1. Blind & Visually-Impaired Student Fund
Scott McCallum, NWRESD
Julie York, ODE

2. Objectives Establishment of fund Purposes Measures of Success
BVIS Fund Requests
Objectives

3. 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.
During the first year of administration of the BVI student fund, the focus was on the transition of the twenty-eight students previously served at the OSB. This involved coordinating efforts among many districts across the state, providing technical assistance for equipment transferred to the districts and regional programs, and planning for the implementation of Expanded Core Curriculum offerings and recreational programs previously held at the school.
In 2010, the emphasis has been shifted from the initial students at the OSB to a vision of statewide support targeting areas in the statute. Plans are in the works for an interactive BVI website, expanding collaborative partnerships with community agencies, supporting the professional development for persons who provide educational services to these students, and increasing support to regional program efforts to provide a continuum of services and/or placement options for students who are blind or visually impaired.
BVIS Fund

4. 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 #1

5. 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 #2

6. 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

7. 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 #3 cont’d.

8. 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 #4

9. 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
Purpose #5

10. 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

11. Measures of Success cont’d.
Implementation of effective instructional practices from general education teachers participating in webinars
Satisfaction from parent and teacher survey
Improve access to the general education curriculum with improved assessment techniques
Measures of Success cont’d.

12. 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 basis
All requests are submitted to BVIS/ODE
All requests must be approved before reimbursement and/or purchases will be made
BVIS Fund Requests