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
- Special Education Director Academy
Source: Office of Special Education
Intended Audience: New Special Education Directors, Returning Special Education Directors, Superintendents
Date: May 5, 2026
The Office of Special Education will host the in‑person Special Education Director Academy (SEDA) on July 14-16, 2026, at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center in Columbia, Missouri. Check in will begin at 9:00 a.m. on July 14 and will close at 12:30 p.m. on July 16.
Session topics will include:
• Data
• Compliance
• Early Childhood Special EducationThe primary audience is new special education directors with fewer than three years of experience.
SEDA registration is free. Breakfast and lunch will be provided in limited quantities. To register, visit Special Education Directors | Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. A detailed schedule is available on the registration portal.
All other expenses, including lodging, travel, and additional meals, are the responsibility of the local education agency.
Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center has a block of rooms reserved for SEDA participants. For booking information, call 1‑573‑442‑6400 (option 2) or go online. Use the code DESESEDA0726.
If you have questions or need special accommodations, please contact speddata@dese.mo.gov.
- Missouri State University Announces a Renewed Blindness and Low Vision Program for Educators Interested in Becoming a Teacher of the Visually Impaired
Source: Kristin Funk, Assistant Director, Special Education Effective Practices
Intended Audience: Any educator with a bachelor’s degree (an education degree is preferred but not required) who is interested in earning DESE certification in Blindness and Low Vision (K–12), a master’s degree, or a graduate certificate in TVI
Date: April 15, 2026
Educators can make a life-changing difference for individuals with visual impairments by gaining foundational knowledge and practical skills to improve equity and access to education. Courses in this program reflect new competencies in early intervention, CVI-multiple disabilities, transition, and the BRITE Act. The program is fully online with field experiences arranged in the candidate’s local area. DESE provides funding for tuition waivers to increase the number of teachers with Missouri teaching certification in BLV and education-related professionals. Partial scholarships in the form of tuition waivers are available to students who agree to teach and/or serve in a Missouri school or agency for three years. Contact the program director below to see if you qualify for financial support. The program begins fall 2026 and applications are being accepted now. Please consider joining our supportive professional community by applying today.
Please direct questions or comments to the program director, Dr. Chris Craig at ChrisCraig@missouristate.edu or by calling 417-836-5215.