Welcome: Steve Hirase welcomed the consortium to the meeting.

Jerry Christensen welcomed the group. The Consortium meeting in St. George has been changed to March 30^th, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon.

Richard Young stated that the Sorensen System, a desk top video conferencing system with a camera that fits on top of a computer will be demonstrated at the Consortium meeting in March. The video is TV quality so you can conference and once you are online (internet) there is no cost. It has incredible communication capabilities for use all over the world.

Brenda Broadbent will arrange for the SIPC Project to also present at the March Consortium.

Jerry Christensen highlighted the contents of the Consortium folder: Utah CSPD Consortium Calendar that is also posted on ULRC web site; a catalog that sells t-shirts and Richard Baer’s handout on recent improvements to the Estimator Program.

Jerry also stated that a letter verifying CSPD planning at consortium from July 1 through May will be mailed to all those in attendance after the May Consortium meeting. This should lead toward the Utah Educator License Certificate.

Michael Herbert stated that on the ULRC’s web site districts can now download presentations done by the ULRC staff. Michael highlighted a workshop that was presented in San Juan School District. All that is needed is PowerPoint accessibility. Michael encouraged people to checkout the ULRC web site (www.ulrc.org).

Sharon Neyme (State Improvement Grant) explained that there will be a new format for The Utah Special Educator. Sharon highlighted the new format and stated there are some great articles on practical ideas dealing with strategies for academic success.

Davalee Miller stated that the 11^th Annual Utah Mentor Teacher Conference on January 13^th and 14^th was a great success. Participants received good information on strategies for empowerment and networking. Pam Robbins will be presenting on collabortion at the February mentor training. Davalee mentioned that extra binders from the conference are available. Davalee and Tracy Stewart gave a short presentation taken from Phil Stella handouts from the conference. Tracy and Davalee’s presentation title "Power Networking for Consortium: Seven Habits of Highly Effective Networkers." The Seven Habits include:

1. Network with a plan: know your purpose, choose networking wisely, get there early and stay late, work the room, and sit smart.
2. Network with a user-friendly nametag: make it readable and include your organization, wear it right - on the right lapel or right side.
3. Network with a winning smile: look friendly, look sincere.
4. Network with comfortable handshake: be firm and be gentle.
5. Network with business card finesse: not up front and ask first.
6. Network with a focused script: ask question, don’t dominate.
7. Network with timely follow-up: call first, send a note, meet and maintain.

Parent Center

Jennie Gibson stated that the Parent Center’s registration for the Family Links Conference April 28^th and 29th at Jordan High School has been mailed out. Jennie passed out the conference information and registration form. She also distributed the Parent Training and Information Activity and Current Events (February through April) calendar.

USOE

Bruce Schroeder facilitated the CSPD updates.

Mae Taylor stated that at this point nothing has been finalized for SARS week (March 27^th-31^st) in St. George. Information concerning SARS week will be mailed out when the agenda is finalized. Mae gave a tentative agenda: On March 27^th, special education directors will meet from 1:00-5:00 p.m. On Tuesday, administrative meetings and networking for Title I. On Wednesday morning, possible ALS and a gang prevention meeting. Wednesday noon time, SARS luncheon and legislative update. Wednesday evening, LEAD dinner. Thursday morning, Consortium meeting from 9:00-11:00 a.m. with lunch on own and administrative meeting from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Friday morning, administrative meeting and possibly no meeting in the afternoon.

Mae distributed and highlighted the USOE Top 15 Legislation Priorities. The #1 priority starts with minimum school program dealing with growth. Mae stated that she does not know at this time how much money will be funded. USOE has asked for a minimum of 5%, the governor has asked for 7%. House Bill 146 Due Process needs to be taken out of law and put into special education rules. This would shorten and simply the due process for districts as well as cost less.

Brenda Broadbent stated that the OSEP will provide more money to preschool this year. Utah did not fair as well as other states because Utah does not have a high rate of poverty. Brenda said the state will be hearing a lot about LRE this coming year. OSEP stated that nationally, not enough kids are being served.

Nan Gray gave out a schedule of the Transition Conference March 8^th and 9^th. Nan encouraged Consortium members to have their teachers register.

Tim McConnell stressed the importance of professional staff development training and encouraged Consortium members to attend trainings and conferences. Tim announced two regional inclusion conferences this month, one in the southwest area and one in the northern area of the state.

