Special Education

Focus Group

January 17, 2008  Meeting Notes

Representatives in attendance:

Yvonne Sorter, Elementary Resource

Trinn Murray, Middle Resource

Deborah Monroe, Psychologist

Cindy Pearson, OT/PTs & VI

Linda Kovol, Life Skills

Desiree Casson-Wald, SLP & DHH

Laurie Russell, Elementary Paraeducator

Amelia Lunde, Secondary Paraeducator

Gordon Grissom, Secondary Admin

Sue Thomas, Meeting Facilitator

Representatives unable to attend:

Bethany Verner, High Resource & Community Transitions

Leslie Knudsen, EBD

Lucille Nollette, Directors

Topic:  Reports due to OSPI

Summary:

• Important information – short timelines – will share LRE/ethnicity information soon

Topic: Substitutes

Summary:

• Need to fill sub positions – difficult in particular for ½ days
• HR is doing a study regarding why getting subs is difficult (days of the week, economy, need for professional development
• How many positions go unfilled?

Next steps:

• Report to this committee from Human Resources – March meeting

Topic:  Resource Program Allocation

Summary:          

• Group had questions regarding the distribution across grade levels
• No redistribution at this time, although there are some discrepancies
• How do we balance staffing for next school year
• What about the need for more staffing – above-baseline?
• We are currently meeting our target student number & still under the 12.7 cap
• We are hearing that there will be no additional staffing for 08-09

Next steps:

• Sue will talk with Ron to get a feel for the “limits” regarding staffing

Topic:  EBD Programs

• Assessing current practices
• Adopted ReED model – how to implement

Next steps:

• EBD will present the results of its Action Plan to this group in April

Topic:  Student-specific IAs

• How many student-specifics are there?
• Could these IAs be converted to cert time for a tweener program?
• What would a tweener program look like?
• What is the district planning to meet the needs of at-risk students?
• Could we begin with a pilot at one location – would be cluster program – 1 teacher & 2 program IAs

Next steps:

• Sue & Wendy will discuss prior to next meeting

Topic:  SLPs are requesting +2.0 FTE

• Proposal was distributed – to align with ASHA’s recommendation for caseload of 40
• Several questions from the group – proposal will be revised

- What is the state/county average?

- # of evaluations @ preschool/elementary levels?

- What about the use of resources that are already available?

- Are students served individually or in groups?

Next steps:

• Revised proposal ready for next meeting

Topic:  Life Skills numbers are increasing

• 19 students currently at BHS
• 18 students currently at SHS
• Proposal for more staffing?

Next steps:

• Bring in projected class lists for next meeting