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 AACPS Home>> Instruction/Curriculum>> Special Education

Contact Information:
Ellen Meyer, Coordinator of Compliance
410 222-5422

Ruth Avizad, Compliance Specialist
410 222-5420
ravizad@aacps.org

Special Education

Compliance

The Compliance Office oversees all compliance activities as well as the Private/Parochial student referral process, the Bilingual Student Assessment Teams, the Diagnostic/Prescriptive Student Assessment Team and the TIENET office.

Compliance

The purpose of the Compliance Office is to facilitate all activities related to Dispute Resolutions, Mediations and Due Process Hearings filed with the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH

Additional Compliance Office activities include:

  • Facilitate, investigate and develop internal corrective action plans per Complaint Investigations filed with the  Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) through Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS)
  • Facilitate and assist with MSDE compliance monitoring activities
  • Develop and conduct internal compliance monitoring activities
  • Provide countywide in-service trainings regarding special education compliance issues
  • Conduct proactive Internal Investigations and Implementation of AACPS Corrective Action Plans when appropriate prior to MSDE scheduled Investigation /Complaint Visitations
  • Assist schools with compliance issues and/or situations regarding students and the special education process
  • Recruit, provide and train surrogate parents
  • Contract and provide Independent Education Evaluators as deemed necessary
  • Support the IEP Meeting Facilitation Pilot Project-fostering countywide continued use of IEP Facilitators through the Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution Center to facilitate ongoing communication and collaboration between families and school staff

Private/ Parochial        

Referrals for special education testing for Private School, Religious School students must emanate from the Compliance Office at the Board of Education. The parent must contact the Compliance Office Technician at 410-222-5479. The technician will open the case, determine the student’s Anne Arundel County Public School (AACPS), send forms to the parent to be returned to the designated AACPS school, and send the school the referral information.  When a referral for educational testing is made for a parentally placed student at a Private School or Religious School, the special education process is the same as that for a public school student. (Refer to Special Education Overview)  If the student is found to have a disability and to be eligible for services and he/she remain at the Private/Parochial school, then AACPS will develop a Service Plan.

Bilingual Student Assessment Teams

The purpose of the Bilingual Assessment Team is to assist schools with the special education process for students who are English Language learners and may be suspected of having a disability.  Interpreters may be needed to assist schools and parents with the special education process and are provided through the Compliance Office.

Interpretation/Translation Services

If the student’s school identifies the parent as having a primary language other than Standard English, the school needs to obtain materials in the primary language, or arrange for an interpreter or translator, or a person who can effectively communicate with the parent.  The school or parents should contact the Compliance Technician at 410-222-5479.

Diagnostic Prescriptive Student Assessment Team

The purpose of the Diagnostic Prescriptive Student Assessment Team (D/P SAT) is to assist schools with concerns regarding the student, that cannot be solved/resolved (minimal progress, deterioration, co-morbid conditions).  A request for assistance from the Diagnostic/Prescriptive Student Assessment Team must begin by contacting the school’s School Based Resource Teacher (SBRT).(Refer to School Age K-12 webpage)  D/P SAT activities may include assisting schools with the special education process, possible identification of an educational disability and appropriate programming as needed. The D/P SAT consists of a School Psychologist, Speech/Language Pathologist and Special Educator. Office number: 410 305-0649

TIENET is an electronic management system of the special education process. The Statewide IEP is developed using TIENET. For more information contact: Wendy Kirk, TIENET Specialist Office: 410 354-0715 wkirk@aacps.org  The TIENET office provides:

  • Continual updates/revision and creation of Special Education Forms on TIENET as necessary, to align with legislative updates

  • Ongoing Internal Compliance Monitoring to avoid MSDE imposed Corrective Action Plans (CAPS)

  • Internal Compliance Monitoring through TIENET to align with state/federal Indicators  and State Performance Plan (SPP) and provide technical assistance to schools when monitoring indicates out of compliance activity

  • Submission and Monitoring of Special Education October Child Count Data and June Exit Count Data to MSDE

  • Service Capture to document Related Services on TIENET