Committee Report | December 2011

Report of

REGENTS JOINT P-12 EDUCATION COMMITTEE

And ACCES COMMITTEE

To

The Board of Regents

December 13, 2011

Your P-12 Education Committee and ACCES Committee held its scheduled meeting on December 12, 2011.  All members were present, with the exception of Regent Chapey, who was excused.  Additional members of the Board attending where: Chancellor Tisch,  Regent Bendit, Regent Cashin, Regent Cottrell and Regent Jackson.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

The Committees were updated on the actions taken in response to the recommendations cited in the June 2011 Regents Report on transition planning and services for students with disabilities.  The following initiatives have been made based on these recommendations: enhanced a stronger collaboration among ACCES, P-12 Office of Special Education, schools, Independent Living Centers (ILCs), community-based partner providers and employers to increase the likelihood of work experience and post school employment for youth with disabilities; identified VR staff to work collaboratively with each of the Regional Special Education Technical Assistance  and Support Centers (RSE TASCs) Transition Specialists on regional technical assistance planning; worked with ILCs to identify staff that can act as liaisons to the regional consortiums that already exist or are under development through the RSE TASC Transition Specialists; revised community work study programs with employers in the Community Policy 1380.00 to promote the active participation of high school students with significant disabilities in paid and unpaid work experiences; allocated VR staff so as to assure that we have adequate coverage of all school districts across the State; advocated for additional resources for transition services with the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Rehabilitation Act and the Workforce Investment Act; and included the linkage of VR data as a component of the creation of a P-20 Longitudinal Data System.  The Committees were also advised on next steps that will be taken to continue the initiative on transition planning for students with disabilities.