Orange County Schools Special Education Alliance

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