Senior Policy Analyst for Special Education

Dr. Patricia Kelly Ralabate joined the National Education Association (NEA) in January 2002 after 27 years of teaching as a speech language pathologist in Connecticut. She serves as NEA's key expert on special education in the Education Policy and Practice Department. In her current position, she coordinates the work of the NEA IDEA Cadre and develops resources for NEA members who work with students with disabilities.

Dr. Ralabate has authored, co-authored, or edited numerous guides and policy documents, including Meeting the Challenge: Special Education Tools that Work for All Kids (2002), Advocating for Special Education Working Conditions (2004), The New IDEA Survival Guide (2000), IDEA and NCLB: The Intersection of Access and Outcomes (2004), The Accessible Classroom Primer CD, The Puzzle of Autism, The Twice-Exceptional Dilemma, and The Truth in Labeling: Disproportionality in Special Education – all excellent resources for school personnel.

Dr. Ralabate is a member of the RTI Action Network's Advisory Council, and also serves as NEA’s representative on several national leadership groups, including the IDEA Partnership, National Center on Student Progress Monitoring Advisory Board, National Accessible Reading Assessments Project General Advisory Committee, IRIS Advisory Board, National Alliance for Pupil Service Organizations, National Coalition on Shortages in Special Education, and National Center on Response to Intervention.

Dr. Ralabate received a BS in Education from the SUNY at Fredonia, NY, an MA in speech-language pathology from the University of Massachusetts, and a doctorate in special education from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. She teaches as a part-time faculty member at The George Washington University.