Happy New Year 2023!

It's a New Year to Prepare for an IEP Meeting

The school year is halfway over yet many parents are approaching their annual IEP Meeting date. Before the IEP team reconvenes, it is a great idea to prepare for the meeting. Good preparation can lessen any anxiety or uncertainty during the meeting and can also help you be a productive team member.

Below are fact sheets that will help you get prepared:

Assertiveness and Effective Communication Fact Sheet

IEP Components Fact Sheet

Parent Participation Fact Sheet

Private Placement - Who is Responsible for the Child's IEP?

Public agencies and SEA have an obligation to locate, identify and evaluate private school students with disabilities, including those students whose parents enroll in private schools.  The process must be completed in the same manner as it would be if the student was attending the public agency.  

When public agencies are considering private placement for students, the public agency must first conduct a meeting to develop an IEP for the child in accordance with IDEA.  The public agency and the SEA remain responsible for the IEP even if a private school or facility implements the IEP.   

According to Missouri’s State Plan, If the parent enrolls the student in a private placement without the consent of or referral by the public agency and the public agency makes FAPE available to the student, the public agency is not required to pay for the cost of education or special education services.  An exception to this is if a court or a hearing officer finds that the agency did not make FAPE available to the student in a timely manner before the parent enrolling the child in the private placement.  However, the parent must inform the IEP team at the most recent IEP team meeting or at least ten (10) business days (including any holidays that occur on a business day) before the removal of the student from the public agency of their intent to enroll their student in a private school at public agency expense. 

Public agencies are still required to provide services for parentally-placed private school students with disabilities. Each public agency must develop a service plan for these students. The services provided to parentally-placed private school students with disabilities must be provided by personnel meeting the same standards as personnel providing services in public schools. 

For more information about Private School Placement, check out these resources below:

Click HERE to view a document for children with disabilities who attend private or parochial schools or are homeschooled.

Click HERE to view the Missouri State Plan Part B. 

Click HERE to view Sec. 300.325 Private school placements by public agencies. 

Click HERE to view the approved Private Agencies by Agency 1.7.2022 document.

Featured MPACT Webinar Series

First Steps Focus-Share Your Story

Tools That Challenge

the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Parents are asking: My child is in a correctional facility and I suspect the need for special education services. Can I request an evaluation? The answer is yes.

All protections provided under IDEA, including the obligation to identify and evaluate students with disabilities...apply to eligible students with disabilities in correctional facilities and their parents. Each State Education Agency (SEA) must have child-find procedures and policies in place to locate, identify and evaluate youth who are in correctional facilities, who may have a qualifying disability under IDEA, and who are in need of special education and related services. Evaluation requests should be made in writing and submitted to the school district where the justice facility is located. A copy of the letter can be provided to the correctional facility's education director. For more information, view the resources below:

Click HERE to view the MPACT Fact Sheet on Evaluations of Students in Correctional Facilities. 

Click HERE to view the Dear Colleague Letter on IDEA for Students with Disabilities in Correctional Facilities. This document clarifies state and public agency obligations under IDEA to ensure the provision of FAPE to eligible students with disabilities in correctional facilities.

MO DESE Special Education Stakeholder Survey

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – Office of Special Education is asking for your help as we continue improving the education of students with special needs. In your role as a relative, caretaker, or professional, we invite you to provide feedback through a short survey on these educational priorities: inclusion, transition, post-secondary outcomes, and parental involvement. This survey is anonymous and only takes 5-7 minutes of your time. The survey link and QR code are below. The survey will be open from January 17-31. Thank you in advance for helping to support students with the best future possible.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DESEStakeholderEngagement

Power Up 2023 - Registration Now Open

On April 3 & 4, 2023, the Midwest Assistive Technology Community will come together to network, learn, and share at the Power Up AT Conference.

Assistive technology practitioners, teachers, parents, caregivers, and persons with disabilities have gathered at Power Up over the last 25 years to learn, network, and share best practices in assistive technology. In April of 2023, we will gather together in Columbia, MO, for Power Up!

Power Up 2023's Conference Guide provides more information. More information about the sessions and presenters will be available in the coming month.

What is Employment First?

A: “Employment First” is a national systems-change framework centered on the premise that all individuals—including people with the most significant disabilities—can fully participate in Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) and community life. Under this approach, publicly-financed systems align policies, regulatory guidance, and reimbursement structures to commit to CIE as the priority option for using publicly-financed day and employment services for youth and adults with significant disabilities. Learn more about Employment First HERE.

Military Family Early Intervention

Parents of children aged birth to three have a narrow time frame to get interventions and highly mobile military families have a crucial need for information. Click HERE to view an article about helping military families navigate early intervention services.

Financial Wellness Toolkit

"By equipping people with disabilities with the skills & knowledge to take action…we can achieve financial wellness. Financial wellness means having financial security and financial freedom of choice in the present and into the future."

National Disability Institute’s free financial wellness tools can be used to help individuals, families, financial institutions and community partners improve the financial future of people with disabilities. To learn more and to attend the on-demand webinar click HERE.

Governors Council on Disability Inclusion Award

Nominations close January 31, 2023

The nomination form and criteria are available HERE.

The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2023.

Youth Leadership Award

Youths with disabilities can be nominated HERE.

The 19th Annual Missouri Youth Leadership Forum

(MO-YLF) will be held July 18-22, 2023

The Missouri Youth Leadership Forum is a unique career leadership-training program for high school students with disabilities, ages 16 – 21. Youth delegates are selected from their local communities to cultivate leadership, citizenship, social, and career development skills at this summer program.

For information and application for the Virtual Leadership Forum, click HERE.

Missouri Artists, Showcase Your Artwork!

Consider showcasing your art in this year's art exhibition. The deadline is January 27, 2023!

The annual art contest is an opportunity for individuals served by the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) to display their creative talents. Each year, the Foundation collects consumer artwork in the mental illness, substance use disorder, developmental disability, professional and photography categories. The pieces are then reviewed and awarded by a panel of judges.

Positive Behavior Interventions: Tools that Challenge the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Jan 30 @ 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Special Education Law

Feb 6 @ 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Understanding the Evaluation Process

Feb 13 @ 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Understanding the IEP Process

Feb 20 @ 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Dispute Resolution Process

Feb 27 @ 6:00 - 7:30 pm

View all upcoming MPACT trainings HERE.

All MPACT trainings are free of charge! If you would like to schedule any MPACT training in your area or for your organization

please click on the link HERE.

Make A Difference, Join MPACT Today!

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