Virginia Board for People with Disabilities

Education & Employment Committee Meeting Minutes

Date: March 5, 2014

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Dennis Findley, Ethel Parris Gainer, Donna Gilles, Ray Hopkins, Kristi Lockhart (ex officio), Dennis Manning, Mary McAdam, Matthew Shapiro, Erin Smydra (for John Eisenberg), Ed Turner

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: None

GUESTS:Gayl Brunk and Rose Gipson

VBPD STAFF PRESENT: Lynne Talley

CALL TO ORDER: 9:20 a.m.

REVIEW OF AGENDA: The Education & Employment Committee Agenda was reviewed.

REVIEW OF DECEMBER 4, 2013, EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES: The minutes were reviewed and a minorcorrection was noted on page 1 (changed “at” to “through” under DARS update). A motion was made by Dennis Findleyand seconded by Mathew Shapiroto approve the minutes with the correction. The MOTION was unanimously APPROVED.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE UPDATE: Mr. Dennis Manningand Ms. Lynne Talley provided highlights from the Executive Committee Meeting.

UPDATES FROM AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES: Mr. Ray Hopkins, Commissioner, Dept. for the Blind and Vision Impaired, Ms Erin Smydra, Education Specialist for Autism, Intellectual Disabilities and Assistive Technology, Office of Special Education Instructional Services, Dept. of Education (serving for John Eisenberg), and Ms. Kristi Lockhart, Transition and Education Services Coordinator, Division of Rehabilitative Services, Dept. for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, reported on education and employment activities in their respective agencies.

Ms. Donna Gilles, Executive Director, Partnership for People with Disabilities, updated the Committee on the meeting in January 2014 with Fran Smith, VCU consultant on Universal Design for Learning (UDL),which also included Heidi Lawyer and Lynne Talley.Ms. Gilles reported that Ms. Smith explained UDL and provided many resources (which Ms. Talley will research). Ms. Gilles stated that use of UDL should be included in any future Requests for Proposals from the Board.

DISCUSSION OF STATE PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: Lynne Talley provided background on the Valley Associates for Independent Living (VAIL) grant, “Opportunities Abound: Early Planning for Your Future” which began Oct. 1, 2012, and VAIL’s request to change the scope of their work and revise their budget.

PRESENTATION FROM VAIL: Gayl Brunk, Executive Director, and Rose Gipson, Community Living Specialist, from Valley Associates for Independent Living presented on their request to make changes to the grant project. The request to change the scope of work and budget (Attachment BD-2) submitted by VAIL includes: changing the target number of participants from 30 to 20 and expanding the program service area; extending the grant period by 1 year, changing the end date to Sep. 30, 2016; and reallocating the budget funds from the Resources for Independent Living (RIL)contract to VAIL staff to support expansion of service area. Ms. Brunk gave the committee a summary of the grant progress in Year 1 and part of Year 2, including the resignation of RIL in December 2012, barriers encountered and strategies to ensure a successful program. In the past quarter, VAIL staff has expanded their service area, adding two new school divisions to the program: the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Highland County and the City of Waynesboro are also participating in the program. The presentation was followed by questions from the committee members that were addressed by Ms. Brunk and Ms. Gipson.

REVIEW OF REQUEST TO CHANGE SCOPE OF WORK FROM VAIL: The Committee discussed the request and offered many suggestions for outreach that will garner more program participants. Lynne Talley will relay these suggestions to VAIL. Matthew Shapiro made a MOTION to approve the VAIL request and make a recommendation to the full Board. Donna Gilles seconded the MOTION. The MOTION was unanimously APPROVED.

The meeting adjourned at 11:25 a.m.

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