Colonial IU 20 - an education service agency serving Northampton, Monroe, and Pike Counties
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Local Special Education Task Force

Mission

The Local Special Education Task Force serves as a resource for children with all disabilities and their families in 13 school districts in Monroe, Northampton, and parts of Pike County. The following districts are included:
  • Bangor Area
  • Bethlehem Area
  • Delaware Valley
  • East Stroudsburg Area
  • Easton Area
  • Nazareth Area
  • Northampton Area
  • Pen Argyl Area
  • Pleasant Valley
  • Pocono Mountain
  • Saucon Valley
  • Stroudsburg Area
  • Wilson Area
The role of the Local Special Education Task Force is to assist parents of students with special needs in understanding the laws/regulations that affect their rights and help develop an appropriate education for the student with special needs.

Meeting Schedule

Meetings are held the third Monday in September, October, and November and the second Monday in January, March, and May at the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 office in Palmer Township in Easton from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

History

The Local Special Education Task Force system was established in 1972 as part of the Consent Decree between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the PA Association for Retarded Citizens. The PARC Consent Decree guaranteed a free public program of education for all school-aged persons with mental retardation or thought-to-have mental retardation regardless of their intellectual functioning. It provided for the establishment of a local Task Force in each of the 29 Intermediate Units "to insure that the intent and spirit of the Agreement is carried out throughout the Commonwealth."

Membership

Membership of the Local Special Education Task Force is made up of Parents of children with special needs (Consumers), School Officials, and Representatives serving school age children with special needs. The Task Force has at least one more consumer than the total number of agency representatives.

Duties of the Local Special Education Task Force

  • Monitor programs and services for school age children with special needs, making recommendations for their improvement, expansion, or termination.
  • Assist the Administration in carrying out the Right to Education Consent Agreement
  • Assist parents of students with special needs in understanding the laws/regulations that affect their rights and help develop an appropriate education for the student with special needs.
  • Review recommendations of the State Task Force and advise the Administration of any recommendation which should be adopted or implemented in the CIU 20 area.
  • Encourage cooperation with public and private agencies which provide services to school age children with special needs.
  • Identify local needs and problems and develop recommendations for consideration by appropriate agencies
  • Recommend solutions to problems in areas of concern as identified or brought to the attention of the Task Force.
  • Advise on the best methods of informing the community about programs of special education.
  • Review Intermediate Unit and District Special Education Plans and make recommendations which will help assure that they meet the needs of school age children with special needs.
  • Assist the State Task Force in the collection of data to determine the effectiveness of the Right to Education Consent Agreement.