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Last Update: 01/13/2012

Advisory Council for the Education of Students with Disabilities

Advisory Council for Children with Disabilities logo

Purpose - “The Advisory Council for the Education of Students with Disabilities (“Council”) 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 Education, Tennessee Department of Education.”

Advisory Council By-lawsdownload pdf file

Council Goals for July 2010 - June 2011download pdf file

Annual Reports

Meeting Minutes

Tentative Schedule

2007-2008 School Year Report

2008-2009 School Year Report

October 2010download pdf file
January 2011download pdf file


April 23, 2012
July 11, 2012
October 22, 2012
January 2, 2013

If you are unable to attend in person, but would like to attend via your computer, please click on

http://nowuseeit.state.tn.us/mediasite5/Viewer/?peid=5f1e9d202bd74dc1b90f2d1234852d86

Any questions should be emailed to sped.council@tn.gov and we will respond to as many as we can during the public input portion of the meeting.

Note: All interested persons are invited to attend Advisory Council Meetings. During the meetings opportunities for public input are available. The time available is limited and will be scheduled on a first come/first serve basis. Please contact the Secretary of the Council at 615-741-2851 or the Council Chair at pgbrwnyr@memphis.edu

Current Membership

Name / City of Residence E-mail Address Area of Representation
Paula Brownyard, Chair - Jackson pgbrwnyr@memphis.edu Institutions of Higher Education
Cynthia Cheshier,  Vice-Chair - Knoxville cjcheshier@ortn.edu Teachers
Dawn Bradley - Lebanon bradleybd@wcschools.com Administrators of Programs for Children with Disabilities/ Parent of a Child with a disability
Samuel Cole - Nashville Samuel.Cole@tn.gov Other State Agencies involved with the delivery of Related Services
Chip Fair - Manchester fairc@rcschools.net Individual with a disability
Jeff Finney - Elizabethton Jeffery.Finney@tn.gov State Juvenile Agency/ State child welfare agency responsible for foster care
Janelle Glover - Hermitage janelle.glover@mnps.org Public Charter Schools
Kyle Hauth - Chattanooga khauth@orangegrove.org Vocational Organization concerned with the provisions of transition services
Chantal Hess-Taylor - Cordova Tteachlaw@aol.com Parent of a Child with a disability
Catherine Knowles - Nashville catherine.knowles@mnps.org McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
Mary Donnet Johnson - Knoxville formdj@earthlink.net Parent of a Child with a disability
Flavenia Leaper - Memphis leaperflavenia@mcsk12.net Parent of a Child with a disability
Christene Lloyd-Burkes- Memphis lloydc0@mcsk12.net Individual with a disability
Beulah Oldham - Clarksville oldhamb@apsu.edu Institutions of Higher Education
Cindy Storey - Chattanooga storeyc@myndhs.com Private Schools
Shannon Taylor - Lexington taylors@caywood.org Parent of a Child with a disability
Jim Topp - Collierville jamesetopp@me.com Individual with a disability/Parent of a Child with a disability
Darlene Walden - Denmark darwald@live.com Parent of a Child with a disability