEA) Responsibilities
  • Dispute Resolution Programs: Data and Trends
  • Special Education and COMPASS Collaboration Update
Afternoon Breakout Sessions (in-person only):
  • Special Education Funding Q&A: Paul Ferrin, Special Education Funding and Data Supervisor, will be available to answer any and all questions related to special education funding, reporting, and data.
  • Exiting Special Education: This training will cover the four ways in which students can exit: 1) evaluation, 2) revocation of consent, 3) graduation with a regular diploma, and 4) aging out. This presentation will discuss the recent clarification that students remain eligible for FAPE through age 22, even if they “graduate” with an identical diploma. 
  • Due Process Support: This will be a panel discussion with Janet Fimmen (RAVE), Billie Jo Steen (Northern Lights), Tanya Tacker (Rum River), and Erin Lavery (Indigo). We are asking directors to share with their peers some of the things they do in their district(s) to facilitate due process compliance and ease the paperwork burden for teachers. Each director will share some things they have done and then answer questions from the audience.
  • Dispute Resolution Panel: Special Education State Complaints: Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Special Education State Complaints: Data, Trends, Reminders, and Discussion    
  • Special Education and Cultural Liaisons: Partnering for Student Success: This session explores how districts can strengthen special education programming by intentionally integrating cultural liaisons. Participants will examine the roles of cultural liaisons within culturally responsive school environments, including alignment with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Check & Connect, Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instructional Services (ADSIS), Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS), and overall Special Education Due Process.
  • Program Monitoring: SharePoint Support: This will be a drop-in session for directors to meet with MDE staff to help directors access or navigate the Program Monitoring SharePoint site.
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3. How do you plan to attend the Special Education Directors' Forum on Friday, June 5, 2026? *This question is required.
Our partners at Paradigm Veritext will provide a live transcription of the Forum (morning webinar only) through the Zoom application. During the Forum, access the captions with the Closed Caption button at the bottom right of the Zoom meeting screen.

If you wish to access the ASL interpretation or would like to request other accommodations, please contact us at mde.special-ed@state.mn.us as soon as possible. 
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