The New York State Department of Education (NYSED), through the Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) formerly funded 41 Special Education Training and Resource Centers (SETRC), seven Transition Coordination Sites (TCS) and seven Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Technical Assistance/Training Sites. These networks were among the primary providers of the professional development and technical assistance to school districts that need assistance and/or intervention in order to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.

Effective July 1, 2009 VESID established 10 Regional Special Education Centers (RSE-TASC) to act as Special Education Technical Assistance Centers (TAC). Each RSE-TASC has a Coordinator and regional technical assistance specialists, which are known as the RSE-TASC, Part 1. There are 41 additional contracts for special education school improvement specialists located throughout the RSE-TASC region, which are known as RSE-TASC, Part 2. As a regional network, all RSE-TASCs work in partnership with VESID’s Special Education Quality Assurance (SEQA) offices, and other VESID and NYSED supported initiatives to provide directed technical assistance and professional development to improve instructional practices and outcomes for students with disabilities.

The Special Education School Improvement Specialists (RSE-TASC, Part 2) will provide targeted technical assistance to school districts determined by VESID to be “at risk”, “in need of assistance”, or “in need of intervention” in order to (a) improve results for students with disabilities and (b) to meet the State’s targets for improvement as identified in the State Performance Plan (SPP). The Special Education School Improvement Specialists will be expected to focus professional development and technical assistance activities to improve instructional practices to improve performance and outcomes for students with disabilities in the areas of literacy, behavioral supports, and the delivery of special education services. The school improvement goals, activities, and assessment of progress toward improving student outcomes will be documented and monitored through a Quality Improvement Process (QIP).
The Special Education School Improvement Specialists work directly with school districts identified through the VESID regional planning process to bring and sustain high quality, research-based practices in the areas of literacy, behavioral supports and special education instruction to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Special Education School Improvement Specialists will work with each of the designated school districts, including school districts identified for VESID Quality Assurance Focused Monitoring Reviews to:

• conduct an analysis of data relating to results for students with disabilities to identify the area(s) of instructional review and improvement for the school district;
• conduct an analysis and review of instructional practices, using the Quality Indicator Review and Resource Guides developed for this purpose (http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/techassist/QIcover.htm);
• develop upfront agreements with districts/schools to establish the level and type of commitment the district/school will make to improve and sustain improvements in its instructional programs and practices for students with disabilities;
• document the professional development and support to be provided directly by the school improvement specialist on the VESID required Quality Improvement Process (QIP) plan;
• provide high quality, professional development to the school district in a manner that will lead to district-wide improvement of instructional programs and practices;
• assure systems of progress monitoring are established and progress is documented;
• review and revise the QIP as necessary to ensure systemic change is occurring;
• communicate with the VESID SEQA office on issues and concerns in their work with identified school districts; and
• submit the QIP for each district to VESID as required by VESID.
• participate in VESID directed professional development, statewide meetings as required by VESID, and as necessary to enhance and maintain knowledge and skills in research-based instructional practices and research based school improvement activities;
• participate in workgroups as established by VESID, including workgroups to develop, review and revise Quality Indicator Review and Resource Guides; and
• provide reports of work accountability in the time periods and format required by VESID.
  

The professional development to be provided through the RSE-TASC, Part 2 (at no cost to administrators, teachers, or parents) will be targeted to improve outcomes for students with disabilities and will include information on: