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Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) Effectiveness Training Project

Effectiveness Training for Local Special Education Advisory Committees Project

Overview

Local school divisions are required by the Code of Virginia (8VAC 20-80-90) to form local Special Education Advisory Committees (SEACs) comprised of parent and community volunteers appointed by local school boards. The primary purpose of local SEACs is to identify unmet needs regarding the education of students with disabilities, to advise local school divisions of these needs, and to assist local school divisions in developing priorities, plans, and strategies for meeting these needs. Local SEACs are envisioned to be forces for positive change for students with disabilities within school divisions.

In the Continuing Improvement Monitoring Process work plan developed in August 2002 by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), self assessment findings based on public input indicated that local SEACs needed more direction on effective implementation in order to enhance parent-professional partnerships for program planning. The Virginia Department of Education and the Partnership for People with Disabilities at VCU, with funding from VDOE and the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, have partnered to improve the effectiveness and meaningful participation of local SEACs statewide.

Major Activities

The project will improve effective and meaningful participation of local SEACs by strengthening the knowledge, skills, and abilities of local SEAC members and school division representatives in order to foster better parent/professional collaboration in identifying and meeting needs of students with disabilities. This will be accomplished by:

• Assembling a Project Management Team (PMT) composed of approximately 15 stakeholders to plan and advise project activities;


• Assessing the needs of local SEACs through survey and targeted telephone interviews;


• Analyzing findings to develop a clear statement of need;


• Developing training curriculum that addresses stated needs and covers content areas and process skills identified as critical to success;


• Identifying volunteers willing to participate in the training;


• Implementing training in 8 Superintendents’ regions;


• Building local, regional, and state capacity by:
• supporting ongoing learning through the use of web-based training tools and materials


• developing mechanisms for regional networking, information sharing, and localized support


• fostering stronger links between state and local SEAC members through the use of a regional focus; and


• Providing technical assistance.

Program Staff
Melanie Sterling, Eileen Hammar, Sara Plummer, Dana Yarbrough, Vicki Beatty at the Partnership for People with Disabilities and Judy Hudgins from the Virginia Department of Education

For more information on the SEAC Project, download the flyer or contact Melanie Sterling at (804) 827-0197 or mrsterli@vcu.edu or Eileen Hammar at (804) 827-0202 or eghammar@vcu.edu.

Reports
Information Survey of Chairpersons of Virginia's Local Special Education Advisory Committees
Needs Assessment of SEAC Members, Special Education Directors, and School Board Chairpersons