Special Education

Division of Special Education

The MSDE Division of Special Education provides leadership, accountability, technical assistance, and resource management to local school systems, public agencies, and stakeholders through a seamless, comprehensive system of coordinated services to children and students with disabilities, birth through age 21, and their families.

Resources

For Educators and Families

• Publications and Information

• Webinars and Trainings

• Technical Assistance Bulletins
  

• Alternate Education Framework
  

• Family Support Services
  

• The IEP Process: Resources for Families during Virtual and Hybrid Learning
  

• Best Practices for Identification of a Student with an Intellectual Disability
  

• Guidance for IEP Teams Working with Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities: Assessment and Eligibility for the Alternate Framework
  

• Part B and Part C IDEA Applications
  

• Success for all Students in the General Education Classroom: A Guide for Inclusive Practices
  

Partnership in Action

• SICC: Maryland State Interagency Coordinating Council

• SESAC: Maryland Special Education State Advisory Committee

Items of Interest

• Maryland's Alternate Assessment Waiver Extension 2025
  

• Moving Maryland Forward: The Division of Special Education Strategic Plan to Narrow the Gap

• Study of the IEP Process and the Adequate Funding Level for Students with Disabilities

Maryland Elevates

Maryland Elevates is the Division of Special Education's comprehensive online resource for leaders, families, and providers of early intervention and special education. Find resources to support the Division's strategic imperatives: early childhood, access, equity, progress, and secondary transition; and COVID-19 updates to support students and their families during and after the pandemic.

Visit the Maryland Elevates website

Division of Special Education Branches

• Performance Support and Technical Assistance

• Policy and Accountability
  

• Family Support and Dispute Resolution
  

• Interagency Collaboration
  

  • Autism Waiver/Health-Related Services
    

  • Interagency Rates Committee
    

• Resource Management and Monitoring

  • Nonpublic Special Education
    

Contact:

Antoine L. Hickman, Ed.D.
Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Special Education
Office: (410) 767-0238
antoine.hickman@maryland.gov

Monique Wiggins
Executive Associate, Division of Special Education
Office: (410) 767-0238
Fax: (410) 333-8165
monique.wiggins@maryland.gov

Spotlight

Parent Information Series Guidebooks

MSDE is proud to partner with our families through the publication of our new Parent Information Series.

These booklets provide essential information for families of students with disabilities from ages 3 through 21 on important topics that increase collaboration between home and school in planning for their child's education.

View the booklets

Success for All Students in the General Education Classroom: A Guide for Inclusive Practices

The Inclusive Practices Guide serves as a practical resource for classroom practitioners and school administrators. Its primary goal is to foster greater inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings by equipping educators with specific differentiation strategies that can be applied across a wide range of subjects.

The guide is organized by academic content areas and special education support topics, allowing educators to easily select the information and strategies most relevant to their needs. This user-friendly format ensures that teachers can quickly access and implement effective practices to support diverse learners.