Sec. 13a.05.02.05. State Advisory Committee

A. The State Superintendent of Schools shall appoint a State Advisory Committee for Special Education.

B. Membership shall represent the population and geographic diversity of the State.

C. The term of appointment for each member shall be 3 years. Members may be reappointed for one term.

D. The State Advisory Committee shall include:

(1) Parents of students, ages birth through 26 years old, with disabilities;

(2) Individuals with disabilities;

(3) Special education and general education teachers;

(4) Representatives from institutions of higher education that prepare special education and related services personnel;

(5) State and local school system officials, including general education administrators and officials responsible for the implementation of COMAR 13A.05.09;

(6) Administrators of programs for students with disabilities;

(7) Representatives from other State agencies involved in financing or delivering related services to students with disabilities;

(8) Representatives from nonpublic schools and public charter schools;

(9) Not less than one representative of a vocational, community, or business organization concerned with the provision of transition services to students with disabilities;

(10) Representatives from the State juvenile and adult corrections agencies;

(11) A representative of the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS); and

(12) A representative of the State Parent Training and Information Center.

E. A majority of the members shall be individuals with disabilities or parents of students, ages birth through 26 years old, with disabilities.

F. The State Advisory Committee shall:

(1) Advise the Department of unmet needs within the State in the education of students with disabilities;

(2) Comment publicly on any regulations proposed by the Department regarding the education of students with disabilities;

(3) Advise the Department in developing evaluations and reporting data to the Secretary of the U. S. Department of Education under 20 U.S.C. §1418;

(4) Advise the Department in developing corrective action plans to address findings identified in federal monitoring reports under Part B of the Act; and

(5) Advise the Department in developing and implementing policies relating to the coordination of services for students with disabilities.

G. Meetings.

(1) The State Advisory Committee shall meet at least four times per year, or as often as necessary, to conduct its business.

(2) Official minutes shall be kept on State Advisory Committee meetings and shall be made available to the public on request.

(3) State Advisory Committee meetings, including agendas, shall be publicly announced before the meetings and the meetings shall be open to the public consistent with 20 U.S.C. §1412(a)(21).

(4) Interpreters and other necessary services shall be provided for Advisory Committee members or participants.

(5) State Advisory Committee members shall serve without compensation, but the State shall reimburse the members for reasonable and necessary expenses for attending meetings and performing duties.

H. Annual Report.

(1) Not later than July 1 of each year, the State Advisory Committee shall submit an annual report of Committee activities and suggestions to the Department.

(2) The report shall be made available to the public in a manner consistent with other public reporting requirements under the Act.

I. The State may use Part B funds allocated under 20 U.S.C. §1411 for the services in §F(4) and (5) of this regulation.