09500SJ0054 Engrossed LRB095 11875 NHT 34976 r

1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 54
2
(As Amended by Senate Amendments No. 1 & 2)

 
3     WHEREAS, The provision of a free, appropriate public
4 education for a student with a visual impairment can occur only
5 with the proper concentrated services, equipment,
6 appropriately certified staff, and access to education; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Children and youth who are visually impaired face
8 unique and significant barriers related to their instruction
9 that profoundly affect most aspects of the educational process,
10 including the impact of ever changing technology and the world
11 it encompasses; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Blindness and visual impairments are often
13 considered secondary disabilities, thus the specialized
14 educational needs of the blind and visually impaired are rarely
15 fully addressed; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Children and youth with visual impairments are
17 guaranteed an education in the least restrictive setting,
18 determined on an individual basis, meaning that they are
19 entitled to be integrated as fully as possible into the regular
20 classroom, as appropriate; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Full access to education depends upon an

 

 

09500SJ0054 Engrossed - 2 - LRB095 11875 NHT 34976 r

1 educational environment that utilizes the appropriate
2 materials and properly and fully trained staff and provides for
3 direct communication between staff, students, parents, and
4 peers; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The Illinois School for the Visually Impaired
6 should become the go-to facility for best teaching practices
7 regarding programs for children with visual impairments and the
8 statewide center for training, technical assistance, outreach,
9 and specialized curriculum development; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The Illinois School for the Visually Impaired
11 should include on-going training and technical assistance for
12 itinerant, mainstream, and private school educators; and
 
13     WHEREAS, The Illinois School for the Visually Impaired
14 should include specific programming on visual impairments for
15 teaching and rehabilitation professionals from both the State
16 Board of Education and the Department of Human Services; and
 
17     WHEREAS, While unemployment in the nation continues to
18 drop, the unemployment rate for people with visual impairments
19 is over 70%; and
 
20     WHEREAS, There should be greater access to transitional
21 services for students who are blind or visually impaired

 

 

09500SJ0054 Engrossed - 3 - LRB095 11875 NHT 34976 r

1 entering vocational rehabilitation services and employment;
2 and
 
3     WHEREAS, Successful transitional programs may result in
4 better services and jobs, knowledgeable self-advocates, and
5 achievement of competitive outcomes; therefore, be it
 
6     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
7 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
8 CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Joint Task Force
9 on Blind and Visually Impaired Educational Options, consisting
10 of the following members, appointed as follows:
11         (1) the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of
12     the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
13     and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives
14     shall each appoint one member;
15         (2) the Governor shall appoint a parent representative
16     from the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired and 3
17     regional parent representatives, one each from northern,
18     central, and southern Illinois;
19         (3) the following entities shall each appoint one
20     member: the State Board of Education, the Department of
21     Human Services, the Illinois School for the Visually
22     Impaired, the Illinois Association of Regional
23     Superintendents of Schools, the LightHouse for the Blind
24     and Visually Impaired, the Illinois School for the Visually

 

 

09500SJ0054 Engrossed - 4 - LRB095 11875 NHT 34976 r

1     Impaired Alumni Association, the National Federation of
2     the Blind of Illinois, the Illinois Council of the Blind,
3     Early Intervention, the Illinois Association for Education
4     and Rehabilitation, the Illinois Vision Leadership
5     Council, the Philip J. Rock Center, the Helen Keller
6     National Center, the Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors,
7     Illinois Parents of the Visually Impaired, the Blind
8     Services Planning Council, the Illinois School for the
9     Visually Impaired's Advisory Board, the Visual
10     Disabilities education program at Northern Illinois
11     University, and the Specialist in Low Vision and Blindness
12     education program at Illinois State University; and be it
13     further
 
14     RESOLVED, That the State representative and State senator
15 who represent the districts that are home to the Illinois
16 School for the Visually Impaired shall serve as co-chairpersons
17 of the Task Force; and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That all members of the Task Force shall serve
19 without compensation; and be it further
 
20     RESOLVED, That the duty of the Task Force is to undertake a
21 comprehensive and thorough review of the education of and
22 services available to the blind and visually impaired children
23 of this State with the intent of making recommendations that

 

 

09500SJ0054 Engrossed - 5 - LRB095 11875 NHT 34976 r

1 would recognize the need for delivering full educational
2 services to a blind or visually impaired student, ensure that
3 schools have the most updated and adequate equipment to provide
4 services to blind and visually impaired students, and recognize
5 the need for teachers trained in the unique needs of blind and
6 visually impaired students; recommending research-based
7 methods and procedures to develop curricula for blind and
8 visually impaired students; and providing a comprehensive
9 review of the needs and operation of all educational entities
10 providing services to students who are blind or visually
11 impaired, including the Illinois School for the Visually
12 Impaired; and be it further
 
13     RESOLVED, That the Task Force should look towards states
14 that have successful, independent, and adequate educational
15 models for students with visual impairments, such as the
16 Washington State School for the Blind; and be it further
 
17     RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education and the
18 Department of Human Services shall together administer and
19 prepare all reports deemed necessary in conjunction with the
20 Task Force's activities; and be it further
 
21     RESOLVED, That the Task Force may request assistance from
22 any entity necessary or useful for the performance of the Task
23 Force's duties; and be it further
 

 

 

09500SJ0054 Engrossed - 6 - LRB095 11875 NHT 34976 r

1     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall report its
2 recommendations to the General Assembly on or before December
3 31, 2008; and be it further
 
4     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
5 delivered to the Governor, the State Board of Education, the
6 Department of Human Services, the Illinois School for the
7 Visually Impaired, the Illinois Association of Regional
8 Superintendents of Schools, the LightHouse for the Blind and
9 Visually Impaired, the Illinois School for the Visually
10 Impaired Alumni Association, the National Federation of the
11 Blind of Illinois, the Illinois Council of the Blind, Early
12 Intervention, the Illinois Association for Education and
13 Rehabilitation, the Illinois Vision Leadership Council, the
14 Philip J. Rock Center, the Helen Keller National Center, the
15 Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors, Illinois Parents of the
16 Visually Impaired, the Blind Services Planning Council, the
17 Illinois School for the Visually Impaired's Advisory Board, the
18 Visual Disabilities education program at Northern Illinois
19 University, and the Specialist in Low Vision and Blindness
20 education program at Illinois State University.