Statewide Leads

Audience: School and District Leaders

This pathway covers key topics including Minnesotaspecific attendance data, an overview of the COMPASS MnMTSS Attendance Improvement Guidebook, and strategies for improving attendance outcomes utilizing the MnMTSS framework. Each session builds upon the previous one, fostering a collaborative learning environment that encourages practical application.

Dates and Times

Synchronous sessions are offered on Tuesdays from 12:00-1:30 pm on the following dates: 9/16/2025, 10/21/2025, 11/18/2025, 12/16/2025, 1/20/2026, 2/17/2026, 3/17/2026, 4/21/2026, and 5/19/2026. 

Register for Improving Attendance Utilizing the MnMTSS Framework

Audience: School and District Leaders and attendance team members

Building an attendance team or preparing an existing team to integrate attendance improvement functions, is an essential strategy to improving attendance. This pathway helps district/school leaders and staff build an effective attendance team using the MnMTSS framework. Throughout the pathway, teams will examine how to build a team that reviews and analyzes attendance data, identifies the root causes of chronic absences, and designs and delivers interventions and supports for students and families.

Dates and Times - Choose Fall Start or Spring Start

In the fall, synchronous meetings take place on Wednesdays from 12:00-1:30 pm.

Fall Start: 9/10/2025, 10/8/2025, 11/12/2025, and 12/10/2025

Register for Building a Strong Attendance Team - Fall Start

In the spring, synchronous meetings take place on Wednesdays from 12:00-1:30 pm.

Spring Start: 2/11/2026, 3/11/2026, 4/8/2026, and 5/13/2026

Register for Building a Strong Attendance Team - Spring Start

Audience: School and district Leaders and school staff who support attendance initiatives

Ensuring that attendance data is accessible, can be disaggregated, and is integrated with other student data is an essential strategy to supporting student attendance. This pathway helps district/school leaders and staff examine their data sources, organize and visualize the data, and effectively use it to inform multi-layered practices and support. Sessions will include specific evidence-based tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 strategies.

Dates and Times - Choose Fall Start or Spring Start

In the fall, synchronous meetings take place on Tuesdays from 10:00-11:30 am.

Fall Start: 10/7/2025, 11/4/2025, 12/2/2025, and 1/6/2026

Register for Data-Driven Attendance Strategies - Fall Start

In the spring, synchronous meetings take place on Tuesdays from 10:00-11:30 am.

Spring Start:  2/3/2026, 3/3/2026, 4/7/2026, and 5/5/2026

Register for Data-Driven Attendance Strategies - Spring Start

Audience: Educators and leaders. District or School Teams may benefit from completing these asynchronous modules as a group and processing together.

A total of 35 modules (17 for educators and 18 for educational leaders) help educational professionals to build their knowledge around data and assessment literacy principles. Both educator and leader modules group learning into four strands: systems thinking, assessment literacy, formative assessment, and data use for continuous improvement and equity. MnDAL modules may be completed individually, in collaboration with a team, or as part of coordinated district-wide or school-wide professional learning.

Dates and Times

Each asynchronous module is about one hour in length.

Access the MnDAL modules and accompanying resources.

Audience: District and/or School Leadership Teams

Participants will engage in a process of data-based decision making to enhance student success across academic, social, emotional, and behavioral domains. Teams will learn to effectively utilize a variety of disaggregated data sources (including universal screening, progress monitoring, diagnostic, fidelity, formative assessment and state summative assessments) to inform the health of Tier 1, identify who needs support, and determine what types of interventions are required.

This introductory series incorporates resources, such as the MnMTSS Team Guidebook and MnMTSS Data-Based Decision-Making Model and equips teams to bring this cycle of informed decision-making to their district and school in order to strengthen educator support, refine policies, and improve instructional approaches to meet the diverse needs of all students.

Dates and Times

Synchronous sessions will be offered on Wednesdays from 12:00-3:00 pm on the following dates: 2/25/2026, 3/25/2026, and 4/22/2026.

Register for Introduction to Data-Based Decision Making Throughout the Tiers.

Audience: District and school leadership teams responsible for making systems-level decisions that impact student success.

In these sessions, leadership teams will learn how to utilize a data-based decision-making process aligned with MnMTSS. Participants will explore how to analyze and apply data to strengthen Tier 1 instruction, ensuring all students are accessing high-quality, equitable education. By integrating data-driven strategies with MnMTSS, administrators and district leaders will be equipped to guide systems that promote equitable access, improve student outcomes, better understand student experience and support the success of all learners.

Dates and Times - Choose Winter Start or Spring Start

In the winter, synchronous meetings take place on Tuesdays from 9:30-11:00 am.

Winter Start: 1/27/2026 and 2/24/2026

Register for Data-Based Decision Making for Equitable Access - Winter Start

In the spring, synchronous meetings take place on Tuesdays from 9:30-11:00 am.

Spring Start: 3/24/2026 and 4/28/2026

Register for Data-Based Decision Making for Equitable Access - Spring Start

Audience: Early childhood and early childhood special education leaders interested in learning about intentionally incorporating reflective practice skills in their work.

