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From the Executive Director,
Erin Toninato:
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 Advocacy Is Ongoing & Relational
This week, we joined our colleagues from MASA for our annual advocacy trip to Washington, DC. The MASA team and MASE President Amy Ernst, Past President Niceta Thomas, CASE Liaison Melissa Schaller, and I met with Minnesota’s federal legislative members and engaged in conversation at the US Department of Education.
We shared what we are hearing across Minnesota—the concerns, the uncertainty, and most importantly, the real stories of students, families, and leaders navigating complex times. Telling stories matters. Being present matters.
The evening before our meetings, we were grateful to spend time with Kuna Tavalin from the Council for Exceptional Children and Myrna Mandlewitz from the Council of Administrators of Special Education, who joined us for dinner and provided a thoughtful briefing on current federal topics and emerging issues in special education. Their insight helped ground our conversations and sharpen our message. MASA had their federal expert join as well.
In a small but beautiful reminder of timing, the cherry blossoms were at peak bloom while we were there—a striking contrast to the weight of the conversations. They were a quiet symbol of renewal and steady hope.
Advocacy is never “one and done.” It is ongoing, relational, and rooted in the experiences you share with us. Thank you for trusting us to carry your voice into those spaces.
We are proud to represent Minnesota and to carry your stories with care. We will continue to show up—steadily and consistently—on behalf of the students and communities we serve.
As always, thanks for all you do...
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✨ Share a Glimmer ✨
Share your “MASE Moments of Awe.” These are the stories—the glimmers—that highlight the beauty and importance of what we do.
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MASE Elections: Meet Your Candidates
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In early April, MASE will send emails to our Active and Joint MASA+MASE Active members (those membership levels are eligible to vote in our elections). In advance of that, we present statements from our candidates for President-Elect and Secretary. Candidates were asked to provide a short statement and a photo, and had the option of creating a flyer.
President-Elect
MASE has two nominees for the office of President-Elect. The person elected will serve one year as President-Elect, followed by one year as President, and one additional year as Past President. The President-Elect shall serve in the event of resignation or absence of the President. The President-Elect shall serve as Co-chair of the Organizational Planning Committee and Federal Advocacy Subcommittee, appoint a Chair/Co-chair-Elect to each Standing Committee, and have such other responsibilities as necessary in regard to matters delegated by the President and/or Board of Directors.
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 Robert Dehnert
Faribault Public Schools
I am honored to submit my candidacy for MASE President-Elect.
I still remember my first experience in special education. As a volunteer in college, I met Ryan, a young child with autism who initially observed me with skepticism. Through patience and shared activities, I gained his trust. Watching Ryan's hesitant transformation into a joyful participant in our activities solidified my desire to pursue a career in special education. From that moment forward, I have served students with disabilities, and I would be humbled and honored to continue that service as MASE President-Elect.
With over 30 years of experience in special education and active MASE membership since 2008, I bring a solid track record of leadership. Having served as the Area F2 Representative, Legislative Committee member, and CEC Board Liaison, I understand the advocacy required to support our students. As a Director, MDE Peer Monitor, and Adjunct Professor, I balance deep technical knowledge in finance and law with the human element of our work. I ask for your vote to help lead MASE with wisdom, experience, and a steadfast focus on the students we serve.
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 Ryan Rehnstrand
Lionsgate Academy, Minnetonka
I am interested in serving as President-Elect for MASE because public education and the leaders who serve within it have been central to my life and career. Throughout my 26 years in education, I have been fortunate to work alongside passionate educators and leaders in special education who dedicate themselves every day to improving the lives of students and families. Those experiences have shaped my belief that strong leadership, collaboration, and advocacy are essential if we are going to continue strengthening our schools and communities, both traditional and charter school districts.
MASE has been an important professional community for me for the past 16 years. It provides a space where leaders can learn from one another, share challenges, and work collectively toward solutions that support students across Minnesota. I want to serve in this role because I value that sense of community and believe in giving back to an organization that supports so many educational leaders.
If elected, my goals would center on strengthening relationships among members, ensuring that all leaders feel supported in the complex work they do, and continuing to elevate the voice of public education across our state. School leaders are facing increasing challenges, from supporting student well-being to addressing workforce shortages and navigating rapidly changing expectations. I believe MASE can continue to play a critical role in helping leaders connect, learn, and advocate together.
