| Orange County Schools' Special Education Alliance | | | | process to seek adequate funding to provide these |
| The Orange County Schools ' Special Education | | | | high quality services, and when necessary, support |
| Alliance was created by the 28 districts in Orange | | | | litigation to achieve these goals. Orange County |
| County in 2003. The primary goal of the Orange | | | | Schools' Special Education Alliance also encourages |
| County Schools' Special Education Alliance is to meet | | | | staff members, parents, advocates and organizations |
| the need for a countywide system that can focus on | | | | to get involved by using their voices and contact the |
| special education. This includes offering staff | | | | local officials and hold them accountable for promises |
| development and training to school employees, | | | | and mandates for which regular education and special |
| creating leadership in advocating for legislative and | | | | needs children are entitled. |
| administrative change, overseeing the decisions and | | | | Orange County Schools' Special Education Alliance is |
| rulings rendered by administrative agencies, offering a | | | | lead by an Executive Committee that is composed of |
| way to fund the litigation and appeals of administrative | | | | Superintendents from different school districts across |
| and judicial decisions and rulings especially when the | | | | Orange County. The actual carrying out of the goals is |
| outcome has a countywide significance or precedent | | | | the responsibility of the Review Committee. The |
| setting in its implications for all students. | | | | Review Committee is comprised of five |
| The Orange County Schools' Special Education | | | | Superintendents regionally nominated, Orange County |
| Alliance was created with the intention of addressing | | | | Schools' legal counsel, two private attorneys |
| all the concerns of all students regardless of if the | | | | representing school districts in special education |
| student has any manner disability. Any student that is | | | | matters, two SELPA directors, and one business |
| not receiving the full services they need changed | | | | administrator. The Review Committee has been |
| because of lack of funding to support mandates | | | | working hard for the past two years in order to try |
| created under the federal Individuals with Disabilities | | | | and meet the goals of the Orange County Schools' |
| Education Act. The main problem that Orange County | | | | Special Education Alliance. Even though the focus of |
| Schools faces with meeting this federal mandate is | | | | the Orange County Schools' Special Education Alliance |
| drawing funds from the regular education program. | | | | is in the areas of legal and funding, it tries hard to work |
| Funds are often taken from the regular education | | | | closely with teachers and staff members so that its |
| program to support the needs of special education | | | | members are informed about the needs of the |
| students. Orange County Schools' Special Education | | | | schools at root levels. |
| Alliance aims to provide the services all students need | | | | Since the Orange County Schools' Special Education |
| to be successful in meeting academic standards. | | | | Alliance was created it has accomplish a great deal to |
| Orange County Schools' Special Education Alliance | | | | meet the needs of the school districts across Orange |
| plans to accomplish this goal by providing staff | | | | County. |
| development to its practitioners, use the legislative | | | | |