APRIL 25TH AD HOC MEETING - Suzanne Lavalla's notes
review committee charge -
which is to review statutes and be sure they are in compliance with federal
statutes - revised them as needed and any changes will be brought before next
legislative session
One thing that was noted
that needed change was to adminstrators of SpED - make sure they are in
compliance with IDEA in that parents can refuse and IEP
Discussed changing wording
in 186-C:1 (policy and purpose) from providing an education to "ensure
that all children with disabilities have available to them a free and
appropriate .... in least restrictive environment
Comments made the
districts need to uphold their obligations and/or responsibilities to this
purpose.
Discussion revolved around
ages - the 3 to 9 age bracket that are classified (diagnosed) with
"developmental delays" - round table discussion about that this is
important that these children get services also - could be just slight delay in
early years, but if denied services, could end up a bigger problem. Discussion was about adding developmentally
delayed to 13 "categories" that are already covered in 186 (under
definitions, different diagnosis') - then adding definition of developmental
delays in subsection 2
Under "approved home
programs", one parent (Bob Beville - son in a charter school not
homeschooled) wanted homeschoolers listed in that state would have to approve
our programs of teaching SN child(ren) - which would also put us under scrutiny
of home visits, approved curriculum, etc.
I stated, that was not our intention - Rep. Stiles reiterated stating
her understanding of our "participation" in the Committee was to
ensure that homeschoolers were getting access to public schools SpEd programs
if wanted not to be approved as SpEd teachers and/or "sites"
There was some mention
about pending legislation (??) about charter schools being considered public
schools (more supervision by DOE i believe is reason).
Discussion then revolved
around that charter schools need to be defined more with statutes - that, if
they are going to be an "approved" school, they must offer SpEd - DOE
already gives certain funds to certain charters for services (services that
public can't provide)