Disability board questions whether Policy 1700 covers special education; votes to place purpose review on Feb. 18 agenda

Prince George's County Public Schools' Disability Issues Advisory Board debated whether its governing guidance, Board Policy 1700, should explicitly include special education (IDEA) issues and voted to add a formal review of the board's purpose and definition to its Feb. 18 meeting agenda.

The vote to place "DIAB purpose and definition" on the Feb. 18 agenda passed by roll call, 9-0. The board also adopted the Jan. 21 meeting agenda and approved minutes for Nov. 6 and Dec. 17 by unanimous consent earlier in the session.

Board Vice Chair Theresa Smith opened the discussion by saying, "Policy 1700 is pretty much our guiding light, for the work that we will be doing," and asking whether that policy adequately addresses cognitive and special-education issues as well as physical accessibility. "When you look at Policy 1700, I don't think it captures everything, such as some of the challenges that families have with special education,"…