2025-26 Communications

Communications for the 2025-2026 School Year

August 20, 2025 New Teacher Training Slide Show (pdf)

November 11, 2025 Communication and Advisory Committee Slide Show (pdf)

1) SOLER Curriculum: This evidence-based curriculum, complete with ready-made materials and slideshows, is free to anyone working in Region 3. Register here. 

2) SpEd Forms: Utilize the Modify My Dashboard feature - customize how you see fit. MA Forms updates, remember to match your log date with the activity log dates. When uploading medical documents into History, remember to check the “medical” box.

3) Artificial Intelligence (AI): Use AI for efficiency and time savings, personalizing your instruction, to check accuracy and compliance, and for professional growth and thinking partners. Be aware of data privacy.

4) Inclusive & Strength-Based Language: This language is essential for writing IEPs that empower students, foster a growth mindset, and are effective.

5) Continuum of Services: High minutes of paraprofessional services are considered more restrictive; the IEP is based on needs identified by data, not schedules.

6) Amending an IEP: The Agreement to Amend form is optional; a Prior Written Notice (PWN) is still required.

7) Addressing E-Learning Days: Address these days in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) section.

8) Students who attend abbreviated days due to parent request: Refer to the Sample PWN Language.

9) Parent Request for Evaluation: You must respond within 14 calendar days through a PWN. This process requires two planned and documented pre-referral interventions conducted by general education teachers (refer to MDE Q&A).

10) Responding to Absent or Dropped Students: For chronic absenteeism, look at root causes in school; consider health, behavior, or social/emotional issues that impact attendance. Document all attempts. For a 15-day drop, the student is still entitled to education and services outlined in the IEP. Districts should make efforts to locate and communicate with families to offer continued services.

11) Writing Measurable Goals and Objectives: Must identify the gaps that need to be closed with specialized instruction and supports.

12) Secondary Transition: For Middle School students, look at age-appropriate transition assessments by understanding their interests. In High School, explore potential work and skills to assist students in reaching their postsecondary goals.

13) Re-evaluations and High School Students: Do not waive re-evaluations for high school students who typically have higher needs. Talk with families/IEP teams to determine what services or adulthood will look like to determine assessment needs.

14) Transition Summit (formerly Mentoring Day) will be on 3/9/26 from 9:45 AM to 1:30 PM for students in grades 10–12 and 18–22 years old. Includes a parent series.

15) College for a Day at LSC is on 2/3/26.

16) VRS Updates: Free online courses are available for "unmet needs" that districts cannot provide. Schools are responsible for getting applications to families and registering/scheduling the online modules. Contact the NLSEC WBL team for forms.

17) Termination of Eligibility upon Graduation: A student is no longer eligible when the evaluation shows they no longer qualify, they graduate with a regular high school diploma, they turn 22 years old, or the parent/guardian revokes consent.

18) Statewide Testing: The MTAS will become the Alt MCA with the MCA IVs. Connect with your District Assessment Coordinator (DAC) for local training.

19) Curriculum in Special Education: CAC members, please fill out this survey.

November 25, 2025 Child Count Memo sent by Billie Jo Steen

Feb 24, 2026 Communications and Advisory Committee Slide Show

1) Special Ed Curriculum Follow up: Many resources identified in Literacy/Reading, Mathematics, SEL and Comprehensive/Specialized systems. Gaps include the time to review and explore curriculum and having a starting point of resources. Reading: MDE READ Act & SEL - Be Good People & Second Step. Consider evidence based Math curricula.

2) SpEd Forms updates: Ability to copy and paste graphs and charts in the IEP, Progress Report and ER! Please remember to only finalize the Restrictive Procedures once.

3) Transition Summit: Please get the word to Parents! Promo Videos on Transition Summit website.

4) Monitoring update: 
 - Progress Report section on page 1 of the IEP- please use the drop down in SpEd Forms for the specific language.

- Writing Measurable Goals & Objectives - Checklist or MDE Goals and Objectives Resource Guide
Questions to ask: Are the needs from the PLAFFP addressed? Is the goal measurable and can it be completed in one year? Are there at least 2 objectives? How will progress be measured?

- Friendly file reviews in 2026-27

- MDE Resources: How to write Progress Reports & Goals and Objectives Recorded Training

- The 2026 Indicator Data Collection items being reviewed include Timely Provision of Services, 45 day timeline, EC Transition, Child Find and Secondary Transition.

-If there is non-compliance, will require a student level correction

5) Notice of a Team Meeting: Be as specific about why the team is gathering. 

6) Record of Team Meeting: Can be used as a sign in sheet. The meeting notes and next steps sections can be useful when we are NOT taking an action that requires consent.
In the event of a complaint, any unofficial meeting logs serve as critical evidence.

7) Prior Written Notice: Should provide a sufficient explanation of anything proposed or refused.  Think of it as a paper trail for every decision made.

8) Prior Written Notice after Evaluation/DNQ: When a student doesn’t qualify for special ed services as a result of an evaluation, it is best practice to send home a PWN.

9) Waiving Evaluations: Reevaluations are typically required every 3 years with limited expectations.  Teams should review the Reevaluation Decision-making Flowchart to determine if it can be waived.

10) ESY Reminders: ESY is an individualized extension of special ed and related services beyond the normal school year. Students who qualify for ESY need data in the area of regression/recoupment, self-sufficiency or unique need. Document in SpEd Forms on the Service Page of the IEP under ESY, Check “yes” or “no”, document on the ESY services page and the PWN explaining the addition of ESY to the plan. Part C is not ESY. Part C services including referrals, evaluations, meetings and transition to Part B are activities that all students birth to age 3 are eligible to receive and districts are required to provide. Part B 3-5 referrals can come in over the summer and districts must have a plan to respond to them.

11) Continuum of Services for Secondary Transition Services: The general ed classroom is the closest approximation to prepare students for integrated adult life. Consider this question, “Can the student be successful in the school's existing program with accommodations or modifications?”

12) MDE Complaints Lessons Learned: Complaints on the rise because of several reasons - heightened scrutiny of compensatory services and progress monitoring, missed service time, families are more educated on their rights and procedural safeguards, breakdown in communication and team trust and AI.

13) Artificial Intelligence: AI has two sides of the coin - Parents can use AI to generate detailed formal complaints with a single prompt.  Teachers are using AI to draft goals and PLAAFP statements. Generic IEPs and hallucinations from AI are risks for schools.

14) Complaints: Approximately half of the complaints do not result in a full investigation.  Dismissed because the complaint is about something MDE doesn't cover or the event happened more than a year ago.  MDE reviews the complaint.  Parents may agree to pursue dispute resolution instead.

15) NLSEC Child Count 2025

16) Dream Catcher Project: The project partners Indian Home School Liaisons and cultural staff with special educators to ensure cultural differences are not mistaken for disabilities during evaluations. Dream Catcher Project Website MDE.

March 2026

1) NLSEC Guidance - 15 Day Drop of Students with Disabilities

April 2026

1) NLSEC Achievement Testing Decision Guide