As a public school, the Minnesota Virtual Academy (MNVA) ensures the delivery of a free, appropriate public education to all its students, regardless of learning differences. The MNVA strives to ensure the delivery of a high quality education to all its students, including those students identified as being in need of special education. Such students are supported in their needs through the special education services determined to be appropriate by the student's team.
The Special Education Department consists of licensed special education teachers who are employed by the Minnesota Virtual Academy (MNVA),
and licensed special educators contracted through the Hiawatha Valley Education District (HVED). The HVED provides MNVA with its special education director and a school psychologist assigned to serve MNVA.
Other supportive services may be provided by HVED as needed. Additionally, other licensed service providers may be contracted to meet student's needs through consultation or direct services arranged at a neutral site as determined by the student's IEP.
Special Education services and the student’s IEP are developed to reflect the unique learning needs of the student within a virtual online program.
Parents become true partners in fulfilling their role in guiding their child’s learning in k12 and working in collaboration with the MNVA general education and special education teachers to meet their child’s learning needs.
Speech therapy services are initially provided through online telepractice by a Speech Pathologist with support of Beyond Speech Therapy Online Program.
A two-month trial enrollment period is used to determine effectiveness of the online therapy program.
Students who continue to experience delays in achieving their communication goals may be provided with additional online therapy services or direct speech therapy if online therapy programs have been used with fidelity.
The web links listed below are provided as resources for parents of students with special needs enrolled in Houston School District's online program, The Minnesota Virtual Academy (MNVA).
Parents of students enrolled in Houston School District's on-line programs who may have questions about their child's service needs are encouraged to contact:
Amber Kulig
MNVA Director of Special Education
amber.kulig@hsd294.us
Special Education Parent Handbook
Special Education web links for parents are very extensive. Those listed below are available through multiple sources and may provide other links to assist parents searching for information or resources for their children.
Hiawatha Valley Education District
Minnesota Department of Education Learning Support / Special Education Resources for Parents
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education
Minnesota Children with Special Health Needs (MCSHN)
PACER Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights
Minnesota Council for Exceptional Children
Access Press Directory of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities
Family Service Inc., Learning Disabilities Program
