STATE EDUCATION BOARD
MINUTES
Old Stagecoach Inn –
Members Present: Dwight Davis, Richard Fraser, Blanche Kelley, Dave Luce, Don Messier, Dave Mulholland & Albert Pearce
Members Absent: Wilma Paronto
CHSVT Administration Present: Bob Lucenti, Director – Stephan LaTulippe, Principal – Mary Koen, Special Education Chief – Maureen McIntyre, Business Manager
The meeting was called to order at
1. Review of Meeting Minutes
& Acceptance of January Agenda:
Dwight
Continuing with #6/New Business, paragraph seven, the
sentence, “Dave Luce stated that he feels the second resolution is too much
patting on our back.” was changed to read, “Dave Luce stated that he feels the
second resolution is inappropriate.” The
final correction was to correct the typo in paragraph nine. Dwight Davis was
written Dwight David. This correction
was made. Discussion concluded and the the
changes were made in the November minutes. The
motion was called and it passed
unanimously.
2. Bob Lucenti – Changes in Statutory
Language – Title 28:
Bob Lucenti updated the Board on the changes being made to the language of Title 28.
He gave copies of a memo written to Commissioner Cate, from Bill Reedy, Legal Counsel which included the statutory language changes.
3. Legislative History – Title 28, § 120:
Bob Lucenti shared documents and correspondence pertaining to the legislative history of Title 28, VSA § 120. This document shows approximately 53 points in time, beginning in February of 1981 and concluding in March 2005.
Bob stated that some of the information, in the documents and correspondence, is confidential, some is not. It is hard to determine what can be shared, therefore has asked the Board to keep this information confidential.
4. Special Education Report to the Legislature:
The special education issue began with our request to be re
approved as an
The Board asked who the non-corrections students are. Examples given included, a friend may come to CHSVT with one of our students under custody. The Corrections student gets violated and goes back to jail. The friend stays and completes his credits and graduates. A student is getting expelled from his public school for bringing a gun to school. The public school, or the parent, calls us and request that this student be allowed to attend CHSVT. A student has been suspended from public school, or has already dropped out of school, and asks to be enrolled. The Department of Education is worried that some of these students have been determined eligible for special education services, but we do not offer special education at the street sites.
The other issue is that DOE appears to desire a funding plan based on the number of youth found eligible for special education in our school setting. We prefer that students arriving at CHSVT be evaluated per child find requirements. Once this process is completed, we may find the student no longer eligible for special education services. In addition, the individual, if over 18 years of age, may give his informed consent and refuse special education services. However, this process requires certified special education staff. When we do find a student eligible, more times than not, the student can be served within our regular program.
Bob is explaining this so the Board has an understanding of
the Title 28 language and our pending school approval. The reason for the new language is to assure
special education is provided at
Bob asked the Board to note one particular change in the new language. “School” has been changed to “program.” A question was asked whether this means we can award diplomas. In the new language, it says that we can award diplomas if requirements are met. The Board asked, “whose requirement?”
Someone asked if there was anything in statue regarding
de-commissioning of an
A chart showing the average daily youth population in prison was shared with the board. This charts shows the youth population leveling off. Does this mean our school has an impact?
Dwight said the Independent School Association was invited to testify for the House and Senate Committee Chairs. While there, he heard how much respect the legislators and senators have for Bob Lucenti and the CHSVT.
Dave Luce asked if we are getting strong support from our Commissioner and other high level support. Bob said Commissioner Hofmann is very supportive. However, he is not certain if the State Education Board has been following this process. Our Commissioner realizes this is a public policy issue. He knows how well received our school is within the DOC.
Dwight shared that he attended the State Education Board meeting. Tom James, Chair of the Board, shared his experience from attending our October board meeting. He said it was the first time he ever went to prison and said if he knew it was that good, he would have went earlier. There were many questions and discussion among his board regarding his attendance at our meeting.
The special education budget plans, for the present fiscal year 06, fiscal year 07 and fiscal year 08 were shared with the board. Dave Luce asked about prior special education funding. Bob shared a graph that showed special education funding for the past 15 years, along with the under 22 prison population over the past ten years. The funding has been level, but the population grew. This level funding resulted in CHSVT using general fund to supplement the special education program, due to the lack of special education funding.
