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

Dana Duncan, Statistician
624-6615

Dawn Kliphan, Contract Grant Specialist/SPDG co-Director

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

Janice Breton Coordinator, Data Information/Management/Research/
P.L. 105-17 Local Entitlement/GSST

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.

Terry Bailey , Office Associate II

Kathy Fellows (contracted)

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

Pauline Lamontagne, Coordinator for Exceptional Children

Susan Parks, Consultant

Steve Spear, Consultant

Jonathan Braff, Complaint Investigator

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.

Pat Neumeyer, Office Associate II

FINANCE

Marcia McInnis , Management Analyst

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.

Sheryl Banden, Office Associate II

PROGRAM REVIEW

Janice Breton, Program Review/Technical Assistance
Debrajean Scheibel

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.

Kara Farwell, Office Associate II

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

Nancy Connolly, Consultant for Exceptional Children

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.

Denise Towers

SURROGATE PARENT PROGRAM

Cliff McHatten, Consultant for Exceptional Children

Gifted and Talented Program

Debbie Violette , Office Associate II

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