NASDSE Awards

NASDSE honors its colleagues who have provided significant contributions and leadership to the special education community with the following special awards:

The NASDSE Heritage Award

This award is presented to an individual on the basis of prolonged service and substantive contribution to NASDSE as well as the field of special education. The NASDSE Heritage Award is available only to current state directors and previous NASDSE board members. In order to qualify for the service component of this award, the candidate must have served NASDSE for an extended period of time. The award requires that the candidate either engage in one notable achievement or in a series of smaller ongoing achievements that, when combined, transform into a larger substantive contribution.

2011 Mabrey Whetstone Alabama

2010 Gary Sherman Nebraska

2009 Jacquelyn Thompson Michigan

2008 Doug Cox Virginia

2007 Robert Runkel Montana

2006 Alice Parker California

2005 Marcia Mittnach Massachusetts

2004 John Herner Ohio

2003 Martha Brooks Delaware

2002 Norena Hale Minnesota

2001 John Corpolongo Oklahoma

2000 Diane Sydoriak Arkansas

1999 Larry Gloeckler New York

1998 Judy Schrag Idaho

1997 David Stockford Maine

1996 Steve Kukic Utah

1995 John Heskett Missouri

1994 Larry “Smokey” Davis Nevada

1993 Lowell Harris Norrth Carolina

Martha J. Fields Award of Excellence

This award is presented to an individual or organization that has made extraordinary contributions to the NASDSE organization, its mission and goals. The candidate, individual, or organization must have made significant contributions to the NASDSE organization in support of services to state agencies to facilitate efforts to maximize educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities. To qualify, an individual cannot be a current state director of special education or NASDSE staff member. Recipients are selected by the NASDSE Board of directors based on recommendations from the President and Executive Director.

2011 Richard Long (National Title 1 Directors Association)

2010 Patti Ralabate (National Education Association, ret.)

2009 Debra Price Ellingstad, Project Officer for the IDEA Partnership at the U.S. Department of Education (retired)

2008 Luann Purcell (Executive Director, Council of Administrators of Special Education – CASE)

2007 Ellen Romett (Director, Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network)

2006 John Copenhaver (Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center)

2005 W. David Tilly III (Heartland (IA) Area Education Agency)

2004 Judy Smith-Davis (self-employed consultant)

2003 Joleta Reynolds (U.S. Department of Education: OSERS)

2002 Senator Tom Harkin (Iowa)

2001 Penny Earley (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education - AACTE)

2000 National Governors Association (NGA)

R. Elwood Pace Humanitarian Award

This award is presented to an individual who engages in service or actions of a humanitarian nature that exceed what one normally expects of a person in the discharge of his or her professional duties. The actions of a qualified candidate reflect a genuine concern for the human condition. The award requires that the nominee engage in consistent humanitarian behavior over an extended period of time. Previous board members, current state directors and current staff members of state education agencies are eligible to receive this award. Recipients are nominated by the membership and selected by NASDSE’s Board of Directors. The recipient of the award may not be a sitting board member.

2009 Bill East NASDSE

2004 JoLynne DeMary Virginia

2003 Anne Gay District of Columbia

2000 Richard Baldwin Michigan

1999 Michael Valentine West Virginia

1997 Austin Tuning Virginia

1996 Jerry White Maryland

1995 Jill Gray Texas

1994 Frank Vance Iowa

1993 Landis Stetler Florida