About Us

In June 2007, at a pivotal time for meaningful education reform in the District of Columbia, a group of educators created the District of Columbia Association for Special Education (DCASE), an alliance of nonpublic special education and charter schools that serve students with disabilities from the District of Columbia. DCASE members have been providing special education services to students for many years, and are dedicated to improving educational opportunities for all DC students with disabilities, wherever their needs are best served.

The DCASE mission is—

  • To serve as a conduit for information to its members;
  • To advocate for students served by members in policy discussions with the District of Columbia Public Schools, the State Superintendent, the State Board of Education, the Mayor and federal agencies, and Congress;
  • To provide technical assistance and professional development to members and their employees;
  • To promote collaboration and cooperation among members;
  • To engage in partnerships with parents and organizations concerned with the needs of students and families;
  • To promote efforts to provide services to students with disabilities who are unserved and underserved;
  • To support measures to provide adequate public funding for special education and related services in both public and nonpublic programs.

 

DCASE Consortium

Special Education services for local public schools - Learn more!

 

The DCASE Blackman-Jones Assessment Project

Background, scope, and details of this groundbreaking project.
The DCASE/Blackman-Jones Assessment Project
FINAL REPORT - The DCASE/Blackman-Jones Assessment Project

 

DCASE Resource Bank

DCASE maintains this Resource Bank of crucial programs and services that it can provide to DCPS, OSSE, and others, including assessments, dropout prevention, vocational education, and wrap-around services.
DCASE Resource Bank

 

DCASE Member Schools

View brief profiles of all DCASE member schools.

DCASE Members At a Glance

 

Membership in DCASE

Voting Members
Any nonpublic special education or charter school that supports the mission of DCASE may apply for voting membership. Learn more...

DCASE Membership Application Package

Affiliate Members
The DCASE Board of Directors may extend Affiliate Membership to individuals or organizations engaged in activities supporting the education of youth, if those activities do not conflict with the mission of DCASE. See the Affiliate Membership Package for more details.

DCASE Affiliate Membership Application Package

 

Governance

DCASE Officers and Board, Committees and Project Teams, and Bylaws in Brief.
See details...