STATE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY PANEL

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STATE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY PANEL

• PRE-SESSION
• Office of Special Education Programs
• Annual Conference
• Washington DC
• August 17, 2009

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• Presenters

• Barbara BuswellDirector, Region 5 PTAC
• Jeanna MullinsCA Service Coordinator, MSRRC
• John CopenhaverDirector, MPRRC

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• Purpose

Provide information for State staff and Panel
members regarding their SEAP functions, roles
with the SPP, APR, Levels, OSEP verification
visit, and discuss the importance of active
parent involvement. Participants will be
introduced to a new website that contains SEAP
resources.
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PART 1

• A review of the purpose and functions of the
  State Special Education Advisory Panel

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• The Big Picture

U.S. Department of Education
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation
Services (OSERS)
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
Technical Assistance Projects
Part C Lead Education Agency (LA)

• Interagency
• Coordinating Council (ICC)
• Advice to LA

Part B State Education Agency (SEA)

• Special Education
• Advisory Panel (SEAP)
• Advice to SEA

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing. Infants,
Toddlers, Children, and Youth with Disabilities
John Copenhaver 2007
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• Important Laws for SEAP Members to Understand

• IDEA
• FERPA
• Section 504
• ADA
• NCLBA
• State Nurse Practice Act

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• The Legislative History of Special Education

P.L. Public Law 108 Congress Number 446
Number of Laws passed during this session
RESULTS
ACCOUNTABILITY
PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS
ACCESS
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• Purpose for Panel

Provide policy and procedural guidance with
respect to special education and related services
for children with disabilities in the State.
(Part B/Section 619) CFR 300.167
AdviceGuidanceSuggestions
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• Advocacy

• To take sides
• To support something
• To plead your case/position
• To favor a position
• To argue

NOT A PANEL ROLE
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• Advocacy

• There are groups in the State that relate to
  advocacy in nature
• Protection and Advocacy Agency (P A)
• Parent Training and Information Center (PTI)
• Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC)
• Disability specific advocacy groups

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• Advisory

• To give advice
• To inform
• To counsel
• To recommend
• To suggest
• To guide

PURPOSE OF SEAP
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• Functions

Have a working understanding of each function.
All Panel activities should relate to the SEAP
functions.
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• Advisory Panel Functions

• Advise the SEA of unmet needs within the State in
  the education of children with disabilities.
  CFR 300.169(a)
• Comment publicly on any rules or regulations
  proposed by the State regarding the education of
  children with disabilities.
• CFR 300.169(b)

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• Advisory Panel Functions

• Advise the State in developing evaluations and
  reporting on data to the Secretary under Section
  618 of the Act. CFR 300.169(c)
• Dropout rates
• Graduation rates
• Discipline
• Participation in Statewide Assessment
• SPP/APR ? Data

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• Advisory Panel Functions

• Advise the State in developing corrective action
  plans to address findings identified in federal
  monitoring reports under Part B of the Act.
  CFR 300.169(d)
• Advise the State in developing and implementing
  policies relating to the coordination of services
  for children with disabilities. CFR
  300.169(e)

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• Advisory Panel Functions

• The SEA, after deleting personally identifiable
  information must
• Provide the Advisory Panel with the DPH findings
  and decisions and
• Make those findings and decisions available to
  the public.
• CFR 300.513(d) 300.514(c)

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• Advisory Panel Functions Optional

Advise on eligible students with disabilities in
juvenile correctional facilities and adult
prisons.
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PART 2

• Provide suggestions of the Panel role with the
  SPP, APR, Levels of Determination, and OSEP
  Verification Visit.

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General Supervision
IDEA Regulations
Emerging State Special Education Advisory
Panel Roles
State Performance Plan
Levels of Determination
Annual Performance Report
Continuous Improvement and Focused Monitoring
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• OSEP Verification Areas of Emphasis

• General Supervision
• Fiscal Accountability
• Data

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• Role of Panel Verification Visit

• Be familiar with OSEP verification visit.
• Know the areas of emphasis.
• Participate in OSEP conference callREMIND TO
  KEEP POSITIVE
• Suggest improvement strategies to correct
  noncompliance from OSEP verification visit.
• Request the State director and/or SEA staff
  report on their OSEP verification visit.

