Districts, Schools and Educators

What is Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan?

Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan is a broad series of key activities our state must accomplish to ensure people with disabilities are living, learning, working, and enjoying life in the most integrated setting. The plan will help achieve a better Minnesota because it will help Minnesotans with disabilities have the opportunity, both now and in the future to:

Live close to family and friends.
Live more independently.
Engage in productive employment.
Participate in community life.

In January 2013, former Governor Mark Dayton issued an executive order establishing a subcabinet to develop and implement Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan. As part of its primary role of providing direction and oversight of the development and implementation of the plan, the subcabinet has a particular responsibility to monitor the impact of the activities being undertaken by state agencies and delivery agents such as counties and providers. The subcabinet meets publicly each month.

See the Olmstead Implementation Office’s About the Olmstead Plan page for the history and background of Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan.

Olmstead Plan Documents

Olmstead Plan – March 2020 Revision
Olmstead Plan Workplans – March 2019 Revision
What’s in the Olmstead Plan – Plain language version of the plan
Olmstead Plan Review: 2015-2018 – Plain language report on progress
Minnesota Executive Order 19-13 – Current executive order defining Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan

Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Olmstead-Related Strategies and Resources

Person-centered Practices Strategies aimed at putting the student at the center of the person’s plan for services and about offering informed choice for integrated options.

Person-Centered Practices

Employment Strategies aimed at ensuring students with disabilities have choices for competitive, meaningful, and sustained employment in the most integrated settings.

Lifelong Learning and Education Strategies aimed at ensuring students with disabilities receive an equal opportunity to obtain a high quality education in the most integrated setting that prepares them to participate in the community, employment and postsecondary education.

Positive Supports Strategies aimed at supporting students through the use of positive practices, and prohibitions on use of aversive and restrictive procedures.

Preventing Abuse and Neglect Strategies aimed at preventing abuse and neglect of students with disabilities in all setting, increasing the likelihood that potential abuse and neglect is reported, and taking care that these efforts do not inadvertently create barriers to reporting.

Student Maltreatment

Recommended Professional Development Opportunities

Information on where to learn more or get training on inclusive practices. The following options are not exhaustive.

Person Centered Thinking (PCT) Training Opportunities

Stay Connected

Attend a Subcabinet Meeting. All meetings are held at the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency on the third Monday of each month at 3 p.m. Specific meeting dates, meeting agendas and minutes, and logistical information can be found on Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan website.
Visit the Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan Facebook page.
Sign up for the Olmstead Plan email list.

MDE Olmstead Contact

Holly Andersen
Integrated Education Specialist
651-582-8668
holly.andersen@state.mn.us