Minnesota
Minnesota Abstract or Conceptual Framework for
State Systemic Change
Minnesota Statewide Systems Change Alliance in Special Education
The Minnesota Statewide Systems Change Alliance (the Alliance) represents a collaborative partnership of parents, state and local education agencies, institutions of higher education, community service providers, and other organizations committed to implementing initiatives that will lead to measurable changes in the statewide system of special education. The goal of this effort is to create a comprehensive, integrated service delivery system of highly skilled personnel who can work together, along with parents, to ensure that students with disabilities are provided full access to general education programs. To accomplish this goal, the Alliance will conduct professional development and related activities aimed at impacting Minnesota's general and special education systems. They will also engage a wide range of community partners in these efforts with the goal of creating an educational system that effectively serves all students. The Alliance is seeking to produce and support improvements that result in permanent, systemic change. To achieve this goal, the Minnesota Statewide Systems Change Alliance will oversee the implementation of a comprehensive improvement plan that is based on an extensive analysis of local needs within the state.
A model has been adopted that will help guide Alliance activities. This model is based on information obtained from statewide needs assessments as well as strategic goals identified by parent and professional groups. The model also reflects priorities articulated through Minnesota's Statewide System Goals and the Learning Performance Goals, established by the Division of Special Education. With the development of a comprehensive service system serving as the primary mission, the model consists of three main goal areas:
1. Facilitating Access to General Education Curriculum and Achieving Results.2. Implementing a Coordinated, Multidisciplinary Interagency Service System.
3. Ensuring the Availability of a Qualified Special Education Workforce.
These three areas represent the general framework from which all professional development and dissemination initiatives have been designed and will be implemented for the SIG. In all cases, the activities described within each goal area will be aligned with statewide reform efforts and initiatives designed to address the needs of Minnesota's increasingly diverse student population.
The Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning (CFL), Division of Special Education, will provide leadership and overall management of contractual and non-contractual partners. The Division of Special Education will be assisted in this process by an Alliance steering committee, a group comprised of key stakeholders representing parents and various educational and advocacy groups within Minnesota. The committee will provide feedback to staff conducting project activities and participate in systems change evaluation and continuous improvement activities.
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Project Title |
Minnesota Statewide Systems Change Alliance in Special Education |
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Primary Contact Person |
Norena Hale, State Director of Special Education |
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Address |
Department of Children and Family Services 1500 Highway 36 West Roseville, N 55113-4266 |
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Phone |
(651) 582-8289 |
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Fax |
(651) 582-8729 |
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norena.hale@state.mn.us |
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Web site |
http://cfl.state.mn.us/SPECED/speced.htm |
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Date SIG Application was Written or Submitted |
December 15, 1999 |
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Begin and End Dates for Funding |
July 2000 to June 2005 |
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Funded Amount |
$1,015,816.00 |
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Who Wrote the Application |
Norena Hale |
Minnesota Improvement Strategies
1. What products or activities are planned by the SIG?
Personnel on the SIG grant are called the Alliance throughout the proposal.
The three goals of the Minnesota SIG are:
Goal 1: Facilitate access to general education curriculum and achieve results for children and youth with disabilities.
Goal 2: Fully implement a coordinated, multidisciplinary interagency service system for children and youth with disabilities birth through 21 statewide.
Goal 3: Ensure the availability of a qualified special education workforce in all regions and communities of Minnesota.
Goal 1: Facilitate access to general education curriculum and achieve results for children and youth with disabilities.
Objective 1.1: Promote collaboration between general and special education staff to increase access to general education programs and participation in statewide reforms for students with disabilities.
1.1.1 Train a cadre of CAPS (collaborating to Accommodate Performance Standards) trainers capable of providing ongoing staff development to increase collaboration between general and special education within the state.
Outcome(s) By the end of year 5, 50-60 Minnesota education staff will have the skills to serve as CAPS trainers to conduct local and regional training for general and special education.
l.1.2 Implement CAPS training for 20-25 regular and special education teacher teams (8 staff per team) per year for each of Years 1-5 to promote access to general education programs for students with disabilities.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 5, approximately 1,600 1,800 general education teachers will have received CAPS training in 11 Minnesota Special Education Regions. An analysis will be made of pre and post IEPs to assess the extent to which CAPS training had been successful in increasing access to general education programs. Also, by the end of Year 5, member institutions of the Higher Education Forum will offer CAPS training in their pre-service programs either as part of the required instructional program or as an elective workshop or seminar.
1.1.3 Implement specific training opportunities for special education teachers and related services personnel to incorporate Minnesota Graduation Standards in students IEPs and Individual Interagency Plans (IIPs).
