In fiscal year 2024, the Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities (MCDD) successfully submitted a grant application for funding through the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), Division of Special Education, Maryland Elevates Grant Program. MCDD is using the funds—$100,000 across five years—to support the Office of Special Education of Wicomico County Public Schools (WCPS).
Funded work began at West Salisbury Elementary School, a primary school educating students from pre-K (age 4) through second grade. The MCDD’s interdisciplinary team includes Mallory Legg, Esq., director of Project HEAL (Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law); Dr. Matthew Edelstein, director of the Brief Evaluation Clinic, Behavioral Psychology Department; Dr. Lisa Carey, co-director of the Center for Innovation and Leadership in Special Education; and Maureen van Stone, Esq., MS, assistant vice president and director of the MCDD.
The focus of the work is on recruiting participants (administrators, educators, related service professionals, instructional assistants and early childhood providers); creating online learning modules; implementing asynchronous and synchronous learning sessions; and offering office hours and on-site observation, coaching and feedback sessions for all cohort participants. The online modules focus on differentiated instruction, conducting functional behavioral assessments (FBAs), developing behavioral intervention plans (BIPs) and understanding the legal requirements related to challenging behavior and disciplinary procedures. Since the initiative began at West Salisbury Elementary School, the team has expanded its efforts to include Beaver Run Elementary School during the last two years of funding. Based on findings from the data analysis, the team added an extra online training module and extended its work at the school, due to the size of the student population and the identified level of need.
The Maryland Elevates Grant Program offers the MCDD an opportunity to directly engage with employees of WCPS and their students, as well as expand its partnership with the leadership of WCPS. At each site visit, the team meets with school administrators and leaders in WCPS to refine its approach and consider next steps. Additionally, for fiscal year 2026, the MCDD successfully submitted a second Maryland Elevates Grant Program application led by Mirian Ofonedu, PhD, LCSW-C, the MCDD’s training director.
Dr. Ofonedu is implementing a program that promotes family engagement in special education through the Family-As-Host (FAH) Model and the Family Ambassador Resource (FAR). Collaboration among school staff members, parents of children with disabilities, and family support agencies within WCPS and the Howard County Public School System has, in part, made this possible.
Attendees gain insight into the FAH model of training for responsive family engagement practices. The FAH model positions families as experts in their own lives, shifting traditional power dynamics and building school staff capacity to authentically engage with families in the special education process. The FAR program positions family ambassadors (i.e., parents of children with disabilities) to serve as family-to-family support volunteers who encourage other parents to advocate for themselves without the need of a third party. Participants learn practical strategies for engaging families from diverse backgrounds in special education, and how to embed an innovative family-to-family support model and facilitate family-centered meetings within schools.
The MCDD remains hopeful that it will continue to expand its partnership with WCPS and have a positive impact on WCPS and the children and families it serves through the MSDE’s Maryland Elevates school fiscal year 2027 grants program.