Notes - Buffalo Roundtable

Final: Approved 8/21/07

Temporary Task Force on Preschool Special Education
Buffalo Regional Roundtable
Site: Ramada Amherst Hotel and Conference Center
August 7, 2007

If you were not able to attend a Roundtable Session, you can submit your comments to the Task Force at PrekTaskForce@mail.nysed.gov . Comments should be in response to the same three questions asked at each session:

What works?
What could be improved?
What should be overhauled?

Group: Provider

What about the current system works?

Evaluations: get done quickly during non-peak times.
In NYS, services are well funded compared to other states, kids are able to access.
Numbers of service options available - kids don’t have to fit into just one option.
Very collaborative approach between districts & providers.
Provide services out in community settings.
Good access for parents (i.e. Early Childhood Direction Center (ECDC), Parent Network).
State has embraced private providers to provide services. Is this a benefit vs. provision by school districts?
BOCES also provides, well trained staff, does a good job.
Diversity of providers makes system richer, enhances service, system non-profits can offer more experience with age group than districts. BOCES in districts, able to offer services, expertise to prekindergarten’s.
Nice collaboration between professionals. We provide services not only to children, but families as well.
Providers provide options that districts can’t before school age and at age 21.
Evaluation system works well. Lots of options open to providers to choose appropriate evaluations, assessments, etc. Legislature looks at this, suggest district do them, don’t want a conflict of interest. Very clear that this group wants evaluation system to stay as is. Districts would most likely have to contract with providers to do evaluations due to personnel & expertise. Districts don’t have links to community organizations that providers might. Evaluators take the time & effort to assist families.
Evaluation system works well to identify kids with disabilities and weed out kids who do not have disabilities.
Parents choice of evaluators needs to stay, have objective oversight with district Committee on Preschool Special Education’s (CPSE).
Evaluation system a fairly objective system as per statistics.
When there is a problem a provider doing poorly, State needs to focus on this provider, not system.
Regional issues also play a role.

What about the current system could or should work better?

So many underserved populations. Many parents have had bad experience with education system and shy away because of their own experiences.
Child Find needs to be improved to identify the role of medical provider may discourage identification. Doctor’s need to be more aware, may point in wrong direction.
Nothing in rate setting methodology for medical part.
Difference between systems; Early Intervention (EI) & Department of Health (DOH) vs. CPSE & State Education Department (SED). Parents have to go through duplication, just yet adjusted to one system, and then have to go to another.
Transition from EI to preschool more difficult than CPSE pre-kindergarten to Committee on Special Education (CSE). Feel seamless transition would be better.
Split between DOH & SED a political decision. DOH more attuned to developmentally appropriate. Discussion of whether Office of Mental Retardation and Development Disabilities (OMRDD) would be a better fit than DOH. There are advantages to OMRDD, but leaves out a whole spectrum of disabilities: language delay, emotionally disturbed, etc.
One of the things that could improve the current system would be to keep the ongoing service coordinator through the district. Some programs have family advocates, but this is funded through tuition rate, no separate means of funding.
Need to tweak eligibility for Medicaid and Medicaid waiver. Current system difficult, confusing with 3 pieces: provider, district, county.
Pennsylvania looking at a seamless system to bring birth – 3, education and child care together, not to change, but to make system work.
EI system as is, very isolating for parents. Services given in home setting or day care etc. no chance to learn from, lean on other parents. Many parents very lost. Assumption is that all children have access to EI, but not true, especially in non-English speaking families, poorer families. Statistic is that 6% of children get identified, but districts need to be more open, welcoming place for parents even if they don’t provide services.

What about the current system should be overhauled or changed substantially?

