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FICCIT Policies
FICCIT Meeting Policies
Introduction
By authority of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Public Law 108-446 and by Federal Regulation, 34 CFR 303.600 State Interagency Coordinating Council, Subpart GState Interagency Coordinating Council, the Florida Interagency Coordinating Council is known as the Florida Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and Toddlers (hereinafter, FICCIT).
Mission Statement
The primary mission of the FICCIT is to enhance opportunities for Florida's infants and toddlers with special needs and their families.
The primary responsibility of the FICCIT is to advise and assist the state Lead Agency and other entities in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the policies, procedures, and services provided under Part C of IDEA.
Functions and duties of the FICCIT
Pursuant to Federal statute and regulations,[1] the specific responsibility of the FICCIT includes, but is not limited to, the responsibility to:
- Advise and assist the Lead Agency in the development and implementation of the policies that constitute the statewide system;
- Advise and assist the Lead Agency in achieving the full participation, coordination, and cooperation of all appropriate public agencies in the State;
- Advise and assist the Lead Agency and the State educational agency regarding the provision of appropriate services for children aged birth to five, inclusive; and,
- Advise appropriate agencies in the State with respect to the integration of services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and at-risk infants and toddlers and their families, regardless of whether at-risk infants and toddlers are eligible for early intervention services in the State.
- Advise and assist the Lead Agency in the identification of sources of fiscal and other support for services for early intervention programs; assignment of financial responsibility to the appropriate agency; and promotion of interagency agreements under 303.523.
- Advise and assist the Lead Agency in the preparation of applications for IDEA funding and amendments to those applications.
- Advise and assist the State educational agency regarding the transition of toddlers with disabilities to services provided under part B of IDEA to preschool and other appropriate services.
Membership
Pursuant to federal law and regulation, FICCIT members are appointed by the Governor of the State of Florida and the Governor shall designate or require the membership to designate a Chairperson (hereinafter Chair) of the FICCIT. [2]
The Council shall annually elect a Vice Chair to preside at meetings in the absence of the Chair. The Vice Chair shall serve for two years.
The Chair shall appoint a Chair for each Standing Committee.
The Chair shall request each member of the Council to serve on at least one Standing Committee.
Members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled meetings in person or by telephone conference call or similar electronic means
For Members absent from three or more quarterly meetings in a twelve-month period, the Chair will provide notice to the Lead Agency and the Office of Governor.
If an individual's qualification for membership changes and the individual no longer qualifies for FICCIT membership, the Member is expected to notify the Chair and to file a letter of resignation with the Office of the Governor with a copy to the Chair for purposes of requesting the Governor to fill the upcoming membership vacancy.
Meetings
Pursuant to Federal Regulation[3], the FICCIT meets on a quarterly basis. Standing committees will also meet on a quarterly basis or as necessary to carry out the business of the Committee.
All meetings are publicly noticed in compliance with State law and the regulations of the lead Agency. All meeting agendas shall include a period for public comment.
Note: Pursuant to 34 CFR 303.603(c): Interpreters for persons who are deaf and other necessary services must be provided at Council meetings, both for Council members and participants. Pursuant to Federal and State law, all FICCIT meeting notices shall clearly display advisory language that indicates the Lead Agency will make arrangements for anyone needing special accommodations. A name, phone number, and e-mail address to contact in advance of the meeting will be provided with the advisory.
When conducting FICCIT meetings in which Members or others are attending via conference call or other electronic means, all members speaking are urged to identify themselves by name before speaking.
Half or more of the duly-appointed Members in attendance at a FICCIT meeting shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business by FICCIT.
Meeting notes of each quarterly meeting and each standing committee meeting will be distributed to the FICCIT membership, posted to the FICCIT internet website, and distributed per request from interested parties.
Meeting Notes are maintained by the Lead Agency.
Standing Committees
The FICCIT has established three (3) Standing Committees to assist the FICCIT in carrying out its primary advisory responsibilities. Each committee will have an assigned State Lead Agency staff liaison.
Each committee Chair and the Lead Agency shall maintain a list of committee members and shall arrange for committee notes and/or reports to be provided to the committee membership, full council and to the Lead Agency.
Executive Committee
The Committee shall be composed of the Chair and Vice-Chair of FICCIT, Committee Chairs of the Standing Committees, and other members that the Chair may deem necessary.
The Chair of FICCIT shall serve as Chair of the Executive Committee. Decisions of the Committee shall be reported to the FICCIT at its next scheduled meeting.
