Meeting of the Board of Regents | September 2007

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:
FROM:	Rebecca H. Cort
SUBJECT:	The New York State School for the Blind (NYSSB)
DATE:	August 29, 2007
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1, 2 & 5
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Discussion

 

Does the Board of Regents concur with the action identified for securing recommendations regarding possible revisions to the current structure and administration of the day and/or residential program at the New York State School for the Blind (NYSSB)?

 

Reason for Consideration

 

Requested by members of the Board of Regents.

             
Proposed Handling

 

This issue will come before the Full Board at its September 2007 meeting.

 

Procedural History

 

Not applicable.

 

Background Information

 

NYSSB is a State-operated school and 5-day residential program located in Batavia, New York for students that are visually impaired and developmentally disabled.  There has been a significant decline of students with disabilities enrolled at NYSSB over the last several years, resulting in the need to evaluate possible changes to ensure the future of a strong program to serve this unique population. (See attached chart.) It is projected that enrollment will continue to decline under the current school and residential structure.  The reduction in enrollment is a result of:

 

• Federal and State statutory requirements that students with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment;  
• Increases in the development of local capacity to serve severely disabled students;
• Limited demand for 5-day residential programs; and
• Increased demand for 7-day residential programs for the most multiply disabled students.

 

Historical Context:

 

• NYSSB at Batavia was founded more than one hundred years ago to provide blind students, who had no local education options, with a school program leading to a regular high school diploma.  Enrollment was as high as 300 students at one time.
• NYSSB is one of the largest employers in Batavia with 138 employees of the State Education Department (SED) and 21 employees of the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) and has tremendous community support.
• During the last several decades, as local school programs have been developed to serve the original population of blind students, NYSSB’s population has changed significantly and the School now serves only students who have multiple disabilities including developmental disabilities, as well as orthopedic impairments and/or emotional disabilities in addition to blindness.
• In 1986, a portion of NYSSB’s 5-day residential program was converted to two Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) units licensed by OMRDD to provide a high level of medical care and access to a 7-day residential program for 18 students.
• In April 2005, an OMRDD monitoring report identified serious issues at the ICF regarding the provision of medical care and, with the agreement of the Commissioners of Education and OMRDD, the operation of the ICFs was transferred to OMRDD. 
• The population of the 5-day residential program has continued to include students with substantial multiple disabilities, including many students who might be eligible for a 7-day residential program.

 

Summer 2007 Update:

 

• OMRDD has begun the process of phasing out the existing 7-day residential programs operated as Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF).  One ICF was closed as of June 2007 and it is anticipated that the second ICF will be closed as of June 2008, as students are transferred to community residences in conformance with OMRDD’s philosophy of increasing the integration of students into their local communities;
• The reduction in enrollment resulted in the need to layoff 12 aides from the residence and school as of July 1, 2007.  Other staff vacancies will not be filled.
• The Superintendent and Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Cort held a meeting with Senator Mary Lou Rath, Assemblyman Hawley, the President of the Board of Visitors, and union representatives to discuss options for the future of NYSSB.  Discussions were held regarding proposals to change to a 7-day residential program and the possible expansion of the student population.  However, it was made clear that SED does not have the experience, infrastructure or resources necessary to operate such a program. The legislators and President of the Board of Visitors have asked that we secure an independent consultant to investigate possible options for the School including reaching out to potential private providers who would have the experience and expertise to operate such a facility.  We agreed to follow-up in this regard.
• Vice Chancellor Merryl Tisch and Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Cort met with a large group of family members of students served at NYSSB, who expressed their strong support for the value of the program and the tremendously positive impact it has had on their children.  We discussed our goal to maintain and build a strong program, and described the proposed efforts to seek further information on possible options for the future of the School. Since many parents spoke of their difficulty in first learning about the School, we also agreed to work to increase school district awareness of the current program to allow for the possible immediate recruitment of students who would be appropriate for the program as now structured.

 

Current Actions:

 

• Recruitment Efforts

 

The following steps have been taken to increase awareness of the current program at NYSSB and to facilitate recruitment of students who are in need of such a program:

 

• A new video about NYSSB has been produced with Assemblyman Steve Hawley as the narrator.  The video will be disseminated as a recruitment tool;
• The NYSSB website is being updated to reflect current information about the School, its population and application process;
• The NYSSB brochure has been updated and approximately 4,000 brochures have been distributed to groups across the State (The Lions Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Rotary Club, Doctors’ Offices, Schools, Camps For Children with Disabilities);
• A NYSSB social worker attended and had an information booth at the Western NY Developmental Disabilities Conference;
• NYSSB Department Chairs presented at The Genesee Interagency Conference informing agencies about the School’s services;
• An information conference was held at NYSSB for cases in this area. A second conference is being planned for late September or early October;  
• A Q&A document is being developed to be distributed to Committees On Special Education (CSEs) across the State describing NYSSB as a resource; and
• A local news station featured an event at NYSSB that focused on the benefits of the program for the current students.

 

These efforts have already resulted in an increase of referrals to the school.  Several students are now being evaluated for possible enrollment.

 

 

• Request for Proposals (RFP) for Independent Consultant

 

There are a significant number of students with disabilities classified as mentally retarded, multiply disabled and autistic currently in out-of-state residential education programs.  At the present time, the in-State educational residential programs for this population are limited.  Chapter 392 of the Laws of 2005 (Billy’s Law) and Council on Children and Families’ “Interagency Report to the Governor on Out-of-State Residential Placements” each called for a concentrated and coordinated effort to expand capacity within New York State to meet the needs of the students requiring residential education placements.  As a result of Billy’s Law, 300 new residential education placements will be available by 2009-2010.  Further targeted expansion is still needed, particularly in the central and western regions of New York State.  A revised school structure could potentially address this need by expanding the population beyond students who are developmentally disabled and visually impaired and including those requiring a 7-day residential program.

 

We believe that the current circumstances include the potential for expanded use of the facility at NYSSB.  However, as noted above, a key variable to be considered is that SED does not have the experience, infrastructure or resources to expand the current population and operate a 7-day residential educational program.  Therefore, other potential operators of the school and/or residence will need to be evaluated prior to any recommendation for a change in the population or residential program design. 

 

A Request for Proposals (RFP) to research possible alternative operators of NYSSB has been drafted and is being finalized.  The intent of the RFP is to review the expansion possibilities of the School and/or residential programs, evaluate redesign options and recommend possible operators for a revised educational and/or residential structure.  Any such recommendation must meet the needs of both the current population of students with severe multiple disabilities that include visual impairments, some of whom need a 5-day residence, and of a possible expanded population of students who could require a 7-day residential program. 

 

Recommendation

 

We ask for the support of the Board of Regents to issue the Request for Proposals to seek an external consultant to evaluate potential options and make recommendations regarding the future operation of the New York State School for the Blind.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

It is anticipated that the contract would be awarded by December, 2007.  The recommendations would be completed and be reviewed by the Board of Regents in Spring, 2008.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment A:

 

 

NEW YORK
STATE SCHOOL
FOR THE BLIND

STUDENT ENROLLMENT AS OF SEPTEMBER OF EACH YEAR

 

 

	1997-98	1998-99	1999-00	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Day Program	9	8	8	11	14	11	10	14	14	14	14
5-Day Program	45	37	36	42	44	48	46	41	35	32	36
7- Day Program	14	15	14	14	15	17	14	17	15	13	4
Total	68	60	58	67	73	76	70	72	64	59	54