Report of

REGENTS VESID COMMITTEE

to

The Board of Regents

September 16, 2008

Your VESID Committee held its scheduled meeting on September 16, 2008.   All

members were present.   Regents Brooks-Hopkins, Bendit and Young also attended.                                      

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

              Deputy Commissioner Cort briefly discussed the implications of the budget cuts on VESID.

The Committee discussed a proposed addition to the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education which prescribes a dispute resolution mechanism regarding claims for reimbursement of costs for special education provided to a nonresident student with a disability who is parentally placed in a nonpublic school located in a school district other than the school district in which the student legally resides.

(VESID (D) 1)

              The Committee had further discussion on the item on Results for Students and Individuals with Disabilities that was discussed in Full Board on Monday.  The report provided more detailed results on the performance of students with disabilities and the strategies being implemented for improving student outcomes.

(VESID (D) 2)

              The Committee discussed the recommendations contained in the final report from Education Transformation Group (ETG): Evaluating Potential Options for the Future Operation of the New York State School for the Blind.  The Committee directed staff to develop and distribute a Request for Letters to identify potential qualified private operators.  (VESID (D) 3)

              Staff provided the Committee with a written update on the actions taken to date to implement the recommendations of the Temporary Task Force on Preschool Special Education but time constraints precluded discussion of this item.  (VESID (D) 4)

              That concludes our report.