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