Colorado Special Education Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

Colorado Special Education
Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes: April 16, 2015
Meeting
Thursday, April 16, 2015
DoubleTree Stapleton North
Denver, Colorado
Meeting Minutes
CSEAC Mission: Our mission is to actively represent children/youth with disabilities and impact decisions made on
their behalf to enhance the quality of educational services.
CSEAC Vision: All learners are respected and challenged with high expectations, their needs are met, and student
aspirations for success are fulfilled.
Members in Attendance: Adric Arndt, Pat Chamberlain, Irwin Faaiu, Linda Hayes, Zoe Ann Holmes, Joanne Irons, Kathy
Mortensen, Debra Paul, Katherine Rains, Missy Sieders, Lori Smith, Anna Stewart, Mellisa Umphenour
Absences: David Aarestad, Dean Cockroft, Roberta Curtis, Cassidy Dellemonache, Elisabeth Freys, Cheryl Gaines, Tom
Gribble, Beverly Harris, Nancy Harris, Cindy Holden, Richard Humphrey, Tom McMillen, Patti McVay, Sarah Metsch, Dr.
Tracy Mueller, Renee Niskanen, Dr. Karin Pappadakis, Kindra Sanchez-Marble, Greg Sullivan, Lori Thompson, Teresa
Wright
CDE Staff and Other Guests: Randy Boyer, Assistant Commissioner of Exceptional Student Services Unit (ESSU) and
State Director of Special Education, Colorado Department of Education (CDE); Alison B. Daniels, Esq., Disability Law
Colorado; Cindy Dascher, Supervisor, CDE/ESSU; Jennifer Purrington, Esq., Disability Law Colorado; David Ramer,
Program Support, CDE/ESSU; Wendy Sawtell, State Performance Plan Coordinator, CDE/ESSU
Welcome, Introductions, Public Comment, CSEAC Parent Input
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Members mentioned what they have been working on since the last meeting.
Lori Smith shared a letter from a former People First recipient whose parents are conducting People First
activities at their nursing home. The People First message is spreading through the Midwest.
Anna Stewart highlighted Colorado House Bill HB15-1359, the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act).
ABLE savings accounts are modeled after Section 529 college savings accounts. Some individuals identified as
having a disability before the age of 26, as defined under federal law, would be eligible to open an ABLE savings
account.
There was no public comment.
Meeting Minutes: April 16, 2015
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Colorado State Board of Education Report – Dr. Debora Scheffel, Colorado State Board of Education Liaison
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Data Privacy continues to be an issue.
Colorado State Board of Education (SBE) passed resolution permitting parents to opt their children out of
assessments.
SBE will conduct study session regarding the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers
(PARCC) on May 5, 2015 from 9:00a to noon in the State Board Room.
Improving Parent Participation in Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meetings and Resolving Disputes –
Alison B. Daniels, Esq. and Jennifer Purrington, Esq., Disability Law Colorado
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Ten Tips for Improving Parent Participation in IEP Meetings
1. Plan and prepare for the meeting.
2. Don’t go it alone.
3. Who’s coming to dinner?
4. Does the meeting time work?
5. At the meeting, ask your questions!
6. You are a member of the team!
7. Keep the focus on the unique needs of your child.
8. Keep your cool.
9. Make sure the job gets done.
10. Review the IEP.
Dispute Resolution Options
o Informal: placement options, talking to the right people, etc.
o Formal:
• Mediation – not adversarial; “we can work this out;” no financial cost to the parent; school
district can bring its attorney even if parent doesn’t.
• State Complaint – not adversarial; relatively parent-friendly; not effective at resolving placement
or Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) issues.
• Due Process Complaint – adversarial; this is a trial; a judge will preside; district will be
represented by its attorney; most parents cannot afford an attorney; lengthy process.
• Remedies
Constituent Input and CSEAC Advice on Early Dispute Resolution
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Small groups worked on the following questions:
o What can be done throughout the school year and summer to help the IEP process go more smoothly?
o When disagreements or conflicts arise over an IEP, what can be done to work through these to help
resolve the issues and maintain a positive relationship between families and the school?
o If there seems to be an issue that cannot be resolved, what else could be done to help families and
schools avoid litigation?
o Do you have any other thoughts about improving the IEP process?
The co-chairs (Pat Chamberlain and Debbie Paul) will compile a summary document and email it to CSEAC
members; if the members approve, this will become CSEAC’s position on Early Dispute Resolution.
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CSEAC Meeting Process
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Input from members and local special education advisory committees at each meeting.
At summer planning meeting, identify topics for each of the four upcoming meetings (these can be altered if
emergency topics arise during the year).
Questions will be prepared at each meeting for members to use to gather constituency views, which will then be
addressed at the following meeting (i.e., questions prepared at the September meeting will be discussed at the
November meeting).
The topic for the July meeting will be Extended School Year (ESY).
Members discussed the process and agreed to continue doing it.
Recognition of Outgoing CSEAC Members
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CSEAC recognized the following for their years of service to the committee:
o David Aarestad
o Dean Cockroft
o Cheryl Gaines
o Zoe Ann Holmes
o Tom McMillen
o Sarah Metsch
o Kathy Mortensen
o Greg Sullivan
CDE Update – Randy Boyer, Assistant Commissioner of Exceptional Student Services Unit and State Director
of Special Education:
Randy discussed and provided a handout on the following:
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Students with Disabilities
Results Driven Accountability
State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report
Formal Rule Making Process
Special Education Directors’ Consortium
Early Dispute Resolution
Subcommittee Working Session and Reporting Out
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Subcommittees will work at a later date and submit their reports via email by May 1, 2015.
Approval of February Minutes, Old Business, July Planning Meeting Info and Focus
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Wendy Sawtell made a few wording changes to the February 19, 2015 Meeting Minutes. Kat Rains made a
motion to approve them as amended, Zoe Ann Holmes seconded the motion and they were approved
unanimously.
The Public Policy and Legislative Subcommittee will draft a position statement regarding the ABLE Act.
Members will inform their constituency groups that CSEAC is accepting applications for interim members who
are individuals with a disability or parents of a child with a disability.
Respectfully submitted by David Ramer, May 2015
The contents of this handout were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of
the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.