MEMO
Date: September 16, 1997
To: Utah IDEA '97 Procedural Safeguards Taskforce Members
USOE Directors: Steve Kukic, Mae Taylor-Sweeten
District Directors: Dick Meecham, Alpine; Steve Hirase, Murray
USOE: Ken Hennefer
Parents/USBEACH: Helen Post, Ron Witter
University Preservice, regular education:
University Preservice, special education: Dixie Huefner
LEA Representatives:
Regular Education Teachers:
Mountain Plains RRC: John Copenhaver
Monitoring Staff: Cy Freston
From: Jerry Christensen, Emily Johnson
Taskforce co-chairs
Subject: Initial Procedural Taskforce Meeting
Welcome to the Utah IDEA '97 Procedural Safeguards Taskforce! Your willingness to participate in the planning of Utah's implementation of P. L. 105-17, the reauthorization of IDEA, is crucial to the creation of the broad-based, integrated system we envision for our state. This new law represents a turning point in the philosophy and practice of the provision of educational services, not only for students with disabilities, but for all students and practitioners involved in public education today. The system of seven Utah IDEA '97 taskforces is perhaps the most proactive state model yet to emerge, and is likely to become a model emulated by other states.
In order to get the process under way, Jerry and I have taken the liberty of scheduling an initial meeting. We hope that all members will be able to attend or send a substitute, but if you cannot, please contact Jerry or me before the meeting and give us your preferences with regard to future meetings. We all know that it's difficult to mesh this many busy schedules, but we'll do the best we can to accomodate everyone.
We're looking forward to working with all of you.
Procedural Safeguards Taskforce
Initial Meeting
Monday, September 29, 1997
9:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
Utah Learning Resource Center
Agenda
Introductions, Housekeeping
- Introductions
- Sign-up sheet for addresses
- Purpose of task forces
- Member participation
- Recruitment of additional members
- Schedule future meetings
Our Task
- The area: Procedural safeguards
- Goals
- Products
Method
- Field test: IEP taskforce
- Utah Agenda
- Covey's seven principles
- Networking
Resources and Reference Materials
- P.L. 105-17; "600" series; pocket version
- Other materials; consider OSEP materials most accurate
- Web site: http://www.monitoring.sdl.usu.edu/idea.htm
- Electronic discussion groups for all taskforces
Assignments
- Read statute and reference materials
- Discuss with people you work with
Today's Task
- Select sections of statute to begin working on
- Start defining terms and creating interpretations
- Summarize discussion
- Plan agenda for next meeting
Thanks for your participation!
I. Housekeeping
A. Name tags
B. Introductions
C. Sign-up sheet for attendance, addresses, email, etc.
D. Purpose of the task forces
1. P. L. 105-17 (reauthorization) - see "Special Educator"
2. Utah planning committee
3. Task forces
a. Evaluation and eligibility
b. Placement
c. Funding
d. Procedural safeguards
e. IEP
f. Discipline
g. SEA requirements
E. Emphasize participation
F. Discuss recruitment of additional t.f. members
1. Categories not yet filled
a. University pre-service regular ed
b. LEA representative
c. Regular ed teacher
2. Representation for remote areas of state; electronic discussion groups
G. Schedule future meetings (approx. once/month)
II. The task
A. Area: Procedural safeguards
1. Procedural issues (when to provide)
2. Content
3. Notice of meeting
4. Mediation
5. Due process hearings
6. Attorney's fees
7. Others?
B. Goals
1. Make IDEA 97 more manageable for teachers, parents, administrators
2. Invent the future
C. Products
1. For beginning of 97-98 school year
a. Dissemination of consistent information regarding IDEA 97
b. Changes in procedural safeguards to be in effect for 97-98
c. Recommendations to OSEP regarding federal regulations
d. Determination of PAR monitoring for 97-98
2. For beginning of 98-99 school year
a. Creation of "user's manual" (procedures for implementing IDEA 97)
b. Address needed changes in state statutes
c. Development of Utah state rules and regulations
d. Procedures for LEA applications, forms, district policy manuals
e. Development of the State Program Improvement Grant
III. Method
A. Utah Agenda
B. Covey's seven principles
1. Be proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
3. Put first things first
4. Think win/win
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the saw
C. Discuss "field test" of IEP task force
D. Network with others
IV. Resources and reference materials
A. The law
1. Pocket version
2. Use "600 series" (from Thomas Library); not Edlaw version
B. Other materials - consider OSEP materials to be most accurate
C. Web site
1. Meeting schedules and agendas
2. Working glossary; entries from all task forces
3.
D. Electronic discussion group
V. Next meeting
A. Reiterate date, time, place
B. Assignments
1. Read law
2. Other?
C. Discussion items: be prepared to discuss