Third Party Reimbursement & Parental Consent for Reimbursement – NEW PROCESS

What is Third Party Reimbursement?

Third Party Reimbursement is a program that helps schools recover some of the costs of providing special education and health services to students. These services are delivered by special education staff and include:
✔️ Occupational Therapy
✔️ Physical Therapy
✔️ Speech and Language Services
✔️ PCA services provided by Special Education Assistants (SEAs)
✔️ Nursing Services
✔️ Mental Health Support
✔️ Psychological Services
✔️ Interpreter Services

Why Does This Matter?

Federal and state laws require school districts to seek reimbursement for these services when possible. This funding helps schools continue providing high-quality support for students with special needs—at no cost to families.

NEW PROCESS: Parental Consent for Reimbursement

To access these funds, we need parental, guardian, or caregiver consent. This is now part of a new, streamlined process to ensure we collect this information early in a student’s special education journey.

How does it work?
✅ Parents/guardians sign the stand-alone consent form (attached) OR the consent section in the PWN document.
✅ Signing will NOT impact your child’s personal insurance benefits.
✅ All families are asked to sign, regardless of Medicaid (MA) status.

Why is This Needed for All Students?

It’s not always clear which students have Medicaid (MA) benefits. Here’s why consent is important:
✔️ Some families don’t realize their child is eligible—Medicaid applications can take time to process. Even if a parent believes their child doesn’t have MA yet, eligibility can be retroactive, allowing schools to claim reimbursement.
✔️ Some students qualify for both private insurance and MA—even if a family has private insurance, their child may also have Medicaid coverage.
✔️ New TEFRA Legislation (Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act)—Families who didn’t previously qualify for MA may now be eligible, especially for children in certain special education programs. If we already have a signed consent form, we can back-bill for services as far back as one year.

💡 Bottom Line: Providing consent does NOT affect your private insurance or coverage in any way. It simply allows schools to recover funds to continue offering quality services for all students.

What Do Case Managers Need to Do?

✔️ Request a signed consent form for all students, ideally during the initial evaluation or when a student transfers into the district with an IEP.
✔️ Upload signed forms into EdPlan as soon as possible.
✔️ Your Due Process Office Specialist will assist in managing these forms.

📌 Where to Find the Form:
The stand-alone Consent for Reimbursement form is available in EdPlan under Documents / Letters in four languages.

Why This Matters for Schools

Parental consent allows schools to access Medicaid funding, which directly impacts the budget for essential special education services. Every signature ensures continued support for students who need it most.

For any questions about third-party billing or parental consent for reimbursement, please contact:
📧 Amy.Floden@mpls.k12.mn.us

Thank you for your support in making sure students receive the services they need! 💙

Bring Unified Champion Schools to Your School!

🏫 Make Your School More Inclusive! 🏫

Are you passionate about creating a more inclusive school community? Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools is a movement that empowers students to lead the charge in fostering inclusion—where students of all abilities learn, play, and grow together.

What is a Unified Champion School?
A Unified Champion School is a place where students with disabilities feel welcome and are meaningfully included in all school activities, events, and opportunities. This is achieved through three key components:

✔️ Inclusive Student Leadership – Students take the lead in building a culture of acceptance and inclusion.
✔️ Unified Sports – Students with and without disabilities train and compete together, fostering friendships and teamwork.
✔️ Whole School Engagement – School-wide activities promote a sense of belonging and awareness for all students.

Why Get Involved?
✅ Create a school culture of belonging for all students
✅ Build student leadership skills and lifelong friendships
✅ Promote acceptance and respect in every classroom, on every team, and throughout your school community

How Can You Start a Unified Program at Your School?
💡 We’re looking for educators, coaches, and student leaders who want to bring Unified Champion Schools to their school! If you or someone you know is interested, we’d love to connect.

📩 Contact Santi Bromley at santi.bromley@somn.org to get started!

Help us make Minnesota’s schools more inclusive—one school at a time. 🌟

Math PD Training Opportunities Available! 🎓

Staff, don't miss out on these professional development opportunities available to you on February 28, 2025!

What’s Available?

✅ SIOP Training – Supporting language learners in math (Location: Anwatin MS)
✅ i-Ready PD – Personalized planning time and support (Location: Sanford MS)
✅ 6-12 Math Intervention – Targeted strategies for intervention
✅ Keynote Speaker: Dr. Treuer – Education in a Time of Racial Reckoning

These sessions are open to SPED teachers if they find them valuable. If you’re not teaching with i-Ready, the morning differentiated planning time might still be useful, as a trainer will be available to support individual needs.

📩 If you're interested, be sure to register for the sessions that best fit your needs! Kelsie.Leonard@mpls.k12.mn.us 

SEL/Behavior Supports

Need Brain Break Ideas for Your Students? 🧠🚀

Looking for fun and engaging brain breaks to use in your classroom? Wayfinder offers a collection of brain break activities, conveniently sorted by grade bands! 🎉

How to Access Brain Break Activities:

1️⃣ Log into Wayfinder
2️⃣ Click on the Collections button (see image below)
3️⃣ Explore a variety of quick, engaging activities designed to refresh and refocus your students!

Why Use Brain Breaks?

🔹 Reduces stress 🧘‍♂️
🔹 Increases productivity 📈
🔹 Boosts brain function 🧠
🔹 Supports social skill development 🤝

💡 How do you incorporate brain breaks into your daily schedule? Let’s share ideas and keep our students engaged! 🚀

Reminder: Access Your PIC Consumable Materials!

📢 Special Education Staff – Don’t Forget! You have access to PIC (Professional Instructional Center) materials to support your students.

What is PIC?

PIC provides instructional materials, interventions, and professional development to help special education teachers effectively support students with diverse needs.

How Can PIC Support You?

✔️ Helps you determine student needs and select the right interventions
✔️ Provides district-sponsored materials and resources for instruction
✔️ Guides implementation of interventions and strategies
✔️ Assists with progress monitoring to track student success

Where to Access PIC Consumable Materials?

📍 Log in to the PIC system to request materials and find the resources you need!

📩 Need Help?

For assistance, reach out to:

• 📚 Curriculum Questions: mps.pic@mpls.k12.mn.us

• 📝 Special Education Support: Tyler Jachim – tyler.jachim@mpls.k12.mn.us 

Make sure to take advantage of these resources to enhance student learning! 🚀