Task Force on Blind Student Academic and Vocational Performance Blind Task Force (BTF)
Minutes
Regular Meeting of Committee Representatives November 12, 2019
For information on the BTF, visit http://dese.mo.gov/special-education/advisory-panels.

Members in Attendance: Dr. Stephen Barr, Anthony Blades, DJ Butcher, Linda Coccovizzo, Rose Ehresman, Jessica Hall, Carla Keirns, Ian Shadrick, Louise Whitworth

Members Not in Attendance: (Inclement weather caused slick roads in the Kansas City and St. Louis areas) Geoffrey Barney, Donna Borgmeyer, Jenny Carmack, Joy Frazier Boyle, Stacy Hamlett, Jane Herder, June Lenk, Adrian Marcos, Reeda Rippee, Shari Scott, Brent Sharp, Angie Yorke

Minute taker: Regina Miller, administrative assistant, OSE, DESE

For presentation handouts, links and resources provided during the meeting and a listing of current workshops/events, please visit https://dese.mo.gov/special-education/advisory-panels/blind-task- force

L. Whitworth, 2019 Chairperson, officiated over the meeting.

•	Call to Order at 10:15 a.m.: L. Whitworth

•	Roll Call: R. Miller in the absence of secretary, R. Rippee

•	Introductions: L. Whitworth
o	New members: Carla Keirns, Parent of Blind or Visually Impaired Student Attending Public School in Missouri; Rose Ehresman, Teacher of the Visually Impaired
o	Blind Skills Specialists: Anthony Blades, DJ Butcher, Jessica Hall

•	Review and approval of November 12, 2109 DRAFT Agenda: L. Whitworth
o	I. Shadrick asked that agenda be changed. He will be presenting prior to Seunghee Han. Motion made to accept agenda with changes by L. Coccovizzo and seconded by S. Barr. Agenda with changes approved.

•	Review and approval of August 6, 2019 Minutes: L. Whitworth
o	Motion made to approve minutes with no changes by I. Shadrick and seconded by S. Barr. – Minutes approved as is with no changes.

•	Follow-up Report – Children’s Vision Summit - Saturday, November 2, 2109 at Capitol West Event Center, 1308 Fairgrounds Road, Jefferson City, MO 65109, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.- Ian Shadrick, Department of Social Services and Sub Committee Chairperson for Children’s Vision Summit
o	A total of 69 participants and vendors attended the one-day event.
o	
o	Excellent content presented impacting parents of blind/VI students.
o	Thirteen breakout sessions including focus areas in Self-Advocacy, Career Exploration, Adaptive Sports, etc.
o	Vision Impaired Umbrella and Round Table sessions well received. L. Whitworth suggested that these sessions be added to program for the next summit.
o	A follow-up survey will go out to all participants. S. Barr requested follow-up report by I. Shadrick be scheduled for February 2020 meeting.

•	2019 Missouri Blind Literacy Study: Seunghee Han, Planner, OSE, DESE
Annual study of educational status of eligible blind/visually impaired students reported to Missouri Legislature each year on December 1. To view report, visit https://dese.mo.gov/special-education/blindness-literacy-reports.

To view PowerPoint presentation, visit https://dese.mo.gov/blind-task-force-meeting- handouts-and-resources

•	Blind Skills Specialists (BSS November Reports: DJ Butcher, Anthony Blades, Jessica Hall To view full final report, go to https://dese.mo.gov/special-education/effective- practices/blindness-skills-specialists-program.
•	VI Eligibility Changes to State Regulations presentation tabled until the February 2020 meeting. Due to inclement weather, the presenters Jane Herder and Geoffrey Barney were unable to attend.

•	DESE Update, Stephen Barr, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Special Education, DESE
o	Presented report of current issues and updates related to the following areas:
•	State Budget
•	Federal Budget
•	State Leadership Development Grant
•	State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP)
•	Alternate Assessment Participation

•	2020 Sub Committees: Membership and Chairpersons: L. Whitworth
o	Academic and Vocational Services – Sub Committee Chairperson: L. Whitworth Add Rose Ehresman, Teacher of the Visually Impaired
o	Children’s Vision Summit - Sub Committee Chairperson: I. Shadrick
Add Rose Ehresman, Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Carla Keirns, Parent of VI/Blind Student
o	Rules – Sub Committee Chairperson: L. Coccovizzo – No changes to membership.
o	Student Achievement – Assignment of new Chairperson for this committee tabled for the February meeting. Add Rose Ehresman, Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Carla Keirns, Parent of VI/Blind Student
o	
•	BTF New Members/Vacancies/Updates: L. Whitworth
o	New members are Rose Ehresman, Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Carla Keirns, Parent of VI/Blind Student Attending Public School in Missouri
o	Current Vacancies – 1-Public School Special Education Administrator; 1-Public School Building Principal; 1-Employer; 2-Students
o	Term Renewal –
•	June Lenk, Consumer Organization: Missouri Council for the Blind, agreed to serve a third term to expire 1/31/2023.
•	Linda Coccovizzo, Parent of Blind or Visually Impaired Student Attending Public School in Missouri, agreed to serve a third term to expire 9/30/2022.
•	Brent Sharp, Public School Special Education Administrator, agreed to serve a second term to expire 2/28/2023.
•	Regina notified and extended an invitation to Reeda Rippee to serve a third term to begin 1/31/2020.
o	What regions of the state are currently unrepresented by the Blind Task Force membership? I. Shadrick, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (RSB), will research.

o	DJ Butcher, Blind Skills Specialist, currently has two students in mind to consider for the two student vacancies. She will follow up and direct them to complete the nomination form found at https://dese.mo.gov/special-education/advisory- panels/blind-task-force.

•	2020 Meeting Dates/Location/Catering: L. Whitworth
o	Tuesday, February 4, 2020, Room 210
o	Tuesday, May 5, 2020, Room 202
o	Tuesday, August 4, 2020, Room 202
o	Tuesday, November 10, 2020, Room 101
o	McAlister’s will continue to provide catering in 2020
o	I. Shadrick emailed Regina the final room assignments as noted above on 11/19/20.

•	2020 Blind Task Force Officers: L. Whitworth
o	Chairperson, L. Whitworth
o	Vice Chairperson, L. Coccovizzo
o	Secretary, R. Rippee

•	Current Workshops/Events: Regina is currently working to create a page online to access this information. https://dese.mo.gov/special-education/advisory-panels/blind-task-force.

•	Agenda for next scheduled meeting scheduled for February 4, 2020
o	VI Eligibility Changes to State Regulations: J. Herder, G. Barney
o	End of Year Report for MSB: J. Herder
o	Follow-up Report on survey results from Children’s Vision Summit: I. Shadrick
o	Blind Task Force Website Update: R. Miller
o	Results of electronic nominations/appointment of Blind Task Force 2020 Officers
o	Assign a new chairperson to head the Student Achievement Sub-Committee

•	Motion to adjourn made by L. Coccovizzo. Motion seconded by I. Shadrick. Meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.