Policy, Planning & Best Practice in Prevention and Intervention

The Minnesota Division for Early Childhood (MN DEC) is a statewide membership organization for those who work with or on behalf of young children with disabilities and other special needs.

MN DEC promotes policies and advances evidence-based practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities.

MN DEC Spotlight
Chris Hansen, Minnesota Professional of the Year

MN DEC/CEC is very pleased to announce that Chris Hansen, Special Education Manager for the Carver-Scott Educational Cooperative, has won the Minnesota Professional of the Year Award for 2011 from the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children(MN DEC/CEC). The award was presented at the Practitioner’s conference on March 11, 2011

Chris has 36 years of experience as an amazing educator, administrator and supporter of young children with special needs in Carver County. She was nominated for this award by the Early Childhood Special Education Birth through two teams from Norwood-Young America and Watertown-Mayer schools.

Chris started her career as an early childhood special education teacher in 1975, providing service to children with special needs at the Carver County Developmental Achievement Center. With the expansion of public school special education responsibility to birth in 1987, Chris joined the Carver Scott Educational Cooperative providing home based services for children and families in all school districts of Carver County. Over the years, Chris has worked with hundreds of families, in every city within Carver County. As an early childhood special education teacher Chris’ role was to help parents understand and support their child’s development. Chris worked closely with First Step, now known as Help Me Grow Carver County, to increase interagency cooperation and easy access for families to services.

In 2006, after many years as an Early Childhood Special Education teacher, Chris took the position of Special Education Manager with the Carver Scott Educational Cooperative. Chris currently provides leadership and consultation for Help Me Grow Carver County, for Early Intervention teams in Carver County and for state level initiatives in early childhood special education. She is currently a board member of MN DEC and will be serving on the Region 11 Help Me Grow IEIC. Her career embodies the attributes of the award for which she was presented. Congratulations Chris!!! 

News & Events

  • Welcome to the NEW MN DEC website.  MN DEC is excited to provide information on our state-wide activities and policies and practices in the field of early intervention and early childhood special education through this website!  Join us on Facebook and Twitter too!
  • The ECSE Fall Leadership Conference will be held at Ruttger's resort on October 5,6,7th, 2011. The conference, "iLead", highlights innovative practices using technology. Larry Edelman, Senior Instructor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado-Denver and a leader in using technology in professional development and early intervention, will present. State updates will focus on the new Part C Regulations, Centers of Excellence, and the 'latest' from MDE!
  • SAVE THE DATE!

    The Spring 2012 MN DEC Spring Conference will be held on Thursday evening, March 15 and Friday, March 16th, 2012. Join us at the Bloomington Marriot for this annual event!
Sign up for the MN DEC Newsletter
Centers of Excellence for
An initiative designed to regionalize professional development systems
in Minnesota.
MN DEC Calendar of Events
Find upcoming events of interest to members involved in the MN DEC