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Sue Gamm, Esq.



Sue Gamm, Esq., is a special educator and attorney who has spent more than 40 years specializing in the study and understanding of policies, procedures and practices impacting the systemic and effective education of students with disabilities and those with academic and social/emotional challenges. Sue has blended her legal and special education programmatic expertise and unique experience as the chief specialized services officer for the Chicago Public Schools, attorney and division director for the Office for Civil Rights (US Department of Education) and special educator to become a highly regarded national expert as an author, presenter, consultant and evaluator of systemwide policies and practices.

Since her retirement from the Chicago Public Schools in 2002, Sue has consulted with the Public Consulting Group (PCG). With PCG and other organizations, Sue has conducted more than 50 systemwide reviews of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) and special education services, and studies of specific issues in more than 27 states. This work included consultation with five state educational agencies to assist them in their Federal monitoring responsibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Based on her extensive experience and knowledge of policies and procedures required for the implementation of IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Sue has written standard operating procedure manuals for special education practices and MTSS for more than 10 school districts. Sue has shared her knowledge of the IDEA/Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and related issues at numerous national, state and local conferences and has authored/co-authored numerous periodicals and publications, including: Common Core State Standards and Diverse Urban Students; Using Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (Council of the Great City Schools) and Disproportionality in Special Education: Identifying Where and Why Overidentification of Students Occurs (LRP Publications). She also participated in the preparation of U.S. Supreme Court Amicus Curiae briefs for the Council of Great City Schools in Support of Plaintiffs in Board of Education of the City School District of the City of New York v Tom F., On Behalf of Gilbert F., A Minor Child [special education placement] and in Forest Grove School District v TA (2007, 2009). Sue has also been recognized for her legal expertise in the area of special education through her engagement as an expert witness or consultant involving nine special education federal class action cases.



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