Minnesota Reformer

The Minnesota Department of Education notified Minneapolis Public Schools that it’s in violation of state and federal law for overidentifying Black students in the category of “developmental cognitive disability” for the past three years.  The notification is part of an annual review process conducted by the state, as required by federal law, to determine what’s known as “disproportionality” in special education. The review compares identification, placement, and discipline for students with disabilities across racial groups.

Under federal law, the district is now required to set aside 15% of its federal special education funds to address the disparities through a process called coordinated early intervention services, or CEIS.