Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD) 2023-24

Meeting Recordings

All 2023-24 meeting recordings are available in the playlist menu on the video below. Select the YouTube playlist menu icon in the top right corner of the video below to view a list of available videos. 

Contact Us

We welcome and encourage parents/guardians, students, teachers, administrators, staff and others interested in special education in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to share your thoughts, ideas, and/or public comment related to the needs of students with disabilities.

By clicking the “Submit a Question” button at the top of this webpage, your email will go to the FCPS Liaison to the ACSD, Michael Bloom, and forwarded to the Chair and Vice Chair for their response.

Please note that correspondence with ACSD members is subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Hence, your correspondence may be made public if (1) it deals with FCPS business and (2) someone requests it. 

School Board Liaison

Rachna Sizemore Heizer

Staff Liaison

Michael Bloom, Director, Special Education, Department of Special Services

Chair

Elizabeth Zielinski

Vice-Chair

Holly Stearns

View additional contact information for the Department of Special Services

Committee Purpose

8 VAC 20-81-230(D)—A local advisory committee for special education, appointed by each local school board, shall advise the school board through the division superintendent.

2023-2024 Committee Charge

• Examine current FCPS practices regarding the:
  • Identification and referral of students who may require related services in the areas of speech-language, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and/or counseling.
  • Determination and provision of services to students who are identified as requiring these related services.
  • Determination and provision of devices and services to students in the area of assistive technology.
• Review evidenced-based and research-based practices regarding the provision of speech-language, occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling, and assistive technology services for students with disabilities.
• Based on a review of evidenced-based and research-based practices, make recommendations designed to improve FCPS practices related to the availability and provision of speech-language, occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling, and/or assistive technology services to students with disabilities across the continuum of preschool through graduation.

Functions of the Committee

The functions of the local advisory committee shall be as follows (8VAC20-81-230(D)):

• Advise the local school division of needs in the education of children with disabilities;
• Participate in the development of priorities and strategies for meeting the identified needs of children with disabilities;
• Submit periodic reports and recommendations regarding the education of children with disabilities to the division superintendent for transmission to the local school board;
• Assist the local school division in interpreting plans to the community for meeting the special needs of children with disabilities for educational services;
• Review the policies and procedures for the provision of special education and related services prior to submission to the local school board; and
• Participate in the review of the local school division's annual plan, as outlined in subdivision B 2 of this section.

Presentations, Reports, & Bylaws

• ACSD 2021 Bylaws
• ACSD Staff Response to the 2021-2022 Recommendations
• 2022-2023 ACSD Annual Report
• Archived ACSD Information: 2022-23 | 2021-22 | 2020-21 | 2019-20 
   

Meeting Information

Public Comment at ACSD Meetings

Fairfax County and City residents may sign up the evening of the monthly meeting to provide in-person public comments, or submit a written, video or audio testimony by email to [email protected]. A maximum of 10 written, video or audio submissions are available and will be prioritized in the order they are received.  Please submit your written, video or audio testimony by 5:00 p.m. the day before the meeting. Written, video and audio testimony should not exceed 3 minutes in length. When submitting public comment by email, please indicate “For Public Comment” in the subject line. 

Accommodations

Anyone needing accommodations for a disability to attend or participate in this FCPS activity should call (703) 204-3941, TTY (703) 204-3956. Calls should be made seven days prior to the activity so that appropriate arrangement can be made. Meetings are cancelled if school or evening activities are cancelled due to weather.

Meeting Dates and Locations

Monthly meetings are held at Willow Oaks Corporate Center, which is located at 8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, Virginia 22031.

2023-24 Membership

Membership Term Expires: June 30, 2024

Interested in serving on the ACSD?
Any member of the public can show interest in serving on the ACSD by completing the ACSD Public Interest Form and emailing it to [email protected].  Information will be shared with the organizations and individuals that you have indicated an interest in representing on the ACSD. 

_{School Board Member Representatives}

Carolyn Hayden, Braddock District – Megan McLaughlin
Amanda Wittman, Dranesville District – Elaine Tholen, Chair
Lauren McCaughey, Hunter Mill District – Melanie Meren
Stephanie Smith, Franconia District – Tamara Derenak Kaufax
Harry Henderson, Mason District – Ricardy Anderson
Nora Rahman, Member at Large – Abrar Omeish
Susan Edgerton, Member at Large – Rachna Sizemore-Heizer
Keena McAvoy, Member at Large – Karen Keys Gamarra
TBD, Mount Vernon District – Karen Corbett Sanders
David Bean, Providence District – Karl Frisch, Vice-Chair
Amanda Campbell, Springfield District – Laura Jane Cohen
Delaney Brooks, Student Representative 
Ahsen Cakez, Sully District – Stella Pekarsky

_{Region Representatives}

Vacant, Region 1 - Douglas Tyson, Assistant Superintendent
Holly Stearns, Region 2 – Megan Vroman, Assistant Superintendent
Kristine Bennett, Region 3 - Nardos King, Assistant Superintendent
Jay Berkenbilt, Region 4 - Penny Gros, Assistant Superintendent
Nita Payton, Region 5 - Rebecca Baenig, Assistant Superintendent
Krista Sharp, Region 6 – Michelle Boyd, Assistant Superintendent

_{Community Representatives}

Darcy Acquavella – City of Fairfax School Board
Shannon Duncan – Decoding Dyslexia of Virginia (DDVA)
Bekah Stone – Department of Neighborhood and Community Service
Brandis Ruise – Fairfax Area Disability Services Board
Hope Luong – Fairfax County Health Department
Colleen Jones – Fairfax County Council of PTAs
Daniel Cronnell – Fairfax/Falls Church Community Services Board
Jennifer Skaggs – Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations
Ally Baldassari – Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA)
Rajiv Satsangi – Higher Education 
Vacant – League of Woman Voters, Fairfax Area
Anne Hobbs – Parents of Autistic Children of Northern Virginia (POAC-NoVA)

_{FCPS Division Representatives}

Elizabeth Zielinski – Assistive Technology
Brandon Cassady – Career and Transition Services 
Rachel Charlton – Early Childhood Special Education (Preschool)
Joanne Walton – Teacher

Resources

Fairfax County Public School Resources

• Accommodations Toolkit
• Family Resource Center
• Family Resource Center Library
• Physical Restraint and Seclusion Policy
• Special Education Handbook for Parents
• Special Education Procedures and Practices
• The Special Education Process
• Transition Planning
• Twice Exceptional (2e) Handbook

Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Resources

• VDOE Special Education
• Substitute Tests Approved for Awarding Verified Credit