ICASE
Executive Committee Meeting
Executive Committee Listserv
<icaseexecutive@googlegroups.com>
January 21, 2010
ISEAS Conference Room – Carmel (HBM Cooperative Building)

These minutes are considered a draft until approved at the next meeting.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Vendetta Gutshall  (President), Gary Collings (Secretary—June 2011), Margie Labelle (C—June 2010), Jan Dunham (E–June 2010), Tom Barth (NC—June 2011),  Jada Conner  (NE—June 2012),  Saundra Lange  (SW—June 2012), Nellie Needler, Alternate (SE—June 2011), Donna Krol (NW--June 2010, Steve Wornhoff (Membership and Fiscal—June 2012)

ABSENT: Lynn Gosser (Past-President), Cheryl Harshman (President-elect), Denise Bashore (Treasurer—June 2012), Patti Kem (Professional Development—June 2010), Joan McCormick (Legislative and Research—June 2011)

OTHERS PRESENT:  Cheryl Corning, Dawn McGrath

 

I.  APPROVALS

A. Minutes -- Vendetta Gutshall confirmed that 51% board members were in attendance to establish a quorum.  She asked for a motion to approve both the November 19, 2009 and December 10, 2009 minutes.  MOTION:  Jan Dunham moved to approve both the November 19, 2009 and December 10, 2009 minutes as presented. After a second  by Margie Labelle,        the motion was unanimously approved.

B. Treasurer’s Report and Claim Docket – In the absence of Denise Bashore, Steve Wornhoff distributed both the November and December 2009 Financial Statements showing a general cash balance of $ 207,223.46 with a profit to date of $ 12,823.18 as of December 31, 2009.   The November 2009 docket of expenses ($34,549.09) and the December 2009 docket of expenses ($7,984.52) were presented.  MOTION:  Donna Krol moved to accept the financial reports and the respective November and December 2009 dockets.  After a second by Saundra Lange, the motion was unanimously approved.

At the last meeting the ICASE Scholarship Funds held in the ICASE account were $5,823.38 and funds held by CASE were $10,200.01.  Roundtable balances totaled were not available.      

Denise Bashore conveyed to Vendetta her permission for her office address to be considered the official mailing address for ICASE and to be so noted on the ICASE website (c/o Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative, 2150 West 97th Place, Crown Point, IN 46307).       

C. 2010-11 Calendar of Meetings – the first draft was reviewed with suggestions for additions/deletions to be considered at the next meeting.

II.   IDOE REPORT – Dawn McGrath attended the meeting and shared the following points:

  • DOE is focused on the Race to the Top including the adoption of a national core of standards tied to a growth model.  Successful States may be notified by the second week in March.

  • Dawn complimented districts on the submission of the SE data which she suggests seems to parallel last year’s census.  The final census figures will be reported to the State Board of Education the first of February.  HI and VI students in state schools were credited to those respective state programs this year.

  • The federal Annual Performance Report (APR) is expected to show improvement on the 20 compliance indicators sufficient for an upgraded status for Indiana to “needs assistance”.  DOE has to submit its State Performance Plan by February 1st.

  • Successful bidders for the former state discretionary grants will be released in a month.  Indicator 14 (post school graduate follow-up) will be compiled by a private company. 

  • Districts will only need to request DOE approval for amendments if 10% of the entire grant amount is affected (not line items or pool accounts).  USDOE says allowable changes in the scope of grants are to be defined by each State. 

  • Members inquired about maintenance of effort (MOE) and local calculations with the new account codes.  Dawn asked for samples of local worksheets. The USDOE has cautioned IDOE against making any shift in methods of collecting financial data, for example, transportation.  Members concluded that a single form developed by DOE would be appreciated for consistency across districts.

  •  Volunteers for a DOE task force to examine Cooperative funding structures were requested.  A DOE task force to address the excess costs provisions will be formed to address the entire issue of residential placements and funding.   (No mileage reimbursements will be available to task force members.)  The funding for these placements is in place through the end of June 2010.  The task force would review principles in the federal regulations related to “high costs” provisions.

  • Each roundtable should recommend one or two representatives for this team.  Dawn wants to ensure that rural, urban, suburban, large, small and midsize districts are represented on this committee.  Other than the obvious issue of developing a fair system for district responsibility and reimbursing there will also be time spent discussing a system of coordination and financial responsibility among the DOE, Juvenile System and Mental Health for student and family needs. 

  • ISTAR cut scores will be on the DOE website soon.  Once a vendor contract is signed, the modified state assessment may be in place this spring for students who are not in the 1%.
  • The DOE has audited 4 districts so far who have not met the CIM guidelines for LRE.  The reason for most citations has been an issue with understanding the coding for 50, 51 and 52.  District audits will continue this spring.  Most of the districts to be audited in the future have already been contacted.
  • Dawn informed the board that two members of the ICASE legislative committee met with Dr. Bennett giving the impression that they were representing the interests of ICASE about concerns identified as CODA needing to be fixed and that districts should be reimbursed for any training that would need to occur if the implementation of the state IEP through ISTAR7 was required.