Rate methodology system. DOH, SED & OMRDD totally disjointed. Money should come out of 1 pot.
Rates are not timely, doesn’t deal with real costs (costs in today’s money) i.e., utilities have soared, system doesn’t recognize increases for them, cost of providing health benefits.
BOCES may be only providers in rural areas, can’t carry over costs from year to year.
Legislators say “What’s your problem? Use appeal process.” Meanwhile need to deficit spend, by the time you get through appeal, may never recover costs. Very bad fiscal, very bad educational/clinical practice.
Many providers started at a much higher rate than Western New York (WNY) has.
Consensus: dump methodology/schedule of reinforcement a problem, as well.
Need methodology that is: responsive to need of kids, recruitment (allows for this), reimburses real costs, encourage agencies to carry a small surplus (2-3%) to promote efficiency, creative solutions.
Fair funding initiative and excellence need to come down to CPSE.
Consensus is that county needs to be out of the picture, no involvement. (County would not continue to pay).
Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT): most agencies don’t even get the regional rate. If plummets in a bad year, can only come back up to growth screen.
RSO has not increased since 1989/1991. Service unit a medical model that doesn’t work well, fee for services should be replaced with tuition based for RSO. RSO rate lower than EI rate.
Question: Would folk’s prefer a regional rate for SEIT? Depends. Rate for New York City (NYC) lower than WNY. Would be better if RSO rate was closer to EI; however, would really be better to have a rate more sensitive to variables: how far to travel, etc.
Regression statements for summer services need to go. Not developmentally appropriate, hurts kids going into school age. Game that leads to blaming. Horrible thing to present to parents, difficult for them to understand. Goes back to medical model & federal government trying to save money for districts.
What would be the best way to go? For young children birth – 5 system would be better (eliminates 1 transition) and keeps focus on developmentally appropriate. What about an entire new agency for birth – 6? Would another bureaucracy be better?
Layers of personnel very expensive, not efficient.
Medicaid: restrictive, drowns people in paperwork.
Need enhanced funding for recruitment issue system need to be based on real costs, not manipulating growth screens. State micromanages, needs to be removed from current rate methodology. Methodology needs to be based on real current costs, not historical costs.
Nursing issues hard to capture on Individual Education Program (IEP).
Notion of a global budget that allows money to be spent as per need. Also, need to consider flexibility in kind of program (1/2 vs. full day) without having to do program modification.
Compliance with Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) when not a day care. Very difficult to meet State Education expectations because hard to get typical kids. Shouldn’t it have to follow OCFS except for safety when have to follow State Education Regulations.
IEP mandates: Need to have flexibility to meet child & family member needs.
Need clear guidelines on 611 and 619. Need to be careful what you ask for. Grants originally to be used for fun things. Now have to go to necessities. Process much more complicated than used to be.
EI & Preschool: What needs to happen? Don’t tie everything to reimbursement and IFSP. Only way to get money is tied to prescription, not program. (Model in existence for EI very poor).
OCFS regulations: issue may be to bring OCFS & SED regulations closer in alignment, especially if you want typical & special needs together.
Transportation a horrendous issue. Frequently not appropriate. Cost is huge (20-25% total cost of preschool related to transportation, if not more.
Safety issues: non-responsive transportation

Group: Parent

What about the current system works?

