Hearing to review special education space plan

Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES is holding a public hearing on Tuesday, January 27 at 7 p.m. in Conference Room 7 (the James Green Room) at the Educational Service Center, 3599 Big Ridge Road, Spencerport. The hearing is to give interested parents and others a chance to comment on the Special Education Space Requirements Plan. The plan provides a framework for the allocation of instructional space in this region to ensure that students with disabilities are educated in age-appropriate settings and to the maximum extent appropriate with non-disabled students.

Each Board of Cooperative Educational Services is required by law to submit a plan for its region no later than the first of February every five years. The next one is due by Februray 1, 2004. The BOCES 2 plan covers the nine component school districts of Brockport, Churchville-Chili, Gates Chili, Greece, Hilton, Holley, Kendall, Spencerport and Wheatland-Chili.

The plan includes:

• the number of students with disabilities by district, in special classes in separate sites and in sites with non-disabled peers,
• five year projections of placements in integrated and separate sites,
• the locations of integrated classrooms by school district and BOCES building,
• a description of significant changes in services and space allocations expected to affect the plan, and
• a description of procedures to ensure the stability and continuity of program placements.

The plan was developed by a committee of local school district superintendents, BOCES administrators, parents, and representatives from the State Education Department, a private special education program and a community based agency. The committee is also required to seek public input and to submit a summary of public comment to the Commissioner of Education along with the plan.

A copy of the plan is available in the BOCES Educational Services Center between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. beginning Wednesday, January 7, through Tuesday, January 27. In addition, copies of the plan are available in the superintendents' offices in each of the local school districts served by BOCES 2.

Parents and others interested in commenting are urged to attend the hearing and to prepare their comments in writing for the committee to ensure an accurate record. Anyone who cannot attend the hearing may also submit comments in writing to the District Superintendent, BOCES 2, 3599 Big Ridge Road, Spencerport, NY 14559, no later than January 27, to be included in the final report to the Commissioner.