John E McCook, EdD
CEO
Dr. John E. McCook, Ed. has a background in teaching and administration which allows him to speak from a position of experience, not just theory and law. Dr. McCook served as a consultant for school districts across the nation and has developed training programs for school districts on special education and Section 504. He has authored a book entitled The Administrator’s Guide to Discipline in IDEA and Section 504. In addition, he develops manuals for the practitioner on special education and Section 504. He is the author of three additional books on the pre-referral process and RTI.
Dr. McCook is the past director of Special Education and Pupil Personnel for the Knox County School District in Knoxville, Tennessee where he served as the district’s Section 504 compliance officer and is certified as a Rule 31 Mediator. During his time as director, Dr. McCook was able to reduce the number of special education students in his district from 11,605 to 8,279 by properly classifying them.
Dr. McCook is often used by legal firms to review cases and student fi les prior to litigation decisions. He regularly works with the Office for Civil Rights and has represented school districts in Section 504 and IDEA due process cases. As a frequent instructor on all aspects of education and special education law throughout the United States, he is well respected. His presentations at national meetings, including the National School Board Association and the national legal conference for LRP, have won him acclaim and recognition in several publications regarding school legal issues and special education.
