MN December Updates

On Saturday, December 7th, 2024, an update¹ will be posted to all Minnesota SpEd Forms sites. The update will include the changes listed below:

 

IEP

1. MCA accommodations have been changed from ‘General’ Accommodations to ‘Universal’ within the dropdown options based on MDE guidance. In addition, the MCA Alt Science format (Dropdown 278) has been updated based on MDE guidance.

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #63184)

 

MA

1. A new form titled “Summary and recommendations” has been added to the Mental health folder on the student MA Forms menu. This folder is only viewable by staff with CTSS permissions.

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5665)

2. A process to import a file that will automatically create MA logs has been created.

(Requested by: Andrew Kehren, Northeast Metro Intermediate School District 916 #60398)

3. Interpreter services are now included in the dashboard documentation service dropdown.

(Requested by: Patricia Sullivan, Moorhead Area Public Schools #62090)


Other forms and logs

1. Updated Procedural Safeguards: Part C according to MDE requirements.

(Requested by: Sarah Anderson, Hastings Public School #62497)


Reports

1. The number of times a claim has been sent has been added to the Claims in error quick report.

(Requested by: Rieger Viche, Duluth Public Schools #60674)

2. A new “Progress reporting narrative from IEP page 1” quick report is available.

(Requested by: Kristen Hillesheim, Independent School District 199 #63288)

 

2.0

1. We have added an age-related warning to the SpEd dashboard when a student on an IFSP has been identified as being potentially eligible for Part B services, but the date of the transition conference is empty. 

(Requested by: Wendy Van Batavia, Midwest Special Ed Coop #60780)


System

1. The MA consent to share data form has been added to quick links for students.

(Requested by: Rieger Viche, Duluth Public Schools #60088)

2. If a ‘preferred’ phone number is selected for a parent, that phone number will be the default. If no preferred is selected, the default phone number will be set as the home phone.

(Requested by: Rieger Viche, Duluth Public Schools #60560)

 

¹We’re always working hard to ensure the smooth running of SpEd Forms. During the past month, we’ve made a number of performance improvements that aren’t immediately visible to most of our users but ensure the system operates efficiently, thanks to input from our customers.

WI December Updates

On Saturday, December 7th, 2024, an update¹ will be posted to all Wisconsin SpEd Forms sites. The update will include the changes listed below:

 

System

1. If a ‘preferred’ phone number is selected for a parent, that phone number will be the default. If no preferred is selected, the default phone number will be set as the home phone.

(Requested by: Rieger Viche, Duluth Public Schools #60560)

2. When adding assessment tools to the IE-3 or RE-5, the educator’s custom eval/assessment tools will be listed above the district’s list.

(Requested by: Trista Wochnick, St. Cloud Area School District #DE-5504)

 

Reports

1. The ‘DPI SpEd records’ tool now has a dropdown setting for the DPI school.

(Requested by: Kasie Smith, Superior School District #63058)

2. A new ‘Special factors question 5 checked Yes’ quick report is available.

(Requested by: Dena Hagen, Superior School District #62269)

 
¹We’re always working hard to ensure the smooth running of SpEd Forms. During the past month, we’ve made a number of performance improvements that aren’t immediately visible to most of our users but ensure the system operates efficiently, thanks to input from our customers.

SpEd Forms: Exciting MA Forms updates are coming!

SpEd Forms: Exciting MA Forms updates are coming!

We are excited to introduce three powerful new features, each designed to make your MA workflow faster, easier, and more efficient: 

 

🎉 December: MA claim file import

 

📊 January: Administrator MA dashboard

 

✅ February: Attendance claim validation

 

First up: The MA claim file import feature! 

 

Launching on Saturday, this update will save you time and eliminate manual effort in managing claims. 

 

Now, you can easily import a CSV file that automatically generates claims and logs in the system, eliminating the need for manual data entry. This update brings several key benefits to enhance your experience:

  • Time-saving: No more entering claims manually. Our new process saves valuable time and reduces the chance of human error.

  • Ease of use: The file import feature walks even the newest MA coordinator through the process step-by-step and integrates smoothly into your existing workflow, making it simpler than ever to manage claims.