In coordination with the Lead Agency, the duties of the Committee include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Orientation of new members;
· Development of FICCIT meeting agendas;
· Coordination of the work of FICCIT standing and ad-hoc committees;
· Other matters appropriate to the operation of FICCIT in the interim between regularly scheduled meetings.
Personnel Development and Training Committee (PDAT)
The Personnel Development and Training Committee is designated to assist in the development, design, recommended implementation and evaluation of a cohesive birth- to-five training and technical assistance system for Floridas IDEA, Part C program.
The Committees primary responsibility is to advise the Council on matters affecting the recruitment, preparation, credentialing, and retention of appropriately qualified early intervention and education personnel, including families, paraprofessionals and professionals engaged in pre-service and in-service delivery.
FICCIT Outreach and Collaboration Committee
The FICCIT Outreach Committee is designated to assist the Council in the design, development, and recommended implementation and evaluation of the agencys outreach services.
The Committees primary responsibilities are to:
· Assist with the preparation of educational and awareness materials;
· Advise the Council on collaborative activity with other local, state, and federal agencies;
· Recruitment, application review, and recommendation of candidates for appointment to FICCIT;
· Participate in and/or initiate activity that can facilitate family involvement in Early Steps, including review and recommendations regarding Part C service delivery system changes as they affect families served by the Part C program;
· Assist in the preparation and review of an annual Council report as required pursuant to Federal Regulation.[4]
Ad-Hoc Committees, Task Forces and Workgroups
The FICCIT may establish or participate in ad-hoc committees, task forces, or workgroups related to the mission, function, and activities of the FICCIT.
General Policies
Substantive questions put to a vote shall be decided by a majority of duly-appointed members in attendance and voting.
Matters may be introduced for consideration by any member, by the Chair, or by designated staff.
Rules of precedence of motions and other parliamentary procedures not specified herein shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order.
Conflict of Interest
No member of FICCIT shall cast a vote on any matter which would provide direct financial benefit to that member, or the organization which employs the member, or otherwise give the appearance of a conflict of interest under State law.
Attached and made a part hereto
Federal Statute
TITLE 20 - EDUCATION
CHAPTER 33 - EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
SUBCHAPTER III - INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES
Sec. 1441. State interagency coordinating council
Federal Regulation
34 CFR Ch. III (7107 Edition)
34 CFR 303.600 State Interagency Coordinating Council
Subpart GState Interagency Coordinating Council
History
Initial draft presented: FICCIT Quarterly Meeting, June, 2009
Policies as Amended presented: FICCIT Quarterly Meeting September, 2009
Policies adopted, FICCIT Quarterly Meeting, September 2009
Federal Statute
20 USC Sec. 1441
01/08/2008
TITLE 20 - EDUCATION
CHAPTER 33 - EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
SUBCHAPTER III - INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES
Sec. 1441. State interagency coordinating council
(a) Establishment
(1) In general
A State that desires to receive financial assistance under this subchapter shall establish a State interagency coordinating council.
(2) Appointment
The council shall be appointed by the Governor. In making appointments to the council, the Governor shall ensure that the membership of the council reasonably represents the population of the State.
(3) Chairperson
The Governor shall designate a member of the council to serve as the chairperson of the council, or shall require the council to so designate such a member. Any member of the council who is a representative of the lead agency designated under section 1435(a)(10) of this title may not serve as the chairperson of the council.
(b) Composition
(1) In general The council shall be composed as follows:
(A) Parents
Not less than 20 percent of the members shall be parents of infants or toddlers with disabilities or children with disabilities aged 12 or younger, with knowledge of, or experience with, programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Not less than 1 such member shall be a parent of an infant or toddler with a disability or a child with a disability aged 6 or younger.
(B) Service providers
Not less than 20 percent of the members shall be public or private providers of early intervention services.
(C) State legislature
Not less than 1 member shall be from the State legislature.
(D) Personnel preparation
Not less than 1 member shall be involved in personnel preparation.
(E) Agency for early intervention services
Not less than 1 member shall be from each of the State agencies involved in the provision of, or payment for, early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families and shall have sufficient authority to engage in policy planning and implementation on behalf of such agencies.
(F) Agency for preschool services
Not less than 1 member shall be from the State educational agency responsible for preschool services to children with disabilities and shall have sufficient authority to engage in policy planning and implementation on behalf of such agency.
(G) State Medicaid agency
Not less than 1 member shall be from the agency responsible for the State Medicaid program.
(H) Head Start agency
Not less than 1 member shall be a representative from a Head Start agency or program in the State.
(I) Child care agency
Not less than 1 member shall be a representative from a State agency responsible for child care.
