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Seclusion & Restraint Guidelines Approved

Guidelines for seclusion rooms and use of restraint with students with disabilities were approved by the State Board, 7-2-1.  Voting for the guidelines were Steve Abrams, Sally Cauble, Sue Gamble, Carol Rupe, Bill Wagnon and Janet Waugh.  Voting against were John Bacon and Ken Willard.  Kathy Martin abstained.

The guidelines, which can be read in the State Board materials, http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=TAtfvVQz3aQ%3d&tabid=427&mid=1073 beginning on page 49, will be monitored closely by the Student Support Services division at KSDE.

The guidelines cover use of and restrictions on seclusion rooms, size and characteristics of seclusion rooms, use of and restrictions on physical and mechanical restraints, and reporting and notification requirements for both seclusion rooms and use of restraints.

Members who work with students with disabilities should review these guidelines carefully to ensure that they are working within them.  The guidelines specify the kinds of training that staff members should receive before using either seclusion rooms or restraint techniques.  Guideline 5 is especially important, as it describes who must be notified, and by when, when either a seclusion room or restraints are used with students with disabilities.

Public Hearing for Licensure Regulations Changes Set

The State Board has set Tuesday, June 12, at 1:30 pm as the official public hearing for proposed changes to the educator licensure regulations.  These changes, which were forwarded from the Professional Standards Board, address areas identified as barriers to achieving licensure in Kansas.

The changes being proposed include:

• Allow a secondary science teacher to add another science endorsement by passing the content test
• Allow any licensed teacher to add a middle level endorsement by completing at least 15 credit hours, plus middle level pedagogy or recent grades 6-8 experience, and passing the content test
• Allow a secondary teacher to add a new endorsement area when 50% of the approved program is completed and content test is passed
• Restricted license option for school specialist (library media, school counselor)
• Provisions for out-of-state school counselors who do not have teaching experience (not all states have that as a prerequisite)
• Provisional endorsement option for early childhood
• Removal of gpa requirement for initial conditional licensure
• Require credential evaluation for foreign exchange teaching license
• New regulation for innovative or experimental preparation programs

The specific language for these regulatory proposals is on pp. 207-224 of the March State Board materials.

KNEA will be testifying in favor of these regulatory changes because they were supported by the Professional Standards Board and its Regulations Committee and because we believe they maintain the integrity of the licensing system while addressing important needs.

You can direct comments on these regulations to State Board members any time between now and the public hearing.  Their contact information is available on the KNEA website by clicking on “At the Capitol” and choosing the “take action now” button.  Enter your zip + 4, then scroll down to “state departments and agencies” where you choose “Department of Education.”

Board contacts are also listed on the KSDE website.

April Meeting in Junction City

On April 10 and 11, the State Board will meet in district 6.  Twice each year the Board goes “on the road,” with the host board member selecting how his/her district will be showcased.  Kathy Martin, who represents district 6, has selected    Junction City, USD 475, Geary County, as the site for this meeting.

On Monday, April 9, members of the Board will tour Ft. Riley, including Ware Elementary.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Board will have the regular monthly meeting at the Devin Center, 123 N. Eisenhower.

The agenda and meeting materials for April should be available on the KSDE website beginning Monday, April 2.

In other action, the State Board:

• Recognized Dr. Brenda Dietrich, Kansas  superintendent of the year (p. 39)
• Visited the Kansas  State  School for the Deaf and the Kansas State School for the Blind (pp. 3-7)
• Received an update on the Kansas  Parent  Information Resource Center (p. 57)
• Received an update on the Kansas  writing assessment (p. 59)
• Received recommendations of the charter school review committee (see revised board materials, pp. 3-6)
• Approved recommendations from the Evaluation Review Committee for
• ACCK, approved program for Adaptive license endorsement (p. 33 of revised materials)
• Fort  Hays State University, approved new program, history comprehensive (p. 35 of revised materials)
• Ottawa  University, approved 3 new programs, English language arts, health, psychology (pp. 37-40, revised materials)
• University  of Kansas, 18 programs approved, 5 programs approved with stipulation (pp. 41-47, revised materials)
• Approved recommendations from the Licensure Review Committee (pp. 225-227)
• Approve 14 license/endorsement requests
• Deny 2 license/endorsement requests
• Approved recommendations from the Waiver Review Committee (pp. 229-230)
• 33 special education teachers
• 3 extension of days for substitutes
• 1 English language arts
• 1 health
• Heard a presentation on Kansas  career preparation initiatives (p. 63)

KNEA Legislative Contacts

Blake West, President
Peg Dunlap, Director, Instructional Advocacy
Mark Desetti, Director, Legislative and Political Advocacy
Terry Forsyth, Director, Political Action

The KNEA Lobby Team consists of elected leaders and staff. The Lobby Team welcomes member feedback on issues before the Legislature and on this site.