This asynchronous course is intended to:

• provide theoretical content and practical applications for building and implementing reflective skills in early childhood leaders and professionals, and
• support growth in knowledge and skills of using reflective practice in the work of an early childhood leader.

Dates and Times

This asynchronous course (seven modules that are 1.5 to 2.5 hours in length) is accessed through Canvas. 

Enroll in the Reflective Practice for Early Child Leaders course.

Audience: Early intervention providers (including practitioners, speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, Deaf/Hard of Hearing teachers, Blind/Visually Impaired teachers, and others working in early intervention) and early childhood special education leaders interested in learning more about partnering with families in early intervention.

The content within this asynchronous course centers on best practices in early intervention and is designed for practitioners working with eligible infants and toddlers, and their families. This course offers five modules designed to enhance practitioners’ understanding of strategies for increasing caregiver competence and confidence in supporting their child’s participation in natural activities and routines.

Throughout the course, participants will learn to: (1) coach caregivers by using reflective questions and providing feedback, (2) partner with families to provide support in natural learning environments, (3) build the capacity of families and caregivers through service coordination, (4) engage in relational and participatory help giving family-centered practices, and (5) work collaboratively with their early intervention team to utilize a primary service provider approach to teaming.

Date and Times

This asynchronous course (five modules) is accessed through Canvas. 

Enroll in the Best Practices in Early Intervention course.

Audience: Anyone working in early care and education settings that wants to increase their knowledge of trauma-informed practices in early childhood.
Others that may benefit.

The Minnesota Department of Education has developed this asynchronous course in collaboration with the Child Health and Development Institute to support early childhood professionals in using trauma-informed practices.
Approximately 1 in 4 children in the United States will witness or experience a trauma by the age of 4. Trauma has a profound effect on children, adults, and their relationships, which can result in a wide range of effects, including traumatic stress reactions.

Through this asynchronous course, participants will learn to recognize, identify, and address the potential impacts and effects of trauma in order to better understand the children and families they work with and support them in the ways they need.

Dates and Times

This asynchronous course (three modules) is accessed through Canvas. 

Enroll in the Trauma-Informed Approach to Early Childhood Practice: Foundational Course.

Audience: Anyone working in early care and education settings, particularly those in classroom-based settings that want to increase their knowledge of trauma-informed practices in early childhood.

Building on the concepts learned by completing the Foundational Course, this asynchronous Advanced Course will help participants apply their knowledge and support implementation of trauma-informed practices in early care and education settings.

In this course, the term “classroom” is used to describe settings outside of the home in which early care and education occur. Examples of these environments may include public or private preschool programs and childcare, Head Start, and family childcare. The terms “student” and “learner” are sometimes used to describe the children in these settings, as providing developmentally appropriate care to even the youngest children support their learning and growth.

Dates and Times

This asynchronous course (three one-hour modules) is accessed in Canvas.

Enroll in the Trauma-Informed Approach to Early Childhood Practice: Classroom-Based Practice Advanced Course.

Audience: Early childhood/early childhood special education administrators, supervisors, or directors looking to enhance their knowledge of trauma-informed practices in early childhood.
While the target audience is leadership, the course is open and available to all.

This asynchronous course is designed for early childhood administrators, supervisors, and directors to advance their learning and implementation of trauma-informed practices, following successful completion of the Foundational Course.

Dates and Times

This asynchronous course (three one-hour modules) is accessed in Canvas.

Enroll in the Trauma-Informed Approach to Early Childhood Practice: Leadership Advanced Course.

Audience: Anyone working in early care and education settings, particularly those working in early intervention that want to increase their knowledge of trauma-informed practices in early childhood.

Building on the concepts learned by completing the Foundational Course, this asynchronous Advanced Course will help participants apply their knowledge and support implementation of trauma-informed practices in the context of early intervention.

This asynchronous course (three one-hour modules) is accessed in Canvas.

Enroll in the Trauma-Informed Approach to Early Childhood Practice: Early Intervention Advanced Course.

Audience: Any professional looking to learn more about a variety of topics related to early childhood education, including early intervention and early childhood special education (ECSE).
District-level teams that may benefit include:
• Early Childhood/ECSE Leaders
• Early Childhood Education Professionals
• Related Service Providers (SLP, OT, PT, School Psychologist, School Social Worker, D/HH Teacher, BVI Teacher, etc.)
• District Administrators

The Early Childhood Education Webinars Asynchronous Canvas Course features learning modules with webinars on a variety of topics related to early childhood education.
The modules currently included in the course are:
• Successful Learner Equation: 30 minutes
• Hard Conversations in Early Childhood: 1 hour
• Play. Talk. Read. Webinar Series: 2 hours
• Key Differences Between Part C and Part B/619: 35 minutes
• Part C Webinar Series: 1.5 hours
• Part B Webinar Series: 2 hours
• Standards-Aligned Individualized Education Programs (IEPs): 1 hour

Dates and Times

This asynchronous course (estimated time per module is 30 minutes to two hours) is accessed in Canvas.

Enroll in the Early Childhood Education Webinars.