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1, training modules will be developed that outline a process of including Minnesota Graduation Standards on IEPs or Individual Interagency Plans (IIPs). Also, by the end of Year 3, all of Minnesota 9,000 FTE special education teachers will participate in at least one of the three training sessions through Interactive Televised Video (ITV) technologies. This activity will be repeated bi-annually thereafter to reinforce initial training and to update staff on changes or modifications in legislation or state policies related to Minnesota Graduation Standard(s).
1.1.4 Include CAPS general and special education training materials and strategies in pre-service training programs in IHEs throughout Minnesota (emphasizing interagency collaboration, assessments, and accommodations that support the inclusion of students with disabilities in Minnesota Graduation Standards).
Outcome(s) Alliance staff will work with the Higher Education Forum to implement pre-service collaborative training initiatives at 6 institutions of higher education by Year 3. By Year 5, major teacher training institutions in the state will offer a class or workshop/seminar that includes CAPS content and strategies.
Objective 1.2 Conduct training and information dissemination activities to build the capacity of families, schools, and communities to support students with emotional and behavioral disorders in general education programs.
1.2.1 Develop and conduct training activities in the implementation of a school and community change model that address the needs of students with EBD.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 2, a training manual describing components of a school and community used model will be developed. By Year 3, training will have occurred in at least four regions with the remaining regions receiving training in Year 4. Also, by Year 5 all collaboratives within Minnesota will have implemented the model.
1.2.2 Increase knowledge and awareness of children's mental health needs among school staff, administrators, and state agency staff to promote inclusion of students with emotional and behavioral disorders in general education programs.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 3, an in-service training package will be developed and disseminated to all Minnesota districts including Charter schools and correctional facilities.
1.2.3 Conduct staff development activities to increase the number of students with EBD provided with Individual Interagency Plans (IIPs).
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1, key components of Individual Interagency Plans (IIPs) will be developed. By the end of Year 2, an agreement with the State Interagency Committee will be secured and information will be disseminated via the Alliance website and training will be completed in at least 4 sites in Minnesota. Also, by the end of Year 5, all relevant agencies will be using Individual Interagency Plans for students with emotional and behavioral disorders.
1.2.4 Conduct information dissemination activities to improve services for females with EBD by increasing the quality and effectiveness of available programs
Outcome(s) A monograph will be developed y the end of Year 2 that provides information about quality indicators of programs that serve females with EBD. By the end of Year 3, effective components of a service delivery model for females with EBD will be piloted in 5 schools. By Year 5, Alliance staff will disseminate information to all schools within Minnesota regarding effective models of services for females with EBD.
Objective 1.3 Conduct staff development training on the integration of assistive and educational technology into special and general education programs.
1.3.1 Expand technical assistance and information dissemination and networking opportunities for education and interagency staff to provide students with assistive technology devices and services to promote access to general education programs.
Outcome(s) - Four meetings will be held with the Statewide Technology Committee Years 1-5. Approximately 1,750 educators and interagency staff will participate in the statewide technology conference through Years 1-5, 30% will represent general education and interagency staff. By the end of Year 2, all educator organizations and professional groups in Minnesota will have access to a website with continuously updated information on technology policies and practices.
1.3.2 Conduct information dissemination activities regarding assistive technology planning that addresses the needs of local education agency staff to increase student opportunities for participation in general education programs.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1, the Statewide Assistive Technology Committee will publish and disseminate the updated and revised version of Assistive Technology for Students With Disabilities: Guidelines for Assessment and Services and will have created the website. Also, by the end of Year 3, state technology plans will address the needs of students with disabilities.
1.3.3 Conduct training with special and regular education staff to integrate assistive and educational technology in general education programs through the implementation a five-phase training model.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 5, Phases I through IV training will be completed where 50 educators will have completed certification and a statewide leadership team will be formed to provide ongoing and continuous training to local agencies within Minnesota's Special Education Regions.
Objective 1.4 Conduct staff development activities that provide general education administrators (e.g., principals, superintendents) with the leadership, knowledge, and skills necessary to promote access to general education programs for students with disabilities.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 a joint committee of Alliance staff and Minnesota Administrators of Special Education (MASE) and the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) members will be formed and training materials to address needs will be developed. By Year 3, all currently licensed school administrators will have attended at least one of the annual training sessions held each Minnesota Region. Also, by the end of Year 5 formative program evaluation activities will show that school administrators perceived training activities had raised their knowledge and skills in need areas that it had an impact in the manner in which they carried out their administrative roles.
1.4.2 Create partnerships with statewide professional organizations (e.g., Higher Education Forum, MASE, MASA, and others) to incorporate leadership and awareness training for school administrators in IHEs.
