Public Notices
Concerns about embezzlement, fraud, bribery, and public corruption with education funds should be reported to the office of the Inspector General at 1-800-447-8477.
Title IX
Title IX Coordinator
Stephanie Schmitz
Assistant Director
507-235-2009
[email protected]
The Title IX Coordinator will assist the complainant in informing her of the process by which a complaint will be resolved in a prompt and equitable manner.
What is Title IX?
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 ("Title IX") prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. Sex discrimination includes sex-based harassment, discrimination on the basis of sex, and retaliation related to complaints of sex discrimination. Sex-based harassment is unwelcome conduct which includes both sexual harassment, including but not limited to sexual assault, other forms of sexual violence and other sexual misconduct, and general-based harassment. This applies to academic, educational, athletic, and residential programs.
See Policy #522 for additional information
Notice of Nondiscrimination
Southern Plains Education Cooperative does not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability (including, but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability or learning disability), genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by Minnesota state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws.
The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Lisa Toye
Nurse
507-235-2009
[email protected]
Title IX Office Training
Section 106.45(b) of the 2020 Title IX regulations requires the sharing of "all materials used to train Title IX Coordinators, investigators, decision-makers, and any person who facilitates an informal resolution process. The recipient must make these training materials publicly available on its website, or if the recipient does not maintain a website, the recipient must make these materials available upon request for inspection by members of the public."
The Title IX Coordinator facilitates training using in-house training materials for all new Title IX personnel. Southern Plains will make training materials available on this website and updates will be made on an on-going basis.
Title IX Training
Legal Resources
Legal Resource List
Disability Law Center at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid
Mankato Office
12 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 3000-A
Mankato, MN 56001
Provides statewide services to people with disabilities on issues associated with disabilities.
*No income restrictions
800-292-4150
Anishinabe Legal Services
Cass Lake Office (Central Office)
411 First Street Northwest
Cass Lake, MN 56633
218-335-2223
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS)
400 Alliance Bank Center
55 East 5th Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
Serving the 33 counties of southern Minnesota, including the east and south metro.
*Income restrictions
651-222-5863 or 877-696-6529
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid
St. Cloud Office
110 Sixth Avenue South, Suite 200
St. Cloud, MN 56301
Serves Minnesotans in the 20 counties of central Minnesota, including Hennepin.
*Income restrictions
320-253-0121 or 888-360-2889
Legal Rights Center
1611 Park Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404
The Legal Rights Center states that its mission is to provide the highest quality criminal defense and restorative justice services to low-income people, in particular people of color. Its focus is Hennepin County, its priority is juveniles, and its services are at no cost.
612-337-0030
Advocacy Services
These services protect and advocate for the legal rights of persons with disabilities.
The ARC of Minnesota
641 Fairview Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55104
The ARC of Minnesota promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, actively supporting them and their families in a lifetime of full inclusion and participation in their communities.
952-920-0822 or 833-450-1494
Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM)
2380 Wycliff Street, #102
St. Paul, MN 55114
AuSM provides you with resources so you can learn and make choices that best serve the needs of your loved one with autism
651-647-1083
PACER Center
8161 Normandale Boulevard
Bloomington, MN 55437
PACER Center provides statewide assistance to individual families, workshops, materials for parents and professionals, and leadership in securing a free appropriate public education for all children. PACER’s work affects and encourages families in Minnesota and across the nation.
952-838-9000
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI-Minnesota
1919 University Avenue West
Suite 400
St. Paul, MN 55104
NAMI Minnesota champions justice, dignity, and respect for all people affected by mental illnesses. Through education, support, and advocacy, they strive to eliminate the pervasive stigma of mental illness, affect positive changes in the mental illness system, and increase the public and professional understanding of mental illnesses.
651-645-2948
Lawyer Referral Services
These services may be contacted to request a referral to an attorney who specializes in representing parents in the area of education law. If you select a referred attorney, you may wish to check to see if a referral or consultation fee is charged. You and your attorney will negotiate any legal fees you may owe.
