COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT (CSPD) RETENTION, RECRUITMENT, PRESERVICE PROGRAMMING

Pamela Clark Rosen
Consultant for Exceptional Children
CSPD State Coordinator

Dawn Kliphan, Contract/Grant Specialist

Oversees the process and reports CSPD data to the federal government. Directs the recruitment efforts and writes the annual report on effectiveness of those efforts. Convenes and facilitates various task forces as needed, i.e. Committee to Retrain Speech Clinicians. Provides technical assistance to the Maine Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities and the Advisory Committee of School Psychological Service Providers.

DATA MANAGEMENT, FINANCE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS,RESEARCH AND EVALUATION

(Vacant), Coordinator, Data Information/Management/Research/
P.L. 105-17 Local Entitlement & Discretionary

Kathy Fellows, Office Associate II

Coordinates and manages the P.L. 105-17 program and provides statistical information to the federal government as required. Also assists and coordinates research activities with other state agencies and the federal government and provides technical assistance to local education agencies on the laws and regulations, special education statistics (child count), finance and forms, research and evaluation.

DUE PROCESS, SPECIAL EDUCATION POLICY, PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS, COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE

Pauline Lamontagne, Esq., Coordinator for Exceptional Children

Susan Parks, Consultant

Steve Spear, Consultant

Pat Neumeyer, Office Associate II

Responsible for matters related to due process procedures: mediations, hearings and complaints. Provides training for mediators and hearing officials, school personnel, agency personnel, and parents. Technical assistance is available to school districts and parents with the focus being 1) to reduce adversarial relationships; and 2) to assure compliance with Federal and State Special Education laws and regulations. Workshops for parents and professionals on state and federal special education regulations are available upon request. Also responsible for review and revision of the special education regulations, and development of advisory rulings and position papers regarding special education laws and regulations.

DUE PROCESS, SPECIAL EDUCATION POLICY, PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS, COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE 

Susan Parks, Consultant for Exceptional Children

Steve Spear , Consultant for Exceptional Children

Responsible for matters related to due process procedures: mediations, hearings and complaints. Provides training for mediators and hearing officials, school personnel, agency personnel, and parents. Technical assistance is available to school districts and parents with the focus being 1) to reduce adversarial relationships; and 2) to assure compliance with Federal and State Special Education laws and regulations. Provides updates on state and federal education policy documents and recent court decisions and proposed regulatory changes, and responds to requests for advisory rulings on special education regulations. Acts as liaison to the Office of Special Education Programs for State Plan related activities. 

FINANCE

Thomas A. Coulombe, Accountant

Responsible for: requests for special education contract approval (EF-S-03); state agency client admissions and billing forms (EF-S-04A/04B); financial management for the out-of-district placement and budgetary hardship programs; financial reporting of EF-S-02 (Report of Special Education Program Expenditures) and EF-S-07 (Report of Tuition and Board), including pre-school and gifted and talented expenditures; processing and budgeting of the CARES (Cost Accounting and Rate Establishment) packages for private special purpose schools; and fiscal management of all Learning Systems Team federal grants.

PROGRAM REVIEW

(Vacant), Coordinator, Program Review/Technical Assistance
Jean Dupont, Office Associate II
Barbara Gunn , Distinguished Educator
Ronella Hanson, Distinguished Educator
DebraJean Scheibel, Distinguished Educator

Major responsibility is in monitoring school districts, state operated institutions, and special purpose private schools using the Special Education Program Review process. Also assists school personnel and parents in areas of technical assistance and in-service training.

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS, INTERDEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES, STATE AGENCY CLIENTS, SURROGATE PARENTS

Nancy Connolly, Consultant for Exceptional Children

Office Associate II , Brian Ryan

Serves as liaison between the Department, private residential schools, private agencies and local school agencies serving exceptional students; represents the Department on several interdepartmental committees related to students in out-of-home placements; monitors joint agreements between the Department of Education and other state agencies (e.g. Department of Corrections, Department of Human Services); monitors special education programs at the Maine Youth Center; coordinates the State Agency Client Program; oversees operation of out-of-district placement program. Also responsible for review and approval of out-of-district requests for exceptional children (EF-S-01); program review and technical assistance to state operated programs and private special purpose day schools; and management of the Maine Surrogate Parent Program.

SURROGATE PARENT PROGRAM/GIFTED AND TALENTED (EF-S-206)

Cliff McHatten, Consultant for Exceptional Children

Office Assistant II : Debbie Violette

Primary responsibility is managing the surrogate parent program, recruiting individuals to serve, overseeing the appointment of surrogate parents, and developing/providing training for them.