CIFMS Ad Hoc Task Force Meeting
March 15-16, 2005

Confinuous Improvement and Focused Monitoring System (CIFMS)

Special Education Technical Assistance Providers:

Dr. W. Alan Coulter, Project Director
National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring, (NCSEAM)

Dr. Constance Patterson, Program Co-director
National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring, (NCSEAM)

Thomas J. Delaney, Education Specialist, North Central Regional Resource Center, (NCRRC)

Stakeholders Present:

Brian Anderson, Nissan Bar-Lev, Barb Behlen, Ken Cole, Sister Patrice Colletti, Cynthia Hirsch, Joanne Huston, Phil Knobel, Carolyn Madsen, Donna Miller, Georgette Rodriguiz, Don Rosin, Patty Schaumburg (March 16 only), Jan Serak, Mary Skadahl, Jeff Spitzer-Resnick, Joan Wade, Pat Yahle

Stakeholders Absent:

Vaunce Ashby, Pete Knotek, Sheri Krause, Julie Lidbury, Pat Luebke, Patty Schaumburg (March 15)

DPI Staff Members Present:

Sandy Berndt, Anita Castro, Janice Duff, Sheila Ellefson, Tony Evers, Teresa Goodier, Donna Hart-Tervalon, Jack Marker, Brent Odell, Stephanie Petska, Carolyn Stanford Taylor, Patti Williams

Purpose:

The purpose of the meeting was to begin discussing what, if anything, in state law should be revised in light of IDEA 2004. This meeting of the Continuous Improvement Focused Monitoring Stakeholders was facilitated by Dr. Alan Coulter.

Welcome:

Dr. Stephanie Petska, State Director of Special Education, emphasized the Department's commitment to the stakeholder process as the most effective and appropriate approach to consensus building around various special education issues. She stated the Department would not pursue state legislation without broad stakeholder consensus. Dr. Petska acknowledged this process may lead to frustration, but we honor this process and believe decisions must not be made in isolation. She further stated the Department has learned a great deal about the benefits a collaborative approach can produce through earlier models, including the Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System and the Wisconsin Statewide Parent Education Initiative. Dr. Petska concluded her remarks by clarifying the purpose of the meeting and stating what provisions in state law would not be addressed at this time, but at future meetings following the release of federal regulations from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) for IDEA 2004.

Overview of IDEA 2004:

Dr. W. Alan Coulter presented an overview of the provision in IDEA 2004 that addresses state administration. This information included working premises that provide a foundation for the stakeholder group, the purposes of IDEA 2004 and "The Big Six of Accountability and Continuous Improvement." The link to this power point presentation is below.

http://www.monitoringcenter.lsuhsc.edu/presentations.htm

Wisconsin State Law:

Sheila Ellefson, Attorney, State Superintendent's Office of Legal Services, explained that IDEA 2004 includes requirements to: (1) identify any state imposed requirement not required to implement federal special education law, and (2) minimize the number of such requirements. Two draft documents that included decision points were distributed and discussed and can be accessed at the links below.

• State statute mark-up identifying Wisconsin state requirements not required to implement federal special education law.
• State statute mark-up identifying Wisconsin state requirements that potentially conflict with federal law.

Discussion of Decision Points:

Dr. Coulter and Dr. Patterson each facilitated a discussion group. Each group discussed decision points and attempted to reach consensus. The decision points were categorized by topic areas:

• IEP Team Process
• Evaluations
• Benchmarks or short-term objectives for all students with disabililties
• IEP Content
• Special Education Performance Report
• Special Education Plan

The link to a summary of each group's discussion is below.

http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/doc/cifmsflip.doc

Next Steps and Evaluation:

The schedule and topics for upcoming meetings:

May 3-4, 2005
   CIFMS Update
   State Performance Plan Indicators

July 19-20, 2005
   IDEA 2004/State Law
   Application for Waiver Update

October 20-21, 2005
   CIFMS Update
   IDEA 2004/State Law

February 7-8, 2006
   CIFMS Update
   IDEA 2004/State Law

The link to a summary of evaluations completed by stakeholders is below.

http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/doc/cifmseval.doc

For questions about this information, contact Donna A. Hart-Tervalon (608) 267-9160

Last updated on 2/22/2008 1:21:52 PM