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• State Performance Plan

• A six-year plan to improve programs and services
  for children with disabilities
• 20 Indicators

Compliance and Performance
APR Annual Review of SPP
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• SPP/APR

SPP IEP for State APR Annual Review of SPP
Challengedata is one year old.
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• Possible Roles State Performance Plan

• Understand the relationship between the APR and
  SPP.
• Provide guidance to the SEA in developing
  measurable and rigorous targets for indicators
  under each priority area.
• Request the State provide updates on the SPP
  and APR at least annually to the Panel
  membership.
• Use the SPP/APR data to help generate panel
  priorities.

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• Annual Performance Report

• Annual Review of SPP
• February of each year
• High stakes
• Relates to SEA level of determination

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• Possible Roles Annual Performance Report

• Provide advice and guidance to the SEA regarding
  the content of the APR.
• Request that the State Director or SEA staff
  provide an update at each panel meeting regarding
  progress toward State projected
  targets.
• Suggest improvement strategies for areas
  of noncompliance.
• Use the APR data to help generate panel
  priorities.

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• State Levels of Determination

300.603(b)(i-iv)
Meets Requirements Needs Assistance Needs
Intervention Needs Substantial Intervention
Know and understand your StatesLevel of
Determination
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• Possible Panel Roles Levels of Determination

• Understand levels of determination.
• Know your States level and what it means.
• Suggest strategies to help your State improve the
  level.
• Understand and provide suggestions regarding
  school district levels.
• Use levels data to establish Panel priorities.

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PART 3

• An overview of the critical role of parent
  involvement in the SEAP. Information about a new
  website for SEAP resources.

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• Membership of Panel

The membership of the State advisory panel must
consist of members appointed by the Governor or
any other official authorized under State law to
make these appointments. CFR 300.168(b)
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• Special Rule

The majority of the members of the panel must be
individuals with disabilities and parents of
children with disabilities. CFR 300.168(b)
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• Membership of Panel

• Parents of children with disabilities ages birth
  through 26
• Individuals with disabilities
• Teachers
• Representatives of institutions of higher
  education
• State and local education officials
• Administrators of programs for children with
  disabilities
• State representatives from Child Welfare
  responsible for foster care
• Bolded indicates
• new with IDEA 2004.

• Representatives of other State
  agencies
• Representatives of private schools and public
  charter schools
• At least one representative of a vocational,
  community, or business organization concerned
  with the provisions of transition services to
  children with disabilities
• Representatives from the State juvenile and adult
  corrections agencies
• State and local officials that represent homeless
  children

CFR 300.168 (c)(1-11)
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• Birth to 26 Years

The parents child must be within this age
range. OSEP Letter, 2008
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• Critical Role of Parents

• Parents make up over half of the Panel membership
  and play a critical role with the Panels
  functions and providing advice.
• Parents provide a consumer perspective and help
  validate the results of SEA policies and
  procedures.

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• Parent Training Information Centers

• IDEA authorizes at least one Parent Training and
  Information Center (PTI) for each State.
• Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC) are also
  funded through IDEA to serve targeted
  under-served families.
• The PTI and CPRC assist families and educators to
  learn about IDEA and to participate actively in
  the Individualized Education Program (IEP)
  process.

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• Parent Training Information Center

• Many States include PTI staff on their Panel.
• PTI staff have knowledge and expertise about IDEA
  and can be a resource to the SEAP.
• PTI staff are in direct communication with large
  numbers of families and educators.
• Many States conduct a SEAP meeting at their PTI
  each year.

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• Roles for Parent Involvement and the SEAP

• Serve as SEAP Officer
• Participate on SEAP Committees
• Be involved with Indicator 8 Parent Involvement
  and other indicators
• Provide perspective and advice to SEA

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• Announcement of Resources for SEAPs

• There is a new website that contains valuable
  resources and information for State staff and
  SEAP members regarding the SEAP.
• Go to www.stateadvisorypanel.org

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• Partnership

The website was a collaborative effort between
OSEP, PTACs, and the RRC Program.
OSEP
PTAC
RRC
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• Homepage

Links
About Advisory Panels
SEAP Resource Materials
OSEP Leadership Pre-Session
IDEA SEAP Authority
State Contacts
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• URL

http//www.stateadvisorypanel.org
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• Stop And Talk With Us

We have a few minutes remaining to answer
questions or for you to make comments.
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• Conclusion/Next Steps

• Thank you for your participation
• Access Pre-Session materials at the new website
• Possible future dialogue on conference calls
  or webinar
• Use email address if you have questions
  info_at_stateadvisorypanel.org