November 20th, 2025

Happy National Education Support Professionals Day! 🥳

A Belated Happy National Education Support Professionals Day – November 19

Though National Education Support Professionals Day has passed, we still want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible contributions of our Educational Support Professionals (ESPs). These dedicated individuals are essential to the success of our schools. They support students, collaborate with teachers, build strong connections with families, and help ensure the school day runs smoothly. Their hard work and commitment make a lasting impact in our classrooms and communities.

Thank you, ESPs, for everything you do each and every day. Your efforts are truly appreciated!

With gratitude,
DPF Team

💡 Got a Great Idea? We Want to Feature It!

We love hearing from you—submit your ideas to be included in the next DPF Update!

📬 Click here to share your thoughts

Professional Instruction Center (PIC):

🎒 Action Needed: Choose Your $100 Instructional Kit by December 2

As part of our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality, ready-to-use instructional tools, each special education educator is invited to select one instructional kit (valued at $100) to support classroom instruction and student engagement.

These kits span a wide range of needs—including early intervention, ECSE, literacy, math, SEL, sensory supports, fine motor, blended learning, independent work systems, BVI supports, Spanish-language resources, and more.

📘 Step 1: Explore the Kit Catalog

Review all kit options, descriptions, and included materials:
Catalogue Link

📝 Step 2: Submit Your Kit Selection

After reviewing the catalog, submit your single kit choice here:
Google Survey Link

🔔 Important Reminders

Each educator may select only one kit.
Survey deadline: Monday, December 2.
Timely submissions ensure materials can be ordered and delivered this school year.

Be Proactive With WJ V Testing—Plan Around Upcoming Breaks

As a reminder, the Woodcock-Johnson V (WJ V) requires all subtests to be administered within 30 calendar days of starting the assessment to maintain score validity and alignment with national norms. This differs from Minnesota’s 30 student-contact-day evaluation timeline, which can create challenges—especially as we move into periods with reduced student contact, such as winter break.

Please be especially mindful of this constraint when scheduling evaluations in the coming weeks.
Teams should plan proactively to ensure testing can be completed within the 30-day window and avoid interruptions due to non-instructional days.

Action Required

Plan ahead and schedule WJ V testing with the 30-calendar-day window in mind—especially around winter break and upcoming days without student contact.
Complete all WJ V testing within 30 calendar days of beginning the assessment.

➕ New Resource for Specialized Programs: Equals Math Digital Hub

We’re excited to share a new resource designed to support math instruction for students in our specialized programs. Our product team has created an Equals Math Digital Resource Center—a centralized hub where you can quickly access all Equals Math digital materials in one place.
This website provides easy, on-demand access to instructional content, lesson materials, and supports aligned to the Equals Math curriculum.
🔗 Access the Equals Math Digital Resource Center
Click here for the Equals Math Website Link
💡 Tip: Bookmark the page so you can return to it anytime.
This is a great tool to help streamline lesson planning, provide consistency across classrooms, and support differentiated instruction for learners with significant needs. Let us know if you have any questions or would like support integrating these digital resources into your instructional routines.

Monitoring and Compliance:

Questions? Contact: Anne Silverman

Interim Director: Katie Cruz

🎉New EdPlan Process Tutorials Available!

We’re excited to introduce step-by-step tutorials designed to guide you through commonly used EdPlan processes. These tutorials, created using SupaDemo, were developed with the goal of supporting staff in navigating EdPlan efficiently and confidently.

You can find these resources on the new MPS EdPlan page under the Resources section. They’re easy to follow and perfect for quick reference whenever you need a refresher.

Stay tuned—more tutorials may be added in the future to continue supporting your EdPlan experience!

👉Click here to explore!

December 1st Child Count 🗓️

Districts must report all students receiving special education services by the initial reporting deadline to ensure that every eligible student is accurately counted. The December 1 count provides a snapshot of the students the District serves and determines funding for the following school year.

A student cannot be included in the count if any of the following criteria are not met:

Initial IEP signatures are recorded (responded to) as of December 1.
A valid IEP/IFSP that is less than one year old as of December 1.
- The IEP is out of date, has not been responded to, or the Out-of-District Verification is incomplete.
A current evaluation or re-evaluation that is less than three years old as of December 1.
- Evaluation reports and/or eligibility determinations are not current.
The student file reflects they are receiving special education and related services on December 1.
- The IEP is current, and in effect, has been responded to, or the Out-of-District Verification process has been done.

You may be contacted by your District Program Facilitator (DPF) and Due Process Office Specialist (DPOS) regarding student files that require attention. Please respond promptly and collaborate with your DPF and DPOS to resolve any issues that were identified as of 11/11/25.

It is helpful to utilize the symbols on EdPlan to get an idea of how the student's file is looking. Beside this is a guide to what each of the different symbols mean.

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Developmental Delay Representation for Evaluations and IEPs ☑️

For students in Kindergarten and above who receive special education services under the Developmental Delay category, Teams without an ECSE teacher in the building can complete this request form if a Developmental Delay (DD) representative is needed for an evaluation or IEP meeting. An ECSE teacher will then be assigned.

Role of the ECSE/DD Licensed Team Member:

Annual IEP Meeting
Attend as the licensed DD team member.
Initial Evaluation
- Complete an observation and write-up under the DD category.
- Participate in the evaluation planning and summary meeting.
- Be available for consultation on due process questions related to DD/ECSE.

Please Note: The assigned ECSE team member is not responsible for administering standardized testing or writing the initial IEP if the student qualifies for services.

Evaluation Planning for “Aging Out” of DD
Participate in evaluation planning meeting for initial categorical evaluations for students transitioning out of DD.
Note: An ECSE/DD licensed staff member is not required for evaluation summary results or initial IEP meetings for students aging out of DD.

