Meeting of the Board of Regents | June 2010

Report of

REGENTS VESID COMMITTEE

to

The Board of Regents

June 22, 2010

Your VESID Committee held its scheduled meeting on June 22, 2010.   All

members were present with the exception of Regent Rosa who was excused. 

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

              Deputy Commissioner Cort and staff discussed with the Committee VESID’s role in the work of the Most Integrated Setting Coordinating Council (MISCC).  Specifically, staff informed the Committee of the work the Employment Committee has accomplished over the past year and a half as well as the work of the Independent Living Program.  (VESID (D) 1)

              Deputy Commissioner Cort discussed with the Committee proposed legislative and/or regulatory amendments that may potentially provide cost saving mandate relief in special education.  It was the consensus of the VESID Committee that the Department move forward with the following regulatory amendment mandate relief items:

Regulatory Amendments

• Authorize school districts to add up to two additional students to integrated co-teaching classes, upon documented educational justification.
• Repeal the minimum service delivery requirements for speech and language.
• Repeal the requirement that each student with autism receive instructional services to meet his/her individual language needs at a minimum of 30 minutes daily in groups not to exceed two, or 60 minutes daily in groups not to exceed six.

It was the consensus of the VESID Committee that the Department move forward with the following legislative proposal mandate relief items:

Legislative Proposals

• Establish a one-year statute of limitations to request an impartial hearing and that requests for tuition reimbursement for unilateral parent placements in private schools be presented not more than 180 days from the placement by the parent.
• Repeal the authority of the Commissioner to appoint students to State-supported schools; revise the methodology for calculating the State appropriation to such schools; and require the State Comptroller to deduct the tuition rate (minus private excess cost aid) to the school district where the student resides.

The Committee asked for additional information before determining whether the Department should move forward with the following legislative proposal:

• Repeal the requirement for dissemination of copies of students’ individualized education programs (IEPs) to each regular education teacher, special education teacher, related service provider and other service provider who is responsible for the implementation of the IEP.

That concludes our report.