72-3408. State advisory council for special education; composition; duties; expenses; meetings. (a) There is established a state advisory council for special education which shall consist of not more than 21 members. Members of the advisory council shall be appointed by the state board of education, and shall serve for a term of three years. No member may serve more than two consecutive terms. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the membership of the advisory council for any reason other than the expiration of the term of a member, the state board shall appoint a successor for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(b) (1) The advisory council established under this section shall be representative of the state population and be comprised of persons involved in, or concerned with, the education of exceptional children, including: (A) Parents of exceptional children, ages birth through 26 years. At least one of such parents shall be the parent of a gifted child; (B) individuals with disabilities; (C) teachers; (D) representatives of institutions of higher education that prepare special education and related services personnel; (E) state and local education officials, including officials who carry out activities under the federal McKinney-Vento homeless education act, 42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.; (F) administrators of programs for exceptional children; (G) representatives of other state agencies involved in the financing or delivery of related services to exceptional children; (H) representatives of private schools and public charter schools; (I) at least one representative of a vocational, community, or business organization concerned with the provision of transition services to children with disabilities; (J) representatives from the state juvenile and adult corrections agencies; and (K) a representative from the state agency responsible for foster care of children.

(2) A majority of the members of the advisory council shall be individuals with disabilities or parents of children with disabilities ages birth through 26.

(c) The state advisory council for special education shall:

(1) Advise the state board of unmet needs within the state in the education of exceptional children;

(2) comment publicly on any rules and regulations proposed by the state board regarding the education of exceptional children;

(3) advise the state board in developing evaluations and reporting on data to the federal government;

(4) advise the state board in developing corrective action plans to address findings identified in federal monitoring reports; and

(5) advise the state board in developing and implementing policies relating to the coordination of services for exceptional children.

(d) Members of the state advisory council for special education attending meetings of such council, or attending a subcommittee meeting thereof authorized by the state board, shall be paid subsistence allowances, mileage and other expenses as provided in K.S.A. 75-3223, and amendments thereto.

(e) The state board shall call the members of the advisory council to meet at least once each year, at which meeting the council shall organize by electing a chairperson and a vice-chairperson. The person in the department specified to be the principal administrator of special education and related services shall be the secretary of the advisory council. The council shall meet upon the call of the chairperson or upon the call of the state board as often as may be necessary at times and places designated by the chairperson or by the state board in order to fulfill the duties prescribed under the provisions of this act.

History: L. 1974, ch. 290, § 4; L. 1982, ch. 292, § 1; L. 1987, ch. 268, § 4; L. 1999, ch. 116, § 6; L. 2005, ch. 171, § 4; July 1.