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Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID)
Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation Services

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THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 
DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Tel. (518) 474-2714
Fax (518) 474-8802

May  2005

To:            Individuals Interested in the Education of Students with Disabilities

From:        Rebecca H. Cort 

Subject:  Announcement of Public Hearings on Proposed Amendments to the Regulations of the  Commissioner of Education to Conform to the  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as amended in 2004

The New York State Education Department, Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), has scheduled three public hearings on its proposed regulations to implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as reauthorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.  The regulations are scheduled for discussion at the June Regents meeting and for action at the Regents meeting in September.

A copy of the proposed regulations will be available after May 13, 2005 and may be accessed at:

http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/timely.htm
or
http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/idea/home.html

Public comment on the proposed regulations will be accepted until July 25, 2005.  In addition to providing comment at the scheduled public hearings, you may also provide written public comment on the proposed regulations by writing to:  VESID, Special Education Policy and Partnerships Unit, Room 1624, One Commerce Plaza, Albany, New York 12234, Attention P. Geary.  If you prefer, you may post your comments through the Internet using the following address: http://discus.nysed.gov/cgi-bin/discus-mando/discus.cgi.  Comments may also be faxed to 518-473-5387.

Public Hearings:

• Pre-registration is not required.

• You must bring photo identification and follow sign-in procedures, which may include a security scanning, as required at the door.

• Individuals may register to comment at the door on a first-come, first-served basis.  Comments can be oral or written.  Written comments that accompany oral remarks are optional.

• The meeting rooms are accessible to individuals with disabilities.

• Individuals who need accommodations for a disability in order to attend the meeting (i.e., interpreting services and material in an alternative format) should notify Carol Northrup, cnorthru@mail.nysed.gov, at 518-473-2878 no later than two weeks before the scheduled meeting date. 

The public hearing sessions are scheduled as follows:

*   Participants wishing to provide comment between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. must arrive and register no later than 6:30 p.m.

Please check the following two VESID websites prior to the meeting dates for materials and any changes regarding these meetings:

http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/timely.htm
and
http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/idea/home.html

Questions regarding the public hearings may be directed to Joanne LaCrosse at (518) 486-7462 and questions regarding the proposed regulations may be directed to Patricia Geary at (518) 473-2878. 

Proposed Amendments to the Regulations of the  Commissioner of Education to Conform to the  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as amended in 2004