Afterwards Dr. Bennett asked Dawn and her supervisor why would DOE be paying for an electronic IEP service for districts and if a state IEP was required?  If a state IEP was required, Bennett also questioned why it was not let out for bids?  Dawn said that since only a model IEP form is required, some internal damage control was necessary.  After state level review, a case was made for the value of ISTART7 to continue as it will eventually be incorporated into the Learning Connection as the DOE umbrella system.

Dawn asked the ICASE board to be clear on its articulated issues because the implications of such are weighed in the context of the DOE vision.  She and Lee Ann maintain contact with Vendetta as the ICASE President and count on her for input about concerns from the field.  Dawn affirmed that she wants to know our concerns and to continue to work with us to address them.  

III.   EXECUTIVE STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS

A.  Legislative and Research – Joan McCormick, Chairperson 2008-11, filed an electronic report for the December meeting. 

B.  Membership and Fiscal Management Committee Report- Steve Wornhoff, Chairperson 2009-2012, presented as follows:

     1.  Sub Committee Updates:

         a.  Patron Membership (Vendors) – Steve Wornhoff commented that this issue will be addressed when the subcommittee convenes.

         b.  Products – no update.

         c.   Porter Scholarship – no new information.

         d.   Website/Listserv – Steve presented an October 9 proposal from Greystone Design (owned by Cinda Long) with its scope of services to: (1) maintain and update the ICASE website, (2) maintain and update current listservs as well as create additional ones upon request, and (3) produce and transmit the ICASE newsletter to the membership.

 Since DOE has created its own listserv speddirectors@listserv.doe.state.in.us, members requested a limited access listserv for Directors only who are members of ICASE.  After discussion of the proposal, members agreed to eliminate listservs for seven roundtables, OT/PT, support staff, and the University Forum. Besides the Directors only, there would be a listserv for the Executive Committee, Members in general, and Voting Members.   Each respective roundtable will set up its own group mailing list.

MOTION:  Jada Conner moved that the agreement be amended as follows:  Webpage = $50/month, Newsletter = $100/issue, Four listservs ($35 each/month) = $140.  The agreement will commence February 1, 2010 and be evaluated at the end of six months.  After a second by Jan Dunham, the motion was unanimously approved.

            e.         ICASE Briefcase Newsletter – Cheryl Corning will incorporate both the December and January 2010 minutes into the next issue.

      2.   Review of Recognition/Awards – Vendetta announced that a Distinguished Service Award will be presented at the Thursday luncheon to Gary Collings.

      3.   Long Term Fiscal Management/Non-profit Status 501(c)(3) – pending

      4.  Roundtable Guidelines -- pending

C.  Professional Development Committee Report - Patti Kem, Chairperson 2007-2010,                                   

Registration forms and details for the Spring Conference for February 17 – 19, 2010 (Crowne Plaza – Union Station) are available on the ICASE website.  The CEC 2010 Convention (April 21–24) will be held in Nashville, TN.

IV.   SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS

A.   Nominating – Lynn Gosser presented the following nominee by e-mail:  Patti Kem as the nominee for the position of President-elect 2010-2011.  MOTION:  Donna Krol moved to accept the nomination of Patti Kem as President-elect for 2010-11.  After a second by Margie Labelle, the motion was unanimously approved.  The Secretary’s term ends June 30, 2011.  The Treasurer’s term ends June 30, 2012. 

B.   President’s Appointments       

      1.   Licensing Focus Group – No report.

        2.   IASP/ISHA Best Practices Task Force – No report.

C.   ISEAS Transition Task Force – Susie Thacker retired on December 17, 2009 after 19 years with the ISEAS Project.  After 18 years with the grant Cinda Long will close out the books, websites, and listservs when the ISEAS Project is terminated on January 29.   

V.    SUPPORTING the MEMBERSHIP –

A.    Identifying and Addressing Membership Needs

      1.    IAPSS Coalition of Organizations – Margie Labelle had no new information. 

B.   Improving/Facilitating Communication

      1.   Roundtable Topical Proposals – None

      2.   Support Staff Seminar – Cheryl Corning had previously volunteered her staff to host next year’s seminar.

      3.   Roundtable Reports - None 

VI. PROMOTING/ADVANCING the ORGANIZATION

A.   Examining Organizational Structure

      1. Future Revision of Strategic Plan – No new information.  Lynn Gosser previously suggested a 2 or 3 day retreat in the Summer of 2010

      2. Constitutional Revisions – No new information.  Lynn Gosser will contact Pam Wright for her notes to be compiled for future discussion.

      3.  Executive Committee Handbook – No new information from Cheryl Harshman.  

B.   Strengthening National Connections

     1.  CASE Membership/Executive Committee Updates – Vendetta

C.   Liaison Reports – Vendetta attended the IAPSS Banquet as invited.  Lee Ann Kwaitkowski invited Vendetta to be a member of the reconstituted RtI Task Force to meet next week.

VII.     NEXT MEETING:    February 17, 2010 (9:00 AM) Crowne Plaza@Union Station