Weekly Memo from the Bureau of Education for Exceptional Students

[Guest guest]

Note: forwarded message attached.

ACTION NEEDED

ESE Administrative Rules – The Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services is pleased to announce that the ESE administrative rules approved by the State Board of Education on June 17, 2008, have been submitted to the Department of State for adoption, with an anticipated effective date of December 22, 2008. Copies of the following rules, as submitted, are included: Rules 6A-6.03028; 6A-6.030281; 6A-6.0331; 6A-6.03311; 6A-6.03312; 6A-6.03314; 6A-6.0333; 6A-6.0334; and 6A-6.03411, Florida Administrative Code (FAC.).

· Filename: 6-0331 12-08.doc

· Filename: 6-0333 12-08.doc

· Filename: 6-0334 12-08.doc

· Filename: 6-03028 12-08.doc

· Filename: 6-03311 12-08.doc

· Filename: 6-03312 12-08.doc

· Filename: 6-03314 12-08.doc

· Filename: 6-03411 12-08.doc

· Filename: 6-030281 12-08.doc

· Contact: Kim Komisar at Kim.Komisar@... or

Rule 6A-6.03011, Exceptional Student Education Eligibility for Students with Intellectual Disabilities – Based on the anticipated effective date of December 22, 2008, for the administrative rules, we anticipate that revisions to Rule 6A-6.03011, FAC., approved by the State Board of Education on October 21, 2008, will become effective on or shortly after December 22nd. An electronic copy of that rule will be provided as soon as it is available.

· Contact: Bishop at .Bishop@... or

Changes to IDEA Regulations – On May 13, 2008, the federal Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register. The comment period closed on July 28, 2008, and the more than 700 comments were carefully reviewed. We received notice this week that the final regulations were published on December 1, 2008, in the Federal Register. These regulations address:

o parental revocation of consent after consent to the initial provision of services has been provided

o State or local educational agency's (LEA's) obligation to make positive efforts to employ qualified individuals with disabilities

o representation of parents by non-attorneys in due process hearings

o State monitoring, technical assistance, and enforcement of the Part B program

o allocation of funds, under sections 611 and 619 of the Act, to LEAs that are not serving children with disabilities

These regulations go into effect in 30 days (December 31, 2008) and are available at the link below. More information will be forthcoming.

· Link: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-28175.htm

Talented 20 Program - Sample Letter for High Performing Juniors – In the past, the Department has sent letters notifying students (with an unweighted grade point average of 3.0 and above) about the Talented 20 program in the fall of their junior year. Due to fiscal constraints, the Department will no longer send these letters. We encourage districts to develop a strategy to notify juniors regarding the Talented 20 program, as part of the academic advisement program. Attached is a sample letter for juniors that may be disseminated at the school or district level. Information related to the Talented 20 program is available online at the link below.

· Filename: SampleJrLettter.doc

· Link: http://www.fldoe.org/Talented20/

· Contact: Helen Lancashire at hlancash@... or

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

The Florida Alternate Assessment Web Page – The Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services is pleased to announce the launching of the Florida Alternate Assessment web page. The web page will be housed on the Department of Education Web site and can be accessed from the “Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services,” the “Testing,” and the “Assessment” web pages. The Florida Alternate Assessment web page was created to provide a tool to disseminate information relevant to students with significant cognitive disabilities who are assessed based on alternate achievement standards. Topics of interest include: Guidelines for participation; Resources; Publications and Presentations; District contact; Florida Statutes, State Laws, and Federal Regulations; and up-to-date information on the Assessment and testing window.

· Contact: Denbroeder at karen.denbroeder@... or

Major Areas of Interest and CTE Courses on the Proposed Practical Arts List – Recently, 215 Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses were proposed to satisfy the Fine Arts graduation requirement. As many students will be taking advantage of this opportunity, it is important to remember that a CTE course from the list used to satisfy the Fine Arts graduation requirement cannot be used as one of the student’s four Major Area of Interest (MAI) courses. Because a student may not use core requirements as MAI courses, the student would need to take an additional course within his/her chosen MAI.

· Link: http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5218/MAICTEProplist.pdf

· Contact: Jodi Tillman at Jodi.Tillman@... or

The 411 on Disability Disclosure – The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities was developed by TransCen, Inc., for the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) and funded under a grant supported by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. The workbook helps students with disabilities make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disabilities. The workbook covers such topics as self-determination, the advantages and disadvantages of disclosure, rights and responsibilities, and accommodations. Students learn how the decision to disclose impacts employment, postsecondary education and training, and social and community activities.

The attached PowerPoint presentation developed by J. Redmon, Children’s Medical Services, Department of Health, provides a brief overview of the workbook. The PowerPoint may be used or adapted as long as slide 2, which credits the authors, remains part of the PowerPoint presentation.

· Link: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_ & _Publications/411.html

· Filename: 411_Disability_Disclosure_complete.pdf

· Filename: Disability Disclosure Presentation

· Contact: Sheila Gritz at Sheila.Gritz@... or

2009 Congress-Bundestag Vocational Exchange Scholarship – Florida is once again participating in the Congress-Bundestag Vocational Exchange Scholarship Program. This scholarship/exchange program is administered by Nacel Open Door and provides an opportunity for graduating high school seniors to spend one year in Germany exploring their career interests. Although previous study of German is advantageous, it is not a prerequisite for scholarship selection. Florida has participated in the program since 1992 and has been very well represented each year. Each high school in the state of Florida may nominate up to three students. Those nominated should possess the maturity and commitment necessary to be successful in an international exchange program. Student applications will be reviewed by Nacel Open Door and the Division of Workforce Education to select the semifinalists from Florida. All semifinalists will then be invited to interview with the selection committee that will choose those students to be awarded scholarships.

· Link: http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5217/CongBund0910.pdf

· Contact: at patrick.wright@....or

Bambi J. Lockman, Chief

Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services

Phone:

Fax: