Bio

Mary Ruprecht is currently the Director/Facilitator for Low Incidence Programs for the State’s Economic Development Regions 5 and 7. National Joint Powers Alliance® is fiscal host to the Low Incidence program.

Mary’s experience spans over three decades, having served in numerous educational capacities -- including teaching, coordination, training and administration of special education programs.

The emphasis of her current position is the oversight of the Low Incidence regional grant. In order to address geographic equity, the Special Education Policy Section of the Minnesota Department of Education has funded eight Low Incidence projects serving the 11 regions of the State since 1981. These projects seek to minimize the impact of the regional differences and staffing patterns in the Low Incidence disability areas that have high intensities of need combined with difficulties in attracting and maintaining staff.

Mary joined NJPA as the Facilitator for Low Incidence programs in 2008. In doing so, she continues her mission to facilitate the transformation of educational practices, which isolate and classify “atypical” children to practices that solve problems to meet individual needs of students. Mary’s involvement with the Low Incidence program has been both exciting and instructive.

Life outside of Mary’s NJPA position includes reading, camping, traveling and spending time with her family.