Parents are grateful system exists. So many challenges – good to have a place to go to learn resources. Parent heard from several people informally before they realized a problem. Pediatrician was terrible. Pediatricians now mandated to identify problems.
As a parent we had no prior exposure to any of the challenges – to have a place where people can give guidance and give therapy, etc … Is important
Question was asked - where did you find out about system? – Childcare provider who was a neighbor said they knew of EI program – parents had to hear from several sources before it clicked that child may need evaluation–
Pediatricians are horrible referral sources
Pediatrician in California referred for speech, but insurance problem. Eventually got California county speech services – very good, but in California services go to school district at age 3 – not good. Moved to New York for better services.
Consistency/coordination among providers was good during EI.
Looking forward to fresh input from new providers CPSE- so changing providers can be a good thing
Coming to home is critical – accommodating needs of family.
Service Coordinator (SC) said that therapist were really accommodating to provide service anywhere
Many moms and dads cannot stay home during EI and families need dual incomes – it is hard because services are in child-care – if family gave up career than they may get more out of system
Critical that families stay home
Awesome SC from county
Feel lucky with EI program
Lucky that we have ECDC
Communication that is built really works. Plus parents learn to be communicators.
Every one working as a team
One school district paid for SC – sometimes you have to ask for things and it can happen
Some CPSE are proactive and will go the extra mile when kids are young so that hopefully the child will have less services down the road
When a child has a diagnosis – even if they are all classified as PSWD – they get a lot of services (i.e. Down Syndrome (DS)
Good to do evaluations at home & good that parent has input in evaluation. Evaluation seems like team approach for EI.
Parent felt that they were not intrusive in the team
One parent said that he believed CPSE services were better than EI (i.e. fax came over during the CPSE meeting from pediatrician- with the child’s diagnosis – as soon as that happened all doors opened and child received all recommended services plus more)
Autism = services
Preschool – integrative - more services because child is in a group – when others get OT, residual benefit from other’s getting services in an integrative class – EI did not have that option.
Parent member can be a great resource
This meeting was positive…

What about the current system could or should work better?