  • Efficiency: Imported data is automatically converted into claims, speeding up the creation process.

This feature was designed with your team in mind, helping you manage claims faster, more efficiently, and with less manual effort.

 

Want to learn more?

Join us for Thursdays at Three on December 5th, 2024, where we’ll take a sneak peek into how this new feature works and share details about our other upcoming updates.  Then, next week, on December 12th, we will dedicate the Thursdays at Three session to the file import process. Click below to access the meeting link to join in anytime during the hour:

 

Thursdays at Three

 

Thank you for choosing SpEd Forms! If you have questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our support team.

SpEd Forms: Thursdays at Three – Tech tips, tricks, and improvements

SpEd Forms: Thursdays at Three – Tech tips, tricks, and improvements

Technology staff and administrators, this one is meant for you! Please join us today at 3pm for “Tech tips, tricks, and improvements!” This session is designed for troubleshooting professionals. We will guide you on how to efficiently identify and resolve issues, enabling you to support educators using SpEd Forms more effectively and promptly. We also encourage you to bring any suggestions you may have.

 

You can find the Google Meet link on our website here:

 

Upcoming events

 

If this is not your area, please forward this to the appropriate person. We look forward to seeing many of you today!

MN November Updates

On Saturday, November 2nd, 2024, an update will be posted to all Minnesota SpEd Forms sites. The update will include the changes listed below:

 

IEP

1. IEP validation now includes a warning if the Supplementary aides and services in nonacademic and extracurricular activities and services are left blank.
(Requested by: Jennifer Danielson, South St. Paul Public Schools #60540)
2. A link to MDE’s IEP Team Support: PLAAFP has been added to the Stand-alone IEP Present Levels and the guidance found on the IEP Goals pages.
(Requested by: Minnesota SpEd Forms Advisory Team #DE-5493)

 
ER
1. The WORD Test-2 Adolescent has been added to the SpEd Forms test bank.
(Requested by: Lauren Miller, Superior School District #62616)
2. A new delete button has been added to evaluation sections within the ER.
(Requested by: Amanda Leal, South Washington County Schools #60236)
 

MA

1. The ADLs on the PCA plan can now be re-ordered.

(Requested by: Karen Stay, St Cloud Area School District #62277)

 

Other forms and logs

1. A student’s enrollment page will show the description of the Status end code, not just the number.

(Requested by: Dorothy Eckblad, Goodhue County Education District #62223)

2. We changed “expected” to “invited” to attend on the Notice of a Team Meeting form. 

(Requested by: Whitney Weber, St. Michael-Albertville Public Schools #62158)

 

Reports

1. Modified the Educator report titled “Teacher workload analysis” to more clearly identify a student’s primary disability and Instructional setting. 

(Requested by: Karen Stay, St Cloud Area School District #62295)

2. The federal share percentage has been reduced to 51.16% for payments on or after 10/1/2024 on the “Reconciliation” and “Total amount paid” reports.

(Requested by: Catherine OReilly, Wayzata Public Schools #62574)

3. A new Super Admin report has been added called “Record deletions.”

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5412)


2.0

1. “Timeline monitoring” report has been converted to v2.

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5532)

2. Added the ability to download multiple history records at one time using the v2 Admin report “View student history”.

(Requested by: Dorothy Eckblad, Goodhue County Education District #DE-4846)

3. The ability to filter users and titles has been added to educator sharing/transfer.

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5413)


System

1. A new educator permission has been added to prevent the finalizing of CTSS forms.

(Requested by: Bryan Schmidt, Rochester Public Schools #60897)

2. The ability to add a district template has been added to the Positive behavior support plan (PBSP) form.

(Requested by: Matthew Byrnes, Hopkins Public Schools #60382)

3. The new referral link in Admin Overview shows results when ‘New referral’ is set as a ‘Referral status’ in student setup.

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5514)


We’re always working hard to ensure the smooth running of SpEd Forms. During the past month, we’ve made a number of performance improvements that aren’t immediately visible to most of our users but ensure the system operates efficiently, thanks to input from our customers.

