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# Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on Senate Confirmation of Glenna Wright-Gallo

# Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on Senate Confirmation of Glenna Wright-Gallo

May 10, 2023

**Contact:  **press@ed.gov

                                    -        
The Senate has confirmed **Glenna Wright-Gallo** as assistant secretary for special education and rehabilitative services at the U.S. Department of Education. Secretary Cardona issued the following statement:

  “I am thrilled that Glenna Wright-Gallo, a lifelong  educator and accomplished special education leader, has been successfully  confirmed as the Department of Education’s new assistant secretary for special education  and rehabilitative services. Ms. Wright-Gallo has spent decades supporting  students with disabilities and their families both in the classroom and as an  administrative leader in the Utah and Washington public education systems. Her  commitment to meeting the needs of the special education community and strong  track record of improving outcomes are exactly what we need at this critical  moment in our recovery from the pandemic, and I look to working with her to  raise the bar for students with disabilities and their families.”

**About Glenna Wright-Gallo**

Glenna Wright-Gallo has served as the assistant  superintendent of special education in the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in Washington since 2017. Prior to that, she spent seven years as the state director of special education for the Utah State Board of  Education, following work as a classroom teacher and administrator. She has  over 25 years of public education experience supporting students with  disabilities and adults entering and within the teaching profession, and 16 years of experience in state-level education leadership with expertise in the improvement planning, data analysis, and monitoring of public P-12+ special education programs. Glenna has bachelor of science and master of science  degrees in special education; special education teacher and administrative licenses; endorsements as a program administrator, principal, and  superintendent; and a master of business administration.

During her work in Washington, state special education programs were allocated an additional $155 million, $37 million for improvement of statewide inclusionary practices, $12 million for paraeducator training, and $60,000 to reduce the use of restraint and isolation. During her tenure, the  historic state special education funding allocation formula was revised to a two-tier system that now supports inclusionary practices, and the state’s  high-needs risk pool process also was revised to reduce administrative burden on school districts. Collaboration is a priority for her work, and collaborative efforts were infused within all state efforts regarding students with disabilities. Glenna feels strongly that application of the intent of IDEA requirements results in increased student outcomes for students with  disabilities. She works with school and district administrators; special  education staff; advocates; and parents and families of students with  disabilities at the local, state, and national levels to review research,  current student achievement data, stakeholder feedback, and compliance data to ensure state and local efforts are addressing instructional issues that impact results for students with disabilities.
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