The National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education

"Encouraging the use of mediation and other collaborative strategies to resolve disagreements about special
education and early intervention programs."

Linda Goodman has worked for DDS since 1972 in a variety of positions including directing the department's early intervention program, strategic planning, program development, educational administration, and staff training. She has served as Director for the Birth to Three System since July, 1996. The System serves over 9,000 eligible children with disabilities or developmental delays and their families each year through a network of 45 private and public programs.

Linda coordinated the design and implementation of the current system and has presented extensively on topics related to design, funding, and operation and supervision of statewide systems of early intervention. The System has had to adapt over the years in response to both state and federal demands. Connecticut was only the second state in the country to have its Federal application fully approved, reflecting all new requirements of IDEA 2004. As a result of the annual Performance Reports submitted to OSEP, they have also been determined to "meet requirements" for the past three years.

Linda received her Bachelor's Degree in Speech and Hearing from Miami University, her Master's Degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Illinois and her Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Hartford. She is a licensed speech pathologist and is also certified as a school superintendent.

She served on the Board of the national Infant Toddler Coordinators Association from 1998 to 2003 and was President of the Association in 2002. She currently co-chairs the Legislative Committee for the Association. She served as a member of the Advisory Board to the National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring from 2002-2007. She currently serves as the appointed representative for DDS on the Birth to Three State Interagency Coordinating Council and is the Commissioner's designee to the state's Early Childhood Cabinet.

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