Karen Liddell-Anderson
Current Role
Liddell-Anderson is the Director of Student Services with the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City Schools, and is responsible for, FERPA, Child Find, Special Education and Related Services, Section 504, Parent Surrogates Medicaid Reimbursement, Gifted Services, Fine Arts, Student Code of Conduct, Registration/Enrollment, and Non-Public School Services.
Liddell-Anderson is a seasoned professional with more than 30 years of experience in public education (Pre-K through post-secondary). The majority of Liddell-Anderson’s experiences and work is in the area of Special Education. In the public school realm, Liddell-Anderson served as a Special Educator, Early Childhood Special Education Specialist, Middle School Principal, Special Education Coordinator, and Director of Special Education, all with the Akron Public Schools. At the post-secondary level, she has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Akron, teaching Early Childhood Special Education classes. As an Adjunct Professor at the University of Dayton, Liddell-Anderson taught “Introduction to Special Education” through the Transition to Teaching Program. Liddell-Anderson’s commitment to a quality education for all children extended to the private/non-public school sector; where she served on the Board of Directors for Emmanuel Christian Academy in Akron, OH, for eight years.
Publication
While serving as the Director of Special Education with the Akron Public School, Liddell-Anderson became increasingly aware of the disparity in the availability of curricular resources and materials that aligned to state standards, and specifically “designed for” students with low-incidence disabilities. In speaking directly with numerous publishing companies, Liddell-Anderson was continually told that their products could be “used with” students with low-incidence disabilities. It has always been Liddell-Anderson’s belief that there is a vast difference in curricular materials and resources that can be “used with” students having a low-incidence disability, versus curricular materials and resources that are specifically “designed for” students having a low-incidence disability. It was this unwavering belief and her commitment to meeting the needs of students with low-incidence disabilities, that led Liddell-Anderson to develop a curriculum for this population of students. Liddell-Anderson is the developer and co-author of a published curriculum, the Academic Curriculum Framework (ACF), published by PSI Publishing & PRO-ED Publishing, and was in publication from 2008 through 2018. The Academic Curriculum Framework (ACF) was used by school districts (public, non-public, charter, and private) throughout the United States and internationally.
Presentations
Liddell-Anderson has shared her approach to problem-solving with districts as a presenter at the “Ohio Association of Administrators of State and Federal Education Programs Conference” (19-20, 21-Fall, 22-23, 23-24). Her presentation topic was “Problem-Solving 101: A Root Cause Analysis Refresher”; with an emphasis on identifying the underlying root cause (source) of a problem and applying measurable, feasible, and sustainable solutions. Liddell-Anderson has shared her approach to equity in a school context at the “Ohio School Board Association Conference” (Fall 2023) and the “Buckeye Association of School Administrators Women’s Conference” (2024). Her presentation topic was “Equity Beyond Black and White”; with an emphasis on identifying specific, and quantifiable equity indicators that result in the development of measurable SMART goals. Liddell Anderson's desire to positively impact and address the increasing disproportionality in discipline and students with a disability led her to address the topic and present at the Ohio Association of Administrators of State and Federal Education Programs Conference” (19-20, 22-23), and the Educational Service Center of Lorain County/SST-Region 2. Her presentation topic was “Discipline & Students with a Disability: Navigating 34 CFR§ 300.530 - Authority of School Personnel”; with an emphasis on compliance specific to removal types and conditions that do not result in a change in placement for a student with a disability in response to discipline.
Education
Liddell-Anderson’s educational background includes a B.S. degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi. It was while working as a Speech-Language Pathologist that Liddell-Anderson broadened her interest in Special Education. She earned her M.Ed. in Special Education from North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina. Liddell-Anderson completed a 2-year “Partnership for Leaders in Education School Turnaround Program” at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and Curry School of Education.