Special Education
Who to Contact with Questions
Administrative review, mediation or due process appeals or to request forms
Supervisor, Resolution & Compliance Unit
240-740-3230
Autism Unit
Kris Ericson, Supervisor
240-740-5930
Child Find/Early Childhood Disabilities Unit and Montgomery County Infants/Toddlers Program
Faith K. Fischel, Supervisor
240-740-3130
Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHOH)
Susan P. Russell, Supervisor
240-740-1810
Division of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction Twice Exceptional Students and Services
Sarah P. Jackson, Instructional Specialist
240-740-3110
Division of Special Education Prekindergarten, Programs and Services
Erica Williams, Director
240-740-3880
Extended School Year Services
Anna E. Szilagyi-Weichbrod, Instructional Specialist
240-740-3855
Extensions, Learning for Independence (LFI), and School Community Based (SCB) Programs
Ashley Doyle, Supervisor
240-740-3900
High Incidence Accessible Technology Team (HIAT)
Linda B. Wilson, Instructional Specialist
240-740-5500
IEP meetings at the central level and nonpublic school programs
Joanne C. Hoffman
240-740-3830
InterACT Team
Alice Wright, Instructional Specialist
240-740-5480
Physical Disabilities
William McGrath, Supervisor
240-740-5500
Preschool Education Program (PEP)
Mary Rose Catena, Coordinator
240-740-3125
Social Emotional Special Education Services
Sandi B. Ives, Supervisor
240-740-3250
Speech and Language Services
Shelley A. McAuliffe, Supervisor
240-740-5920
Transition Services Unit
Patricia K. Cochrane, Supervisor
240-740-5900
Visual Impairments
Susan P. Russell, Supervisor
240-740-1810
- Who do I talk to if I think my child may have a disability?
- Who do I talk to if my child is not receiving the services outlined in his or her Individualized Education Program?
- Who can I talk to if I have questions that cannot be answered by the school?
- Who do I contact about a specific program or service?
- How do I contact an Area Supervisor?
- What services can my child receive if they are not enrolled in a MCPS school?
- Who should I contact if my child is moving into a MCPS school from another state or county?
Who do I talk to if I think my child may have a disability?
If you suspect your child may have a disability you will want to meet with your child’s teachers, school counselor, and the building administrators (if appropriate).
You may also make a formal referral to an IEP team for the school to determine your child’s eligibility for special education services. Your referral should be in writing and may be directed to the school principal.
Who do I talk to if my child is not receiving the services outlined in his or her Individualized Education Program?
Concerns about the implementation of your child’s IEP should first be discussed at the school level with your child’s case manager, related services providers, teachers, or the building administrator.
If you are unable to resolve your concerns at the school level, you may contact the special education area supervisor assigned to your school or, finally, you may contact the Resolution and Compliance Unit to request formal dispute resolution processes.
Area supervisors are listed in the Special Education Contact List
Who can I talk to if I have questions that cannot be answered by the school?
If you are unable to resolve your concerns at the school level, you may contact:
- the area supervisor assigned to your school;
- specific program supervisors (speech and language, occupational and physical therapy, autism, emotional disabilities, assistive technology, DHOH/vision; prekindergarten, transition);
- the Resolution and Compliance Unit can be contacted to request support, including formal processes to resolve disagreements if you are unsuccessful in resolving concerns or if you have further questions.
Who do I contact about a specific program or service?
Please refer to the Special Education Contact list
How do I contact an Area Supervisor?
What services can my child receive if they are not enrolled in a MCPS school?
Students found eligible for special education services, and who are residents of Montgomery County, will be provided with either an IEP or a Services Plan (SP) depending on parental intent as to their child’s future plans. Resident students who attend a school in Montgomery County and found eligible for services, whose parents plan to have their child continue to attend a private or religious school, will receive a SP that is developed at an IEP team meeting. Eligible resident students, whose parents are exploring the possibility of attending an MCPS program or are uncertain about future plans, will be provided a full IEP. Either the SP or the IEP will be updated annually.
Students who attend a private or religious school in Montgomery County who are found eligible for special education services, but are not residents of Montgomery County, will have a SP developed by the IEP team. The SP will be updated annually. A nonresident parent, who wishes to obtain an IEP for their child would need to return to their county of residence.
Eligible school-aged students attending private or religious schools located in Montgomery County and those home-schooled may be provided speech and language services and/or special education resource services, as required by the SP. Eligible preschool students may receive speech and language therapy services. These services may be consultative or direct. The SP will indicate the frequency and type of service being recommended.
Who should I contact if my child is moving into a MCPS school from another state or county?
Using School Assignment Locator on the MCPS Website, identify the school assigned to the home address. Enroll the student at the school and present the most current IEP. The school team will schedule an intake conference with the parent as soon as possible to determine if the home school can provide a FAPE to the student; determine what services can be immediately provided to the student; and schedule an IEP team meeting.
If it appears that the student’s IEP services are more intensive than those available at the home school, the cluster special education supervisor will be contacted immediately. In cases where it is determined that the student requires services that cannot be provided in a comprehensive school setting, a Central IEP team meeting must be expedited.
