State Special Education Advisory CommitteeConstituency ReportsMarch 2019
Department of AgingandRehabilitative Services(DARS)Commendation:Pre-ETS vendors have been approved
SSEACConstituencyReportspage 2 of20March 2019
Department of Juvenile Justice(DJJ)Concerns:Parentinvolvement and responsetime for IEP meetings; pursuing an“add-on” feature toallowparent signature byelectronic devisesCommendations:“I’m Determined”InitiativeTransition services are working withABLEnowrepresentatives to educate students about program benefits
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage3of 20March 2019
Superintendent(VASS)Superintendentscontinuetomonitor thefollowing topics:Implementationof the Profile of a GraduateStudentAcademic Performance for student group performance on the School QualityProfile, particularlyStudents with Disabilities – Specifically, reporting criteria for small numbersof students(Small N) and credit for student progress (R10)Accessingand providing appropriate resources and services that meet the needs of allstudents, asstudent needs are increasingly numerous, varied, immediate, and ongoingTeacherrecruitment and retention, particularly special education teachersAdoptionof restraint and seclusion regulations
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage4 of20March 2019
McKinney-VentoProject HOPE-VAConcern:For the 2017-18 academic year, 20,393 students were identified as experiencing homelessness during some part of the year3,863 (19 percent)of these students had IEPsWho is responsible for FAPE when students remain in their school of origin that is in a different LEA from the currentresidence? This is a frequent question
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage5of 20March 2019
Higher EducationCommendation:Supports proposed Regulations Governing the Use of Seclusion and Restraint in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools inVirginia
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage6of 20March 2019
Private SchoolsCommendation:Hosting Spring Equity Conference
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage7of 20March 2019
Parent Educational Advocacy TrainingCenter(PEATC)STATEWIDEtrends from intakes this quarter include:Medicallyfragile children being threatened with truancy court due to excessive absences, even though they have medical documentationandthey are not being offered homebasedservicesEarly ChildhoodLRE Trend-lackof preschool options for 3 yearoldsEligibilityissues(received calls daily)GeneralIEP Questions/ConcernsTransition
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage8of 20March 2019
Region1Parent RepresentativeCommendations:VTSSinvolvement and strategiesRevisitingBy-lawsto modernizethem to meet new demandsConcerns:Inadequate staffingforpara-professionalBrokentrusting relationshipsbetween the schoolcommunity and parent communityTheprincipal ofTrauma-Informed Carethat trusting personal relationships are the key componentnotunderstood among some special educators and administrators
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage9of 20March 2019
Region2Parent RepresentativeConcerns:TransitionservicesTeachershortageInclusionLocal funding for StudentSupportMonitors and School PsychologistsRecommendations:Incentivesto growyour ownOffer grants andclassesfor instructional assistantsReduce licensurerequirementsand offerto helpunsuccessful teachers
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage10of 20March 2019
Region3Parent RepresentativeConcerns:Surrounding parent involvement and participationEarly intervention identificationSEACmeetingnot yet held this yearRemovethe stigma of specialeducation
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage11of 20March 2019
Region 4 Parent RepresentativeConcerns:ParentalinvolvementRegulationson the use of seclusion andrestraintBehaviors, mental health,and disciplineTransition and inclusionLackof localfunding andteachershortageCommendations:Resource fairsPRC Workshops
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage12of 20March 2019
Region5Parent RepresentativeConcerns:Lackof special educatorswith adaptivecurriculum endorsementCommendations:Workhas begun forOctober 2019Disability Awareness MonthCommunity engagement eventsare beingplannedEngagement inlocal school community relations conversations related to the strategicplan
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage13of 20March 2019
Region6Parent RepresentativeConcerns:Bullying, of children and staff alikeSEACmembership and involvement continue to be aconcern;meetingattendancevariesFunctionalLife Skillsand JobTraining SkillsSafetycare for parents (Restraint & Seclusion) – The training has not been presented to theparents; thisis still a greatneedMedicaidinformationAchievementgap with ESLstudents; lackof trainings for staff and support to meet the needs of ESL studentsPost-secondaryand transitioneducationinformation
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage14of 20March 2019
Region6Parent RepresentativeCommendations:Parentinformational presentations on a variety oftopics at SEACParentResource Center(PRC) openhousePRC’s informationalworkshops
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage15of 20March 2019
Region8Parent RepresentativeCommendations:Newparentsat SEACParticipation inthe Critical DecisionPointsAnnual PlanConcerns:Notificationand understanding the registrationprocess for Critical Decision PointsTransition, SupportServices,and ParentalInvolvement
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage16of 20March 2019
TeacherConcerns:Wantmoremoney and time for planning, data collection and collaboration to develop best practicesExtendedtime to teachandmastery, for all students; but most importantly, a slower pace forSWDGEN ED teachersare requesting PDon SPEC EDissues in thecollaborative settingsIncentivesand/orbonuses to retain seasoned SPECED teachersParentalAccountability Plan, requesting parents to follow-through with recommendations made by IEP Teams during Eligibility and IEPmeetingsLarge caseloads, highexpectations,and teacher shortage
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage17of 20March 2019
TeacherCommendations:VDOE presentations, continued PD for school personnel and seminars for parents concerningMentalHealth Awareness, Trauma Informed Care, and Transition
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage18of 20March 2019
Virginia Board for People with Disabilities(VBPD)BoardUpdates:Application deadlineforPartnersin Policy-makingisMarch 15.Developingpublic comment on theSeclusionandRestraint Regulations, working in Coalition for Improvement of SchoolSafety.Wearedevelopingpublic comment onDDWaiver regulations,Homeand Community-Based Services Final Rule on Integrated Settings statewide transition plan amendment, and the renewal application for the Community LivingwaiverFundingdecisions ongrants will be made atits June 12meetingand will likely put out another competitiveRFP
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage19of 20March 2019
Virginia Board for People with Disabilities(VBPD)BoardUpdates:Receivedinformation from a formerSSEAC and VBPDBoard memberregardingconcern about the interpretation of parent representatives who serve on the local education advisory council. The interpretation being provided by VDOE is differentthan that givena number of years ago in guidance to parents and local school divisions in that it allows teachers to serve as parent representatives on local councils. The Board encouragedthe individual tosubmit public comment on this issue and also forwarded the issue to the SSEAC Chair to see if it could be a topic of discussion by theSSEAC.
SSEAC Constituency Reportspage20of 20March 2019
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