Overview
Nicole Garcia is a Senior Program Associate with WestEd’s Special Education Policy and Practice team, bringing 20 years of experience in education. Garcia partners with states and other organizations to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
Garcia works closely with states as a content specialist, TA facilitator, and liaison for two federally funded technical assistance centers: the National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) and the IDEA Data Center (IDC). Garcia leverages her background as a state and district leader to drive systems alignment and coherence. In addition, Garcia currently leads WestEd’s work with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to improve secondary transition and outcomes for students with disabilities in BIE-funded schools.
Garcia’s expertise and interests include special education compliance; monitoring systems; coaching and professional development systems of support; differentiated technical assistance; supports in large, urban districts; and data analysis and use.
Prior to joining WestEd, Garcia served as an Education Specialist at the Oregon Department of Education, where she supported special education through monitoring and providing technical assistance to school districts. Garcia also brings expertise from the local level as Deputy Director, Academic Programs for the District of Columbia Public Schools. She is also a trained mental health counselor and has provided in-home early intervention services to children, toddlers, and infants with developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders.
Education
- MA in counseling psychology, Boston College Lynch School of Education
- BA in psychology, San Diego State University