Mississippi § 37-23-145 - Advisory panel on special education; membership; duties.

§ 37-23-145. Advisory panel on special education; membership; duties.

The State Board of Education shall establish and maintain an advisory panel for the purpose of providing policy guidance with respect to special education and related services for children with disabilities in the State. The advisory panel shall consist of members appointed by the State Superintendent of Education who are representative of the state’s population and who are composed of individuals involved in, or concerned with, the education of children with disabilities, including: Parents of children with disabilities; Individuals with disabilities; Teachers; Representatives of institutions of higher education that prepare special education and related services personnel; State and local education officials; Administrators of programs for children with disabilities; Representatives of other state agencies involved in the financing or delivery of related services to children with disabilities; Representatives of private schools and public charter schools; At least one (1) representative of a vocational, community, or business organization concerned with the provision of transition services to children with disabilities; and Representatives from the State juvenile and adult correction agencies. A majority of the members of the panel shall be individuals with disabilities or parents of children with disabilities. The duties of the advisory panel shall include: Advise the State Department of Education of unmet needs within the State in the education of children with disabilities; Comment publicly on any rules or regulations proposed by the State Department of Education regarding the education of children with disabilities; Advise the State Department of Education in developing evaluations and reporting on data to the secretary in accordance with the requirements under IDEA; Advise the State Department of Education in developing and implementing policies relating to the coordination of services for children with disabilities; and Advise the State Department of Education in developing corrective action plans to address findings identified in federal monitoring reports under IDEA. The advisory panel shall be provided the opportunity to provide comments to the State Board of Education on rules or regulations proposed by the State Department of Education relating to the implementation of the IDEA 1997 Amendments.