Who Wants to be a (Special Ed) Hearing Officer?

After reading this blog for a while, you might be aching to become a hearing officer yourself. Although I have chronicled some of the trials and tribulations of my fellow hearing officers (for example, I have been at conferences where some people spit on the ground when told that I'm a HO; and I have contended that Rodney Dangerfield is the patron saint of due process HOs- "we don't get no respect"), I nonetheless continue to believe that the hearing officer plays a crucial role in the system of dispute resolution applicable to special ed law. Usually the only "trial" available to the parties is before the hearing officer. Wide discretion is generally available in terms of how to conduct the hearing process. To effectively perform this extremely important job requires a high level of integrity, intelligence, common sense and an ability to maintain an even temper. Most due process hearing officers I have met around the country meet or exceed these high level qualifications.

If you'd like to become a HO, Washington DC is hiring a number of full time and part time due process (i.e., special ed) hearing officers. If anybody is interested in reviewing the Request for Qualifications you should go to
www.ocp.dc.gov
then click on Business Opportunities, and
click on List All Opportunities, there you should search for and click on
Request for Qualifications (RFQ) No.: RFQ DCGD-2008-R-0014. There you can download the RFQ.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 2:00 pm on June 23rd. Good luck to those who would join our unusual, yet important, fraternity.