11/12/2021
John Eisenberg
CONTACT: John Eisenberg FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
John.Eisenberg@nasdse.org November 12, 2021
NASDSE Supports Nomination of Glenna Gallo for Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education & Rehabilitative Services
The National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) firmly supports the nomination of Glenna Gallo to be the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services at the U.S. Department of Education.
Ms. Gallo has twice served as President of NASDSE -- and has a wealth of experience in working with children, youth and adults with disabilities and their families. She has dedicated her entire professional career to ensuring that all students with disabilities are held to high levels of achievement and that the necessary supports and services are available to meet their needs. She has worked with stakeholders in the disability community at the local, state, and national levels and has gained a reputation for valuing their input through an authentic stakeholder process and ensuring equity for all students.
Since 2017, Ms. Gallo has served as the Assistant Superintendent of Special Education in Washington state's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Prior to that, she spent seven years as the State Director of Special Education for the Utah State Board of Education, following work as a classroom teacher and administrator.
She has more than 25 years of public education experience supporting students with disabilities and adults entering and within the teaching profession, and 16 years of experience in the state-level educational leadership with expertise in the improvement planning, data analysis, and monitoring of public preK-12+ special education programs.
Collaboration is a priority for her work. Ms. Gallo feels strongly that application of the intent of IDEA requirements results in increased student outcomes for students with disabilities and works with school and district administrators, special education staff, advocates, and parents/families of students with disabilities at the local, state and national levels to review research, current student achievement data, stakeholder feedback, and compliance data to ensure all efforts address instructional issues that impact results for students with disabilities.
Ms. Gallo is an exceptional choice to serve as Assistant Secretary, and NASDSE looks forward to working with her when she is confirmed.
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The National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), is the national nonprofit organization that represents the state directors of special education, the IDEA Part B data managers and the IDEA 619 coordinators in the states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Department of Defense Education Agency, the Bureau of Indian Education, the U.S. territories and Freely Associated States.
