Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698746634318.pdf (Micronesia, Federated States of)
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT NO.

20-46 RE: C.R.

NO.

20-63/EDUCATION SUBJECT: APPROVING AND ACCEPTING A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,032,657 FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2018.

DECEMBER 13, 2017 The Honorable Wesley W. Simina Speaker, Twentieth Congress Federated States of Micronesia Third Special Session, 2017 Dear Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Education, to which was referred C.R.

No.
No.

20-63, entitled: “A RESOLUTION APPROVING AND ACCEPTING A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,032,657 FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2018 FUND UNDER PART B OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT, INCLUDING ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE ASSISTANCE.”, begs leave to report as follows: The intent and purpose of this resolution are expressed in its title.

Your Committee held a public hearing on the above captioned matter on December 11, 2017.
Present at this hearing were the Secretary of the Department of Education and his key staff, and representatives from the Department of Justice and the Office of the President.

Staff from the NDOE Division of Special Education, including the Chief of the Division were present at the SCRL 20-53/CR 20-63/Education Committee STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT NO.

20-46 RE: C.R.

NO.
20-46 RE: C.R.

NO.

20-63/EDUCATION SUBJECT: APPROVING AND ACCEPTING A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,032,657 FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2018.

DECEMBER 13, 2017 hearing and gave an update of the services and programs for this school year 2017/2018.

The grant which is the subject of this report is the second half of the funding for this school year.

The Division of Special Education has always been an important part of our Nation’s educational system.
The program is well known to the Committee, and the Chief of the Division has been long serving as head of this program.

The Chief of Special Education provided new statistics to the Committee that show as of 2017 it served the needs of 1,942 of our young people from age 3 to 21 who have disabilities.

Currently the number of personnel, including all teachers and administrators at the state level, is 308.
Over the last several years the number of students has declined slightly while the number of teachers has increase by 20% in the last three years.

The Committee inquired as to the dramatic increase in the amount of funding under this grant that is used for personnel at the state level.

Currently 80% of the proposed funding is to be used for personnel.
The Committee also raised concerns that training, textbooks, specialized equipment and other necessary supplies for this program are being compromised by the high percentage of funding utilized for personnel.

The Chief of the Division stated that these were valid concerns and the NDOE Division of Special Education has given guidance to the states regarding this matter, however, it was the up to the states to do their budgeting.
The Chief of the Division agreed with the Committee that training and supplies for special education has decreased across the Nation.

A detailed budget is attached with this report for the review of the members.

It is substantially the same as in year’s past.

The Chief of the Division stated the formula for distribution is based on three factors: 1) population of the state, 2) number of children per state served, and STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT NO.

20-46 RE: C.R.

NO.
20-46 RE: C.R.

NO.

20-63/EDUCATION SUBJECT: APPROVING AND ACCEPTING A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,032,657 FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2018.

DECEMBER 13, 2017 3) performance.

Performance reports and activities for the Division of Special Education are on its website, which is also a link in the main NDOE website.

There has been examples of training that has been provided, including a recent training in Pohnpei for autism, but there are issues regarding these as well.
This training highlights the problem of inconsistent delivery of training as it did not reach all the four states.

The Committee strongly urged that future training efforts include all the four states, and as many teachers as possible.

The Committee also inquired as to whether specialized training or certificates were required to teach special education.

The Chief of the Division stated that this was not a requirement and specialized courses were currently not available at COM-FSM.
But, he added that a new bachelor’s degree in education will be available in 2019, and a part of that degree’s course requirements will be working with children with disabilities.
At the close of the hearing the Committee requested that NDOE Division of Special Education work with the all the four States, in an effort to utilize more of the Compact funding for teachers salaries, thereby freeing up money from this source to purchase supplies, textbooks, specialized equipment and additional training for teachers serving children with disabilities.

The Committee will do additional oversight to look at this division in the coming year regarding the above issues.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT NO.

20-46 RE: C.R.

NO.

20-63/EDUCATION SUBJECT: APPROVING AND ACCEPTING A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,032,657 FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2018.

DECEMBER 13, 2017 Your Committee would like to offer the following technical amendment to read as follows: 1) Page One, Line 17, delete “Second” and insert “Third” in lieu thereof.
Notwithstanding the concerns mentioned above, your Committee on Education is in accord with the intent and purpose of C.R.

No.

20-63, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as C.R.

No.

20-63, C.D.

1.

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT NO.

20-46 RE: C.R.

NO.

20-63/EDUCATION SUBJECT: APPROVING AND ACCEPTING A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,032,657 FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2018.
DECEMBER 13, 2017 Respectfully submitted, /s/ Joseph J. Urusemal Joseph J. Urusemal, chairman /s/ Derensio S. Konman Derensio S. Konman, vice chairman Florencio S. Harper, member /s/ Alik L. Alik Alik L. Alik, member /s/ Esmond B. Moses Esmond B. Moses, member /s/ Wesley W. Simina Wesley W. Simina, member /s/ Ferny S. Perman_________ Ferny S. Perman, member