 

WI November Updates

On Saturday, November 2nd, 2024, an update will be posted to all Wisconsin SpEd Forms sites. The update will include the changes listed below:


IEP

1. A server preference has been added to automatically finalize the IEP snapshot when the IEP is finalized.
(Requested by: Lauren Miller, Superior School District #62253)

 

ER

1. The WORD Test-2 Adolescent has been added to the SpEd Forms test bank.
(Requested by: Lauren Miller, Superior School District #62616)
2. Based on information from WDPI, the Autism criteria template was updated. 
(Requested by: SpEd Forms #62766)

 

Reports

1. A new Super Admin report has been added called “Record deletions.”
(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5412)                                                                                             



We’re always working hard to ensure the smooth running of SpEd Forms. During the past month, we’ve made a number of performance improvements that aren’t immediately visible to most of our users but ensure the system operates efficiently, thanks to input from our customers.

SpEd Forms: Thursdays at Three – PCA forms

SpEd Forms: Thursdays at Three – PCA forms

Join us today at 3pm for an engaging and in-depth session on PCA forms! Discover how these forms work together to streamline your processes. You’ll learn the purpose of each form, efficient completion techniques, and how they integrate to provide seamless support for your program. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your understanding and improve your workflow! Please find below the direct Google Meet link:


PCA Forms – Google meet


We look forward to seeing you and answering any questions you might have. If you can’t attend, don’t worry—we’ll record the session and make it available on our YouTube channel.

SpEd Forms: New Group Documentation Feature!

SpEd Forms: New Group Documentation Feature!

Exciting News: Introducing Our New Group Documentation Feature!

 

We’re thrilled to announce the release of our latest feature – Group Documentation. This tool is designed to streamline your workflow by creating a log for multiple students at one time!

 

Learn how it works!

 

To help you get started, we’ve created a quick video tutorial that walks you through the process. In just a few minutes, you’ll learn how to make the most of this powerful new feature. Watch it here:

 

MA group logging

 

In addition to our new group documentation, we’ve also added the ability to document for individual students directly from the MA dashboard. To see our tutorial on singular dashboard documentation, click here:

 

MA dashboard documentation

 

Please share these videos with your providers to help them simplify and expedite documentation this school year!

 

We’re confident these new features will provide flexibility and make documentation more efficient. If you have any questions or need assistance, our support team is always here to help!

 

Happy documenting!

SpEd Forms: Thursdays at Three – Health Forms

SpEd Forms: Thursdays at Three – Health Forms

Do you have students with a medical diagnosis that impacts their care in school? Our easy-to-use Health Forms can help communicate those needs throughout your district. We hope that you and your nursing staff can join us today for our Thursday at Three session where we’ll walk you through the essentials and answer any questions you may have. We are also looking for input and collaboration to make Health Forms even better! Join us today, 10/10/24, at 3pm. You can access the Google Meet details and all upcoming topics on our website linked here:


Thursdays at Three link and more


Please join us – we are hoping for a great discussion! 

MN October Updates

On Saturday, October 5th, 2024, an update will be posted to all Minnesota SpEd Forms sites. The update will include the changes listed below:


IEP

1. Updated Assessments (Page 1) to reflect the changes in the Alternate MCAs. 

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5367)

2. The working English IEP will move English text into the appropriate sections of the Spanish, Somali, or Hmong IEP once the user clicks the ‘reset’ button on select non-English IEP pages.

(Requested by: Amy Wilkinson, Bloomington Public Schools #59701)

3. Added a rich text editor to ESY progress report text fields.

(Requested by: Cherene Newman, Mahtomedi Public Schools #60598)

 

MA

1. The option to ‘Remove from my list’ was added to the left bar options on the MA Forms menu.

(Requested by: Kim Mackenzie, Intermediate School District 287 #DE-5306)

2. In the mental status examination section of the Diagnostic assessment, a label change has been made.

(Requested by: Bryan Schmidt, Rochester Public Schools #60897)

3. A validation was added that will require a documentation method on PCA logs and prevent finalizing all MA logs if an activity is marked incomplete.