The board agreed that CHSVT is very effective in returning
drop outs to school and assuring that they receive a quality education at a
very reasonable cost. The board thought this information should, somehow, get
out to the public. Suggestions were made
to get articles out in the papers about our success of diplomas, stories from
students, etc. It was also mentioned
that we should get recognition from the legislature. Bob said we have gotten recognition from the
legislature by them giving us
Don Messier made a
motion to have the board draft a press release to publicize CHSVT’s success and
its impact to
It was decided that Dave Luce and Dave Muholland will draft the press release, with input from Bob Lucenti and Dwight Davis.
Dwight Davis read statutory language from Title 16, §166(d) (Council of independent schools). ….The duties of the council shall include advising the commissioner on policies and procedures with respect to independent school. No hearing shall be initiated before the state board or by the commissioner under this section until the recommendations of the council have been sought and received…….
Richard Fraser asked if there are data showing how many of our students returned to jail, or remained a community citizen either working or attending post secondary school. Bob said that we could do that. The Workforce Development Program grant is doing the research, collecting data, etc., but unfortunately, this research will not be completed for approximately another year.
Mary Koen handed out a DOC Report regarding special education evaluations and student outcomes. A short discussion followed.
5. Resignation of Local Board Members:
Don Messier announced that the Chair of the Chittenden Advisory Board resigned. She felt they had nothing to do, plus she is a member of the Retired Teacher’s Association and said she was to busy and needed to give up something. The Secretary also resigned. Bob Lucenti shared that he attended a Chittenden Advisory Board meeting a couple of months ago to discuss their charge, as some on the Chittenden Board felt they existence was no longer needed. Don said he put a message in the weekly bulletin at his church. He has sparked some new interest from the community, and has forwarded some packets of memos from folks who would like to serve on the Chittenden Board.
Stephan LaTulippe has been temporarily appointed as the Chair of the Chittenden Advisory Board until they have time to reorganize.
Dave Luce asked if this was on the agenda because it has
been a common practice with other local boards or is it just in
Dave Luce said the Dale Advisory Board acts as advocates and does not just represent education, but treatment programs, counseling, etc.
Bob Lucenti shared that when Beryle Gardener was the Chair of the Chittenden Advisory Board; she always had the meeting at the prison and always had the Superintendent of the facility attend. She requested the attendance of the Superintendent and always asked what they were doing to get the youth in school.
Dave Mulholland is concerned about getting folks on the boards that stray from the board’s mission and by-laws. It was suggested that we have a package for each new member. The package could include the CHSVT annual report, the brochure that tells about CHSVT, by-laws, etc.
6. Old Business:
We have not heard anything regarding the board appointment to fill our vacancy.
Blanche still needs some information on the recipient of the Beyrle Gardener Award. She would like a picture and some information on the Mr. LaRocque.
Gary Nokes, resident of Northwest State Correctional Facility, wrote a letter to Stephan LaTulippe with his “wish list” attached. At the October Board meeting that was held at NWSCF, Blanche Kelley had asked the residents what a wish list would look like, if they could have one. Blanche was hoping that we could discuss the wish list at the January meeting; what we could provide for them on the wish list, or what we can’t. What it would entail to fill the list.
Dave Luce wanted to know if the CHSVT got involved in the Vermont Commission on Women. He is asking because there was a conference on December 5, 2005, and he thought that the advisory boards for the women's facilities should have been made aware of this conference. Bob said that Jill Evans, Director of Correctional Services for Women, is the person who should be sure all the boards are made aware of conferences, etc.
Maureen McIntyre passed out copies of the thank you letter that Stephan LaTulippe wrote to the Retired Teacher’s Association, thanking them for their generous donation of $1,000 in memory of Beryle Gardener and Shirley Aitchinson.
Bob Lucenti shared that he had invited the Department of Education and their legal team to this meeting. They did not respond.
Once the State Education Board minutes are approved, central office should send the minutes to each local Advisory Board Chair.
The January Board meeting will be held at the Dale
Correctional Facility in
Dave Mulholland made
a motion to adjourn the meeting at
Respectfully submitted,
Maureen McIntyre