Listserv News and Updates
What is ListServ (SELs/SELs2)?
February 2000, the Office of Special Education created the Special Education Listserv (SELS). It has been and continues to be a limited e-mail group (with listserv being a misnomer since it really isn’t a listserv) available to only one contact person per school district/responsible public agency. It is used by the Office to disseminate important special education information concerning funding, compliance, data collection, professional development, etc.
The Office has created a second e-mail group called SELs2. This e-mail group is open to anyone wanting to subscribe (principals, teachers, parents, etc.). It will allow subscribers to receive the EXACT same messages as subscribers to SELs. By creating this second e-mail group, all constituents interested in special education will have the opportunity to receive the Office’s e-mail messages, not just one contact per school district/responsible public agency. It also allows DESE to maintain the ability to make sure that every district has at least one contact person per district receiving these messages. Messages are from DESE only and may only be posted by the manager (Lina Browner, Office of Special Education). Members may not post messages to either SELs or SELs2.
How Do I Subscribe?
Those interested in subscribing to SELs2 can do so by going to the following the links below.
Questions or Problems Subscribing to SELs and/or needing to change SELs information, contact Lina Browner, Executive Assistant, Office of Special Education at (573) 751-5739 or via email at Lina.Browner@dese.mo.gov
SELs
SELs2
SELs Archives
- Readers for the Blind Applications Due November 30, 2024
Source: Special Education Finance
Intended Audience: Special Education Directors
Date: October 31, 2024
The Readers for the Blind application is due November 30, 2024.
Funding is available for school districts to help support readers for students who are legally blind. The Readers for the Blind application and manual can be found at https://dese.mo.gov/financial-admin-services/special-education-finance/special-education-finance-hnf-ppf-and-rbp.
Applications and supporting documentation for services provided to eligible students during the 2024-25 school year should be submitted electronically to spedfunding@dese.mo.gov prior to serving the child but no later than November 30, 2024. Electronic copies of current eye reports are required as supporting documentation for all new student applicants, as well as for students with eye reports older than three years on file with Rehabilitation Services for the Blind.
The Special Education Finance Section will forward applications to Rehabilitation Services for the Blind for certification and, if approved, notify the school district of the student's eligibility and the requirements for reporting reader services.
For questions, please contact Special Education Finance at spedfunding@dese.mo.gov or call 573-522-2523.
- Special Education Finance Monthly Webinar – November 5
Source: Special Education Finance
Intended Audience: Special Education Directors, Financial Administrators, ECSE Directors
Date: October 29, 2024
The Special Education Finance Section will be hosting the next monthly webinar on Tuesday, November 5 at 9:00 a.m. Topics will include Readers for the Blind, Cash Management, Obligation of Funds, High Need Fund Federal, MOE, and Tiered Monitoring. This webinar will be recorded and available on the Special Education Finance Training web page: https://dese.mo.gov/financial-admin-services/special-education-finance/special-education-finance-training-monthly-webinars.
To attend the monthly fiscal webinar, please go to https://stateofmo.webex.com/stateofmo/j.php?MTID=m2efe456e47a04324b3a8f21649f012b1 or dial 650-479-3207 to join by phone.
Meeting Number: 2632 745 5627
Meeting Password: M3MuchByJ75
These calls are scheduled the first Tuesday of every month at 9:00 a.m. The call-in information will be the same as what is listed above for each call.
If you have any questions, please email the Special Education Finance Section at spedfunding@dese.mo.gov.
- QUESTION/ANSWER Time - Special Education Personnel Reporting and Staff Assignment Report
Source: Mary Corey, Special Education Data
Intended Audience: Special Education Administrators, MOSIS/Core Data Personnel
Date: October 17, 2024
PERSONNEL REPORTING:
Reminder that special education personnel, including administrators, teachers, ancillary staff, therapists, and aides, are to be reported in the MOSIS October Educator and Assignment files. Contracted staff must also be reported.A variety of technical assistance is available under Educator Course and Assignment at: https://dese.mo.gov/special-education/special-education-data/data-colle….
The Staff Assignment Report (instructions included on the page above) is a quick way to check the certification status of the educators reported in the MOSIS files. The Staff Assignment Report is available the day after the MOSIS October Educator and Assignment files are certified.
VACANCY REPORTING:
Core Data Screen 21 collects information on educator vacancies. Ensure that any special education teacher vacancies (filled and/or not filled) for the current school year have been reported for your LEA.ZOOM QUESTION/ANSWER SESSION:
The Special Education Data team is hosting a quick overview and question/answer time for October Cycle reporting on October 22 at 1:00 p.m. Use this link to join the meeting: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1617634563Questions can be directed to the Special Education Data Coordination Section at speddata@dese.mo.gov.
- FY 24 High Need Fund Application Reminder – Due October 21, 2024
Source: Special Education Finance
Intended Audience: Special Education Directors, District Administrators
Date: October 10, 2024
The High Need Fund (HNF) application is open to claim reimbursement for 2023-24 special education services. Districts will access the HNF application in the DESE web applications ePeGS system.
The HNF application is optional and provides reimbursement for districts serving any student with a disability whose educational costs exceed three times the Current Expenditure per ADA amount as calculated on the FY 24 Annual Secretary of the Board Report (ASBR). All expenditures reported on the application must be directly related to the student's education and associated with providing direct special education and related services that are identified in the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP).
In order to create an application, districts must ensure the following:
- The person completing the application must have authorized access for ePeGS
- Students have been marked as eligible for High Need in the MOSIS June Student Core File
If the district did not mark students as eligible, the MOSIS June Student Core file will need to be updated and resubmitted prior to completing the HNF application as students automatically populate into the application. In addition, if students need to be added or deleted from the application, this must be done by updating the June Student Core File.
The HNF manual has been posted on the Special Education Finance webpage at https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/hnf-manual.
Districts may contact Special Education Finance with questions at 573-522-2523 or sid.belt@dese.mo.gov.