Lisa Bibeau

I entered school in the early days of PL. 94-142 now, known as IDEA. I saw friends and neighbors targeted for testing to determine eligibility due to the neighborhood in which they lived. Once considered for special education, the same children were taken to the boiler room of our school or small closets to learn reading and to work on math facts. As it was happening, I recognized this was wrong. The experience of going through school at such a time of profound change shaped how I see education. My interest in educational equity led me to my chosen career path.

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I started my career in higher education in graduate school, supporting college students with learning disabilities. Upon graduation, I transitioned into public schools as a middle school special education teacher. Higher education remained my passion, and I had the great fortune to work for three institutions, from a research one to a regional state university. I maintained my professional focus to support equitable access to education as it's built around the understanding that civil rights legislation provides equal access to students in higher education.