March 16, 2017 Conference Call Meeting

I.             Consent Items (Voice Vote)

                  A.            Adoption of Agenda

II.            Statement of Necessity

III.           Report Items:

                 A.            Update on High School Graduation Requirements Data          
                                 The Department of Education will provide an update to the Seamless Pathways report.  In mid-February
                                 the Department shared a memo and report addendum that was shared with stakeholder and district
                                 leaders that provided additional context to the findings regarding missing graduation requirements.
                                 This update will include more information regarding the three most prominent issues contributing to
                                 the statistic that one-third of Tennessee graduates did not meet graduation requirements.

                 B.            Update on School Counseling Policy         
                                 The Department of Education will provide a preview of proposed changes to the school counseling policy
                                 that will be presented at the April meeting.  Changes clarify fair share responsibilities and other aspects
                                 of the policy based on Board member and district feedback. 

IV.           Action Items (Final Reading)

                A.            Special Education Programs and Services Rule 0520-01-09-.11
                               Final reading of an item to revise the guidelines and standards for determining program eligibility criteria,
                               evaluation procedures, and evaluation participants to better align to updated clinical disability definitions and
                               best practices, and allow for improved portability between states in regards to eligibility. These revisions are
                               the result of recommendations from a disability task force that convened on March 15, 2016, to review each
                              disability category.

                 B.          Standards for Special Education Evaluation & Eligibility
                              Final reading of an item to revise the guidelines and standards for determining program eligibility criteria,
                              evaluation procedures, and evaluation participants to better align to updated clinical disability definitions
                              and best practices and allow for improved portability between states in regards to eligibility.  These revisions
                              are the result of recommendations from a disability task force that convened on March 15, 2016, to review
                              each disability category. Attachment 2. 

                              IV. A. & IV. B. PowerPoint presentation.

V.             Adjournment