OPTIMISE
Partners
We Are OPTIMISE
Initiated by the Michigan State Legislature in 2021, the OPTIMISE task force was established to provide a clear vision and broad, high-level strategy to ensure alignment with Section 94d of the State School Aid Act of 1979.
The task force along with its partners created a collective action plan with recommendations to attract, prepare, and retain qualified personnel for children with disabilities.
Our Work
OPTIMISE has worked with professional organizations, associations, institutes of higher education, multiple legislative offices, and the governor’s office to network, collect and review data, identify strengths, barriers and opportunities that resulted in recommendations on how to effectively attract, prepare and retain a qualified and diverse workforce pipeline in Michigan.
Partners voice and differing perspectives from rural, urban, and suburban has been key to a collective voice and helping us build momentum.
We welcome you to the team table, to help collect and disseminate information and most importantly elevating the special education profession.
TASK FORCE - Meets Quarterly
The task force will establish a clear vision and broad, high-level strategy to ensure alignment with section 94d of the State School Aid Act of 1979, ultimately submitting a collective action plan that makes recommendations, informed by partners engagement, to attract, prepare, and retain qualified personnel for children with disabilities.
Frequency
Quarterly Meetings (minimally)
Duration
September 2024
- Develop a comprehensive multi-year plan to attract, prepare, and retain qualified personnel for children with disabilities.
- Collaborate with a coalition of partners focused on energy to action to address the urgent shortage of educators servicing the needs of individuals with disabilities across Michigan.
- An identification of the barriers to attracting and training qualified personnel to work with children with disabilities.
- An analysis of current educator preparation processes, including the degree to which they meet the needs of special education students and whether the preparation process could be streamlined to increase the number of qualified personnel entering the field of special education.
- An analysis of attrition rates for qualified personnel leaving the field of special education and recommendations for ways that this state or districts could better retain talent.
- An analysis of this state’s licensing requirements and whether they could be streamlined to increase the number of qualified personnel entering the field of special education.
- Policy changes that should be enacted into law to address the barriers identified in this subsection, with specific changes to applicable state laws or applicable state rules.
The task force will meet at least quarterly to identify priorities, ensure adequate resources, review progress and provide feedback, and assess and approve recommendations presented by the core team with consideration given to:
- Strengths of the recommendations.
- Weaknesses of the recommendations.
- Multiplier effect of the recommendations – additional opportunities that, if leveraged, can have additional positive impact.
- Potential risks or threats of the recommendations.
- Potential impact.
- Feasibility.
Shailee Patel | LEA
Earl Wiman | MEA/MFT
Tina Kerr | MASA
Abby Cypher | MAASE
John Severson | MAISA
Colin Ripmaster | MASSP
Kanika Littleton | Michigan Alliance for Families
Teri Pettit | SEAC
Rachel Toloday | Student
Joe Lubig | IHE
Rebecca McIntyre | MDE
Stephanie O’Dea | Executive Branch
Lauren Mangus | MASP
Kathy Weaver | MASSW
Anthony Strevett | MSHA
Cheryl Levine S. E. | Mediation Svcs.
Renee Brunette | Launch Michigan
Alexa Kramer | Business
Jennifer Gard | Parent
Sarah Robinson | Parent
CORE TEAM - Meets Bi-Monthly
Frequency
Approximately two meetings per month, combined virtual and face-to-face.
Duration
September 2024
The primary responsibility of the core team is to manage shorter range planning including selection of the means and resources by which to pursue specific aspects of the requirements and priorities of the task force.
The core team is accountable to the task force, with specific responsibilities including but not limited to:
- Identifying the requisite variety of perspectives necessary to inform specific aspects of the work as well as stakeholders who represent the identified perspectives.
- Establishing action teams to develop recommendations to the collective action plan.
- Provide feedback and support for engaging stakeholders and assist in the development of various focus areas.
- Determine resources necessary to support the development of the collective action plan.
- Provide feedback and support for the work of the action teams to ensure alignment with 94d requirements.
- Review and provide ongoing & constructive feedback to Consultant and Project Manager.
- Monitor potential influencers that may impact (positively or negatively) the effort.
- Communicate, make recommendations, and provide status reports to the task force quarterly.”
*a designee from the core team may be selected to attend all or part of task force meetings.
Laurie VanderPloeg | Consultant
Kathy Fortino | Project Manager
Dave Manson | Superintendent – VB ISD [Fiscal Agent]
Scott Koenigsknecht | Deputy Superintendent – MDE
Teri Rink | Director – MDE Office of Special Education
Kanika Littleton | Director Michigan Alliance for Families
Gina Gardner | Educator Preparation & Accreditation – MDE
Abby Cypher | Executive Director – MAASE
Rachel Fuerer | Special Education Instructional Leadership Network [SEILN]
Cheryl-Marie Manson | General Education Leadership Network [GELN]
Paula Lancaster | Professor, Central Michigan University
Michelle Harmala | Assistant Superintendent of Michigan Department of Education
OPTIMISE Partners Explain the Why
The partners of OPTIMISE explain how they are building, supporting and sustaining a NEW education system.
OPTIMISE Key Partners