Personally, I am committed to leading with humility, listening to the experiences of others, and building meaningful connections across districts and communities. I believe that the best ideas come from collaboration and honest conversation. As President-Elect, I would strive to represent the diverse perspectives of our members while helping MASE remain a strong, trusted voice for educational leadership in Minnesota. In my 26 years of education, I have worked in a single district, an Education District in greater Minnesota, and in a Charter school, which gives me a wide perspective of special education in Minnesota.
It would be an honor to serve the organization and the colleagues who work every day to make a difference in the lives of students.
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Board Secretary
MASE has one nominee for the office of Secretary. The person elected will serve a two-year term, and then has the option of serving a second consecutive two-year term. The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes of MASE meetings and meetings of the officers. The Secretary shall carry on correspondence and other responsibilities as necessary in regard to matters as delegated by the President and/or Board of Directors. The secretary shall serve as a standing member of the Membership Committee.
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 Tiffany Litman
Area Special Education Cooperative, East Grand Forks
I am interested in serving as MASE Secretary as a way to give back to an organization that has played an important role in my growth as a special education leader. Through professional learning, mentorship, and collaboration, MASE has strengthened my leadership and connected me with colleagues across Minnesota who share a commitment to improving outcomes for students with disabilities. My vision is to support and strengthen this professional community through reliable leadership, clear communication, and thoughtful collaboration.
As Executive Director of the Area Special Education Cooperative, I manage complex systems and partner with multiple districts, which has strengthened my organizational skills and attention to detail. I currently serve on the MASE Membership, Nominations, and Legislative Committees, experiences that have deepened my understanding of MASE priorities and member engagement. As Secretary, I hope to support the work of the Board and contribute to an organization that continues to connect, support, and elevate special education leaders across our state.
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Recap: Legislative Update
MASE Lobbyist Valerie Dosland provides regular updates to members about what’s happening at the State Capitol. We typically send these emails on Monday during the Legislative Session. We also share this information in blog posts on the MASE website. Here are highlights from earlier this week:
Gov. Walz released his 2026 supplemental budget last week, proposing an expansion of the state's Child Tax Credit, a new tax on social media companies, spending reductions in nursing homes and disability services, and a reduction to the statewide sales tax.
For K12 education, the governor proposes to reduce the budget by $50 million, all in special education cross-subsidy aid. This additional $50 million reduction is on top of the $250 million reduction passed in the 2025 legislative session. The governor also proposes to change the literacy aid formula to be based on EL and poverty concentration rather than MCA proficiency data and growth rate.
Key highlights:
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Special Education Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) – additional budget reduction (FY28-29): Increases the savings the BRC must find from $250 million to $300 million; if the commission cannot find savings, the MDE commissioner must find the commensurate savings by reducing cross-subsidy aid. The recommendations also stipulate that the BRC savings target must be made by eliminating costs, not shifting costs out of special education to other K12 funding streams.
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Literacy Aid Distribution Formula (FY27): Changes the distribution formula to be based on English learner and poverty concentration factors instead of MCA proficiency data and growth rates.
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Student Support Personnel Aid For Cooperatives School Districts: Aid would be distributed directly to eligible cooperative units serving students. Cooperative unit aid per member district will be the greater of $40,000 or a per-pupil formula amount that increases across fiscal years 2024–2026.
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Student Support, Intervention, and Resource Teams (SSIRTs): Districts and charter schools will be required to establish SSIRTs focused on school safety, prevention, intervention, and student support.
Take Action: Contact Your Legislators
Reach out to your legislators about the governor’s proposed cuts to special education here.
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MDE Website Unavailable the Morning of April 9
The MDE website will be down for maintenance the morning of April 9. The website will be unavailable during this time.
Reporting and data applications, such as SLEDS and the Report Card, will still be available. Please bookmark links to these applications so that you’re still able to access them.
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MDE Special Education Updates, March 27 | Read More
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CASE Updates from Melissa Schaller
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Look for information, including how to register, in the CASE Member Update regarding the CASE Annual Membership Meeting. This is scheduled for Friday, May 1 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
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If you are attending the CASE Academy of Law and Leadership, April 21-23 in Atlanta, Georgia, don't forget to sign up for CASE Night on Wednesday, April 22.
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MASE BIPOC Special Education Leaders Affinity Space
April 22 | MASE Headquarters Building, St. Louis Park
Directors of Special Education, Coordinators, Special Education Supervisors, Central Office Leaders, Aspiring Special Education Leaders, and others who identify as a leader of color in Special Education: You are invited to join other Special Education leaders of color from across Minnesota! The MASE Equity Committee invites you to join us on April 22 to build relationships, share leadership experiences, name the realities of leading while navigating systems, and identify the supports you want us to create.
