The presenters will outline common reasons why special education parents file complaints with the Office of Administrative Hearings, California Department of Education, and Office of Civil Rights. Participants will learn actionable strategies to resolve conflicts early on and prevent formal complaints. The session will cover key proactive research-based approaches, fostering successful relationships with parents, maintaining effective communication, and addressing concerns before they escalate. Attendees will receive a blueprint for professional development and other fundamental actions that administrators can take to prevent conflicts and complaints. Practical tools and resources will be shared and practiced during the session.
In 2022, the California Department of Education embarked on a new approach to accountability. Compliance and Improvement Monitoring (CIM) was launched in an effort to both support compliance and embrace continuous improvement as an approach to addressing persistent systems problems and improving student outcomes. In this session, you will be immersed in the lessons learned via a panel discussion with the CA Department of Education, System Improvement Leads, and Calexico Unified School District. Hear how the district leveraged the support of CDE and their technical assistance provider to achieve great success. Within one year of implementing their CIM plan, Calexico was able to achieve a 100% graduation rate for their students with disabilities!_x000D_
In-school encounters are liable for the poor academic results acquired by foster/homeless youth, which means foster youth’s dealings with teachers, administrators, and other adults on campus will have significant impacts on academic and social outcomes. Foster and homeless youth trail academically compared to other students. Entry into foster care results in the likelihood of being retained in grade level and poor performance on standardized assessments. It has been reported that 30% of youth shared placement changes that resulted in missing at least one month of school. _x000D_ _x000D_ During this presentation, we will discuss staff members' vital roles in the academic and social/emotional success of foster/homeless students. Participants will discuss staff members' changing mindsets and what strategies are best used to enhance the positive academic and social/emotional outcomes of foster/homeless youths at their school sites. _x000D_
With $4 billion in state grant funding allocated to the design and implementation of community schools across CA, it is crucial for site-based leaders to grasp the essentials for community school (CS) transformation. This workshop will delve into what makes CS leadership work and the foundations of trusting relationships, shared vision, actionable data, and inclusive decision making._x000D_ _x000D_ Recognizing that trust is the cornerstone of effective collaboration, this workshop is designed to address how site-based leaders can build and nurture these critical partnerships. Participants will receive an in-depth overview of the community school strategy and the interdependent roles of the CSC and principal. They will explore the essential skills and capacities needed by both CSCs and principals to drive successful community school development, and specific leadership responsibilities held by each. The workshop will provide targeted strategies for building and strengthening relationships between CSCs and principals, and offer practical methods for effective role communication and expectation setting._x000D_ _x000D_ The session will include dedicated time for role-alike discussions, strategic planning, and hands-on practice. Participants will have opportunities to develop actionable plans, and refine their approaches to implementing and leading community school initiatives in their respective settings. If possible, we encourage leadership teams and/or systems leaders to attend together.
In today’s educational landscape, student mental health and wellness have become critical components of a student's overall educational support. Ensuring that students are mentally and emotionally well is not only vital for their immediate success but also for their future role as effective and successful members of society. It is the responsibility of school districts to provide robust mental health support to foster an environment where students can thrive._x000D_ As the focus on increasing access to mental health supports intensifies, integrating wellness coaches into Multi-Tiered Support Systems (MTSS) emerges as a transformative strategy. This approach aims to enhance and streamline mental health support, making it more accessible and impactful for students. This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of how to effectively plan, implement, and manage this integration to maximize its positive impact on student mental health._x000D_
If you want to be prepared for a due process case, whether it's your first case or not, this session is for you. We will talk about the process of due process, and examine several recent OAH cases, from start to finish. With all of the different types of complaints, if you end up in a due process hearing, you want to be prepared. From the moment you receive a due process complaint (or even before), there are steps you can take to minimize your liability exposure. This session will examine the steps to take to be sure you, and your staff, have strategies to handle any due process case.
This session will give an overview of the Best Interest Determination meeting process for Foster Youth and McKinney-Vento students, including legal requirements and best practices for implementation. The complex transportation needs of students will be discussed, as well as ideas for cost-sharing, and navigation of complex cases.
As a leader in Special Education, it's critical you understand where your funding comes from, how it's received by your LEA, fiscal compliance requirements, and the role the SELPA plays.
