The District of Columbia's State Advisory Panel on Special Education (SAPSE) is required by federal law.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA) requires that each State operate a statewide advisory panel. In accordance with the law, the District of Columbia has a State Advisory Panel on Special Education (SAPSE). The purpose of SAPSE is to advise Office of the State Superintendent (OSSE) on unmet needs of students with disabilities, including the development of evaluations, reports, and corrective action plans in response to federal monitoring, and implementing policies and procedures to coordinate services for students with disabilities.

SAPSE enables OSSE in seeking meaningful input from parents, community partners, service providers, and school administrators on local issues relative to the provision of services and supports to students with IEPs and disabilities.

SAPSE meetings are open to the public.

SAPSE is seeking new members! For more information, please see our recruitment flyer. To apply to be a SAPSE member, please submit an application with the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments (MOTA). 

To learn more about the Panel, select from the topics below.

Upcoming Meetings 

For the 2026-27 school year, public meetings will occur quarterly according to the schedule below. Meetings are held virtually via Microsoft Teams from 6 - 8 p.m. SAPSE provides for up to thirty (30) minutes of public comments at each public meeting. Members of the public who are interested in participating in public comment must complete the Public Comment Form.

For questions or support with accessing meetings, please contact Christie Weaver-Harris at [email protected].

• Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026 | Register | Proposed Agenda (updated 9/16/26)
• Thursday, Dec. 10, 2026 | Register
• Thursday, March 18, 2027 | Register
• Thursday, June 10, 2027 | Register

Annual Report