xMinds Speaker Series - From Washington to MCPS: How Special Education Funding Actually Works with Selene Almazan, Esq., Legal Director of COPAA

xMinds Monthly Speaker Series

From Washington to MCPS: How Special Education Funding Actually Works

with Selene Almazan, Esq., Legal Director of COPAA

Location: Virtual

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, April 23rd, 2026

How do shifting policies in Washington, Annapolis, and MCPS directly impact your child's classroom services? Join xMinds on Thursday, April 23 for an essential primer with COPAA Legal Director Selene Almazan, Esq., to learn how the special education funding and oversight framework actually works. Understanding this system is the critical first step to effectively advocating for your child and protecting their rights in school.

SPEAKER: Selene A. Almazan, Esq., Legal Director works contractually as Legal Director for the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and maintains a private law practice in Maryland representing families in special education matters. A founding member of COPAA since 1998 and former Board member (2003–2014), she has held multiple leadership roles including Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary, and has contributed extensively through committees, strategic planning, and litigation initiatives. Selene has been deeply involved in federal policy and legal advocacy, including IDEA reauthorization, charter school policy, and disability rights litigation, and has authored amicus briefs in multiple federal circuits. Previously, she served as Co-Executive Director and Director of Advocacy Services at the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education and as a Supervising Attorney at the Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland. She brings decades of experience representing families and training parents, educators, and advocates on special education law and disability rights.

MORE ABOUT COPAA (the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates):

COPAA’s mission is to protect and enforce the legal and civil rights of students with disabilities and their families. Regarded as the nation's leading authority on special education law, they support parents and mentor those who defend the educational rights of students with disabilities. COPAA members have lived experience with disabilities themselves, have children and family members with a disability and/or they support clients with complex medical, educational, behavioral and academic needs.

Live Spanish Translation will be available during the webinar/Habrá interpretación en vivo al español durante el seminario web.

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Ciclo de Conferencias de xMinds

De Washington a MCPS: cómo funciona realmente la financiación de la educación especial

Ubicación: Virtual

Precio: Gratis

Cuándo: Jueves, el 23 de abril, de 19:00 a 20:30.

¿Cómo afectan directamente los cambios en las políticas de Washington, Annapolis y el MCPS a los servicios que recibe su hijo en el aula? Acompañe a xMinds el jueves 23 de abril en una sesión informativa fundamental con la Directora Legal de COPAA, la abogada Selene Almazan, para comprender cómo funciona realmente el marco de financiación y supervisión de la educación especial. Entender este sistema constituye el primer paso crucial para abogar eficazmente por su hijo y proteger sus derechos en la escuela.

ORADORA: Selene A. Almazan, Esq., Directora Legal, ejerce su cargo bajo modalidad contractual para el Consejo de Abogados y Defensores de Padres (COPAA) y mantiene un bufete privado en Maryland, donde representa a familias en asuntos relacionados con la educación especial. Miembro fundadora de COPAA desde 1998 y exmiembro de su Junta Directiva (2003–2014), ha desempeñado múltiples roles de liderazgo —incluyendo los de Presidenta, Vicepresidenta, Tesorera y Secretaria— y ha realizado importantes contribuciones a través de comités, procesos de planificación estratégica e iniciativas de litigio. Selene ha participado activamente en el ámbito de la política federal y la defensa legal, abarcando temas como la reautorización de la ley IDEA, las políticas sobre escuelas chárter y los litigios en materia de derechos de las personas con discapacidad; asimismo, ha redactado escritos amicus curiae en múltiples circuitos federales. Anteriormente, se desempeñó como Codirectora Ejecutiva y Directora de Servicios de Defensa en la Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education, así como Abogada Supervisora ​​en la Oficina de Asistencia Legal de Maryland (Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland). Aporta décadas de experiencia en la representación de familias y en la capacitación de padres, educadores y defensores en materia de derecho de la educación especial y derechos de las personas con discapacidad.

Más sobre COPAA (el Consejo de Abogados y Defensores de Padres):