An Ad Hoc Committee for Special Education State Statutes Review has been formed. Those appointed by Senate Education Committee Chairman L'Heureux are: Representatives Clarke, Casey, Foote, Pritchard, Campbell, Stiles and Hagen. Rep. Nancy Stiles is Chairwoman of this committee. Other members of this committee present at meetings include school superintendents, school board association members and board of education members from various districts, as well as an attorney from Disabilities Rights Center, a member from Parent Information Center and myself, a homeschooler.
The goal of this committee is to review all proposed legislative changes to the SPED statutes by November of 2006 and give recommendations on same to the legislation by next session. 12 proposed bills were brought before the House last session relative to funding, defining sending districts, budgeting, charter schools and revising certain terms within the special education statutes. A website is being designed for everyone to be able to review these proposed bills and will contain my notes of these meetings.
The first meeting I attended was on April 6, 2006 at which most of the discussion revolved around what everyone hope to see come out of committee. We worked on the wording for the policy and purpose for 186-C:1 adding "least restrictive environment" to that section and it was discussed how to be sure districts were in line with state law and not trying to circumvent it. Detailed notes of this, and future meetings, will be on the website also.
Respectfully submitted,
Suzanne Lavalla