A lot of the services that end with EI program to CPSE really need to continue – (Service Coordinator & 12 month service to name two)
Too many rules that take place when looking at what child really needs – rules can inhibit what is allowed
Reimbursement is not conducive to appropriate service
Don’t have proper systems in place for siblings and families
At times too many systems – Office of Mental Health (OMH) or OMRDD – need systems that are more unified statewide at preschool level and School District (SD) level – need additional funds to make the above happen. Some of it is in EI program and then it is taken away which hurts the transition
Confusion over the range of transition times – should we stay in EI or move – what date do we transition – may not get services so let’s stay in EI program – not cut and dry – transition whenever you feel like it – confusing for parents
Extended year causes a lot of issues
Many people have expectations of children with a diagnosis (like Down Syndrome) so they say all kids with DS don’t’ need speech until this age etc…. losing individuality
Can’t have same service provider when you transition – wasteful – you have been working for 3 years with a provider and then you have to change
Lack of openings – agencies don’t have room
Need more slots
EI program people knew mom’s son well – yet the EI program therapists did not have input into the new evaluations, new IEP, for CPSE
CPSE mandated formally to get information and reports from EI team…
CPSE has to provide new evaluations … all new team – all prior documents and evaluations have to be communicated by parent – who needs to make contacts – provide duplicate documents – If you don’t get EI program therapists as part of the transition – the new evaluators cannot see the whole child – it could be a good day or a bad day – it’s only a snap shot of the child
Dissemination of information to parents – parents have to be proactive – cliff notes –
What do you do when you have a diagnosis? People do not know where to go
What is an EI SC, what are they supposed to be doing?
This shouldn’t be this hard! …
Not all parents are educated – how to be tenacious
Families need help advocating
State needs to increase funding to ECDC and to Parent Network – ECDC’s funding has moved from families to supporting SPP
The parent rights that you get with the districts are a joke – unreadable
Need a system to communicate the rights of the parents when you enter
Funding evidence based practices – so many therapies related to autism – 35-40 hrs of ABA is needed to be effective – districts only pay for 15 hrs.
Every kid should have the best chance
Why is this done through education not health care – others totally opposed this because DOH is also not the right choice
Parent member of CPSE need to be paid –at the very least for child care
School District (SD) choose parent member and when they advocate the SDs don’t want strong advocate to come back
Breach of confidentiality with parent member
Parent advocate is different from parent member
Should not have CPSE and CSE meetings back to back – it’s wrong – it’s confusing – it’s legal, but wrong – too overwhelming
Disconnect between providers and districts – provider has IEP but isn’t following it and CPSE isn’t monitoring it …
What is the hold up – with districts not having enough options – kid is going to Summit educational services and now she wants son to go to district – and there is nothing in the district for autism – Mom wants an integrative setting for social skills, interaction, learning how to play
Not paying for recreation programs for kids with autism
Child was in an integrative class in preschool now it is more restrictive when they transition to school age because they will be in segregated class; don’t have options in the SD
Integrate into regular schools- can graduate students for IEP work in the schools- be the support for the SD…. save money – will get credits for class, tuition forgiveness and SD gets help
We all know about the needs of autism and the increase – why aren’t districts changing this
Difficult from forced integrative setting in CPSE to regular kindergarten – services were cut in Buffalo – and it will be too hard for child to transition
The one more year in preschool – was big discussion
Transition is stark from a integrative setting to throwing them into a full inclusion setting
Are there enough opportunities for Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)? No
The people who are the squeaky wheel get the LRE services
No consistency between service in districts
Child with Apraxia – all the quality programs are very expensive – doors have been shut – music therapy –
Approve & support a variety of approaches - i.e. music therapy
SSI
EI & preschool should be one system – one seamless system
Example of a situation that happened to a family - IEP dictates the services that are to be provided and the location - the preschool was closed for power outage – since preschool was closed – relate service personnel could not provide services at home because on the IEP it said preschool location – need more flexibility because they were unable to provide the make-up in different site – no flexibility on location of services on IEP - need flexibility for power outage etc –
Parent perspective – system is so complicated – it would make sense to simplify service and have one system
All the numbers that a family has called – read the law – ECDC does B-5 and you have to go to other agencies when they are over 5 …too confusing
0-6 with no benchmark was suggested by facilitator – families seem OK with this – but may not know the downside – how would this work – families think it would also work for transportation – sometimes the child needs to go to more than one location –
Transportation is a big issue
Salary rates are so much higher in EI program than CPSE
Programs should be in their own community – too much transportation – schools are closing –
Better system for providing transportation – 40 minute rides – behavior problems – that may be why the child is receiving services and then they are expected to sit on a long bus ride without behavior challenges
Some point in process where people who have had experience with the child legally have to have input into the new evaluations – not beneficial to child to ignore the people with experience
Family support needs to be early.
Problem with dual incomes needed in WNY – parent can’t stay home with EI child. Need a supplement to enable parent to stay home.
Parent transitional child out of EI to prekindergarten so mom could work. Another parent had good services while child in daycare.
Problem with “child with disability” is classification. Not specific enough so services are limited.
Daycare unwilling to be trained to serve child (trained by EI providers).
EI in New York is great, but only to 3 years old. Just get Dx, start services, get to know providers and time to switch.
Service Coordinators more intense in EI.
Problem with rules regarding amounts of services (i.e. if only need a service once a week, can’t get it). Have to need it twice a week. Problem regarding deciding between OMRDD & OMH systems and/or neither system applies.
No systems in place for family/sibling supports. OPTS won’t pay for sibling services.
Some services stop at prekindergarten – automatic summary program.
Services coordination. One school district paid for service coordination.
Needs to be a way for services for kids who are not Dx, gray area.
Sometimes Dx limits the services. If Down Syndrome children only get speech at certain age.
Services go up with tax.
Services are more if in a group vs. EI. Services are less because at home.
Sometimes have to switch service coordinators when switch from EI to prekindergarten. Because county says “full”. The number of slots is a problem.
EI therapists have no input in evaluation/IEP etc. for CPSE. Invite EI team from parent – why completely ignore their experience. Need a requirement that CPSE get information from prior providers. New evaluation by CPSE often advisory so EI therapist should give information. A continuation of service coordinator could provide this. Also need to tell parents what a service coordinator does.
Burden on parents to be ridiculously proactive. Parents don’t know where to start.
It shouldn’t be this hard.
Need to fund agencies like Parent Network to get info to families.
Notices regarding due process are good.
Autism – not enough services paid by districts. Need 30-35 hours of services, get only 15 – saves money in long run.
Need to utilize the CPSE parent member except others have problems with parent members (i.e. school picks them and/or school won’t use them again if disagree). Parent member system is flawed. Could be good, but not.
Professional parent advocators are better than parent members.
Should not have CPSE & CSE meetings back to back – overwhelming.
Disconnect between school district & private center regarding implementing IEP.
Districts are slow getting programs for autistic kids going to special private schools instead of district and special private schools have waiting lists now. Kids need to be in district for socialization, role models/typical peers.
Districts need to pay for ?????? for socialization.
Problem putting kids (autistic) in self contained instead of mainstreamed when get to kindergarten. Use teacher education students to fill in due to overload/need for assistants for autistic kids to be mainstreamed. Use tuition forgiveness to get education grads to do this.
Difficult to go from private prekindergarten to regular kindergarten and cut services when get to kindergarten. Transition is stark from integrated private prekindergarten to regular kindergarten.
If child needs another year of prekindergarten – can’t get services, can’t get prekindergarten in some districts.
LRE – enough options being offered? NO – have to fight like a dog to get appropriate placement.
Why don’t districts approve methodologies that are proven to work?
EI & Education/CSE should be one system. Seamless. Too many evaluations, wasting money.
Problem where IEP says services provided in “daycare” so won’t provide services at home for (i.e. storms & daycare closed). Need flexibility regarding location.