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Are You Ready for BINGO?! 🎉
MNSELF is bringing some extra fun to this year’s MASE Best Practices Conference. For the first time, all MASE members can purchase a custom MNSELF Bingo shirt or sweatshirt to wear during the Bingo event. It’s a great way to join the energy, show your team spirit, and connect with colleagues.
Ordering is simple:
Visit Rambow at www.rambow.com and enter the form code: MNSELF
🗓 Store closes: Sunday, April 5, 2026
📦 Pick-up: Your order will be ready for you at the conference
Don’t miss your chance to be part of the fun—grab your gear and get ready to play!
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2026 Special Education Law & Leadership Conference
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Tuesday, April 14 | 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m. | Heritage Center of Brooklyn Center
Registration is open for the annual Special Education Law & Leadership Conference presented by Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A. The day includes keynote presentations from Marisa Franco, Ph.D., and Anne Gearity, Ph.D., as well as 12 breakout topics.
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Register Now for MASE Best Practices Conference!
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In the three weeks since registration opened, more than 250 people have already registered to attend our conference—are you signed up to join us? Keynotes Phyllis Wolfram (CASE Executive Director) and Sherlonda Sharp (speaker, consultant, and comedian) are sure to share insightful and impactful presentations. We have confirmed our breakout speakers and topics, and plan to have that information available on our website soon.
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Our sponsor and exhibitor opportunities are also going quickly! Only ONE exhibit space is left. The Lanyard Sponsorship, New Directors Cohort Session Sponsorship, Tote Bag Sponsorship, and Name Badge Sponsorship have all been sold. Many other great options for visibility remain!
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Input Requested—Deadline is Monday!
Upcoming evaluation of autism spectrum disorder services in Minnesota’s public schools
From the Office of the Legislative Auditor
The Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) has started an evaluation of autism spectrum disorder services in public schools. OLA seeks input from stakeholders like you to help better understand where Minnesota excels and where there are areas for improvement. The information you provide will help OLA to fine-tune the focus of its evaluation.
To provide input, please complete OLA’s online questionnaire by March 30, 2026. They also encourage you to forward this invitation to others who may want to provide feedback on the topic.
OLA is a nonpartisan audit and evaluation office in the legislative branch of Minnesota state government. They evaluate state programs and activities to determine their effectiveness and efficiency. Visit OLA’s homepage for more information.
You may also provide written comments by contacting Caitlin Badger, the manager of this evaluation, at Caitlin.Badger@state.mn.us. Please note that if requested, OLA will classify as not public the identity of a person who provides input.
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Download the 2026 MASE Legislative Platform
 The MASE Legislative Committee, working with lobbyist Valerie Dosland, has created our Legislative Platform for this session of the Minnesota Legislature. With many important issues facing Special Education this year, read the platform so you’re aware of the issues our team will focus on. Key focus areas are fair and sustainable funding (including repeal of the $250 million cut to special education cross-subsidy aid), and flexible and supportive policy—especially pertaining to special educator recruitment and retention as well as safe and secure school environments.
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MDE Special Education Funding Training Webinars,
March–April 2026
Registration is open for three webinars in March and April. To register, simply click on the training date and follow the instructions. Presentation material and information on joining the webinar will be sent to registered participants the day before each training.
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Members, Tell Us about Yourself
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We are bringing back the MASE Member Spotlights! We have some new questions and we’re hoping to hear from some of our members. We will feature Member Spotlights in this newsletter and in our social media posts so that members get to know more about one another. Thanks to those who have already responded!
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Join Us for Our Next SLICE of Collaboration Session: Meaningful Work Experiences in Post-Secondary Transition Programming
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Tuesday, April 7 | 12 p.m.
The topic for our next SLICE webinar is Meaningful Work Experiences in Post-Secondary Transition Programming, with presenters from Area G. Join us at Noon for informal conversations with your colleagues from across the state. These sessions are open to members only. You'll receive the link to join in your confirmation e-mail.
Reminder: You must login to our website to see the registration button for this event.
You can register for additional SLICE sessions on the MASE website—check our Calendar.
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CEC 2026 Virtual Convention
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April 8–July 9
Each year, over a thousand special education professionals from around the world access our amazing virtual convention content to learn, share, and grow. With 40+ on-demand (and a few live) sessions, CEC’s virtual convention is THE best way to get professional development for special educators on research, tips, and strategies you can actually apply to support students with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.
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Click the button above to submit your news and/or job openings! Also, please whitelist info@mnase.org and laurie.pumper@mnase.org to ensure that you receive your newsletter without interruption.
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