(These notes are considered a draft until approved at the next scheduled meeting.)

VOTING MEMBERS: Vendetta Gutshall (President), Lynn Gosser (Past-President), Cheryl Harshman (President-elect), Gary Collings (Secretary), Margie Labelle (C), Connie Griffith (SE), Jan Dunham (E), Wendy Hite (NE), Fran Osborne (SW), Tom Adams (NC), Joan McCormick (Legislative and Research), Steve Wornhoff (Membership and Fiscal), Patti Kem (Professional Development)

OTHERS PRESENT: Pam Wright (Immediate Past-President)

ABSENT: Denise Bashore (Treasurer), Donna Krol (NW)

Vendetta Gutshall called the meeting to order and distributed cards for members to sign for both Denise Bashore and Donna Krol whose husbands have had recent surgery. Vendetta thanked Pam Wright for compiling and submitting the annual CASE report.

Vendetta reported that Lou Dickman (Richmond) will replace Tammy Ummel as chairperson of Patron/Vendor sub-committee. The Membership/Financial Committee will be studying the current levels of support and benefits for Patron Membership.

Patti Kem reported an e-mail will soon be broadcast to Directors inviting both new Directors and Assistant Directors to attend the August 5th morning session for new Directors at the ISEAS office. A joint luncheon will be available prior to the afternoon Executive Committee meeting. Vendetta confirmed that future Executive Committee meetings will be held at the ISEAS office in the HBM Special Services Cooperative building.

Joan McCormick announced that she, Kelli Waggoner (KWK), and Tom Adams will meet tomorrow with the State Superintendent to discuss: (1) the new State budget and whether the Alternative Residential line item remained in it, (2) the Professional Standards Board and the interpreter guidelines, and (3) proposed revisions to Article 7.

Vendetta reported she will be meeting tomorrow with Lee Ann Kwiatkowski, Director of Differentiated Learners <lkwiat@doe.in.gov> (317-232-0540). In a July 1 memo Kwiatkowski announced that in the next six months “we will develop a request for proposal (RFP) process which will be open to anyone wishing to apply. In the upcoming weeks the Department will send a needs assessment to Superintendents and Directors to determine how to best align our support.”

Vendetta said the main purpose of this Special Session was to discuss the major changes at IDOE and the June 30th reduction of the State Discretionary grants to a 50% level of funding for a six months duration to be replaced by a Request for Proposal (RFP) process yet to be determined.

Members discussed the potential impact of interrupted services to districts as well as the implication for federal monitoring, performance indicators, the continuous improvement monitoring system, and IDEA/Article 7 compliance.

In anticipation of the upcoming DOE Needs Assessment Survey, Vendetta proposed that the Executive Committee review the State Discretionary grants and develop “talking points” to be distributed to Directors for future reference in completing the DOE survey and communicating with superintendents and stakeholders.

Members volunteered for one of the various State projects to compile information in an outline to be drafted by Pam Wright.

The talking points may include the purpose/goals of each project, number of students impacted, activities, sub-contracts with districts, assistance with compliance indicators, and how each project meets one or more of the six (6) DOE goals (see inset below)