Jocelyn Taylor announced the Traumatic Brain Injury Conference to be held October 19-20 at Provo Marriott. Jocelyn highlighted and disseminated an Autism Team Training Overview. There will be monthly 2-day workshops during year one, and on-site model classrooms during year two. The Second cohort will begin in September. Information on this will be given out at the May Consortium meeting. Jocelyn stated that they would use the paraeducator format for the autism training. Concerning the PECT training, individuals would like follow-up and need some feedback from the districts.

BYU - Richard Young stated that BYU’s Goals are 1) continue to recruit and increase number of education students and 2) continue with two projects funded to work with districts regarding school safety and integrating general education and special education. Richard said that Craig Ingram is still struggling with his health and hopefully treatments will be successful.

Bruce Schroeder stated that the SIG staff has met with various groups and the five universities around the state to gain an insight to IHE perspectives. Bruce stated that BYU is the number one producer of teachers in the US and will be working on ways to keep the teachers in Utah. He shared the outcome of the January 21 meeting of the implementation teams. These teams will go forward throughout the state to see what is going on. Dan Morgan, Sharon Neyme and Monica Ferguson met about 50 people on personnel issues and training issues. Behavior was another area that was discussed. All educators, including building administrators and general educators need to be knowledgeable about social behaviors.

CEC

The student president from the U of U stated how nice it is to be at Consortium and network with professionals. She announced and distributed the Annual Utah Federation CEC and Utah ASCD Spring Conference registration form. The conference will be held March 17^th and 18^th at East High School. She encouraged districts and administrators to attend.

Vicki Ahlstrom stated that she has about 20 UAAACT conference registrations. The conference will be held next week February 10^th-11^th.

Pat Beckman stated that she belongs to the Coalition for Quality Public Education (COPE). She passed out a brochure that tells a little bit about the coalition.

Dr. Richard Baer, Center for Persons with Disabilities, USU presented on "Recent Improvements to Estimators, Utah’s Software for Calculating Severe Discrepancy." The Estimator is a software program for diagnosing LD students. Dick stated that districts that have not received the program can sign-up after the presentation. Dick presented the Federal Definition of Specific Learning Disabilities and Federal Regulations — LD Diagnosis. The federal Severe Discrepancy Model is used to determine if a child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability. Various states use different approaches to Severe Discrepancy Measurement. Utah takes a Regression Analysis approach.

Dick gave several examples of expectancy formulas to predict what expected achievement should be. It was decided that each state would provide their own expectancy formulas. The Grade level discrepancy approach identifies more children with IQs below 100 than with IQs above 100. The standard score comparison identifies more children with IQs above 100 than with IQs below because of regression toward the mean. Dick explained what the formula does from a mathematical point of view, a calculation program that considers the correlation between the IQ and achievement tests and that is why USU was asked to come up with a formula modification.

Dick showed Utah’s Formula Modifications: Estimator 7.0 software program and how it works. He stated that once the data is entered, the Estimator will do all the calculation and generate the reports. The purpose of the Estimator is to assist school teams in determining if there is a severe discrepancy between a student’s expected achievement score and the obtained achievement score. This and other data are used to determine if the child has a learning disability. The program will also generate an Estimator Formula Intermediate Values. The Estimator comes with a User’s Manual. Tests approved for measuring basic reading skills in Utah are also provided.

The disk is developed through the USOE under contract with USU. If anyone is interested outside the state they need to contact Dick Baer at CPD, USU.

Meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m.

Those in attendance:

Loraine Adams

Vicki Ahlstrom

Natalie Allen

Morgan Anderson

Mary Baldwin

John Ballard

Joyce Barnes

Pat Beckman

Brenda Broadbent

Kathryn Broughton

Dawnne Casey

Nancy Casillas

Jerry Christensen

Jim Curtice

Harriett Dickerson

Tony Done

Monica Ferguson

Peggy Fratto

Jennie Gibson

Barbara Graves

Nan Gray

Michael Herbert

Steve Hirase

Cheryl Hostetter

Loydene Hubbard-Berg

Ted Kelly

Karen Kowalski

Anna LeFevre

Tim McConnell

Camille McQuivey

Richard Mecham

Karen Medlin

Davalee Miller

Ann Miller

Peggy Milligan

Dan Morgan

Sharon Neyme

Susan Ord

Lowell Oswald

Linda Otte

James Payant

Ed Peterson

Antoine Powell

Ken Reavis

Robin Rector

Colleen Riley

Tom Roush

Bruce Schroeder

Dale Sheld

Deb Spark

Ellen Stantus

Tracy Stewart

Jocelyn Taylor

Mae Taylor

Peter Titze

Tom Van Gorder

Mary Vaughan

Richard Young

Minutes prepared by Mary Baldwin