§ 2945 - Advisory council on special education - Vermont Statutes

§ 2945. Advisory council on special education

(a) There is created an advisory council on special education which shall consist of 17 members. Fifteen of the members shall be appointed by the governor with the advice of the commissioner of education. Among the gubernatorial appointees shall be teachers of children with disabilities, representatives of other state agencies involved in the financing or delivery of related services to children with disabilities, representatives of independent schools, at least one representative of a vocational, community, or business organization concerned with the provision of transition services to children with disabilities, representatives from the state juvenile and adult corrections agency, handicapped individuals, parents of children with disabilities, local education administrators and special education program administrators. A majority of the members must be either individuals with disabilities or parents of children with disabilities. In addition, two members of the general assembly shall be appointed, one from the house of representatives and one from the senate. The house member shall be appointed by the speaker, and the senate member shall be appointed by the committee on committees. All members of the council shall serve for a term of three years, beginning from April 1 of the year of appointment or until their successors are appointed. For the purpose of implementing this section, the governor shall make initial appointments as follows: Approximately one-third of the members shall be appointed to one-year terms, one-third to two-year terms, and one-third to three-year terms. As the terms expire, the new appointees shall be appointed to fill three-year terms.

(b) The council shall elect its own chairman from among its membership. The council shall meet annually at the call of the chairman, and other meetings may be called by the chairman at such times and places as he may determine to be necessary.

(c) The members of the council who are employees of the state shall receive no additional compensation for their services, but actual and necessary expenses shall be allowed state employees, and shall be charged to their departments or institutions. The members of the council who are not employees of the state shall receive a per diem compensation of $30.00 per day for each day of official business and reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses at the rate allowed state employees.

(d) The advisory council shall:

(1) assume all responsibilities required of the state advisory panel by federal law;

(2) review periodically the regulations, standards, and guidelines pertaining to special education and recommend to the state board of education any changes which it finds necessary;

(3) comment on any new or revised regulations, standards and guidelines proposed for issuance; and

(4) advise the state board of education in the development of any state plan for provision of special education. (Amended 1961, No. 36, eff. March 24, 1961; 1967, No. 73, § 2; 1971, No. 207 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 1977, No. 167 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 31, 1978; 1995, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 10, 22; 2003, No. 36, § 16.)