Duval County Public Schools - Every Student. Every Day.

Project Director

Schantel M. Minton is the Project Director for Duval IDEAS. She has dedicated more than 20 years to Duval County Public Schools, serving in various instructional and leadership roles. She began her teaching career in 2003 at Ramona Elementary as an ESE inclusion teacher and most recently served as the ESE Lead Teacher at Biscayne Elementary.

Schantel is deeply committed to ensuring that all students are provided with equitable opportunities to learn and thrive in environments that best support their growth and success.

She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Special Education from Florida State University, as well as a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Jacksonville University. In addition, she is certified by the State of Florida in School Principal, Educational Leadership, Elementary Education, Reading and Varying Exceptionalities.

Beyond her professional work, Schantel is actively engaged in the Jacksonville community through her involvement with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. She is also a certified Les Mills Sprint instructor, teaching classes at a local YMCA. In her free time, she enjoys reading and giving back to her community.

Specialist

Leila Jenkins (“Lee-la”) is one-third of the Duval Ideas team. Since beginning her teaching career in 2010, Leila has taught English immersion in South Korea and math and science in Duval County classrooms. She later supported teachers and districts across northeast Florida as a Florida Inclusion Network facilitator.

Leila believes that every student deserves a classroom where they feel they belong. She is passionate about helping teachers translate best practices into real-world strategies that make learning accessible for all students. Along the way, she has supported hundreds of educators in strengthening inclusive practices and building confidence in their teaching.

When she’s not working with teachers, Leila enjoys exploring new cultures, tinkering with creative projects, and connecting with others who believe in the power of inclusive education.

Specialist

Amanda Foggie is a member of Duval IDEAS and a Specialist in the Exceptional Student Education Department of Duval County Public Schools (DCPS). Before transitioning into education, she worked in residential treatment programs for individuals with special needs and with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) as a Human Services Counselor and Adult Protective Investigator. She began her teaching career as a General Education teacher before moving into a Varying Exceptionalities role and later serving as the ESE Team Lead at a K–8 school in St. Johns County. She has since supported teachers and leaders in advancing inclusive practices and strengthening mathematics instruction. Most recently, she was the K–5 ESE Math Specialist in the Academic Services Department of DCPS.

Amanda specializes in building the capacity of teachers and leaders through professional development, with a focus on ensuring all students excel in mathematics and beyond. A native New Yorker, Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Wells College and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Florida. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Psychology with an emphasis in Cognition and Instruction from Grand Canyon University, where her research centers on motivation and the retention of special education teachers. Outside of her professional work, Amanda is a devoted mom, dog lover, and active member of her church community.

Executive Director of Exceptional Education and Student Services (EE/SS) 

Amy Valentine is the Executive Director of Exceptional Student Education in Duval County Schools. She earned her undergraduate degree at Florida State University and her Masters in Varying Exceptionalities at the University of North Florida. Amy started teaching at Palm Avenue Exceptional Student Center in 1992 and has taught in VE settings and Hospital Homebound. She has also worked at the district level as the Supervisor of Low Incidence and Director of School ESE support.

Amy enjoys spending time with her three amazing children and friends in her free time. Amy’s son, David, has a significant disability and she is passionate about supporting students with disabilities and understands some of the challenges families face.

Director of Exceptional Education and Student Services (EE/SS) 

With over 20 years of leadership experience in education, Jason has dedicated his career to championing the needs of students with disabilities and fostering pedagogical excellence for diverse student populations. Throughout his tenure, he has led teams of professionals and educators, guiding them towards achieving impactful educational outcomes. He finds joy in extensive research on topics related to inclusive practices, behavior norms across heterogeneous groups, and school/district growth methods. Beyond his professional endeavors, he finds joy in playing spiritual and jazz music and restoring classic cars during his spare time. 

Director of Exceptional Education and Student Services (EE/SS) 

Meredith Fredeking Osgathorpe is a Director in Exceptional Education and Student Services (EESS) in Duval County Public Schools (DCPS). She earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and Masters in Learning Disabilities with additional certification in Intellectual and Behavioral disabilities from Marshall University. She began her career in Cabell County in Huntington, WV before moving to Jacksonville, FL in 1996. Meredith began in Duval County as a special education teacher before moving into a position to provide support to administrators and teachers as an instructional specialist. She has also been a supervisor in DCPS focusing on Hospital Homebound and EESS Admissions and Placement.  

Meredith is a doting soccer mom of two amazing boys. She is fortunate to have a supportive husband and family.

Primary Investigator 

David Hoppey is an Associate Professor of Education in the Department of Exceptional, Deaf, and Interpreter Education at the University of North Florida. Previously he served as a faculty member at the University of South Florida and West Virginia University. In addition Dr. Hoppey worked as an inclusion specialist and Supervisor of Curriculum and Staff Development for Alachua County Public Schools in Gainesville, FL. He began his career as a middle school special educator in Orange County Public School in Orlando FL.

Dr. Hoppey has taught courses to both special education and elementary education majors on best inclusive practices to meet the needs of at risk learners. He also taught doctoral courses in policy, qualitative research, and leadership. In addition, he has worked extensively on the redesign of the undergraduate and doctoral programs to include more clinically rich teacher preparation components. His efforts resulted in receiving the University of South Florida Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher Award in 2013.

Dr. Hoppey’s scholarship examines inclusive teacher education, response to intervention, special education policy, and school university partnerships, including providing quality clinically rich teacher education, for both pre-service and in-service teacher professional development. Dr. Hoppey’s research has been published in The Journal of Special Education, Exceptional Children, Teachers College Record, Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, Learning Disabilities Quarterly, and Teacher Education and Special Education as well as in book and handbook chapters. Dr. Hoppey is active in several local, state and national organizations including the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), The Teacher Education Division of CEC (TED-CEC), National Association of Professional Development Schools (NAPDS), and the American Education Research Association (AERA).

Lastly, Dr. Hoppey enjoys spending time with his wife, three children and two grandchildren as well as traveling, officiating high school football, and playing golf.

Co-investigator

Pamela Williamson is a Professor at the University of North Florida. Her undergraduate degree is in elementary education, her master’s specialization is in reading, and her Ph.D. is in special education.  As an elementary teacher, she served students with disabilities in her general education classroom.  She has experience working with individuals with autism and their teachers in the area of reading intervention and instruction. She has published numerous peer-reviewed articles related to reading and autism in journals such as Exceptional Children, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, the Journal of Special Education, Intervention in School and Clinic, and Teaching Exceptional Children. In addition, she is the coeditor of an award winning textbook, Quality Literacy Instruction for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and has educated inservice educators, related service personnel, and families on this topic across the U.S.