Effective July 1, 2009 - Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Centers

Announcement - New Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Centers - September 2009

NYSED/VESID has established 10 Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Centers (RSE-TASC) to act as a coordinated statewide network of special education technical assistance centers.  As a network, all RSE-TASCs will 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 of students with disabilities. NYSED directs the technical assistance resources of RSE-TASC to those school districts determined by VESID as at risk of or needing assistance or intervention to improve results for students with disabilities and to meet the State’s targets for improvement as identified in the State Performance Plan (SPP). VESID determines if a school district needs assistance or intervention or is at risk of such determinations based on its performance in comparison to the State's six year SPP targets for improvement. 

RSE-TASCs are specifically structured with resources that will provide expertise to school districts to improve core instructional programs that research has shown to be effective for students with disabilities and to provide improved coordination of regional resources and accountability to VESID for results.  Each RSE-TASC includes both regional technical assistance specialists and special education school improvement specialists who are located within each Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and in each of the Big Five School Districts (Buffalo, New York City, Syracuse, Rochester and Yonkers).  While the regional specialists will provide training and technical assistance to groups of school districts across the region, the special education school improvement specialists will be working solely with those school districts identified by VESID for ongoing school district improvement in core instructional areas for students with disabilities.  Specialists and their roles and responsibilities within RSE-TASCs are as follows:

RSE-TASC Specialists

Professional staff in each RSE-TASC will include:

• RSE-TASC Coordinator serves as the liaison to VESID for all RSE-TASC services provided in the region; ensures that the technical assistance is delivered by specialists according to VESID’s requirements.
• Regional Special Education Training Specialists provide training and information through regional training sessions relating to special education requirements and effective practices.
• Bilingual Special Education Specialists provide regional information and technical assistance on New York State requirements and effective practices for bilingual/English language learner (ELL) students with disabilities.
• Nondistrict Technical Assistance Providers provide training, technical assistance on special education and school improvement to selected school-age approved private schools.
• Transition Specialists work with school districts to improve the school to post school transition planning process for students with disabilities.  
• Behavior Specialists work with VESID designated school districts, particularly with those school districts with significant discrepancies in the long term suspension rates for students with disabilities, to establish and sustain positive behavioral interventions and supports within those school districts. 
• Special Education School Improvement Specialists work to build the capacity of school districts with specific low performing school districts and other schools designated by VESID to improve instructional practices primarily in the areas of literacy, behavioral supports and special education for students with disabilities.