What about the current system should be overhauled or changed substantially?

Need family support – don’t know what is behavior and what is sensory – I don’t know how to parent this child – parental family and sibling support is critical – fathers are critical
Transition from EI to CPSE so child could services at school in a Center Based (CB) program – would rather have a classification – because of autism would get more services
Childcare teachers not on board – not wanting people to come into their center
By the time we know service providers we have to transition – extend EI program
Everything boils down to finances – trim off the fat in a lot of agencies
Is there a preference for one agency b-5 – parent said it may work
What if county was out of mix – not sure of the answer
Get rid of burden of proof- Shafer v Weist
Get rid of Substantial regression
Not enough individuality (no “I” in IEP)
Is the task force going to be looking at other states? Are there other states that are really doing it right?
Need developmental pediatricians
Why aren’t methodologies for therapies – peer reviewed, journal published, impartial
Need to split therapists –
System is too complicated, too many levels – wastes money.
What about 0-6 year’s system? YES. No benchmarks, but would need a lot of changes due to DOH money, special education money etc. Maybe regionalize rates.
Take the county out of transportation. They use private contractors; they limit number of locations (i.e., daycare, grandma’s house, etc.). Transportation and cost is a big issue.
Too much busing – should provide education in community.
Burden of proof on parents has to go.
Substantial regression proof requirement is wrong (for summer programming).
Services given based on what district has available (i.e., Occupational Therapy (OT) 2x week because school only has OT there 2x week. During EI had OT 3x week.

Group: Counties/School Districts

What about the current system works? (keep)

What age? Preschool primarily, but transition form EI-4410 and 4410 school age. Statewide or Western NY? In our area.
In EI-V-4410? In birth – 5?
Strong relationships between EI program & CPSE program. School district knows providers. Transition from family perspective, non-threatening.
Referral process EI-CPSE: running much more smoothly now, forms revised. Erie County has had a preschool taskforce for a while – work well together.
Providers: Great quality of providers and in service; not just transition from EI-4410 – very fortunate to have this.
Niagara does excellent job EI-4410; smooth running. No kids fall thru cracks.
Good communication between providers & school districts – can meet needs of kids readily.
More providers will stop and discuss with teachers what & how they are working with kids – push in works great.
Team meetings are very helpful – all involved with child.
Niagara Co. has ECDC in WNY – has done tons of training with parents and other very beneficial.
SED: working w/ECDC & SETRC: fantastic opportunity – appreciate communication with counties providers, others all working on what is best for the child. Communication & team work is great.
ECDC attend quarterly meetings and train – very helpful.
All involved are working together.
Erie Co: CPSE chairs are confident, capable, and competent where recommending services. Safety group (Safe Transportation Council) ensures all communicate clearly for the best of the child.
Evidence of good communication – minimal parent complaints to regional State Education Quality Assurance (SEQA) office; parents are in agreement with what is going on. Parent complaints are a measure for SED to assess quality care.
Providers & CPSE chairs work well together – all come to agreement.
Working very hard to work with child care centers to build collaborative relationships.
Chairs are very sincere.