Join us for an insightful session that delves into the innovative strategies and practical tools essential for implementing CA's New Alternative Pathways to a High School Diploma for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities. Hear stories from educators, LEAs and COEs who are successfully navigating this new frontier. Learn how to overcome common challenges, leverage available resources, and tailor the alternative pathway to meet the diverse needs of all students. This session will provide you with actionable insights and tools to make alt pathway a reality today.
You know how to use SEIS or Sirus, but do you know how to write a legally compliant IEP? During this session, we will break down each page of the IEP through the lens of legal compliance. After attending this session you will understand the "why" of IEP writing, and will also understand how to review an IEP ensuring it is legally compliant.
Artificial Intelligence is quickly expanding and is already used in some applications relevant to K-12 schools. From ChatGPT to apps which draft IEPs and evaluate IEPs for parents, this technological innovation is becoming increasingly relevant in general and special education programs.
The ever-growing impact of technology in education is also leading to increased awareness of its harms. Schools are grappling with impacts of AI tools like ChatGPT on student learning. Educators are also giving increased consideration to cell phone bans due to observed impacts on academic learning and social-emotional wellbeing from student use of technology.
Attendees will hear from an education attorney as well as an experienced school psychologist and administrator on what these technological developments mean for general and special education programs. This presentation will not only discuss what powers schools have to limit technology use from a legal perspective, but also what schools should consider from an educational perspective to maximize learning and protect social-emotional wellbeing.
In an era of increasing diversity in student needs and educational mandates, co-teaching has emerged as a powerful model to enhance instructional effectiveness and student outcomes. This presentation proposes a comprehensive exploration of developing a successful co-teaching program at the elementary level. Our focus will be on the collaborative process of pairing general education and special education teachers to create an inclusive, supportive, and dynamic classroom environment. Attendees will gain insight into best practices, key considerations, and practical strategies for implementing and sustaining a co-teaching model that meets the needs of all students.
Learn how one district created a support team to address identified gaps for students with severe mental health and behavioral needs and how that has transformed into cross-collaboration county-wide.
Participants will learn strategies and techniques to effectively manage and resolve conflicts that arise within educational settings, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. The training/speaking engagement will emphasize practical skills, empathy, communication, and legal and ethical considerations specific to the education sector. Mediation offers a neutral, structured process where families and educational leaders can address conflicts and concerns collaboratively. This process helps build trust by ensuring that all parties feel heard and respected. Strong relationships between schools and families are crucial for student success. When families feel valued and included in their child's education, they are more likely to support school initiatives and work cooperatively with educators.
Many school districts are seeing an uptick in chronic absenteeism. While many solutions are discussed from the perspective of truancy and the attendance office, for some students, absenteeism is intertwined with social emotional learning, mental health and disability. _x000D_ _x000D_ The presentation will incorporate the latest case decisions, hot-off-the-presses law, and boots-on-the-ground practical advice.
This session will describe processes for providing Foster Youth and McKinney-Vento students with the academic, social-emotional, behavioral, and basic needs resources they require to engage effectively in school. This session will illustrate how systems of support can be effectively embedded within an MTSS framework and will offer practical suggestions for funding and procuring these supports and disseminating them to students and families.
The SARB process must follow various compliance aspects and there are many facets to a successful program. Participants will explore the legal aspects of SARB, learn step-by-step aspects of a successful SARB program, explore implementation procedures, and evaluate their site and/or district SARB process. Participants will walk away with tools to immediately implement when they return to their site and/or district.
This workshop will help LEA's identify implementation strategies for establishing a wellness center, including identification and support of students experiencing homelessness, establishing community partnerships to leverage resources, and highlighting a district-wide system of support. Furthermore, we will highlight pathways to sustainability that include the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Grant through the California Department of Education and through the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) Statewide Multi-Payer School-Linked Fee Schedule program that is part of California's Master Plan for Kids' Mental Health.
This session will deep-dive into the “new era” of discipline. Educators are increasingly looking for alternatives to removing students from class or school, new classroom management techniques focusing on supporting all students through mindfulness, social and emotional learning, and restorative justice, and a focus on equity and empathy in all disciplinary decisions. This session will discuss the disparities in discipline amongst students, particularly students with disabilities, and the changing culture of discipline in schools. This session will also discuss how to continue to ensure all students are being supported, and which discipline techniques may accomplish that goal.
A school district’s obligations to serve students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment has undergone significant analysis and revisions by various courts over the past several decades. In this session, we will examine the most recent LRE decisions in detail in the context of the rules and legal trends governing LRE and the continuum of placements. We will examine the evolving balance between LRE and educational benefit.
