[CT-NFB] FW: Legislative Update to the BESB Advisory Board

Mon Apr 7 19:43:57 UTC 2025

From: Drew, Lisa <Lisa.Drew at ct.gov> 
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2025 1:38 PM
To: Ferron-Poole, Astread O. <Astread.Ferron-Poole at ct.gov>; Eileen Akers
<egakers25 at gmail.com>; dawgmawm at gmail.com; kcdesign123 at hotmail.com;
pride11292003 at yahoo.com; erival at comcast.net; marysilverfox at gmail.com;
Lassen, Christopher <Christopher.Lassen at ct.gov>; Gulino-Farnum, Kailie
<Kailie.Gulino-Farnum at ct.gov>; crival at comcast.net; ambassador.ct Mikaela
<ambassador.ct at usher-syndrome.org>; SECT of Blind
<centeroftheblind at gmail.com>; Phillip A. Magalnick <philmag at optonline.net>;
rivalbeth at gmail.com; Burgard, Mary <Mary.Burgard at ct.gov>;
pduke58 at comcast.net; kristen dockendorff <kdockendorff at gmail.com>; Thal,
Stephen <stephenthal at sbcglobal.net>; Summ, Catherine <Catherine.Summ at ct.gov>
Subject: Legislative Update to the BESB Advisory Board

All,

Please see the Legislative Update to the BESB Advisory Board.

Legislative Update to the BESB Advisory Board

by Jennifer Proto, ADS Legislative & Administrative Advisor

4-3-2025

HB 7025, An Act Concerning Updating the Staffing Methodology for Teachers of
Visually Impaired Children, would eliminate reference to an outdated
statutory formula (CGS § 17a-812(b)(3)) that credits 6 points for each child
learning braille (10% of our student caseload) and 1 point for each
non-braille student (90% of our caseload), with a recommendation of one
full-time certified teacher who instructs students who are visually impaired
assigned per 25 points credited. 

The new replacement language aligns with our current practice by requiring
consideration of the instruction levels established in the students
individualized education plan (IEP) or 504 service plan, the students
geographical location, and other relevant caseload management factors to
determine the number of teachers needed to serve the school districts.
Considering multiple factors relevant to the unique needs of students with
blindness or visual impairments allows for a more realistic determination of
teacher workload and to efficiently utilize teacher capacity to effectively
serve as many students as possible within our budgeted resources.

Wasnt voted out of Human Services Committee but we hope to work with the
Chairs to get it added to another piece of legislation. 

SB 1158, An Act Concerning the Establishment of a Department on Aging, has
the stated goal of aligning agency functions and improving efficiency and
service delivery, but for several reasons we have opposed this bill. 

Over the last 30 years, services for Connecticuts older adults have gone
through several restructurings (1997, 2013, and 2018). Each time this
restructuring occurs, we must shift the focus of our limited administrative
resources to creating new infrastructure, policies, and process flows -
which drains support away from our frontline staff and their critical work.
With the last restructuring in 2018, we brought services for older adults
and people with disabilities together under one umbrella. We embraced this
move, as it made sense in light of Connecticut and national demographic
trends. It is also structured this way at the federal level under the
Administration for Community Living (ACL), in recognition of the fact that
the prevalence of disabilities increases as we age.

Fracturing our services yet again will set us back in terms of our ability
to effectively meet the needs of older adults in Connecticut. This was voted
out of the committee, but as there would be a cost associated with it, we
are hoping that fiscal barrier will stop this legislation in its tracks. 

sHB 6932 An Act Concerning the Establishment of a State Interpreting
Standards Board, as its title indicates, would establish a new standards
board for interpreters. The bill would allow interpreters who hold different
certificates or credentials from recognized credentialing organizations to
apply to the Board for an approved credential equivalent, substitute, or
waiver for a set period of time. The bill additionally requires the board to
establish education, training and certification requirements for
interpreters working in community, educational, legal, and medical settings
and operational standards for interpreter agencies and service providers
providing interpreting services in these settings. The board would handle
all complaints concerning noncompliance, hold hearings under the Uniform
Administrative Procedure Act (UAPA), and refer them to local law enforcement
or credentialling agencies as needed. 

We have also opposed this proposal due to timing and had requested that our
new Director, who has been onboard for just 3 months, be given time to learn
about the services, understand the challenges and potential solutions, and
work to set a course that meets the needs of the community. That may include
the creation of an Interpreting Standards Board, it may mean focusing on
recruitment into the profession, or it may reflect best practices from other
states. And currently this position is funded through temporary ARPA funds
which is not sufficient to cover existing requirements, never mind new ones.

This was also voted out of the committee, but we are trying to negotiate a
compromise to amend the bill later during session. 

Lisa Drew
Administrative Assistant 

ADS - Aging and Disability Services

BESB- Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind

Phone: 860-876-9471

 <mailto:lisa.drew at ct.com> Lisa Drew's Email

Check out our new website for information and services:

  <https://portal.ct.gov/ads?language=en_US> Department of Aging and
Disability Services

 <https://portal.ct.gov/ads?language=en_US> Department of Aging and
Disability Services

Explore Connecticut's Department of Aging & Disability Services for
resources, programs, services, and FAQs designed to help the older
individuals and individuals with disabilities.

portal.ct.gov

?

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/attachments/20250407/a3d143d3/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5658 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/attachments/20250407/a3d143d3/attachment.png>