Instructor: Larry Wexler

Larry Wexler
 Biography: Dr. Larry Wexler has been a special educator for 54 years as a teacher of students with significant disabilities, principal, state specialist for intellectual disabilities, chief of staff for the State Director of Special Education, director of state monitoring, Office of Special Education Program's (OSEP) project officer, Deputy Director of the Monitoring and State Improvement Planning Division and Associate Division Director responsible for OSEP's National Initiatives Team. Dr. Wexler was the Director of OSEP's Research to Practice Division for fourteen years where he managed the IDEA $250 million discretionary grants program and the IDEA data until retiring in 2024.

He has represented the United States on the Council of UNESCO's International Bureau of Education, led UNICEF sponsored delegations to South Africa and Lesotho and represented, for twelve years, the Department of Education on the Federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. He also served as the Department of Education's policy expert on restraint and seclusion. He currently works as an independent consultant focusing on supporting entities in their pursuit of Federal, State and private philanthropic funding opportunities. Dr. Wexler holds a doctorate with a concentration in severe disabilities from the Johns Hopkins University, a Masters Degree in Teaching from Howard University and a Bachelors Degree in International Relations from the School of International Service at American University.

Classes by this instructor


Special Education Grants Webinar

Please join Jayhawk Global and the School of Education and Human Sciences for a timely and in-depth webinar on May 13, 2026 at noon Central Time. "Is Special Education Innovation and Support DEAD? - The past, present and future role of disability-related grants," will examine the shifting landscape of IDEA discretionary grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. We will provide an overview of recent grant cancellations affecting IDEA Part D programs, including Community Parent Resource Centers, State Deafblind Projects, Personnel Development, State Personnel Development, and Interpreter Training Programs -impacting universities, state education agencies, and nonprofit organizations across the country. Drawing on publicly available data (e.g., reporting from Education Week), we'll review the scope of discontinued grants, funding amounts, and the practical consequences for families, educators, and students with disabilities.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, Webinar