ODSS Association Updates

Andrea Kunkel, CCOSA General Counsel & ODSS Executive Director

This year CCOSA’s annual Principals’ Day at the Capitol became Principals’ and Special Education Directors’ Day at the Capitol and, for the first time, 15 special education administrators joined their principal peers for this advocacy experience. On March 22, the group attended a legislative update and advocacy training at the CCOSA office and then adjourned to the Capitol for a group meeting with Representative Mark McBride and individual conversations with their own senators and representatives. Because the event fell during a busy legislative week, office meetings with House and Senate members were harder to schedule, and directors often had to send notes to their legislators for pages to carry onto the floor of the House or Senate. Sometimes the summoned members were able to take a few minutes away from the session for quick meetings. Sometimes the director waited for a member unable to take time away from other business. The directors had a variety of messages for their members, from general concerns about special education issues to specific concerns about pending legislation. They all wanted to invite their legislators to visit their district programs and to contact them whenever special education questions or issues arose. Whether or not their legislators saw the issues the same way they did, the experience left all participating directors interested in building the relationships.

The idea to participate in the Day at the Capitol arose from participation in the 2022 CEC/CASE Special Education Legislative Summit (SELS) in Alexandria, Virginia and Washington, DC. Registration for the July 2023 SELS opened recently, and several ODSS members are again making plans to attend.

ODSS is so pleased to announce its wonderful 2023 award recipients: Teresa Golden, Director of Special Services, Kingston Public Schools, is the Outstanding Director of the Year. Kelli Hosford, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, Choctaw Nicoma Park Public Schools, is the recipient of the Maurice Walraven Award. Kaitlyn James, Southwestern Oklahoma State University student, is the recipient of the Jimmie Prickett Scholarship. ■