ICASE
Executive Committee Meeting
Executive Committee Listserv
<icaseexecutive@googlegroups.com>
September 30, 2009
Indianapolis Marriott North

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

MEMBERS PRESENT: Vendetta Gutshall (President), Lynn Gosser (Past-President), Cheryl Harshman (President-elect), Denise Bashore (Treasurer—June 2012), Gary Collings (Secretary—June 2011), Margie Labelle (C—June 2010), Jan Dunham (E–June 2010), Donna Krol (NW--June 2010), Bev Garrison (SE—June 2011), Tom Barth (NC—June 2011), Jada Conner (NE—June 2012), Saundra Lange (SW—June 2012), Patti Kem (Professional Development—June 2010),Joan McCormick (Legislative and Research—June 2011), Steve Wornhoff (Membership and Fiscal—June 2012)

OTHERS PRESENT: Luann Purcell (CASE Executive Director), Tom Adams, Dawn McGrath (Acting Coordinator of Special Education), Tom Bell (Central), Cheryl Corning (SE)

I. APPROVALS
A. Minutes – Vendetta Gutshall called the meeting to order and requested a motion to approve the minutes of the August 5, 2009. MOTION: Steve Wornhoff moved to accept the August 5 minutes. After a second by Cheryl Harshman, the motion was unanimously approved.

B. Treasurer’s Report and Claim Docket – Denise Bashore distributed the Treasurer’s Report ending August 31, 2009 showing a cash balance of $206,352.90 including: (1) protected carry-over funds = $100,000, (2) additional carry-over funds = $61,390.39, (3) roundtable prior year funds = $27,341.72, (4) scholarship carry-over funds = $5,668.17, (5) profit/(loss) to date = $11,952.62. The Claim Docket for August 2009 was presented in the amount of $8,933.13. MOTION: Donna Krol moved to accept the August 2009 Treasurer’s Report including the August docket. After a second by Lynn Gosser, the motion was unanimously approved.

II. DOE CENTER REPORT – Prior to the arrival of Dawn McGrath, Acting Coordinator of Special Education, Vendetta distributed a folder of handouts to be referenced during the DOE report. She explained her current understanding of the DOE re-organization and that the Superintendents (not Directors) will be the point of contact for DOE communications.

Dawn McGrath presented a chart summarizing the compliance letter status by corporations (findings and determinations). Findings of non-compliance will be done annually in August for the five indicators with determinations of meeting requirements completed the following September, which allows the year for corrective actions.

The types of monitoring include data compliance, financial audits, and on-sites related to Indicator #5 (LRE) in collaboration with PATINS and UDL technical assistance. Eight (8) school corporations will be scheduled for on-sites this year.

Bidders in the Request for Proposals (RFP) process are to design how they would support the needs assessment components as a resource center. Bid notices for improvement activities around indicators for parent training, data analysis, transition, graduate follow-up have been released through links to the IDOA website. The OSEP funded State Professional Development Grant will likely become one of the future resource centers in the RFP network.

Modified Assessments have been delayed due to technical inadequacy. Dawn suggested language in the IEP that would allow a student to be eligible for accommodations.

Excess cost for Alternative Residential Services is a line item in the state budget that will not go away without legislative action. The budget bill for fiscal years 2010 and 2011 each have an appropriation of $24,750,000. Once the appropriations are fully encumbered there will be no recourse for additional funds. Dawn will investigate any policy or procedures that may apply to such circumstances.

The Preschool line item in the state budget has gone away and will no longer be available to offset overrides in the Alternative Residential funds. Dawn will investigate whether the Early Childhood distributions to the General Fund are earmarked for Special Education and if there are local accounting requirements to track the Early Childhood allotments in the General Fund.

Although CODA support will be phased out, the data will remain on local computers. Pre-Kindergarten and Nonpublic early childhood students in CODA need to be transferred into the STN tracking system. The STN Application Center on the DOE website requires a log-in and includes a calendar of when files must be completed. Besides the DOE-SE the DOE-EVAL is the second file that will need to be completed. Dawn will be available for Roundtable briefings after the ISEAS Support Staff Seminar at which data collection will be discussed.

Dawn will investigate whether a recent IHO ruling held that information provided to parents prior to the case conference was regarded as pre-determination and disallowed.

Dawn acknowledged the current provisions requiring DOE to develop Educational Interpreter Guidelines on or before July 1, 2010.

A representative of the national Response to Intervention Center is to meet with DOE staff in the near future.

III. EXECUTIVE STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Legislative and Research – Joan McCormick reported that the three legislators are expected to be present to receive their respective awards of appreciation. The committee is working on the legislative breakfast for February. Joan commented that proposed federal legislation decreases Title I funding. Seclusion and restraints are hot topics and the CASE website is a valuable resource to track such information.

At the State level the committee is monitoring the Alternative Residential Services funds. She reminded members that the $2750 for each preschool child with a disability is now in the General Fund. Joan noted the need to monitor the remaining $8 million left over from state discretionary grant reductions and the future RFP process.

Lynn Gosser said the state superintendent has offered to meet with the Executive Committee on an evening before one of our future board meetings. She will explore dates.

B. Membership and Fiscal Management Committee Report – Steve Wornhoff reviewed the RT representatives assigned to various subcommittees.

C. Professional Development Committee Report - Patti Kem reviewed the enhanced agenda and related conference details. The Spring Conference 2010 is set for February 18 -19 at the Crowne Plaza/Union Station in Indianapolis. The International CEC Convention (April 21-24, 2010) will be held at Nashville, TN.

