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The purpose of this section is to provide guidance and resources to Catamaran users about changes made to their timelines and activities due to COVID-19 closures and policies.  Initial overall guidance memos for Part B and Part C are available below along with a link to all MDE resources related to COVID-19. This is followed by individual guidance for currently impacted activities in Catamaran.

Early Childhood Guidance per Executive Order 2020-65 (05/04/20)

MEMO #COVID-19-049

Executive Order 2020-65 states that in-person K–12 instruction, Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) program delivery, and early childhood programs are suspended for the remainder of 2019–2020 school year and requires development and implementation of a plan for learning at a distance. The requirement in this executive order to suspend all in-person instruction applies also to Early On (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C) for infants and toddlers
(both for children eligible for Part C Only and for children eligible for Part C with Michigan Mandatory Special Education (MMSE) services).

The full text of the memo is available at the following link:

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Early_On_COVID-19_Guidance_689315_7.pdf

Guidance for Compliance with the IDEA and the MARSE During the COVID-19 Pandemic (04/10/20)

MEMO #COVID-19-033

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Office of Special Education (OSE) is releasing Guidance for Compliance With the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic. This guidance document is designed to assist districts in meeting the IDEA Part B and MARSE requirements in support of Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-35. The MDE has worked to ensure this guidance is aligned and consistent with information provided by the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt special education both in Michigan and across the country, and therefore this guidance will be regularly updated as new and more information becomes available. Districts will be notified of updates.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/SE_Guidance_Doc_686749_7.pdf

* To access all COVID-19 Updates, go to the MDE website at www.michigan.gov/mde.

Part B Guidance Memo

This memo outlines all decisions made to date about current and future Part B work in Catamaran. It will be updated as new decisions are made and posted here. additional information about each activity can be found under the toggle menus below for ease of reference.

Part B COVID-19 Catamaran Guidance Memo

Part C Guidance Memo

This memo outlines all decisions made to date about current and future Part C work in Catamaran. It will be updated as new decisions are made and posted here. Additional information can be found under the Part C toggle menu below for ease of reference.

Part C COVID-19 Guidance Memo

General MDE COVID-19 Guidance and Resources

The link below is to MDE’s central repository of all information and orders related to COVID-19. It is updated as new information becomes available during this fluid situation.

MDE COVID-19 Guidance and Resources

Part B

B-13 Data Collection:

  • As of Friday, 3/13/2020, all timelines for activities in Catamaran will remain the same with one exception: B-13 Data Collection.
  • Changed on 5/4/2020: For B-13 Data Collection, the due date will be extended until June 30, 2020. Any subsequent CAPs or SLCAPs will be issued on September 15, 2020.

Maintenance of Effort Compliance:

  • Maintenance of Effort was launched March 17, 2020. The due date will be extended to April 17, 2020 for all ISDs.

Justification Forms:

  • The ISD Justification Form Review sessions currently planned at various ISDs around the state in March and April have been canceled. The OSE is currently working on a remote version of these sessions to be held in April.

State Complaints:

  • State complaint investigations, including document reviews, interviews, and final decisions will be managed on a case by case basis.

Due Process Complaints:

  • The Michigan Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules (MOAHR) disseminated the following notice: Effective March 16, 2020, all in-person prehearings or hearings held by the MOAHR are being converted to telephone, teleconference or video teleconference prehearings or hearings, or adjourned until on or after April 20, 2020 (subject to extension as the circumstances dictate).

Other Activities:

  • Other activities remaining on their current timelines and due dates will be reviewed frequently for completion, and activity-specific communication will be issued as needed if any issues or changes arise. For now, please continue the work as planned.

Part C

  • Per Governor Whitmer’s March 12, 2020, Executive Order 2020-11 and the March 23, 2020, Executive Order 2020-21 (COVID-19), all Early On services provided by an Intermediate School District (ISD), including services provided through an agreement or contract with a Local Education Agency (LEA) or any other organization/agency or individual, are to be discontinued for the duration of the closure.
  • Services to infants and toddlers will be expected to resume at the conclusion of the closure.
  • MDE is awaiting guidance from the United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs regarding timeline compliance. We will share that information when it becomes available.
  • Please be sure to keep detailed documentation of cancellations of service delivery, evaluations/assessments, Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP) meetings, transition conferences, among other interactions, including who initiated the cancellation, and the reason for cancellation.
  • Discontinuation of Early On services does not preclude an ISD from assigning Early On providers and other staff to work on tasks other than delivery of services, such as virtual check-ins with families to ensure needs are being met. However, IDEA Part C funds may only be used for tasks related to Early On.
  • Along with normally allowable costs, IDEA Part C funds may also be used to disseminate health and COVID-19 information to relevant parties. Relevant parties may include parents of eligible children, childcare centers, staff in other community locations where Early On services are usually provided, Early On providers, and primary referral sources.