Joining Minnesota

Joining Minnesota DEC and CEC

To join Minnesota DEC, you must first join the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). You do this by going to the CEC website to join online or download an application form. When you join, be sure to sign up for both CEC and our division - The Division for Early Childhood (DEC).

  • Membership Categories
  • Pre-Service Student
  • Graduate Student
  • Early Career (3 years or less)
  • Professional
  • Paraeducator
  • Retired Professional
  • Family/Parent Affiliate
  • Group Membership

Annual Awards

MN Division of Exceptional Children (DEC)

MN DEC Members - Awards

In years past, MN DEC presented two annual awards: the MN DEC Practitioner of the Year Award and MN DEC Leader of the Year Award. Any early childhood professional (ECSE, ECFE, Head Start or preschool teacher or administrator, childcare provider/director or other professional) may be nominated by MN DEC members. 

The high quality of Early Childhood Special Education in Minnesota is due to the talented and dedicated staff leading programs and providing services to young children with disabilities and their families. MN DEC, takes the opportunity to recognize one outstanding leader and one outstanding practitioner from the many in the field. There are many leaders and practitioners in the state who demonstrate these characteristics, however each year the number of people nominated has been small, though of exceptional quality.

MN DEC encourages nominations of any early childhood professional: ECSE, ECFE, Head Start or preschool teacher or administrator, childcare provider/director or other professional, who has made a difference in the lives of young children with special needs and their families and/or in the lives of their colleagues by:

  • Performed their job in an exemplary manner
  • Have made significant contributions or provided leadership that has improved or will improve the lives of young children with special needs and their families
  • Demonstrated through their work evidence of knowledge and skills consistent with recommended practices in the field
  • Demonstrated high ethical and professional standards

More information will be shared about past award receipients. Thanks for your patience as we update our site.

Mini Grant

MN Division of Exceptional Children (DEC)

MN Dec Mini Grants

MN DEC awards mini grants each year. Applicants may be individual practitioners or teams of practitioners and be currently working in a program that serves young children with disabilities and their families. Action-research grant recipients must be willing to write a short article describing the process and results for publication on Minnesota DEC’s website.

Only one applicant must be a current member of DEC. If you are not a member, you can become one. Just click membership on the top tab.

Typical components of Action Research include:

1. Identifying the problem to be solved
2. Diagnosing the causes of the problem
3. Formulating an action hypothesis
4. Designing and implementing an action plan
5. Simple procedures for analysis of the resulting data or evidence

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