What about the current system could or should work better? (improve)

Need to show progress in all we do. Outcome summaries need to change, be more consistent. Methods vary, results hurt parents. If not done with parent sitting there – very upset parent; too intimidating and upsetting to parents. Open to interpretation – looking at it differently than parents. How effective is this reporting? If discussion did not include the #’s would be better. Need #’s to be low to qualify.
EI – works well – has a parents piece to it. Could be done with CPSE: a parent packet so parents can understand process better.
County should get 75% reimbursement – was promised. SD’s will hate this, but a single point of entry for preschool would work better. Suggest changing this. CPSE chairs
County should have more input into recommended services – an issue counties face crisis – take up almost 60% of budget.
Monopoly for transportation – County stuck with cost of transportation.
Reporting causes us to forget our goal – help kids.
Erie County has no say at the table (CPSE). County goes to meetings, has staff to do so. Costs to the county is a lot of money. Whether or not County attends. CPSE’s make right decision. No one looks at things with money in mind; look at what is best for child. Take County out of this role or find a way to ensure adequate amount of money.
Noted by M.D. higher reimbursement of County
Question: do all agree that services do not change whether or not the County is present? (overall – no)
CPSE is only one who knows what program calls.
Gathering services what child needs vs. what parents want. Follow guidelines from SED. County has equal voice if they are there, gets a vote like rest of committee.
CPSE CSE: parents have difficulty w/LRE issues: perceived reduction in service.
EI-CPSE: parents perceive more service in EI (more parent friendly – real world). EI-CPSE-CSE: parents not well enough prepared to understand differences in programs. No change in system: giving less service, parents must be more empowered as they move through systems.
EI CPSE more into education system, prepare for school age system -CSE cannot recommend home services anyway.
Recommend –ECDC & SETRC give resources to SD to give parents more access to empower parents to training – parents cannot attend workshops (i.e. CDs).
Parent advocate system (volunteer) for CPSE & CSE: parent can contact his person. This needs to be a paid position (look at how difficult it is to get a parent member).
Recommend – should have service coordinator in CPSE & CSE.
Universal problem with transition from all 3 systems.
To alleviate transition problems: Transition team visits child. Team comes to meetings – parents meet players – have relationships.
Money issue: SD district staff having dual roles – CPSE & CSE. Districts need a lot more money.
Therapists – not enough money to hire and pay district therapist and service providers.
How evidenced based are recommendations. So much money being spent without looking at outcomes.
Problems with lack of a single point of entry from EI to CPSE.
CPSE takes up way too much time.
Not a fair and equitable system ever - though all follow regulation.
Differences between counties re: services recommended. All should be consistent.
SED does not follow up on reports to them.
Seamless system would be ideal, but problems. Erie County tried to combine EI & CPSE – problems – who oversees jobs at stake, etc.
Evidenced based practice not used enough. Outcome Project now in place, but still subjective.
Difficult to evaluate after the fact. System must be in place initially.
Hope DOH & SED SPP’s result is valid info.
Regional data system to know what placements and services are available. State departments must speak to each other.
Transition meetings is a waste – do not need another meeting.
Have quarterly meetings between CPSE chairs & EI folks – to keep each other informed on what is going on; touch base.
Allegheny County (AC) challenges are unique – don’t have providers. ABA or much center based programs. Has a service coordinator. Waiting list has dropped. Last year – no waiting list. AC service coordinator, county employee – has a strong voice at CPSE; School District works around his schedule.
Reading evaluation reports; enter EI – criteria. Enter CPSE – criteria: delay remains – any progress? Less delay – some progress?
Better to look at this than use COS forms. Language used in evaluation – better define how relates to kids.
Service delivery – who can use Teachers – some require supervision. Why the difference? SEIT: EI can contract with SEIT, but Co. can’t. Autistic population is exploding – Allegheny County has no SEIT agencies. Why reimburse a SEIT on tuition basis (paid anyway), but Speech Path does not get paid if no service. SEIT agency not motivated to do makeup services. Parents must take some ownership here.
SEIT methodology stinks
EI-4410 methodology stinks
FBAs reimbursement: needs to be a rate for FBAs.
Lack of accountability of parents – parent does not take ownership. System encourages parents dump kids in school district & county lap.
Center based programs with kids not showing up: School district’s pay anyway. SED must provide clear guidance.
Provider should/could monitor child’s attendance. Chairperson takes responsibility – creates adversarial environment. CPSE chair needs to build rapport & relationship because CSE chair has child through age 21. Need SED guidelines/directives/policy/regulation/etc. Takes heat off chairperson.
Need parent involvement in policy/guidelines etc. (parent perception). Must find out from parents why kids are not showing up. Need service coordinator for CPSE.
Challenge: families are most challenging (more % of children in special education? Yes. Need more support – take more time. Service coordination would help. Not enough service providers (not bilingual service providers, but most kids are bilingual. No evaluation in primary language – families cannot communicate. No suggestions on how to resolve this.
In EI – support in English in home, but not an educational delay at CPSE level – disconnect between the 2 programs.
Need more Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) provided by SED.

