Regent Tisch Speaks on Spec. Ed.
By Pola Rosen, Ed.D.

Regent Merryl Tisch is on target and concise. As Chair of the Board of Regents Committee on Vocational and Education Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), her area of expertise is special education, a hotbed of controversy among politicians, educators, and parent groups. In a recent interview she expanded on the historical background of the problems in special education, the variety of solutions and the future for children.

Seven to eight years ago, New York State started the movement toward standards. It was decided that special education students would be included. The raison d’etre, according to Regent Tisch, was that many special education students were in isolated or restrictive settings. With a wide range of needs, it was considered especially important that these students have as many opportunities available as possible. When special needs advocates vociferously insisted that passing regents exams would doom children to failure, a safety net was created. The students having difficulty could take a modified Regents Competency Test.

Additional problems facing special education is the shortage of certified teachers trained in the curriculum and the transitional services that move children from school out into life in the community. These services should start at middle school instead of at the end of high school, emphasized Tisch.

Tisch underscored that as special education students progress successfully through the system, we must ensure that higher education is available.

How does the Board of Regents accomplish its goals? Tisch explained how a task force comprised of all the players had just finished coming up with recommendations for higher education. To ensure implementation, the chancellors of CUNY and SUNY and NYS Commissioner of Education Richard Mills were on the committee. Conversations with all involved individuals included legislators; school visits were also included before decisions were made.

Even when the budget is cut, as it was recently, “the greater issue is how to best use the resources you have,” said Tisch.

“We need a community focus on special education needs. Our policies should be less law driven and focused on academic outcomes in a safe environment that provide for the emotional well-being of our children.” #

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