Right to Education Local Task Force 20
MISSION:
The Right to Education Local Task Force 20 serves as a resource for children with all disabilities and their families in 13 school districts in Northampton, Monroe, and 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 Right to Education Local Task Force 20 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:
All meetings will begin at 10 am and will be held in a hybrid format - you can attend in person or virtually, please utilize the links below to join.
HISTORY:
The Right to Education Local Task Force system was established in 1972. 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 ensure that the intent and spirit of the Agreement is carried out throughout the Commonwealth.”
MEMBERS:
Parents, representatives of agencies serving the disabled, representatives of agencies advocating for the disabled, and educators are all eligible to become members of the Right to Education Local Task Force 20. According to the Consent Decree, there must be a majority of parents on the committee. Interested parents are critical to the membership to keep the Local Task Force effective. Our members are from Northampton, Monroe and Pike Counties.
DUTIES OF THE LOCAL TASK FORCE INCLUDE:
- Assist the administration in carrying out the rules and regulations growing out of the Right to Education Consent Decree
- Assist parents of students with special needs in understanding the law/regulations that affect their rights and help develop an appropriate educational program for the student with special needs
- Review recommendations of the State Task Force an advise the administration of any recommendations which should be adopted or implemented in the Intermediate Unit 20 area
- Encourage cooperation with public and private agencies which provide service to school-age children with special needs
- Identify local needs and problems and develop recommendations for considerations 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
- Assist the task force in the collection of data to determine the effectiveness of the Right to Education Consent Agreement