On Thursday, September 24th 2020, at NASDSE’s 82nd Annual Conference and Business meeting, the National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) was awarded the Martha J. Fields Award. This award is presented each year to an individual or organization that has made extraordinary contributions in supporting state special education directors. Recipients are selected by the NASDSE Board of Directors.
Here’s what NCSI Director, Rorie Fitzpatrick said in acceptance of the award:
“On behalf of the NCSI Team, I’m extraordinarily proud, and also incredibly humbled by this award. The work of a state special education director is challenging in a good year. It can feel downright exhausting in a pandemic year – especially as state leaders and staff take to heart the responsibility and commitment to ensure that historically marginalized students and their families are well-supported to succeed in varying school models such as distance and hybrid learning. We pledge to keep up the strong support for Directors and their teams, as they do the hard and deep work each day. We are grateful for this honor to our work, and the opportunity to serve states to support positive outcomes for the nation’s almost 7 million children and youth with disabilities ages 3-21.”
For a full listing of past Martha J. Fields Award of Excellence recipients, please visit NASDSE’s website.