The State is seeking experts with a degree and licensure as a school psychologist or speechlanguage pathologist with knowledge in school-based psychological and speech-language evaluations for the development of a SPED task force to review, revise, and update the State’s eligibility standards and related guidance documents in the following disability categories: Functional Delay, Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Orthopedic Impairment. These experts are not required to be currently employed as school psychologists or speech-language pathologists or employed by a school district to qualify. In addition, the application review committee will consider applications from other skilled personnel with specific knowledge in these given disability categories (i.e., occupational therapists, physical therapists, etc.) to be on the task force. The State will award contracts to up to thirty (30) assessment specialists to serve on the SPED task force. Contractors will have the following responsibilities: • Review, revise, and update the eligibility standards for five (5) disability categories (i.e., Functional Delay, Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Orthopedic Impairment) for students with suspected educational disabilities, ensuring the State is employing best practices for assessment of disabilities and that the State’s definitions of disability categories align with recent changes in federal and clinical definitions of these disability categories.
