Call for Comment
NYSED SPECIAL EDUCATION MANDATE RELIEF PROPOSALS
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is soliciting comment and has scheduled three public hearings on special education mandate relief proposals intended to increase local flexibility and reduce special education requirements.
Since February 2011, the Board of Regents has discussed mandate relief options at each of its monthly meetings. At their May meeting, the Regents directed NYSED to seek public comment on selected special education mandate relief proposals prior to proposing statutory revisions or adopting regulatory changes.
NYSUT has been monitoring these ongoing discussions in order to counter any mandate relief proposals that will negatively impact special education programs and services for students with disabilities and to ensure that the rights of students with disabilities and their parents are protected. Our position on the proposals can be found in the following chart.
We encourage NYSUT members and other interested parties to comment on these proposals – either in writing by July 25th or at the public hearings (June 28th in New York City and in Rochester or June 29th in Albany). Your comments should reflect specific examples on how these changes will negatively impact the special education programs and services in your school districts and BOCES.
For more specific information on the proposals and the public comment process, see: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/policy/mandaterelief-publichearing611.htm