The Minnesota State Bar Association
600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 380
Minneapolis, MN 55402
The Minnesota State Bar Association has resources on legal topics and can provide information on how to find a lawyer.
612-333-1183 or 800-882-6722
LawHelpMN.org
A website with fact sheets about legal topics, links to legal aid offices and free legal clinics, do-it-yourself legal forms, and other resources.
Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN)
Statewide legal services available for low-income people through a network of legal clinics and volunteer attorneys. Spanish legal services available. Assistance can range from brief advice to screening for full representation depending on income level, county of residence, legal issue, and merits of the case.
612-752-6677 (intake by phone available Monday - Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
Dakota County Legal Referrals
15025 Glazier Avenue, Suite 201
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Legal Assistance of Dakota County provides free legal representation and advice to low-income people for civil legal problems and offers an attorney referral services through the Dakota County Bar Association.
952-431-3200
Minnesota Lawyer Referral and Information Service
600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 380
Minneapolis, MN 55402
The Minnesota Lawyer Referral and Information Service (MNLRIS) connects persons with legal issues to qualified private attorneys practicing in many areas of law.
612-752-6699
An Online Self-Referral form is also available – visit the website.
Attorney Referral Service of Ramsey County
The Attorney Referral Service of Ramsey County assists callers in finding an attorney who practices in the area of law that best fits the caller’s needs and offers a Modest Means Program for low-to-moderate income individuals in Ramsey County and surrounding areas.
651-222-0846
Minnesota State Law Library
G25 Minnesota Judicial Center
25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55155
The State Law Library has compiled lists of legal referrals by county and by subject.
651-297-7651
TTY: 1-800-627-3529
Private Attorneys
You and your attorney may negotiate any legal fees you may owe.
Kane Education Law, LLC
420 Summit Avenue, Suite 306
St. Paul, MN 55102
Statewide
651-222-8611
School Law Center, LLC
452 Selby Avenue
Second Floor East
St. Paul, MN 55102
Statewide
651-222-6288
Concerns about embezzlement, fraud, bribery, and public corruption with education funds should be reported to the office of the Inspector General at 1-800-447-8477.
Title IX
Title IX Coordinator
Stephanie Schmitz
Assistant Director
507-235-2009
[email protected]
The Title IX Coordinator will assist the complainant in informing her of the process by which a complaint will be resolved in a prompt and equitable manner.
What is Title IX?
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 ("Title IX") prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. Sex discrimination includes sex-based harassment, discrimination on the basis of sex, and retaliation related to complaints of sex discrimination. Sex-based harassment is unwelcome conduct which includes both sexual harassment, including but not limited to sexual assault, other forms of sexual violence and other sexual misconduct, and general-based harassment. This applies to academic, educational, athletic, and residential programs.
See Policy #522 for additional information
Notice of Nondiscrimination
Southern Plains Education Cooperative does not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability (including, but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability or learning disability), genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by Minnesota state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws.
The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Lisa Toye
Nurse
507-235-2009
[email protected]
Title IX Office Training
Section 106.45(b) of the 2020 Title IX regulations requires the sharing of "all materials used to train Title IX Coordinators, investigators, decision-makers, and any person who facilitates an informal resolution process. The recipient must make these training materials publicly available on its website, or if the recipient does not maintain a website, the recipient must make these materials available upon request for inspection by members of the public."
The Title IX Coordinator facilitates training using in-house training materials for all new Title IX personnel. Southern Plains will make training materials available on this website and updates will be made on an on-going basis.
Title IX Training
Legal Resources
Legal Resource List
Disability Law Center at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid
Mankato Office
12 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 3000-A
Mankato, MN 56001
Provides statewide services to people with disabilities on issues associated with disabilities.
*No income restrictions
800-292-4150
Anishinabe Legal Services
Cass Lake Office (Central Office)
411 First Street Northwest
Cass Lake, MN 56633
218-335-2223
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS)
400 Alliance Bank Center
55 East 5th Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
Serving the 33 counties of southern Minnesota, including the east and south metro.
