Staff Listing

Bureau of Special Education - Bureau Information

The Bureau of Special Education is charged with providing oversight and implementation of federal and state laws that ensure a free appropriate public education for all children and youth with disabilities in New Hampshire. Given this charge, the Mission of the Bureau of Special Education is to improve educational outcomes for children and youth with disabilities by providing and promoting leadership, technical assistance and collaboration statewide. Through close coordination with the Department's general curriculum and instruction activities, the Bureau of Special Education guides and directs a comprehensive array of statewide educational initiatives. These initiatives are organized under the following five (5) areas:

General Supervision

•  Monitoring and program approval;

•  Timely and appropriate dispute resolution;

•  Timely evaluations;

•  Qualified personnel; and

•  Data/information guided decision making.

Initiatives include: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), No Child Left Behind (NCLB), NH Monitoring and Improvement Process, Continuous Improvement Focused Monitoring System (CIFMS), Annual Performance Report (APR), State Improvement Grant, Special Education Information System (SPEDIS)

Early Childhood Transitions

•  State and local collaboration;

•  Transition planning; and

•  Individualized Education plans on/or before third birthday

Initiatives include: IDEA, NH Monitoring and Improvement Process, Continuous Improvement Focused Monitoring System (CIFMS), Annual Performance Report (APR), Quality Improvements Linking Together (QUILT), Early Childhood Transition Initiative

Parent Involvement

•  Parents fully informed of rights and responsibilities

•  Parents participate in all aspects of special education

Initiatives include: IDEA, NH Monitoring and Improvement Process, Continuous Improvement Focused Monitoring System (CIFMS), Annual Performance Report (APR), State Improvement Grant, NH Connections

Free Appropriate Public Education in the Least Restrictive Environment (FAPE)

•  Disproportionality

•  Increasing graduation rates / reducing dropout rates

•  Reducing the numbers of suspensions and expulsions

•  Reducing the academic achievement gap on large scale assessments

•  Education in the least restrictive environment

•  Promoting the acquisition of early language/communication, pre-reading and social/emotional skills for

    preschool children.

Initiatives include: IDEA, NH Monitoring and Improvement Process, Continuous Improvement Focused Monitoring System (CIFMS), Annual Performance Report (APR), Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS), Habits of Professional Excellence Institute (HOPE), State Improvement Grant, Technical Assistance Consultants.

Secondary Transition

•  Transition plans focus on post-secondary education, employment, independent living, and social/interpersonal

    relationships

•  Students exiting high school are prepared

Initiatives include: IDEA, Achievement for Dropout Prevention (APEX), NH Monitoring and Improvement Process, Continuous Improvement Focused Monitoring System (CIFMS), Annual Performance Report (APR), State Improvement Grant, NH Comprehensive Reform