Outcome(s) By Year 2 Minnesota Institutions of Higher Education granting graduate degrees will offer at least one course or seminar dedicated to special education issues and Idea 97 requirements.
Objective 1.5 Conduct staff development activities with general and special education staff to reduce the disproportionate placement of diverse student populations in special education programs.
1.5.1 Implement training that reduces disproportionate representation by improving the effectiveness of general education and special education's use of pre-referral interventions in determining special education eligibility for diverse populations.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 2 participating districts will demonstrate a significant reduction in the referral of students from diverse cultural backgrounds for assessment and placement in special education programs. Based on formative evaluation measures, participating districts will show an increase in their capacity to develop and implement effective pre-referral strategies that meet the4 academic, social/emotional and cultural needs of students of diverse populations.
1.5.2 Implement an incentive program that supports IHEs in the development of curricula focused on the educational service needs of diverse student populations.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 3 all IHEs receiving a grant award will offer a course or workshop aimed at providing current and prospective special and general education teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the educational needs of students representing diverse populations.
Goal 2: Fully implement a coordinated, multidisciplinary interagency service system for children and youth with disabilities birth through 21 statewide.
Objective 2.1: Develop and implement statewide systems of interagency collaboration for all children with disabilities through age 21.
2.1.1 Develop and implement an interagency communication system between the 14 collaboration agencies and entities as mandated by Minnesota Statute 125A.023.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1, a monthly interagency newsletter will be published that is disseminated to state and local agencies, including coordinating councils and county social service agencies. Also, by the end of Year I a Statewide Interagency Committee website will be established.
2.1.2 Develop and conduct information dissemination activities to promote awareness of the statewide interagency system model that will be used to provide services to all students with disabilities by 2003.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1, a defined eligible population of students with disabilities will be identified, key components of an interagency service system model will be identified and formal interagency agreements will be established. Also, by the end of Year 1 interagency agreements and policies will be disseminated statewide via newsletter and website.
2.1.3 Conduct staff development activities to implement systems of interagency collaboration for children to age 21 by 2003.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 key components of the training will be identified. Regional information dissemination activities will be complemented by the end of Year 2. By the end of Year 3 all local education and county agencies within each region will receive applied training. By the end of Year 5 all students with disabilities will be provided with an Individual Interagency Plan (IIP) that meets or exceeds current IDEA 97 requirements or the federal requirements in effect at that time.
Objective 2.2 Conduct statewide training to effectively involve parents of children with disabilities in interagency service delivery systems.
2.2.1 Provide outreach training and technical assistance to parents of children with disabilities on how to work with local interagency staff to identify and plan needed services.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 PACER will develop the training program focused on the implementation of Individual Interagency Plans (IIPs). By Year 2, four parent workshops will be conducted and 100 parents will receive individualized technical assistance. By the end of Year 5 PACER will deliver four workshops annually and will have provided technical assistance to more than 500 parents in the state.
2.2.2 Implement training programs for parents of children with disabilities on their role on local advisory committees and state and local interagency coordinating committees. Alliance and PACER staff will design training for parents on how special education decisions are made at the local, state, and federal levels and how each impacts the education of children with disabilities. Training will include recommendations on how parents might participate as leaders at each level.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 follow-up results will show that 25 parents have acquired membership on special education and interagency advisory councils. By the end of Year 5 Alliance and PACER staff will have conducted five statewide conferences and 125 parents will indicate membership in a respective advisory group. Also, by the end of Year 5 PACER staff will have documents that quarterly newsletters have been developed and disseminated to 1,000 parents in Minnesota.
2.2.3 Provide training to families that promotes knowledge and awareness of community agency responsibilities in the provision of services with specific attention to private and state insurance carriers, Medicare and Medical Assistance, and managed care organizations.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 the Minnesota Association of Children with Mental Health Needs (MACHMN) will develop and implement training activities for 30 parents. By the end of Year 5, 150 parents will have received training and all informational products will be accessible from the Alliance website.
Objective 2.3 Conduct statewide training to promote school to work transition opportunities for students through interagency collaboration and coordinated services.
2.3.1 Provide outreach training and technical assistance to students who have reached the age of majority and parents on issues involving interagency roles and responsibilities in the transition from school to post school living (e.g., postsecondary education, training, employment, and community living).
