In 2021, the Minnesota Legislature and the governor passed a new law that requires the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), school districts and charter schools to collaborate with families of students with disabilities to address the impact of disruptions to in-person instruction on students' access to a free appropriate public education related to the COVID-19 pandemic (Minnesota Session Laws – 2021, Chapter 13, Article 5, Section 1).
Requirements include:
- Convening an IEP meeting as soon as practicable to determine if the student has a lack of progress on IFSP or IEP goals, a lack of progress in the general education curriculum, or loss of learning or skills due to disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic that need to be addressed with special education services and supports: extended school year services, additional IFSP or IEP services, compensatory services, or other appropriate services;
- Reporting provided services to address lack of progress on IFSP or IEP goals, a lack of progress in the general education curriculum, or loss of learning or skills due to disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
- Reporting costs of these provided services.
Technical Assistance
IEP meetings must be held as soon as practicable and meeting invitations must be sent by December 1, 2021. MDE has developed the Updated Guide to Addressing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Students with Disabilities to guide school districts, charter schools, and IFSP and IEP teams in this process, including how to plan for services and how to include those services in the IFSP or IEP.
In addition to the TA that MDE provides to support districts and charter schools on the implementation of these requirements, they have created the following documents:
General Guidance for Special Education Recovery Services and Supports
Frequently Asked Questions: The Start of the 2021-22 School Year and the New Minnesota Special Education Recovery Services Law
Materials and Delivery Mechanisms
PACER Center, the federally funded parent center in Minnesota, has created an informational flyer for parents regarding this legislation.
Evaluation Planning
House File 2 (HF2) requires that districts and charters make a one-time report to MDE regarding the number of students with disabilities who received extra support or services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The "extra support or services" includes students who had:
- lack of progress on Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or individualized education plan (IEP) goals;
- lack of progress in the general education curriculum; or
- loss of learning or skills due to disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
HF2 also requires that districts and charters report the cost of those provided services.
Analysis & Reporting
MDE has provided a spreadsheet to help districts and charters meet these reporting requirements. They are also in the process of designing an online data collection system that will enable school districts and charter schools to meet the requirements of the new law by reporting which types of services they are providing in the 2021-22 school year to students with disabilities in order to address lack of progress on IFSP or IEP goals, a lack of progress in the general education curriculum, or loss of learning or skills due to disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, i.e., extended school year services, additional IFSP or IEP services, compensatory services, or other appropriate services.