IV. SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Nominating – Lynn Gosser, chairperson, called for names of elected representatives from each RT to nominate a President-elect for 2010-11. The Secretary term ends June 30, 2011 and the Treasurer term ends June 30, 2012.

Honorary Memberships -- MOTION: Gary Collings moved to grant Honorary Membership status to both Hank Binder and Sheron Cochran. After a second by Jan Dunham, the motion was unanimously approved.

B. President’s Appointments – Vendetta Gutshall called on the chairpersons of the following task forces/focus group:

1. The Licensing Focus Group chaired by Pam Wright with members Pat Pierce, Liza Bates, legislative committee representative, and Gary Collings as the officer liaison, has been monitoring the proposed licensing changes. On August 18 Vendetta posted an ICASE position paper to Licensing Board members. A subsequent position paper was presented by Pat Pierce at the September 3 Licensing Board meeting.
2. No information was available from the Specific Learning Disability/Speech Language Impairment Work Groups formed to identify best practices and to be hosted by IASP (Leah Nellis) and ISHA (Deb Harmon) with Lynn Gosser as the invited ICASE representative.
3. Transition of the ISEAS activities and the Roundtable task force were realigned to Membership/Finance Committee.
4. No information was available about the Executive Committee Handbook for new member orientation chaired by Cheryl Harshman and including Bev Garrison, Jada Conner, and Saundra Lange.
5. Liza Bates is the contact for input regarding the IDEA reauthorization.
6. Donna Hudson requested ICASE consider future sponsorship of the Early Childhood Conference since it will no longer be supported by the IDOE.

C. ISEAS – Gary Collings confirmed all activities including the Cable newsletter, listservs, websites and job board, reports, and any training sessions will continue for the duration of the project. A final meeting of the University Forum will be held on Friday and a final Support Staff seminar session will be conducted next week. CRUs for the Fall Conference will be filed with IDOE.

Gary announced that he has taken the associate director position at RISE effective October 19, 2009. ISU has served as fiscal agent for the ISEAS Project since 1985. Dean Brad Balch told Gary of his intent to name Leah Nellis (Blumberg Center) as “Acting Director” of the ISEAS Project for its duration. Gary has volunteered his off-duty time to work with the project staff and acting director concerning the on-going project activities. MOTION: Donna Krol moved to endorse Dean Balch’s intent to name Leah Nellis as Acting Director effective October 19th. After a second by Margie Labelle, the motion was unanimously approved.

Gary briefed members about a vacancy notice from the OT Association seeking a part-time executive assistant. He suggested that the ICASE executive committee explore mutual office management needs with the OT Association. Vendetta said she would make contact with OTA President.

V. SUPPORTING the MEMBERSHIP
A. Identifying and Addressing Membership Needs
1. IAPSS Coalition of Organizations – Vendetta commented how John Ellis (IAPSS) had picked up on the Coalition idea from a summer meeting that she and Margie Labelle had with him. Margie noted the broad ranging membership of the group which is focused on the licensing proposals. Vendetta remarked that she is also working with John Dickerson on an alliance with ARC of Indiana.

2. State Advisory Council Meeting/BSEA (Article 7) – Karol Farrell reported on the recent meeting of the State Advisory Council at which she presented inconclusive information from the ICASE survey regarding the proposed elimination of the Board of Special Education Appeals. She asked if the survey should be replicated prior to the November 6 meeting of the SAC? Members decided to discuss the proposal at their Thursday session and ask for a consensus (Yea or Nay). Each RT representative is to let Vendetta know the respective outcome.

B. Improving/Facilitating Communication
1. Roundtable Topical Proposals – Tom Barth presented a proposal from the North Central RT to host a topical on November 19 at the University Plaza Hotel in West Lafayette. The topic will be the Appropriate Use of Restraints, Holds and Seclusion Rooms in Public Schools. Speakers will be provided by Baker and Daniels law firm and a $70 registration fee will be required. MOTION: Jan Dunham moved to accept the North Central topical proposal. After a second by Saundra Lange, the motion was unanimously approved.

Donna Krol requested permission to use Northwest RT funds to underwrite lunch expenses for approximately 100 attendees at a DOE Goal Setting workshop. MOTION: Jan Dunham moved to approve the Northwest request. After a second by Patti Kem, the motion was unanimously approved.

2. Roundtable Reports – No reports

VI. PROMOTING/ADVANCING the ORGANIZATION

A. Examining Organizational Structure – No reports
1. Future Revision of the Strategic Plan
2. Constitutional Revisions
3. Executive Committee Handbook

B. Strengthening National Connections
1. CASE Membership – Tom Adams, Chairperson, noted the membership campaign was ending.
2. CASE Executive Committee Updates

C. Promoting State Partnerships
1. Liaisons
2. Appointees

VII. OTHER BUSINESS – Luann Purcell, CASE Executive Director, reminded members that ICASE will have new opportunities for partnerships and initiatives created by the IDOE reorganization. She observed that most State Units sponsor a new Directors’ Academy which may become even more important in the future.

CASE will be releasing a Lucky 21 booklet on restraints and seclusion in November. A Lucky 21 booklet on RTI will be available in December. Other hot topics include the ESEA and IDEA reauthorizations, autism, dispute resolution, and transition.

VIII. NEXT MEETING: October 15, 2009 (ISEAS Office - Carmel)