*Income restrictions
651-222-5863 or 877-696-6529
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid
St. Cloud Office
110 Sixth Avenue South, Suite 200
St. Cloud, MN 56301
Serves Minnesotans in the 20 counties of central Minnesota, including Hennepin.
*Income restrictions
320-253-0121 or 888-360-2889
Legal Rights Center
1611 Park Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404
The Legal Rights Center states that its mission is to provide the highest quality criminal defense and restorative justice services to low-income people, in particular people of color. Its focus is Hennepin County, its priority is juveniles, and its services are at no cost.
612-337-0030
Advocacy Services
These services protect and advocate for the legal rights of persons with disabilities.
The ARC of Minnesota
641 Fairview Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55104
The ARC of Minnesota promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, actively supporting them and their families in a lifetime of full inclusion and participation in their communities.
952-920-0822 or 833-450-1494
Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM)
2380 Wycliff Street, #102
St. Paul, MN 55114
AuSM provides you with resources so you can learn and make choices that best serve the needs of your loved one with autism
651-647-1083
PACER Center
8161 Normandale Boulevard
Bloomington, MN 55437
PACER Center provides statewide assistance to individual families, workshops, materials for parents and professionals, and leadership in securing a free appropriate public education for all children. PACER’s work affects and encourages families in Minnesota and across the nation.
952-838-9000
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI-Minnesota
1919 University Avenue West
Suite 400
St. Paul, MN 55104
NAMI Minnesota champions justice, dignity, and respect for all people affected by mental illnesses. Through education, support, and advocacy, they strive to eliminate the pervasive stigma of mental illness, affect positive changes in the mental illness system, and increase the public and professional understanding of mental illnesses.
651-645-2948
Lawyer Referral Services
These services may be contacted to request a referral to an attorney who specializes in representing parents in the area of education law. If you select a referred attorney, you may wish to check to see if a referral or consultation fee is charged. You and your attorney will negotiate any legal fees you may owe.
The Minnesota State Bar Association
600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 380
Minneapolis, MN 55402
The Minnesota State Bar Association has resources on legal topics and can provide information on how to find a lawyer.
612-333-1183 or 800-882-6722
LawHelpMN.org
A website with fact sheets about legal topics, links to legal aid offices and free legal clinics, do-it-yourself legal forms, and other resources.
Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN)
Statewide legal services available for low-income people through a network of legal clinics and volunteer attorneys. Spanish legal services available. Assistance can range from brief advice to screening for full representation depending on income level, county of residence, legal issue, and merits of the case.
612-752-6677 (intake by phone available Monday - Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
Dakota County Legal Referrals
15025 Glazier Avenue, Suite 201
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Legal Assistance of Dakota County provides free legal representation and advice to low-income people for civil legal problems and offers an attorney referral services through the Dakota County Bar Association.
952-431-3200
Minnesota Lawyer Referral and Information Service
600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 380
Minneapolis, MN 55402
The Minnesota Lawyer Referral and Information Service (MNLRIS) connects persons with legal issues to qualified private attorneys practicing in many areas of law.
612-752-6699
An Online Self-Referral form is also available – visit the website.
Attorney Referral Service of Ramsey County
The Attorney Referral Service of Ramsey County assists callers in finding an attorney who practices in the area of law that best fits the caller’s needs and offers a Modest Means Program for low-to-moderate income individuals in Ramsey County and surrounding areas.
651-222-0846
Minnesota State Law Library
G25 Minnesota Judicial Center
25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55155
The State Law Library has compiled lists of legal referrals by county and by subject.
651-297-7651
TTY: 1-800-627-3529
Private Attorneys
You and your attorney may negotiate any legal fees you may owe.
Kane Education Law, LLC
420 Summit Avenue, Suite 306
St. Paul, MN 55102
Statewide
651-222-8611
School Law Center, LLC
452 Selby Avenue
Second Floor East
St. Paul, MN 55102
Statewide
651-222-6288