Program Associate
Senior Program Associate Vicki Hornus helps state departments of education and school districts in the Northeast bridge the general-special education gap.
A member of Learning Innovations (LI) at WestEd, Hornus codirects a leadership academy for experienced special education directors throughout Massachusetts. The academy focuses on using data to inform decision-making, collaborative evaluation, legal and policy issues, conflict management, special education finance, instructional program design and improvement, and access to the general education curriculum.
Hornus codirected the Special Education Curriculum Review for the NYC Schools project. In partnership with Learning Point Associates, Hornus and others conducted curriculum reviews of special education in nine New York City school districts. They analyzed and interpreted factors that contributed to the performance of students with disabilities and provided recommendations to improve student achievement. The reviews helped districts improve their curriculum, instruction, assessment, and improvement planning practices related to their special education program.
As part of her work with the Northeast Regional Resource Center (NERRC), housed within LI, Hornus leads and facilitates a workgroup of state-level staff who monitor local compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) in NERRC's region. Through the workgroup and related efforts, practitioners are networking and learning from recent developments and research related to monitoring special education and early intervention services.
Hornus also cofacilitates a national technical assistance Community of Practice focused on least restrictive environment for school-aged children and youth. The Community of Practice provides state-, district-, and school-level personnel and parents and community members opportunities to participate in free online events, and to share resources and solutions.
As NERRC state liaison to Maine, Hornus provides technical assistance on the implementation of IDEA for birth to 21 year olds and recently facilitated a legislatively appointed Subcommittee to Study Early Childhood Special Education Services. The committee's work resulted in new legislation to guide and improve services for children birth to age 5.
Hornus brings a long history of leadership in special education at the local and state levels in Vermont. Prior to joining WestEd, she worked at the Vermont Department of Education, where she served as Special Projects Coordinator for Act 117, an Act to Strengthen the Capacity of Vermont's Education System to Meet the Educational Needs of All Vermont Students.
She also spent 28 years in Vermont schools as Director of Special Services and elementary school counselor. Hornus taught educational psychology and child development at Miami University and Hudson Valley Community College, and special education at Trinity College and Champlain College.
She has served as President of the Vermont Association for Special Education Administrators and the Northeast Coalition of Educational Leaders, and was an officer and board member of the Howard Center for Human Services. Hornus has presented at numerous conferences and workshops, including a Sino-American Seminar on Educational Leadership in Beijing and in Huhehot, Inner Mongolia. Recently, she presented at several conferences on "Students with Special Needs in the NCLB Spotlight.”
Hornus received a BA in elementary and special education from Purdue University and an MS in school psychology from Miami University. She also has completed numerous administration courses at the University of Vermont.
Tel: 802.951.8220
802.951.8222802.951.8227
Email: vhornus@wested.org
Mailing Address:Learning Innovations at WestEd
20 Winter Sport Lane
Williston, Vermont 05495-8134
Project Work:
Linking Together Improving Outcomes for Infants, Toddlers, Children, and Youth With Disabilities (QUILT)
Massachusetts Leadership Academy for Experienced Special Education Administrators, 2007 and 2008
Northeast Regional Resource Center
Special Education Curriculum Reviews for NYC Schools (LPA)
