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Timely & Meaningful Consultation Requirements for 2008-2009 . Andy Eulass, Due Process Coordinator Julie Evans, Principal Education Consultant Special Education Division Illinois State Board of Education. In this session you will:.
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Timely & Meaningful Consultation Requirements for 2008-2009 Andy Eulass, Due Process Coordinator Julie Evans, Principal Education Consultant Special Education Division Illinois State Board of Education
In this session you will: • Learn about issues concerning implementa-tion of proportionate share services. • Learn the answers to frequently asked questions about the implementation of proportionate share services.
Proportionate Share: A Brief History • Since passage of IDEA 1997, school districts have been required to allocate a “proportionate share” of their Federal IDEA Part B funds to provide private school students the opportunity to “equitably participate” in special education programs offered by the district
The Big Shift: IDEA 2004 • IDEA 1997: responsibility for providing proportionate share rests upon the resident district of the private school student • IDEA 2004: responsibility for providing proportionate share rests upon the district in which the student attends school regardless of residency
Results/problems in 07-08 • As of March 31, 2008, over 95% of the districts had completed Timely and Meaningful Consultation. • We have had no complaints filed by parents regarding failure to provide services and/or to properly complete TMC.
Who’s Included? • Students who have or may have a disabling condition and who are placed by their parents in a private elementary or secondary school • Home-schoolers of elementary or secondary school age
Why Home-Schoolers? • People v. Levisen: Illinois Supreme Court (1950) – Home school equals private school • ISBE Supplemental to Memo 05-7: home schoolers are to be included within the category of students entitled to receive proportionate share services
TMC Notice: Who gets it? • Representatives of known private schools in your jurisdiction • Parent representatives of those schools • Known parents of home-schoolers who have either identified disabilities or who have approached the district for testing and who’s condition is not yet known • General public notice (Memo 06-2, App. C)
Remember: • You can ask the private schools to identify the parent representatives (be sensitive to timelines though) • You don’t have to “beat the bushes” looking for private schools and home schoolers
The essential points of TMC When conducting TMC a district must cover the following during the meeting • The child find process and how parents, teachers and school officials will be informed of the process • What the proportionate share sum is and how it was calculated • The consultation process itself and how it will operate through the school year
The essential points (cont.) 4. How, where and by whom proportionate share funds will be allocated, including a description of the types and amounts of services that will be provided 5. How, if the district disagrees with the views of the private school, it will provide a written explanation of why it chose not to follow the views of the private school
The Important Piece: Attestations • Not enough to simply have a record of attendance • Each participant must be given an attestation form to sign indicating that the five essential points were discussed • If the person refuses to sign an attestation form should be maintained with a note to that effect
Documentation of TMC • A copy of all notice letters sent by the district • Copies of all attendance or sign-in sheets • A copy of the ad placed include the date and name of the publication • A copy of any agenda, handout or powerpoint used at the TMC meeting(s) • Copies of all signed and unsigned attestation forms
Important Points • TMC must be completed by October 15, 2008 - no exceptions • Documentation must be sent in by November 1, 2008 - no exceptions • Submissions must be made by individual LEA - coops will not be permitted to make one blanket submission on behalf of all member districts unless the material can clearly be matched to each individual district
Important Points (cont.) • If you have a proportionate share of $0.00, you must still do TMC • If you have no private schools, please send us a letter to that effect
Please send TMC materials to: Leigh Ann Smith Division of Special Education Services Illinois State Board of Education 100 N. First Street Springfield, IL 62777
Questions or concerns while dealing with TMC? • ISBE-Springfield, 217-782-5589
Resources: • Memo 06-2: http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/pdfs/guidance_06-2.pdf • Memo 05-7: http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/pdfs/memo_05-7.pdf • Supplement to Memo 05-7: http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/pdfs/guidance_5-7.pdf • Model Attestation Form: http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/pdfs/pvtschAppA.pdf
For a copy of this powerpoint, please contact: • Andy Eulass: aeulass@isbe.net • Julie Evans: jevans@isbe.net