Advisory Council for the Education of Students with Disabilities

The Advisory Council for the Education of Students with Disabilities shall advise the State on unmet needs, initiatives of the Council and consult with the Governor, the Commissioner of Education, the State Board of Education and the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Special Populations, Tennessee Department of Education.

Council Videos

Under the Tennessee Open Meetings Act, the public has the right to attend government meetings and speak on agenda items when decisions are being made. Public comment must relate to the topics on the agenda and may be limited by time or number of speakers. See T.C.A. § 8-44-108. Everyone is welcome to attend advisory council meetings, and time for public input is available on a first come, first served basis. Please note that the public comment period is for making comments, not for asking questions or having a discussion. For more information, contact Michael.Holman@tn.gov or Joey.Ellis@tnstep.info, council chair.

Current Membership

Name	Email Address	Area of Representation
Joey Ellis, Chair		Individuals with Disabilities
Scott Rupe, Vice Chair	scott.rupe@gmail.com	Disability Advocate
Amy Allen	Amy.Allen@trentonssd.org	Special Education Administrators
Angela Jackson	Angela.Jackson@hck12.net	State and Local Education Officials
Catherine Knowles	Catherine.Knowles@mnps.org	Office of the Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youth
Chantal Hess-Taylor	tteachlaw@aol.com	Parents
Darlene Walden	darwarld@live.com	Parents
Vacant		Private Schools
Vacant		Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Representative
Stephanie Ortego	sortego@bradleyschools.org	Teachers
Shannon Taylor	Shannon.Taylor@hctnschools.com	Parents
Vacant		Higher Education Institutes Representative
Vacant		State Corrections Representative
Martina Stump		Department of Children Services
Jessica Peach		Teacher and Parent
Emily Whitson		Disability Advocate