What about the current system should be overhauled or changed substantially?

Co. out of loop – school district only.
NYS adopt 0-5 system with a governing body (DOH or SED).
LEAs take over preschool.
Single point of entry.
Compare outcomes between counties – scientific basis & programs.
Single point of entry from EI program.
Under one umbrella – overall in state (done in other states).
Evidence based practice – what works? Look at what works – make it a model.
Evaluation process.
Service Coordinator in CPSE – county personnel (or someone else) to coordinate services.
Re-evaluate SEIT system: Look at qualified personnel, redefine so that availability increases, more consistency, rate setting – tuition based for RS providers – possibly. County would have this, provider would love this.
Rates must be considered.
Parent accountability: may be an attendance policy (must be law). No legal recourse. Need SED guidelines or more.
Incentives to get service providers in to rural areas. More UPK programs.
Erie County Taskforce of districts – no enforcement piece; not all districts participate (forum configuration must challenge (not chairs & providers) to be more productive. Not an SED issue: not regulatory. Recommend: become regulatory (needs to be an enforcer, must be unified. Enforcement and consistency (SED or regional board).
All under SED – or all under DOH or 3 is 3 (many issues including fiscal).
3 is 3: decrease waste of people’s time. Provider availability aspect: would not happen with 3 is 3, probably would not be an issue, sometimes a change at this time is good, may have difficulty in spring – not always.
3 is 3 or transition Sept. 1. School calendar is a good thing.
A single seamless system is best for kids & families (by a governing system): school calendar, periodic evaluations eliminates lots of meetings, eliminate too many confusing choices, continuing dealing with personnel.
Summer – regression statements: either all get summer or eliminate all. Examine and redefine ESY requirements. Some kids don’t received ESY even though they need it, because regression can’t be shown. SD issues – impact of ESY money large in large districts. Can change ESY standards within a seamless system. Look at severity of needs of child rather than prove a regression (multiply handicapped –v- speech).
Seamless system: service coordination. 12 month services (can alter placements).
Re EI: Oversite. Results in deficiencies re: service to children.
Outcome summary needs to go, but need scientific date to determine if what is being done is making a difference. Review, redefine its effectiveness.

Attachment - Comments from Summit Educational Resources