Group to assign funds to aid special-needs kids

A task force charged with figuring out how to spend $1.4 million under the governor's veto-compromise plan for a special education voucher bill was named by the State School Board Friday.

Its 11 members include parents of children with autism, a parent advocate for children with disabilities, state education officials, lawmakers and a professor.

The task force comes as part of Gov. Olene Walker's plan for HB115, "Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarships." The bill would have given up to about $5,400 in private school vouchers for parents of students with disabilities.

Walker vetoed the bill, which she said raised constitutional concerns over having the State Board of Education oversee a private school program. But she left the $1.4 million the bill gave to the program in a budget bill. She hopes to give that money to the board to give grants or contracts to private schools teaching students with disabilities.

Walker's plan still must be approved by the Legislature, likely in a special session.

Several legislators are calling for a veto override.

The task force is expected to meet Wednesday. Its members include Interim State Superintendent of Public Instruction Patrick Ogden; State Board of Education members Laurel Brown and John Pingree, whose wife's name graces the Pingree autism school; state special education director Karl Wilson; Stan Beagley, brother of state board member Tim Beagley and parent of an autistic child; Cheryl Smith, mother of Carson Smith, the autistic child after whom HB115 was named; Jeri Freedman, PTA president at the Pingree school; parent advocate and juris doctorate Lisa Stamps; Bill Jensen of the U. education psychology department; and Reps. Merlynn Newbold, R-South Jordan, and Kory Holdaway, R-Taylorsville and special educator.