November Board Brief

U.S. equities with favorable Environmental, Social & Governance practices (ESG stocks) have been added to diversified classifications of long-term investments in CEC’s Investment Guidelines. ESGs are also now referenced in the Long-Term Investment Vehicles & Asset Mix. 

The approved 2022 operating budget forecasts a positive surplus for the third consecutive year. 

The Board approved providing $10K from the 2021 budget for donation-matching to support CEC’s Giving Tuesday efforts in 2021. 

Following the 60-day comment period on revising the powers and duties of the Executive Director and the minimum membership criteria for the Leadership Development Committee (LDC), the Board finalized approval. 

The Executive Director (ED) is now able to serve as an ex-officio non-voting member of all appointed bodies or designate a member of the staff to serve as an ex-officio non-voting designee. As with all matters, the ED is expected to recuse himself with matters that may present a conflict of interest. 

The minimum membership criteria for the LDC changed from having to be a CEC member for the past three years, with a minimum total of five years membership to a minimum total of three years membership. 

The Board approved the following motions, which would require revising CEC Bylaws. Members can submit comments on the proposed revisions by 11:59 pm Eastern, January 21, 2022.

Learn More and Submit Comments

Leadership Development Committee Chair Succession Model

Implement a process for a vice-chair(s) to become chair/co-chairs of the Leadership Development Committee through a succession model, allowing for the flexibility annually to select from either option below. 

1. A Chair/Vice-Chair model where the chair would be a third-year committee member and the vice-chair a second-year committee member who would be learning the role.  
2. A model for co-chairs from within the committee. Specifically, two members in their third year of service would serve as co-chairs for one year. The LDC has three members in each “class,” so two would have to volunteer. The co-chairs would serve as vice co-chairs during their second year, being groomed/prepared for the co-chair position. 

Honors Committee Restructure and Co-Chair Succession Model 

Change the terms of appointment to the Honors Committee from two years to three years; reduce the number of members on the committee from seven to six; and to have the two members in their third year serve as co-chairs for one year. 

Yes I Can Committee Restructure and Co-Chair Succession Model 

Change the terms of appointment to the Yes I Can Committee from two years to three years; reduce the number of members on the committee from seven to six; and to have the two members in their third year serve as co-chairs for one year. 

The voting period for the election of members of the Board of Directors was changed from four weeks to at least two weeks. The four-week policy was enacted prior to having the ability to vote online.  

The process for naming (Co)Chair(s) for the LAC was revised from a recommendation by the host state unit and appointment by the board to identification by CEC staff, or recommendation by the Unit leadership at the request of the new Staff Convention Committee (which includes the Executive Director), and selection by the Executive Director with input from the Staff Convention Committee. 

Following CEC’s Procedures for Developing Policy and Position Statements, which include seeking input from members and divisions, the Policy Steering Committee (PSC) submitted the following updated position statements, which were approved by the Board:  
 

1. Strengthening the Teacher Workforce
   
   This replaces position statements adopted by the Board in response to the implementation of the No Child Left Behind in 2001 and the later re-authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. These statements included Academic Subject Matter Content of the General Curriculum (2004) and Special Educators and Teacher Evaluation (2004). It also aligns well with a number of documents adopted by the Board, including the Well-Prepared Special Education Teacher (2004), the Ethical Principles, Professional Practice Guidelines, and the Preparation Standards for special educators. All currently adopted standards are available on the CEC website.
   
   Read the Full Position Statement
    

2. Multi-Tiered System of Support
   
   CEC last updated its Policy on Response to Intervention (RTI) in 2009. Since then, RTI has evolved to Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). One of the initial tasks of the PSC was to bring it into alignment with practices in schools across the country. The team reviewed developments in schools throughout the nation, documents from the national U.S. Department of Education funded technical centers (e.g., National Center on Intensive Interventions [NCII], Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports [PBIS]), and resource documents from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) in the U.S. Department of Education. Each of these documents was used in the development of a draft version approved for review by the PSC.
   
   Read the New Position Statement