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