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Services: Comprehensive Special Education

The school board in every district shall employ, either singly or cooperatively, a director of special education to be responsible for program development, coordination, and evaluation; in-service training; and general special education supervision and administration in the district's total special education system. Cooperative employment of a director may be through a host district, joint powers agreement, or a service cooperative. A director may not be assigned direct instructional duties.

Minn. R. 3525.2405

1) Program development, coordination, and evaluation

General oversight activities may include the following:
  • Advise services to assure Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for students with disabilities
  • Review program practices, procedures, and services related to due process, TSES requirements, updates of state and federal laws, rules, and regulations
  • Review of instructional practices, materials, technology, and equipment
  • Assist with selection of due process and record keeping forms and software/website systems
  • Provide Designs for Learning Special Education Guidebook
  • Assist with facilitating meetings and mediation
  • Provide Special Education Startup Recommendations or needs assessment
  • Assist in the establishment of child find, prereferral intervention, and in-take procedures
  • Conduct site visits
  • Provide onsite monitoring of due process paperwork
  • Provide onsite special education fiscal monitoring

2) In-service training

General oversight activities may include the following:
  • Assist with staff development identification, design, and implementation
  • Provide due process training based on monitoring results
  • Provide fiscal special education corrections and procedural recommendations based on fiscal monitoring results
  • Provide curriculum training based on best practice
  • Provide teaching strategies training based on best practice

3) General special education supervision and administration in the district's total special education system

(Minnesota Licensed Director of Special Education will sign and assure compliance of MDE's TSES Application for Special Education Funds and Statement of Assurances)
General oversight activities may include the following:
  • Provide special education administrative consultation, problem solving, advisory capacity to the organization in related issues, and overall management of the special education programs
  • Provide consultation for required state and federal reporting (child count, Electronic Data Reporting System (EDRS), alternative assessments, tuition billing (according to DL Bill-It checklist)TSES Application and Statement of Assurances, and the Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS))
  • Assist with communication, Corrective Action Plans (CAPs), directives, and routine Minnesota Continuous Improvement and Monitoring Process (MNCIMP) reviews and special education fiscal monitoring visits by MDE and the United States DOE
  • Assist with complaints and dispute resolution
  • Assist with staffing and contracted services
  • Provide all necessary information to the school so they can enter the services of DL into EDRS for reimbursable expenditures and will provide advice as to correct UFARS coding
  • Assist school in correct use of state and federal special education funds to assure that school will maintain effort and not supplant state funds with federal funds.
  • Communicate and provide necessary resources to teachers and administrators
  • Continue professional development activities of DL staff in the area of special education (Director Forums)
WHEREAS, the Contractor is duly qualified to perform these services and whereas personnel will hold appropriate licensure by the Board of Teaching or the Commissioner of MDE for the necessary service for which they provide. Furthermore, a copy of the licensure or appropriate board certification for each person who will be providing services will be submitted to the District prior to the initiation date of the contract and on an annual basis thereafter.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
  1. The Contractor shall provide a licensed Director of Special Education and/or Special Education Coordinator to meet the objectives stated above.
  2. The Contractor shall provide services as defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, and MN. R. 3525.2405 at VA.
  3. The District shall provide an atmosphere that is conducive to learning and shall meet the needs of the students' special needs. The Director of Special Education will provide oversight to assure that online instruction, curriculum, related services, supplemental aids, shall be essentially equivalent to the general education program.
  4. LCTS funds will not be used.
  5. The Contractor will submit billings on a monthly basis. Billings will reflect service hours and the name of the Director of Special Education providing the service.
  6. The District shall make payments for services based upon the hourly or daily rates.
  7. The Contractor shall maintain appropriate liability coverage commensurate with the services provided and submit a copy of the policy upon request to the District.
  8. The Director of Special Education shall be responsible for the oversight of the contracted services contained within this agreement.

For fee structures and other information about these services, please contact Claudine Knoblauch. For contact information, please see Phone Numbers & E-Mail Addresses.

Designs For Learning!