ORDER OF BUSINESS
Call to Order
Welcome and Introductions
- Purpose and Vision
- The Howard County Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC) advises the school system on the needs of students with disabilities. We collaborate with other community disability advocacy groups to improve special education and the lives of our students in Howard County, MD.
Special Presentation: Missy Alexander, The Parents’ Place of Maryland
- PPMD - Provides free assistance for parents for people age 3-21 with disabilities or complex medical needs.
- Mission is to empower families as advocates.
- Compensatory/Recovery Services
- COVID-19 & Recovery Services (Preparing for Returning to School)
- MDSE TAB 20-09
- IEP is in effect. FAPE is not suspended.
- We determine if FAPE is provided with data.
- PLAAFP begins with first semester of 2019/2020.
- Last time in the school building was end of 2nd quarter 2020. That’s the baseline.
- Data points
- Classwork, grades
- formal/informal evaluation tools
- Teacher, service provider and parent observations
- Interdisciplinary consults
- Formal assessments are not required to determine if FAPE was provided.
- 90 days to complete if necessary. Interventions can be done in the meantime.
- Is the current IEP appropriate?
- Implemented as written?
- New student or family specific needs?
- Progress monitoring should continue in virtual.
- IEP should be amended/revised to address needs if data shows the school closure negatively affected the student’s progress.
- New, different or additional services for when the student returns to brick and mortar.
- Not just academic. All aspects of the educational setting.
- Compensatory education services are awarded when an local school system has failed to meet their legal obligations.
- Not a punishment.
- Intended to make up for negative
- “Recovery services” a better phase.
- IEP Team decides
- Need data. Compare between prior to and during school closure.
- Discuss as soon as reasonably possible. “No unreasonable delay in serving students”.
- USDOE requires corrective action to be completed within one year. Can be longer if IEP team documents it.
- Based on student need and not administrative convenience.
- ESY is to maintain, recovery services are to make up. Can use an ESY model, however.
- Disagreement? Read decision, make sure it’s accurate. Can file complaint, mediation, due process, etc…
- Questions
- how to start progress monitoring? - Look at last progress report for 2020 (2nd quarter). Participation as logged by teacher.
- What is a formal assessment? - By the school system.
- Compare IEP to ASDM? - No. Progress should be compared to the IEP.
- Are schools preparing for need for compensatory/recovery service. - Dr. Savage - yes.
- What if it takes longer than a year? Would be hard to make up a year and progress in a year? - Not necessarily hour for hour make. Need data. Each student is unique.
- Suggestions for slowing regression? Work with child, meet them where they are. While you are doing that, take data.
- Recommendations on how to get LSS to pay for outside services. - Legal matter. Mai - Leslie Margolis from DRM presented to SECAC late last school year. She said make that case to the school system.
- Categories for data? - Look at PLAAFP. COVID-19 Resources | Howard County SECAC - Template from PPMD is here.
Announcements:
- SECAC gave budget testimony to County Executive on Budget.
- Wrightslaw books. “Special Education Law” and “From Emotions to Advocacy” are available for parents. Choose 1 book and email us to reserve your copy.
- As always, keep an eye on our website as we update it when we receive new information! View News and Advocacy https://howardcountysecac.com/news-and-advocacy
- Policy Committees
- Policy 6010, Attendance Areas - Stephanie M.
- 10th meeting - worked hard to make it more predictable and transparent.
- Exemption for students with 504s and IEPs was written into the this version of the policy.
- Public hearing - Spring 2021.
- Policy 9020, Student Rights and Responsibilities - Beth S.
- May increase the number of meetings.
- Student input was that language was punitive, worked to soften it and align with newly updated code of conduct.
- Policy 9260, Student Search and Seizure - Supreet A.
- Meetings are done, updated policy is drafted.
- 1-1 Advocacy
Board of Education Introductions and Updates
- Dr. Yun Lu - District 5 (new BOE member)
Department of Special Education Introductions and Updates
- Dr. Savage, Exec Director
- SECAC/HCAS hosted a feedback meeting, will discuss at the community partner meeting tomorrow.
- Small groups were suspended due to COVID rates.
- Assessments/evaluations were suspended due to COVID rates. Working hard to restart those soon.
- Question - has the school system looked at outsourcing the assessments.
- Ms. Yetter/Dr. Kinsler “Assessment team”
- Yes, they are looking at virtual assessments and contractors. Also private providers as well.
- Already doing virtual for birth-5.
- Have a teacher and psychologist on the team.
- Parent Empowerment Seminar talked about a new series “Behavior Talks”
- Budget
- Answered questions from OBRC.
- Wendy - All department heads have come in to talk about their needs.
- Will start making recommendations soons.
- Questions
- What services are available now virtually that were not in the spring?
- Dr. Kinsler - they are all available.
- OT, PT, ST are “telehealth”
- Adapted PE on one to to one basis.
- Deaf/hard of hearing.
- Visually impaired as well.
- IEP survey card?
- Suspended during COVID. Will revisit for the 2nd semester.
Next Meeting Dates
- January 20, February 17, March 17, April 21, May 19, June 16. Location subject to change, pending school closure.
Adjournment