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 PACER and the Metropolitan Area Center for Independent Living will develop guidelines that can be used by parents and for students who have reached the age of majority to ensure that Minnesota Graduation Standards are included in the IEP or Individual Interagency Plan (IIP). By Year 2 representatives from parent advocacy groups will have received training in the guidelines and will have conducted informational meetings in each Region. Also, by the end of Year 5 about 1,500 2,000 Minnesota parents will have received materials and ongoing technical assistance from PACER staff and over 1,000 students will have received self-advocacy training from the Metropolitan Area Center for Independent Living.
2.3.2 Conduct training to increase the collaborative, interagency capacity of Minnesota's 70 Community Transition Interagency Committees (CTICs) to assist youth with disabilities in the transition from school to adult life.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 2 Project Invest staff will have conducted 11 workshops in which 350-400 professionals were provided with training in the guidelines. Guidelines will be finalized by Year 4 and include best practice recommendations. By the end of Year 5 approximately 1,600 professional staff will have received training in the guidelines.
Goal 3 Ensure the availability of a qualified special education workforce in all regions and communities of Minnesota.
Objective 3.1 Conduct staff development training that prepares Minnesota's paraprofessional workforce to support special education staff in meeting the needs of students with disabilities.
3.1.1 Conduct staff development and information dissemination activities to increase knowledge and skills of paraprofessional staff.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 a core set of competencies will have been developed along with curricular materials. By the end of year 2 trainers in each Region will have received training from staff of the Statewide Paraprofessional Network and 11 workshops will have been held. By the end of Year 5 training will have been conducted annually in each Regional and at each statewide paraprofessional conference. Also, by the end of Year 5 training materials will be incorporated into statewide requirements for paraprofessional staff.
3.1.2 Conduct training activities for special education staff and general and special education administrators in the area of hiring, supervising, and monitoring the job performance of paraprofessional staff.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 training and information dissemination materials will be developed and posted on the Alliance website. By the end of Year 5 all three phases of the training program will be implemented on an annual basis via statewide general and special education conferences and regional workshops. Not including those who assess the website for information, approximately 2,000 teachers and administrators will participate in the multiphase training program.
Objective 3.2 Implement licensure changes and staff development activities that increases supply and retention of a highly competent workforce of teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD).
3.2.1 Identify pre-service training competencies of teachers of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) to establish new licensure requirements.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 the advisory group will have developed a list of EBD teacher competencies that will be submitted to the appropriate agencies. By the end of Year 3 new EBD licensure will be instituted and incorporated into pre-service training programs. By the end of Year 5 all students entering into pre-service training institutions will be required to meet licensure criteria. Also, by the end of Year 5, 1,00 teachers will be provided with a monetary incentive to obtain licensure in the field of EBD.
3.2.2 Establish the Minnesota Institute of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (MIEBD) to support the training of new and continuing EBD teachers.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 the Minnesota Institute for Teachers of students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders will be established and training will be provided to 100 teachers annually. By the end of Year 5 the Institute will be responsible for producing 250 fully licensed staff who formerly held state variance or waivers. Also, through program evaluation activities, Institute trainees will report increased skills in conducting functional behavioral assessments, coordinating manifestation determination meetings, and developing suspension/expulsion alternatives for students.
Objective 3.3 Conduct staff development opportunities and implement recruitment and information dissemination initiatives to ensure a sustainable special education workforce in areas where documented shortages exist.
3.3.1 Conduct information dissemination activities and provide incentives to recruit teachers of students with specific learning disabilities (SLD).
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 5; (a) recruitment presentations will be made to more than 1,000 prospective teachers in Minnesota's pre-service training programs, (b) 10-15 press releases and articles will be written and distributed to Minnesota newspapers (including college and university periodicals), and (c) 115-125 prospective teachers will be provided with a monetary incentive. Also, by the end of Year 5 Minnesota's expected shortage of SLD teachers will be reduced by at least 75%.
3.3.2 Conduct activities to increase networking activities among current teachers in low incidence disability areas.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 state organizations of professionals of low incidence disabilities will design a website. By the end of Year 2, the website will be fully functional and be used as a source to provide teachers with updates and other types of pertinent information.
3.3.2 Conduct an incentive program to attract professionals serving the needs of students in low incidence areas.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 an incentive program will be developed, information dissemination activities will be completed and mentors and program recipients will be identified. By the end of Year 5, a 75% reduction will be found in low incidence areas where shortages currently exist.
3.3.3 Develop an incentive program to train sign language interpreters and translators to meet minimum competency from an approved program each year.
Outcome(s) By the end of Year 1 an incentive program will be developed and program participants will be identified. By the end of Year 3 approximately 35 participants will have completed RID or NAD registration and will be linked to job opportunities in local education agencies.