(J) Agency for health insurance
Not less than 1 member shall be from the agency responsible for the State regulation of health insurance.
(K) Office of the Coordinator of Education of Homeless Children and Youth
Not less than 1 member shall be a representative designated by the Office of Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youths.
(L) State foster care representative
Not less than 1 member shall be a representative from the State child welfare agency responsible for foster care.
(M) Mental health agency
Not less than 1 member shall be a representative from the State agency responsible for children's mental health.
(2) Other members
The council may include other members selected by the Governor, including a representative from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), or where there is no BIA-operated or BIA-funded school, from the Indian Health Service or the tribe or tribal council.
(c) Meetings
The council shall meet, at a minimum, on a quarterly basis, and in such places as the council determines necessary. The meetings shall be publicly announced, and, to the extent appropriate, open and accessible to the general public.
(d) Management authority
Subject to the approval of the Governor, the council may prepare and approve a budget using funds under this subchapter to conduct hearings and forums, to reimburse members of the council for reasonable and necessary expenses for attending council meetings and performing council duties (including child care for parent representatives), to pay compensation to a member of the council if the member is not employed or must forfeit wages from other employment when performing official council business, to hire staff, and to obtain the services of such professional, technical, and clerical personnel as may be necessary to carry out its functions under this subchapter.
(e) Functions of council
(1) Duties
The council shall -
(A) advise and assist the lead agency designated or established under section 1435(a)(10) of this title in the performance of the responsibilities set forth in such section, particularly the identification of the sources of fiscal and other support for services for early intervention programs, assignment of financial responsibility to the appropriate agency, and the promotion of the interagency agreements;
(B) advise and assist the lead agency in the preparation of applications and amendments thereto;
(C) advise and assist the State educational agency regarding the transition of toddlers with disabilities to preschool and other appropriate services; and
(D) prepare and submit an annual report to the Governor and to the Secretary on the status of early intervention programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families operated within the State.
(2) Authorized activity
The council may advise and assist the lead agency and the State educational agency regarding the provision of appropriate services for children from birth through age 5. The council may advise appropriate agencies in the State with respect to the integration of services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and at-risk infants and toddlers and their families, regardless of whether at-risk infants and toddlers are eligible for early intervention services in the State.
(f) Conflict of interest
No member of the council shall cast a vote on any matter that is likely to provide a direct financial benefit to that member or otherwise give the appearance of a conflict of interest under State law.
Federal Regulation
7107 Edition
34 CFR Ch. III (7107 Edition)
34 CFR 303.600 State Interagency Coordinating Council
Subpart GState Interagency Coordinating Council
GENERAL
§ 303.600 Establishment of Council.
(a) A State that desires to receive financial assistance under this part shall establish a State Interagency Coordinating Council.
(b) The Council must be appointed by the Governor. The Governor shall ensure that the membership of the Council reasonably represents the population of the State.
(c) The Governor shall designate a member of the Council to serve as the chairperson of the Council or require the Council to do so. Any member of the Council who is a representative of the lead agency designated under § 303.500 may not serve as the chairperson of the Council.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200550)
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441(a))
NOTE: To avoid a potential conflict of interest, it is recommended that parent representatives who are selected to serve on the Council not be employees of any agency involved in providing early intervention services.
It is suggested that consideration be given to maintaining an appropriate balance between the urban and rural communities of the State.
[58 FR 40959, July 30, 1993, as amended at 63 FR 18296, Apr. 14, 1998]
§ 303.601 Composition.
(a) The Council must be composed as follows:
(1)(i) At least 20 percent of the members must be parents, including minority parents, of infants or toddlers with disabilities or children with disabilities aged 12 or younger, with knowledge of, or experience with, programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
(ii) At least one member must be a parent of an infant or toddler with a disability or a child with a disability aged six or younger.
(2) At least 20 percent of the members must be public or private providers of early intervention services.
(3) At least one member must be from the State legislature.
(4) At least one member must be involved in personnel preparation.
(5) At least one member must
(i) Be from each of the State agencies involved in the provisions of, or payment for, early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families; and
(ii) Have sufficient authority to engage in policy planning and implementation on behalf of these agencies.
(6) At least one member must
(i) Be from the State educational agency responsible for preschool services to children with disabilities; and
(ii) Have sufficient authority to engage in policy planning and implementation on behalf of that agency.
(7) At least one member must be from the agency responsible for the State governance of health insurance.
(8) At least one member must be from a Head Start agency or program in the State.
(9) At least one member must be from a State agency responsible for child care.
