Jennifer Miley

Program Specialist and IDEA Part C State Lead, Monitoring and State Improvement Planning Division
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

Jennifer Miley’s passion for education dates back to high school where she volunteered as a tutor at an elementary school. She still remembers the teacher who welcomed her as a classroom assistant and the joy and excitement she experienced working with first graders! 

As a lifelong educator and advocate for children, Jennifer knows that working on behalf of children and families was what she was born to do! 

Jennifer’s first formal teaching position began in Florida as an Early Childhood teacher and later in New York City (NYC), as a Preschool teacher. While residing in NYC, Jennifer held management positions with a number of educational, public health and advocacy organizations. 

Working with the notable Medical Health and Research Association’s Infant-Child Health Assessment Program (I-CHAP) was a significant and memorable position! While at I-CHAP, Jennifer worked as an Assistant Program Director, with administration and Child Find responsibilities throughout the five boroughs of NYC. In this role, Jennifer worked with medical professionals from hospitals and clinics providing guidance on the regulatory requirements and provisions of IDEA. In addition, she facilitated training in developmental screening, conducted child find activities for NYC’s most neediest children and families, while also assisting families with the coordination of and continuation of care and the establishment of medical homes for their children’s special health care needs. 

Jennifer enjoyed working on behalf of children and families within several nonprofit organizations; namely with the Brooklyn Bureau of Community Service as an Early Childhood Director, the Children’s Aid Society as an Administrative Program Director and as a Day Care Supervisor with the West End Intergenerational Residence, a short term housing residence for young mothers and senior citizens experiencing homelessness. 

Since relocating to the Washington, D.C. region, Jennifer worked with the Department of Health and Human Services/Office of Grants Management/Head Start – exclusively with Native American/Alaska Native communities. 

Further, she has been with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Rehabilitative Services, Monitoring and State Improvement Planning (MSIP) division since February 2009. As a State Lead with MSIP, Jennifer works exclusively with IDEA Part C States, a career choice she continues to enjoy, eleven years later! 

As a State Lead, Jennifer has led and conducted numerous IDEA Part C compliance monitoring visits across the country, sharing her passion for early intervention, imparting guidance on the importance of early intervention, supporting States in their work on the importance of family engagement. Lastly, Jennifer loves her role as a key stakeholder committed to improving results and outcomes for children with disabilities and their families. 

Jennifer earned her master’s degree in policy and administration from Brooklyn College, City University of New York (CUNY), bachelor’s degree in education from Hunter College, CUNY