2. What interstate connections are planned?
Minnesota plans to continue the following:
1. A collaborative effort with Pennsylvania to deliver training for Orientation and Mobility (O&M) specialists through distance learning technologies2. Reciprocity agreements with Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota that lowers the tuition rates for college and university students in pre-service teacher preparation programs
3. Negotiations are currently underway with the neighboring states of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota to address the lack of uniformity in the credentialing and licensing of teachers and related service personnel
4. Training modules and related materials developed to train paraprofessionals in Minnesota are currently in use in several states.
3. What strategies are planned for service delivery?
4. What partnerships are intended?
5. Who are the partners?
6. What types of contracts or subgrants are intended to partners, LEAs, IHEs, PTIs and others (including lead agency under Part C)?
Subcontract costs will remain constant over Years 1-5 of this project.
PACER Center A specific subcontract will be established with PACER Center for the amount of $275,000 ($175,000 federal and $100,000 Part B funds). PACER will undertake statewide training and technical assistance to parents in the areas of: (a) including Minnesota Graduation Standards within students’ IEPs, (b) increasing parent involvement on interagency teams, (c) strategies for implementing Individual Interagency Plans, and (d) training a cadre of parents in leadership roles on local interagency coordinating committees.
Institute on Community Integration (ICI), University of Minnesota. A subcontract of $390,000 ($205,000 federal and $185,000 Part B funds) will be established with ICI. ICI will support the Division of Special Education in the full implementation of Minnesota’s Interagency Collaboration Initiative, provide training to general and special education teachers focused on students’ access to the general education curriculum (CAPS), and continue efforts to enhance the capacity of regions and local school districts statewide to train special education paraprofessionals.
RIATT@NASDSE. A subcontract of $200,000 ($100,000 federal and $100,00 Part B funds) will be established to support several major outreach training efforts. RIATT will conduct training of general and special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and related service personnel on the fundamentals of assistive technology, assessment, planning, equipment utilization, and on the fundamentals of assistive technology assessment, planning, equipment utilization, and evaluation. This would also include the development of specific training materials for the ongoing use in Minnesota and will help to support the training of a cadre of individuals who will continue to provide training beyond the initial distance education training.
Behavioral Institute. The Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning, in partnership with IHEs and Minnesota Association of Special Education Administrators (MASE), will develop a multi-agency institute whose goal is develop a full continuum of support for educators of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. A subcontract will be established with the Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents for $230,000 ($180,000 federal and $50,000 Part B funds). Subcontract activities will include the development of in-service and pre-service models with sufficient flexibility to meet the critical demand for fully certified teachers, retention and resiliency of fully certified teachers, paraprofessionals, and other specialists needed to assure the delivery of appropriate educationally related services to children with disabilities. Particular focus will be given to areas of extreme shortages such as teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders and low incidence disabilities.
Minnesota Association for Children with Mental Health Needs (MACMHN). A subcontract in the amount of $40,000 (federal) will be established with MACMHN to develop written guidelines designed for parents to use in the development and implementation of Individual Interagency Plans that include insurance carriers, Medicaid and Medical Assistance agencies, and managed care organizations.
Institute on Minority Development. A subcontract of $50,000 (federal) will be established with the Institute on Minority Development for the purposes of providing training focused on cultural diversity and minority development issues throughout Minnesota. This will include the training of general and special educators, paraprofessionals, parents and family members, and others. This organization has worked closely with the Minnesota Division of Special Education in several major continuing education training programs over the past several years focusing on multicultural and diverse population issues.
Metropolitan Center for Independent Living. A subcontract of $10,000 (federal) will be established with the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living to develop guidelines and training materials that can be used to promote students’ transition to post-secondary education and training, employment, community participation, home living, and recreational/leisure opportunities.
7. How will resources be pooled with other resources?
SIG resources will be pooled with Part B discretionary funds.
8. What specific SIG products, activities, initiatives and strategies are pertinent to Part C (birth to 3, infants, toddlers and their families) services and activities in your state?
Alliance staff will work with the State Interagency Committee (SIC) to clarify roles and responsibilities and develop a model of interagency communication at the state level (including Minnesota’s Special Education Advisory Council and the State Coordinating committee for Part C Infants and Toddlers.) They will work together to develop a communication model that ensures information dissemination systems are in place across 14 agencies at the regional level, i.e., 11 Educational Cooperative Service Units (ECSUs) and county level. In addition, they (a) will work to develop and disseminate a monthly newsletter dedicated to interagency initiatives that is disseminated statewide and includes information from member agencies of the State Interagency Committee and (b) will establish a website that will contain "Frequently Asked Questions " (FAQs) and news and information about interagency initiatives and the roles of local education agencies.
All activities of the SIG are directed to all children.