(b) The Council may include other members selected by the Governor, including a representative from the BIA or, where there is no school operated or funded by the BIA, from the Indian Health Service or the tribe or tribal council.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200550)
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441(b))
[58 FR 40959, July 30, 1993, as amended at 63 FR 18296, Apr. 14, 1998]
§ 303.602 Use of funds by the Council.
(a) General. Subject to the approval of the Governor, the Council may use funds under this part
(1) To conduct hearings and forums;
(2) To reimburse members of the Council for reasonable and necessary expenses for attending Council meetings and performing Council duties (including child care for parent representatives);
(3) To pay compensation to a member of the Council if the member is not employed or must forfeit wages from other employment when performing official Council business;
(4) To hire staff; and
(5) To obtain the services of professional, technical, and clerical personnel, as may be necessary to carry out the performance of its functions under this part.
(b) Compensation and expenses of Council members. Except as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, Council members shall serve without compensation from funds available under this part.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200550)
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1438, 1441 (c) and (d))
[58 FR 40959, July 30, 1993, as amended at 63 FR 18296, Apr. 14, 1998]
§ 303.603 Meetings.
(a) The Council shall meet at least quarterly and in such places as it deems necessary.
(b) The meetings must
(1) Be publicly announced sufficiently in advance of the dates they are to be held to ensure that all interested parties have an opportunity to attend; and
(2) To the extent appropriate, be open and accessible to the general public.
(c) Interpreters for persons who are deaf and other necessary services must be provided at Council meetings, both for Council members and participants. The Council may use funds under this part to pay for those services.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200550)
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441 (c) and (d))
§ 303.604 Conflict of interest.
No member of the Council may cast a vote on any matter that would provide direct financial benefit to that member or otherwise give the appearance of a conflict of interest.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200550)
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441(f))
FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL
§ 303.650 General.
(a) Each Council shall
(1) Advise and assist the lead agency in the development and implementation of the policies that constitute the statewide system;
(2) Assist the lead agency in achieving the full participation, coordination, and cooperation of all appropriate public agencies in the State;
(3) Assist the lead agency in the effective implementation of the statewide system, by establishing a process that includes
(i) Seeking information from service providers, service coordinators, parents, and others about any Federal, State, or local policies that impede timely service delivery; and
(ii) Taking steps to ensure that any policy problems identified under paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section are resolved; and
(4) To the extent appropriate, assist the lead agency in the resolution of disputes.
(b) Each Council may advise and assist the lead agency and the State educational agency regarding the provision of appropriate services for children aged birth to five, inclusive.
(c) Each Council may advise appropriate agencies in the State with respect to the integration of services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and at-risk infants and toddlers and their families, regardless of whether at-risk infants and toddlers are eligible for early intervention services in the State.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200550)
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441(e)(1)(A) and (e)(2))
[58 FR 40959, July 30, 1993, as amended at 63 FR 18296, Apr. 14, 1998]
§ 303.651 Advising and assisting the lead agency in its administrative duties.
Each Council shall advise and assist the lead agency in the
(a) Identification of sources of fiscal and other support for services for early intervention programs under this part;
(b) Assignment of financial responsibility to the appropriate agency; and
(c) Promotion of the interagency agreements under § 303.523.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200550)
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441(e)(1)(A))
§ 303.652 Applications.
Each Council shall advise and assist the lead agency in the preparation of applications under this part and amendments to those applications.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200550)
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441(e)(1)(B))
§ 303.653 Transitional services.
Each Council shall advise and assist the State educational agency regarding the transition of toddlers with disabilities to services provided under part B of the Act, to preschool and other appropriate services.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200578)
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441(e)(1)(C))
[58 FR 40959, July 30, 1993, as amended at 63 FR 18296, Apr. 14, 1998]
§ 303.654 Annual report to the Secretary.
(a) Each Council shall
(1) Prepare an annual report to the Governor and to the Secretary on the status of early intervention programs operated within the State for children eligible under this part and their families; and
(2) Submit the report to the Secretary by a date that the Secretary establishes.
(b) Each annual report must contain the information required by the Secretary for the year for which the report is made.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200550)
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441(e)(1)(D))
[1] TITLE 20 USC Sec. 1441. State interagency coordinating council; and 34 CFR 303.600 --Establishment of Council and 34 CFR 303.601 -- CompositionFunctions of the Council.
[2] TITLE 20 USC Sec. 1441. State interagency coordinating council; and 34 CFR 303.600 --Establishment of Council and 34 CFR 303.601 -- Composition.
[3] 34 CFR 303.603 -- Meetings.
[4] 34 CFR 303.654 -- Annual report to the Secretary.