Mary Schillinger is an educational consultant, published author, professional development trainer, and expert witness for litigation relating to general and special education. With over thirty - five years of experience in education as a teacher, special education service provider, administrator for both general education and special education programs, assistant superintendent / deputy superintendent, Mary is highly qualified to coach, train, and oversee educational programs and currently supports districts across the United States and Territories.

In addition Mary is an experienced Expert Witness for both defense and plaintiff legal cases.  Counties where she has been retained (to date) include; Ventura County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Marin County, San Bernardino County, Alameda County, and Riverside County.  Case jurisdictions include both Superior Court and U. S. District Court.  Her experience includes compiling Rule 26 reports, based on review of records, for federal court cases.

 Deposition / Trial Testimony experience includes testifying in multiple depositions and courtroom trials, both virtually and in person. Areas of expertise include:

·       Education Supervision and Administration Education Policy and Procedures related to student safety and supervision

·       Standard of Care – General Education Pre-school through High School

·       Standard of Care – Special Education Pre-school through age 21

·       Appropriate Supervision / Discipline – all levels – general education and special education

·       Discipline related to students with disabilities; Section 504 & Special Education / IDEA

·       Individual Education Program (IEP) implementation

·       Determination of school district authorization relating to implementation of IEPs

 Mary is a former Deputy & Assistant Superintendent for Education in a K-12 comprehensive school district in Southern California.   Her career began as a general education teacher and then a special education resource teacher, before she moved into administration as a high school coordinator, district program specialist, director of special education, and assistant superintendent of education.  Mary has Masters Degrees in Special Education and Educational Administration.  As the Assistant Superintendent, she was in charge of the professional development and strategic planning for implementation of the Common Core State Standards for both general education and special education K-12.

As a member of the faculty of California State University Northridge, Mary teaches courses in the special education teacher preparation and school psychology departments.

She authored the LRP publications; The Administrator’s Guide to Building and Maintaining a Comprehensive Autism Program in 2010, Write On, A Guide to Compliant Documentation of Special Education Policies and Procedures in 2012. Her most recent publication; Common Core and the Special Education Student:  Your Guide to Instructional Shifts and Implementing Services and Supports (2014) and the companion book; Successfully Implementing Core Standards for Students with Disabilities:  A Professional Development Guide, published in 2015 provide strategies, forms, guidelines, and training agendas for all educators.

Mary is a presenter and consultant at state and national conferences.  In addition, she conducts training in Universal Design for Learning, Access to the Rigor of Common Core Standards for All Students, and Co Teaching Implementation for School Districts, SELPA's, and County Office of Education participants.