💌If you have any questions, please email Jenn Wrightman at Jennifer.Wrightman@mpls.k12.mn.us

Reminder: Send Notice of Team Meetings (NOTM) ‼️

During recent reviews of due process files in EdPlan for the December 1 Child Count, we noticed many Notices of Team Meetings (NOTM) were forgotten. Please remember:

A NOTM must be sent to families before an IEP meeting occurs—even if the family has confirmed the date and you’re confident they will attend.
Best practice: Send the NOTM as soon as the meeting is scheduled, ideally at least 10 days prior to the meeting.
Don't forget to finalize the document, and log it in the due process contact log when it is sent.

Need help creating a NOTM? Check out our new step-by-step tutorial below ⬇️. For more EdPlan process tutorials, visit the link mentioned above for additional resources!⬆️

General Programming and Instructional Supports:

📢 Special Education Office Hours! 📢

Need answers to your Special Education questions? Talk to a LIVE person who’s ready to help!

📅 Tuesdays – Check the schedule below for available times.
💻 Join us here: Google Meet
🔑 Google Nickname: spedofficehour2526

📢 Due Process Day Workshops! 📢

Need answers to your Due Process questions? Use your due process day to come to PIC for in-person support!

📅 2nd Weds of the Month – 8am-4pm;

🌟Next session is Wednesday Dec. 10th!!
Future dates : 12/10, 1/14, and 2/11

💻 Join us here: PIC (2410 Girard Ave N. Minneapolis, MN 55411 | Door 6)
❓ Questions? Contact Anne Silverman

🌟Third Party Reimbursement Reminders

Friendly reminder to catch up on your transportation logging!

Just another reminder that case managers should only log for transportation on students that require a wheelchair lift or a specially adapted device such as a safety vest. A booster seat with 5 point harness is not a qualifying modification for transportation logging if it is for their age/size rather than their disability. If the only boxes checked under special transportation are for PCA services on the bus/van, please do not log for transportation. If your students use a safety vest for transportation, make sure that “Special adapted device” is checked under specialized transportation and not just written in the comments box.

If you have a student that utilizes an interpreter with related service providers, make sure to add interpreters as a supplemental service on the IEP so that the interpreters can document their services which will also create a record of providing the accommodation.

When sending home a PWN, please request a signature on the consent for reimbursement line along with the IEP/Evaluation consent line.

Please reach out to Amanda Robinson, Third Party Reimbursement Coordinator, or your assigned third party reimbursement trainer with any questions. Thank you!

💌Email: amanda.robinson@mpls.k12.mn.us

Resources:

Important Update: Key Social Work Changes for 25–26‼️

Please read the update from Monique Tweh, Manager of Social Work, using the link below to learn about the district’s shift toward expanded direct mental health services and clarified service roles. This update has been previously shared with building administrators and SSWs. These changes aim to increase students’ access to mental health services and align district practices with third-party billing opportunities

👉Read the Update Here

🔁 IEP Meeting Facilitation Update

As social worker roles shift toward expanded mental-health support, in most instances, case managers will take the lead in facilitating IEP meetings unless unique circumstances apply. Teams should still use the Roles & Responsibilities form to decide collaboratively who oversees each part of the IEP and evaluation processes.

🛡️ MPS Foundations Training: De-escalation & Personal Safety

Special Education Staff — Don’t miss this essential training!

Join us for the Foundations of De-escalation and Personal Safety Training, designed to equip you with vital skills in:

Crisis response
Situational awareness
De-escalation strategies

📅 View the full MPS Foundations Training Schedule for sessions being offered throughout the school year here.

🏠 Opportunity: Homebound Tutor Interest

Minneapolis Public Schools is seeking staff interested in serving as homebound tutors for students who are unable to attend school due to medical or other approved circumstances.

Homebound tutors play an essential role in maintaining student connection and progress during extended absences—helping ensure every learner continues to access their education and receive support aligned with their IEP or academic plan.

If you are interested or would like additional information about becoming a homebound tutor, please contact:
📧 Tracy McCoy – Tracy.McCoy@mpls.k12.mn.us

Tips and Tricks:

👂QTIP👂

QTIP: Quit Taking It Personal is an excellent reminder, especially for those working in high-stress, emotionally charged environments like special education. Students may express frustration, disengagement, or challenging behaviors—but these actions are rarely about you as the teacher

It's a foundational skill for self-regulation and de-escalation, helping professionals maintain their calm and focus on the student's need rather than their challenging behavior.

How to Use It:

Visual Cue: Keep an actual Q-tip on your desk or wear one on a lanyard as a tangible reminder.
Self-Talk: When a student acts out, silently think, “Quit taking it personally. This is about their needs, not me.”
Shift Perspective: Focus on identifying the underlying cause—sensory overload, communication barriers, or emotional regulation—rather than reacting emotionally.

This quick mindset shift helps maintain calm, empathy, and problem-solving focus, which is essential for creating a supportive learning environment.

Ability Awareness:

Breaking Barriers: A Valedictorian’s Voice Beyond Words

Elizabeth Bonker, a nonspeaking student with autism delivered her college commencement address using text-to-speech software—an honor for which she was chosen by her fellow valedictorians.

“I have typed this speech with one finger with a communication partner holding a keyboard,” Bonker shared. “I am one of the lucky few nonspeaking autistics who have been taught to type. That one critical intervention unlocked my mind from its silent cage, enabling me to communicate and to be educated like my hero Helen Keller.”

Her story is a powerful reminder of how inclusive interventions can transform lives and open doors to education and self-expression.

Watch the inspiring video, and read the full article here: NPR Feature

Special Ed Request Form:

Have a problem or need information?

Not sure who to ask?

Fill out a Sped Request Form

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