Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC)

Regular SECAC meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. at Potomac Center, 1370 Marshall Street, Hagerstown. If you need childcare, and you must pre-register for it, please call 301-766-8221, or email partners@wcps.k12.md.us.

The schedule of SECAC meetings for the 2011-2012 school year is as follows:

  • January 17, 2012 - Navigating Public Agencies
  • March 20 - Assistive Technology
  • May 15 - Transition

Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC)

The WCPS Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC) is part of a statewide network of advisory committees that are required by state and federal law.

The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA) requires that each State operate a statewide advisory panel. In accordance with the law, Maryland has a Special Education State Advisory Committee (SESAC). The purpose of SESAC is to advice the State Board on unmet needs of students with disabilities, including the development of evaluations, reports, and corrective action plans in response to federal monitoring, and implementing policies and procedures to coordinate services for students with disabilities.

The Maryland State Department of Education supports the development of local advisory committees in each local school system. SECACs enable a local director of special education to seek meaningful input from parents, community partners, service providers, and school administrators on local issues relative to the provision of a free appropriate public education and the achievement of students with disabilities.

SEAC Brochure

What is the purpose of the local SECAC?

WCPS has maintained an active SECAC for several years. The WCPS SECAC has adopted a vision statement that is consistent with WCPS Master Plan:

"Insuring World-Class Education for All Student with Disabilities."

The committee is aligning the work of the local SECAC to the Goals and Objectives of the WCPS Master Plan:

The Goals:

  • Goal I - Peak Performance: To attain high achievement for all students, particularly for students with disabilities.
  • Goal II - Continuous Process Improvement: To Design & Implement Effective, Cost-Efficient Management Systems and Practices in Order to Improve the Support to Instruction, particularly for students with disabilities.
  • Goal III - Customer & Stakeholder Involvement and Satisfaction: Improve Internal and External Customer and Stakeholder Involvement and Satisfaction, particularly for special education or student services related issues or concerns.

Why Join SECAC?

Why you should join SECAC is in all of the following reasons:

  • You will have the opportunity to improve the education of children with disabilities.
  • You will have the opportunity to have input into local and state policy making decisions.
  • You will have the opportunity to network with other parents, professionals, and service providers.
  • You will have the opportunity to enhance and strengthen existing partnerships between parents, families, community leaders and educators.

Contact information

Contact us for more information!