MN HF1362

School districts must adopt a policy providing reasonable accommodations to parents with disabilities who are parents of children with disabilities to allow participation in developing individualized education programs.

"Reasonable accommodation" is defined according to Minnesota Statutes section 363A.08 and does not require undue hardship on the school district; accommodations must allow meaningful participation in IEP meetings, data collection, and paperwork processes.

School districts may not request or require parents to disclose private health information or authorize release of health care records to determine disability status.

Districts must inform parents of the accommodation process before special education evaluation referral and annually thereafter, with notice provided in easily understandable language and offered orally or in the parent's native language where appropriate.

Accommodation requests must be responded to within five school days; accommodation information must be noted in the IEP but records must not disclose the parent's disability or state the accommodation is disability-related; non-federal IEP deadlines are stayed during accommodation resolution.

Teachers and staff providing special instruction to students with disabilities must review the accommodations policy each school year.

Effective July 1, 2021.