Contact an Area Supervisor for Information on:
Home School Model, Learning and Academic Disabilities, Elementary Learning Centers, Learning For Independence, School/Community-based Program
| Areas | Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Albert Einstein HS, DCC Newport Mill MS: Highland, Oakland Terrace, Rock View Sligo MS: Glen Haven, Flora Singer, Woodlin Northwood HS, DCC Silver Spring International MS: Forest Knolls, Highland View, Rolling Terrace, Sligo Creek ES Montgomery Blair HS, DCC Eastern MS: Montgomery Knolls, New Hampshire Estates, Oak View, Pine Crest Takoma Park MS: East Silver Spring, Piney Branch, Takoma Park ES Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS Silver Creek MS: Chevy Chase, North Chevy Chase, Rock Creek Forest, Rosemary Hills Westland MS: Bethesda, Somerset, Westbrook |
Dr. Cynthia M. Webb (Supervisor) Ms. Susan B. Ryan (Instructional Specialist) |
240-740-3900 |
| Springbrook HS, NEC Key MS: Burnt Mills, Cannon Road, Cresthaven, Drew, Nix White Oak MS: Jackson Road, Leleck, Westover Poolesville HS Poole MS: Monocacy, Poolesville ES Longview School Mr. William McGrath, Supervisor Gaithersburg HS Forest Oak MS: Goshen, Rosemont, Summit Hall, Washington Grove Gaithersburg MS: Gaithersburg ES, Laytonsville, Strawberry Knoll, Harriett Tubman Northwest HS Kingsview MS: Great Seneca Creek, McNair, Matsunaga, Darnestown, Diamond Clemente MS: Clopper Mill, Germantown |
Mrs. Lora S. Johnson (Supervisor) Mrs. H. Shorb (Instructional Specialist) |
240-740-3900 |
| Wheaton HS, DCC Loiederman MS/Parkland MS: Brookhaven, Harmony Hills, Shriver, Viers Mill, Weller Road, Wheaton Woods Thomas S. Wootton HS Cold Spring, Stone Mill Frost MS: Dufief, Fallsmead, Lakewood, Travilah Thomas Edison HS of Technology Winston Churchill HS Cabin John MS: Bells Mill, Seven Locks Hoover MS: Beverly Farms, Potomac, Wayside Richard Montgomery HS Julius West MS: Beall, College Gardens, Ritchie Park, Twinbrook, Bayard Rustin |
Mrs. Claudette R. Smith (Supervisor) Mrs. Sarah Kio (Instructional Specialist) |
240-740-3900 |
| Clarksburg HS Neelsville MS: Daly, Fox Chapel, Rocky Hill MS: Clarksburg ES, Gibbs, Little Bennett Hallie Wells: Cedar Grove, Wims Sherwood HS Rosa Parks: Belmont, Greenwood, Olney Farquhar MS: Brooke Grove, Sherwood ES Watkins Mill HS Montgomery Village MS: Stedwick, Watkins Mill ES, Whetstone, South Lake Damascus HS Baker MS: Clearspring, Damascus ES, Rockwell, Woodfield Blair G. Ewing Center (3 sites) Mr. Damien Ingram, Principal Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA) Dr. Sandi B. Ives, Supervisor |
Ms. Kia Middleton-Murphy (Supervisor) Mrs. Ashley Doyle (Instructional Specialist) |
240-740-3900 |
| Seneca Valley HS McAuliffe, Sally Ride M L King: Lake Seneca, Waters Landing Rockville HS Wood MS: Barnsley, Flower Valley, Maryvale, Meadow Hall, Rock Creek Valley Rock Terrace School Ms. Anne Marie Tagliaferri, Supervisor James H. Blake HS, NEC Cloverly, Stonegate Paint Branch HS, NEC Banneker MS: Burtonsville, Fairland, Greencastle Briggs Chaney: Galway, Tyler Page Walt Whitman HS Pyle MS: Bannockburn, Bradley Hills, Burning Tree, Carderock Springs, Wood Acres Stephen Knolls Mr. William McGrath, Supervisor Lathrop E. Smith Center 240-740-1404 Ms. Laurie C. Jenkins, Supervisor |
Dr. Melissa A. Brunson (Supervisor) Mr. Bryan E. Hunter (Instructional Specialist) |
240-740-3900 |
| John F. Kennedy HS,DCC Odessa Shannon MS: Arcola, Glenallan, Kemp Mill Argyle MS: Bel Pre, Georgian Forest, Strathmore Col. Zadok Magruder HS Redland MS: Cashell, Resnik, Sequoyah Shady Grove MS: Candlewood, Flower Hill, Mill Creek Towne Quince Orchard HS Lakelands Park MS, Brown Station, Rachel Carson Ridgeview MS: Fields Road, Jones Lane, Thurgood Marshall Walter Johnson HS North Bethesda MS: Ashburton, Kensington-Parkwood, Wyngate Tilden MS: Farmland, Garrett Park, Luxmanor Carl Sandburg Learning Center Mrs. Kris M. Secan, Supervisor |
Mrs. Kelly J. Jiron, Supervisor Ms. Gerry Edwards, Instructional Specialist |
240-740-3900 |