Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Blog:

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services is excited to announce that Laurie VanderPloeg is joining the team as Director for the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). We have full confidence that Laurie’s depth of knowledge and experience as well as her dedication to preparing students for success will move us forward in our commitment to raise expectations and improve outcomes for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities across the country.

Laurie has dedicated the past 38 years to ensuring that students with disabilities have access to a high-quality education, and her passion for empowering students to succeed began long before she entered the field. Laurie’s mom was a teacher who helped develop one of the first instructional support models for a school district in Lansing, MI, and her work ethic inspired Laurie to seek a similar career path.

“My mom was my first mentor and role model,” Laurie said. “I watched her commitment to her profession and observed her passion for meeting the individual needs of students.” Read More