Registration was from 9:30am to 10:00am.
Current Business: General Announcements:
- • Christina Muccioli – Committee Chair: Highlighted some articles of interest that were available for the attendees to take from the Sign-In/Reception table (See 8 Attachments)
- • Susan Williams – Founder of Manhattan Mothers & Others: Announced the mission of her organization, and made information forms available to attendees (See Attachment)
• Chris Treiber – IAC’s Associate Executive Director of Children’s Services:
Regarding the Governor’s Proposed State Budget
- • A majority % of the Provision’s Health Clauses were repealed
- • The clause forbidding the child receiving an evaluation from attending the evaluator’s educational facility, has also been repealed
- • The Budget did pass and a significant amount of money was given to education – but not special education
- • The lobbying efforts to repeal the Payroll tax on Preschool Programs did not pass
The DOE Reform, now in it’s 3rd year, that places all students – main stream & special needs – into their “home-zone” school is still moving forward
- • Focus is on Kindergarten, 5th/6th grades, 8th/9th grades – those students transitioning into the next school/division
- • When placing students, all school principals are required to use the same ratio of “main-stream to special needs children” as their local polls indicate exist in their district
- • Because the DOE’s current “self-contained classroom” is problematic, it is now offering parents a flexibility of classroom selection. However the DOE has no track record of success, and many schools are not staffed or equipped to accommodate this offering
- • The District 75 Program is still intact, but synergy with their local district school is not yet formulated
- • DOE-imposed consequences for non-compliance in discussion, relate to financial funding hold-backs
- • The DOE is using the CSBT Division to review the technical needs of the special-needs child, and the Department believes the IEP should be dynamic and change with the child’s growth
- • Although parents are invited to DOE hearings, professional Advocates are not, so it is important for parents to be savvy about the issues
- • Professional Advocates have requested a Results-Report of the previous 2 yr. “Beta Site” work, but have received no information
Chris stressed that parents still hold many rights
• To challenge the DOE’s placement selections in a formal setting. He reminds the attendees that the professional Advocacy Groups such as:
- • Arise
- • Advocates for Children
- • Chris Treiber @ IAC
continue to watch for problems areas and meet with DOE executives for special-needs students. Because of their placement on the business flow-chart however, their influence is limited to the DOE-appointed “Network” leaders
• Based on an attendee question, Chris reminded parents to make sure that ALL services their child receives be documented on their child’s IEP. He warned parents not to accept “verbally promised” services or a decrease in services, in order to fit the limitations of the “home-zone” school.
• Chris provided families with the new email address established by the DOE for parents & professionals to report “Turning 5” problems related to the special education reform – turning5@schools.nyc.gov.
• The email should include a brief description of the problem. The DOE states all emails to receive responses within 24hrs. with the goal to resolve most issues in a week
The Board of Regents approved a change in the 90 day time-frame given to complete the Evaluation-to-School Placement process. It provides a longer period to perform the actual evaluation process
Chris handed out support papers during his discussion (See 2 Attachments)
Featured Presentation:
• Presenter was Nancy George-Michalson, a volunteer with Per Partners since 2005, provided the main presentation
PET PARTNERS”
• Founded in 1977, Pet Partners is an International Organization of pet owners, therapists, educators, and vets, who volunteer to visit a broad range of populations & facilities with their “Therapy Pet”. Screening and pet-owner training is available for interested volunteers (See Attachment)
NOTE: An Open Discussion/Q&A ~ was provided at the end of each Presentation
Meeting Adjourned:
- • The last Presentation finished at about 11:40am.
- • The next Children’s Committee date/topic ~ TBD: recommended for early Summer 2012