(Requested by: Kim Mackenzie, Intermediate School District 287 #62409)

4. On the MA dashboard, a ‘Group log’ button was added. This will allow you to use a group description that will get added to multiple students, or to select from your group template if one has been created.

(Requested by: Kari Saarloos, Anoka-Hennepin School District #DE-5366)

5. Changes have been made to the Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP): The diagnosis will display from the ICD-10 code setup page, a field for direct minutes was added, the long-term goal and short-term objective drop-down will include the goals and objectives from the service plan and the time field has been removed from the parent approval section.

(Requested by: Bryan Schmidt, Rochester Public Schools #60897)

6. T1018 – U4TM Mental Health Services has been added for School Social Work service documentation.

(Requested by: MN Department of Human Services)

7. The new Centers for Medicaid ICD-10 code changes have been applied. Running the “Students with inactive ICD-10 codes” will find any codes that are no longer billable.

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5518)


Other forms and logs

1. In the meeting purpose section of a Part C Record of a team meeting, users will now see dropdown 205: ‘Purpose of Meeting’ options to match the options available on the Part C Notice of a team meeting.

(Requested by: Katie Wilder, Mounds View Public Schools #60653)

2. Transportation has been added to the IEP/IFSP snapshot.

(Requested by: Mary McPhee, Elk River Area Schools #59684)

3. A new CTSS history designation has been added and can be selected when uploading an outside form to history.

(Requested by: Bryan Schmidt, Rochester Public Schools #60897)

 

Reports

1. Service has been added as a search option on the Admin “Student Sharing” report.

(Requested by: Bill Underwood, Anoka-Hennepin School District #60172)

2. A new quick report titled “Spaces in student names” has been added.

(Requested by: Rieger Viche, Duluth Public Schools #60893)

3. The requirement to select a Plan Manager, Provider or Supervisor when running the Educator Service report has been removed. If nothing is selected, the report will return all students shared with the educator.

(Requested by: Bill Underwood, Anoka-Hennepin School District #61071) 

4. An MA quick report, “Student and MA billing setup shared fields” has been added.

(Requested by: Rieger Viche, Duluth Public Schools #60081)

5. The columns “Number of staff injuries” and “Number of student injuries” have been added to the Stepwell Restrictive procedures: seclusions 2023-24/2024-25 and Restrictive procedures: physical holds 2023-24/2024-25.

(Requested by: Bryan Schmidt, Rochester Public Schools #60480)

6. A new quick report titled, “Provider sharing” has been added.

(Requested by: Rieger Viche, Duluth Public Schools #62425)

7. A new GenEd quick report, “504 Plan SIS (imported) enrollment record discrepancies SEES, environment and disability codes” has also been added.

(Requested by: Bill Underwood, Anoka-Hennepin Public Schools #60740)

8. A new GenEd quick report “Enrollment records with 54 disability code but NOT active” is available.

(Requested by: Bill Underwood, Anoka-Hennepin Public Schools #60740)

9. A new admin quick report titled, ”IEP date for age three with an IFSP” has been added.

(Requested by: Julie Emry, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools #60769)


2.0

 1. Additional guidance has been added to the IEP services (page 2) regarding the Participation in preschool placement (PPP) section. The IEP validation page was also updated for clarity.

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5441)

2. Admin Team meetings in 90 days, Disability count, Teacher workload analysis and Access Log reports have been converted to v2.

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5328, #DE-5355, #DE-5319 and #DE-5337)


System

1. A new district preference has been created to allow districts to override individual user font choices. Additionally, an accessibility font setting has been added to the student setup page, which will only apply to that individual student. This will override any district preferences.

(Requested by: SpEd Forms #DE-5193)

2. Made phone numbers easier to enter for persons with visual disabilities.

(Requested by: Katie Wilder, Mounds View Public Schools #60995)

3. School mover, grade rollover, and graduate seniors reports have been added to reporting permissions in the Admin educator setup page.

(Requested by: Shannon Proulx, Esko School District #57141)



We’re always working hard to ensure the smooth running of SpEd Forms. During the past two months, we’ve made a number of performance improvements that aren’t immediately visible to most of our users but ensure the system operates efficiently, thanks to input from our customers.