As detailed in the Mayor’s Order 2004-187, the purpose of the District of Columbia’s State Advisory Panel on Special Education (‘’the panel”) is to serve as an advisory body to the Mayor, the District of Columbia Public Schools and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE - formerly the State Education Office) on matters pertaining to the education of children and youth with disabilities served by public and private agencies of the District of Columbia.

The primary functions of the panel include:

• Advising on unmet needs within the District in the education of children with disabilities;
• Commenting publicly on any legislation, rules or regulations proposed by the state regarding the education of children with disabilities;
• Providing advice on systemic and other issues affecting the coordination and delivery of special education and related services to children and youth with disabilities;
• Advising on developing evaluations and reporting on data to the United States Department of Education in the implementation of IDEA;
• Providing advice in developing corrective action plans to address findings identified in federal monitoring reports;
• Advising on the development and implementation of policies relating to the coordination of services for children with disabilities, including advising on eligible students with disabilities in adult prisons; and
• Preparing an annual report of its activities and recommendations on or by July 1 of each calendar year, and submitting it to the mayor, the DCPS, OSSE, other appropriate District government officials, and the public.

Related Content: State Advisory Panel (SAP) on Special Education for the District of Columbia