MN SF3392

Establishes a five-member Special Education Complaint Appeals Panel to review department decisions on administrative special education complaints.

Panel membership includes representatives from Minnesota Administrators for Special Education, Minnesota School Boards Association, Minnesota Association of School Administrators, PACER Center parent advocate, and Minnesota Disability Law Center, with the commissioner of education serving as a non-voting ex-officio member.

Parties disagreeing with a department's special education complaint decision may request panel review within 15 days, and the panel has 15 days to issue a written decision that may uphold, modify, or overturn the department's decision.

Parties may appeal the panel's decision to the Minnesota Court of Appeals within 60 days of receiving the panel decision.

Department must provide school districts and charter schools with electronic copies of administrative complaint decisions and allow at least 14 days for program adjustments to comply with new interpretations of federal law, which cannot be applied retroactively.