DC Special Education Cooperative

Our Mission:

The Co-op’s mission is to CULTIVATE programs and professionals committed to the best outcomes for students with disabilities; COLLABORATE by bringing together schools and community members to share ideas, leverage resources, and build capacity; and IINNOVATE by offering programs and services that move schools from compliance to quality.

The Cooperative is Making a Difference:
The DC Special Education Cooperative (Co-op) is an innovative charter support organization in the District of Columbia. The Co-op was founded in 1998 by charter school leaders, teachers, special education experts, and local chartering authorities for purpose of providing charter schools with special education supports and services and continues to be lead by a board of majority charter school leaders. It is the only grassroots, organization that is driven by, and for, DC public charter schools.

The Co-op is the first of its kind in the nation and has become the model for education cooperatives across the nation who are seeking ways to improve services for students with disabilities. 

The Co-op’s vision is that all students with disabilities in the District of Columbia receive a rigorous, individualized, and inclusive education preparing them for post-graduation success.