About the Advisory Council
An Advisory Council has been established to provide input, from the viewpoints of various stakeholders, on the development of policies and procedures that regulate mediation and the due process hearing system. The policies and procedures formulated by the Special Education Resolution Center (SERC), with the advice of the Council, will be presented to the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) as a recommendation for positive change.
Members come from locations throughout the state of Oklahoma. The school district membership reflects small, medium, and large districts with about half of the school district members having participated in due process and half have not. School district representatives are encouraged to work with their district as a team to represent school district views on the Advisory Council. The parents and parent agencies represent children having various disabilities across the school-age span; some parents have participated in due process, while others have not.
Advisory Council Membership
- Dr. Allison Fennell–Conch, Chair, Assistant Director, Special Education Resolution Center
- Alisa Holuby, Co-Chair, Program Manager, Special Education Resolution Center
- Shannon Esmeyer, Secretary, Administrative Specialist, Special Education Resolution Center
- Allyson Robinson, Member at Large, Director of Accessibility Programs, Oklahoma State University
Representatives: Oklahoma School Districts
- Lesa Elerick, Principal, Jones Public Schools
- Charlene Duncan, Special Education Director, Owasso Public Schools
- Dr. Gena Koster, Assistant Superintendent, Tulsa Public Schools
- Dr. Ashley Proctor, Special Education Teacher, Noble Public Schools
Representatives: OSDE
- Sarah Laird, Oklahoma State Department of Education, Special Education Project Manager – Differentiated Monitoring
Representatives: Parents of Children with Disabilities and Parent Agencies
- Melissa Stevens, Parent
- Eileen Franks, Parent
- Ellen Kimbrell, Parent Agency – Oklahoma Parent Center (OPC)
- Janice Morris, Parent Agency – Oklahoma Disability Law Center (ODLC)
- Michelle Rico, Parent Agency – Sooner Success
- Michelle Keiper, Parent Agency – Decoding Dyslexia Oklahoma
Representatives: SERC Service Provider
- Gena Timberman, Mediator
Oklahoma Special Education Resolution Center
Advisory Council Rules
I. Name and Mission
- The name of the organization shall be the Special Education Resolution Center Advisory Council; hereafter identified as the Advisory Council.
- The Advisory Council is established pursuant to the terms of the contract between the Oklahoma State University Department of Wellness – Sponsored Programs (DOWSP) and OSDE for the management of the special education mediation, due process hearing and appeal systems for the State of Oklahoma.
- It shall be the Mission of the Advisory Council to provide advice on: 1.) the policies and procedures of the special education mediation, due process hearing and appeal system as developed by SERC and 2.) the recruiting, training and evaluation of mediators, hearing and appeal officers.
- SERC is a recommending body to the OSDE. All work submitted by the Advisory Council will eventually be submitted to the OSDE – Special Education Services division (OSDE SES) as a recommendation for change.
II. Definitions
- State means the State of Oklahoma.
- Year means the project year beginning July 1 and ending June 30.
III. Duties of the Advisory Council
- Provide viewpoints from a variety of stakeholders to include a mediator, school districts, a community member (if applicable), parents of students with disabilities and parent agencies, and the OSDE during the development of recommended policy and procedure change;
- Advise whether the current policies and procedures are meeting the needs of the parents/school districts to be served;
- Recommend changes in policy and procedure of the special education mediation, due process hearing and appeal systems, and in the recruitment, training and evaluation of mediators, hearing and appeal officers, and
- Help foster good relations between the stakeholder groups.
IV. Membership
A. Composition of the Advisory Council:
- Shall consist of at least thirteen (13) members.
- Shall be recruited to ensure a broad range of backgrounds and experience.
- Shall be geographically representative of the state and shall reflect the diversity of the state with respect to race, ethnicity, and types of disabilities across the school-age span.
- Shall consist of a majority, not less than fifty-one percent (51%), membership composed of parents of children with disabilities or parent agency representatives, throughout the age ranges as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) Part B and Part C.
- Shall include no less than seven (7) parents of students with disabilities or representatives of parent agencies.
- Shall have one (1) member representing OSDE SES.
- Shall include four (4) members representing school districts: a superintendent, a special education director, a regular education staff member, and a special education staff member.
- Shall have one (1) member representing mediators of the mediation system.
- May have one (1) member representing community interests.
- Members appointed as a community representative (if applicable) shall not count toward the calculated majority membership.
B. Terms and Vacancies
- Advisory Council membership, except for OSDE and parent agencies, is a three (3) year term duration. Members may opt to continue for one additional three (3) year term. At the end of the three (3) year term, SERC will notify the council members that their term is ready to expire and inquire as to whether they want to continue for one additional term. The representatives of OSDE-SES shall continue year to year and the representative shall be designated by the OSDE. The representative of the parent agency shall continue year to year and the representative shall be designated by the parent agency.
- At the end of the member’s term, the council will be notified of impending vacancies and will have an opportunity to suggest potential replacement members. Other potential members may be suggested by school districts or agencies, and/or the OSDE. The leadership at SERC will interview the suggested candidate(s) to determine their interest, willingness, and ability to work towards the aims of SERC and will make final selection(s).
- Advisory Council members shall be replaced within parameters of the original selection category.
- Advisory Council members may be terminated if the member misses two (2) consecutive unexcused meetings.
C. Financial Compensation
- Any council member needing disability accommodations to attend or participate in meetings shall notify SERC at least 30 days in advance of a meeting. All costs incurred to provide accommodations will be paid by SERC.
- Advisory Council members shall be reimbursed for any travel expenses incurred for attendance at Advisory Council meetings; provided travel expenses are not being paid by any other agency source.
V. Meetings
- The Advisory Council shall meet quarterly.
- The Advisory Council activities shall function on a fiscal year basis: July 1 through June 30.
- SERC will provide notice to council members of all quarterly meetings scheduled scheduled for the fiscal year stating the place, date, and hour to the last known contact of each member. Meeting dates are also listed on the SERC website.
Advisory Council Meetings for the 2025 Fiscal Year:
- Friday, June 6 from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Advisory Council Meetings for the 2026 Fiscal Year:
- Friday, September 12 from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Friday, December 5 from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Friday, March 6 from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Friday, June 5 from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.