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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.              H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR
    THE DELIVERY OF SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES THAT IS
    CONSISTENT WITH ITS COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUPPORT SYSTEM.



 1        WHEREAS, the number of special education students deemed
 2   eligible for speech and language services increased from 6,668
 3   in fiscal year 1992-1993 to 8,451 in fiscal year 1998-1999; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, the number of special education students deemed
 6   eligible for speech and language services is expected to rise
 7   as more children with special needs are identified; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
10   and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 guarantee all children with
11   disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education;
12   and
13   
14        WHEREAS, the Department of Education (DOE)has not
15   developed a statewide plan for the delivery of speech-language-
16   hearing services as part of its comprehensive student support
17   system; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, the most serious consequence of not having such a
20   plan has been that speech pathologist caseloads have grown to
21   the point where the quality of services provided to children
22   cannot be maintained; now, therefore,
23   
24        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
25   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
26   of 2000, that the DOE is requested to develop a plan for the
27   delivery of speech and language services that is consistent
28   with its comprehensive student support system; and
29   
30        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the DOE's plan include
31   recommendations for:
32   
33        (1) A limit on speech pathologist caseloads that takes
34            into account the type and severity of disabilities and
35            the amount of services required;
36   
37        (2) The number of speech pathologists and communication
38            aides needed to fully implement the plan based on the
39            caseload limit;

 
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 1        (3)  A timetable for fully implementing the plan; and
 2   
 3        (4)  A budget for fully implementing the plan based on the
 4             timetable;
 5   and
 6   
 7        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the DOE's plan include a
 8   detailed explanation of:
 9   
10        (1)  How the recommended case load limit for speech
11             pathologists was determined; and 
12   
13        (2)  How this figure was used to determine the number of
14             speech pathologist and communication aide positions
15             needed to fully implement the plan; 
16   
17   and
18   
19        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the DOE include a detailed
20   explanation of:
21   
22        (1)  How the recommended timetable was determined; and 
23   
24        (2)  How this timetable was used to determine the budget
25             for fully implementing the plan; 
26   
27   and
28   
29        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the DOE consult with the
30   Hawaii Speech-Language-Hearing Association Public School Caucus
31   during the preparation of the plan; and
32   
33        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the DOE submit its plan to the
34   Legislature at least sixty days prior to the convening of the
35   Regular Session of 2001; and
36   
37        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
38   Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of
39   Education, the Superintendent of Education, and the Chair of
40   the Hawaii Speech-Language-Hearing Association Public School
41   Caucus.