Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Office of the Revisor of Statutes

125A.515 PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS; APPROVAL OF EDUCATION PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Approval of education programs.

The commissioner shall approve education programs for placement of children and youth in residential facilities including detention centers, before being licensed by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Corrections. Education programs in these facilities shall conform to state and federal education laws including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This section applies only to placements in facilities licensed by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Corrections.

Subd. 2.

[Repealed, 2006 c 263 art 3 s 17]

Subd. 3.Responsibilities for providing education.

(a) The district in which the residential facility is located must provide education services, including special education if eligible, to all students placed in a facility.

(b) For education programs operated by the Department of Corrections, the providing district shall be the Department of Corrections. For students remanded to the commissioner of corrections, the providing and resident district shall be the Department of Corrections.

Subd. 4.Education services required.

(a) Education services must be provided to a student beginning within three business days after the student enters the care and treatment facility. The first four days of the student's placement may be used to screen the student for educational and safety issues.

(b) If the student does not meet the eligibility criteria for special education, regular education services must be provided to that student.

Subd. 5.Education programs for students placed in residential facilities.

(a) When a student is placed in a facility approved under this section that has an on-site education program, the providing district, upon notice from the care and treatment facility, must contact the resident district within one business day to determine if a student has been identified as having a disability, and to request at least the student's transcript, and for students with disabilities, the most recent individualized education plan (IEP) and evaluation report, and to determine if the student has been identified as a student with a disability. The resident district must send a facsimile copy to the providing district within two business days of receiving the request.

(b) If a student placed under this section has been identified as having a disability and has an individual education plan in the resident district:

(1) the providing agency must conduct an individualized education plan meeting to reach an agreement about continuing or modifying special education services in accordance with the current individualized education plan goals and objectives and to determine if additional evaluations are necessary; and

(2) at least the following people shall receive written notice or documented phone call to be followed with written notice to attend the individualized education plan meeting:

(i) the person or agency placing the student;

(ii) the resident district;

(iii) the appropriate teachers and related services staff from the providing district;

(iv) appropriate staff from the residential facility;

(v) the parents or legal guardians of the student; and

(vi) when appropriate, the student.

(c) For a student who has not been identified as a student with a disability, a screening must be conducted by the providing districts as soon as possible to determine the student's educational and behavioral needs and must include a review of the student's educational records.

Subd. 6.Exit report summarizing educational progress.

If a student has been placed in a facility under this section for 15 or more business days, the providing district must prepare an exit report summarizing the regular education, special education, evaluation, educational progress, and service information and must send the report to the resident district and the next providing district if different, the parent or legal guardian, and any appropriate social service agency. For students with disabilities, this report must include the student's IEP.

Subd. 7.Minimum educational services required.

When a student is placed in a facility approved under this section, at a minimum, the providing district is responsible for:

(1) the education necessary, including summer school services, for a student who is not performing at grade level as indicated in the education record or IEP; and

(2) a school day, of the same length as the school day of the providing district, unless the unique needs of the student, as documented through the IEP or education record in consultation with treatment providers, requires an alteration in the length of the school day.

Subd. 8.Placement, services, and due process.

When a student's treatment and educational needs allow, education shall be provided in a regular educational setting. The determination of the amount and site of integrated services must be a joint decision between the student's parents or legal guardians and the treatment and education staff. When applicable, educational placement decisions must be made by the IEP team of the providing district. Educational services shall be provided in conformance with the least restrictive environment principle of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The providing district and care and treatment facility shall cooperatively develop discipline and behavior management procedures to be used in emergency situations that comply with the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act and other relevant state and federal laws and regulations.

Subd. 9.Reimbursement for education services.

(a) Education services provided to students who have been placed under this section are reimbursable in accordance with special education and general education statutes.

(b) Indirect or consultative services provided in conjunction with regular education prereferral interventions and assessment provided to regular education students suspected of being disabled and who have demonstrated learning or behavioral problems in a screening are reimbursable with special education categorical aids.

(c) Regular education, including screening, provided to students with or without disabilities is not reimbursable with special education categorical aids.

Subd. 10.Students unable to attend school but not covered under this section.

Students who are absent from, or predicted to be absent from, school for 15 consecutive or intermittent days, and placed at home or in facilities not licensed by the Departments of Corrections or Human Services are entitled to regular and special education services consistent with this section or Minnesota Rules, part 3525.2325. These students include students with and without disabilities who are home due to accident or illness, in a hospital or other medical facility, or in a day treatment center.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes