Ruth Ryder is the Deputy Director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education.  OSEP has responsibility for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act program, providing financial support to States through formula grant programs and national leadership in supporting States through technical assistance, personnel preparation, parent training, technology and State personnel development. 

Ms. Ryder has been with OSEP since 1988, most recently as the OSEP Deputy Director.  In this position, she is providing national leadership in moving special education accountability to a more results-oriented process.   In addition, she is focusing attention on ensuring that the needs of children with disabilities are addressed in the major initiatives of the Department, such as ESEA Flexibility, School Improvement Grants and Early Learning.  

Prior to joining OSEP, Ms. Ryder was a program administrator for a school district in Washington State with responsibility for an OSERS funded special education demonstration project examining integrated service delivery models for including children with disabilities in general education.  She also administered the ESEA Title 1 and Title 2 programs, State-remediation, gifted education, outcome-based education, and State-and district-wide testing programs.  Additionally, she was also a special education consulting teacher and a general education classroom teacher.