Blind & Visually-Impaired Student Fund

Scott McCallum, NWRESDJulie York, ODE

Objectives

Establishment of fundPurposesMeasures of SuccessBVIS Fund Requests

BVIS Fund

The Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) Student Fund was established upon closure of the Oregon School for the Blind (OSB) in 2009.

Five allowable purposes were established for the fund.

Purpose #1

Assisting students who are blind or visually impaired in receiving appropriate resources and services, including educational services, in the communities where the students reside.BVI Fund Administration.Tuition for students placed at the Washington

State School for the Blind.Transition and specialized programs. Technology equipment to enhance instruction

based on individual requests . Technology to improve Braille production.

Purpose #2

Supplementing funds available to regional programs and to ensure access to the expanded core curriculum for students who are blind or visually impaired.

Summer Programs for the Expanded Core. Enrichment opportunities.

Purpose #3

Coordinating professional development of persons who provide educational services to students who are blind or visually impaired.

Four regional OAKS Braille information/training workshops.

Develop brochure for general education teachers with tips and live links to teaching resources for students with visual impairments.

Develop online webinar series for general education teachers statewide serving vision impaired students.

Purpose #3 cont’d.

Employ a VI Technology Outreach Specialist to support regional programs and IEP team statewide to aid in the assessment and recommendation of technology needs and services.

Annual training for educators, transcribers, and parents of students who are blind/visually impaired.

Purpose #4

Providing technical assistance for the purpose of providing educational services to students who are blind or visually impaired.Build a website that includes statewide program

updates and general information.Develop assistive technology assessment kits

available to regional programs.

Purpose #5

Coordinating activities for the benefit of students who are blind or visually impaired.Partner with Commission for the Blind for Salem

Summer Work Experience Program (SWEP).Partner with Northwest Association for Blind

Athletes (NWABA) for the following activities: ◦Goalball League development,◦Recreation and Leisure activities

Measures of Success

Students making adequate yearly progress in current placements

Reduce timeline for turn-around of instructional materials in Braille

Improvement in functional assessments (pre/post data) based on Expanded Core curriculum

Webinar series developed by teachers of vision-impaired (TVI)

Measures of Success cont’d.

Implementation of effective instructional practices from general education teachers participating in webinars

Satisfaction from parent and teacher surveyImprove access to the general education

curriculum with improved assessment techniques

BVIS Fund Requests

Driven by IEP and only for students with a current VI eligibility (40).

Cannot supplant the school district/regional program responsibility.

Requests for students who were at OSB at the time of closure are given priority/special consideration as outlined in the house bill..

All requests are considered on an individual basisAll requests are submitted to BVIS/ODEAll requests must be approved before

reimbursement and/or purchases will be made