Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-Based Treatment:
An effective approach for addressing challenging behaviors in an educational setting
Dr Keith Radley III
This training will provide an in-depth, hands-on introduction to Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skill-Based Treatment (SBT), an empirically validated approach for understanding and treating challenging behavior in educational settings. Participants will learn how to conduct an interview-informed, synthesized contingency analysis (IISCA) to identify the function of behavior and develop a skill-based treatment plan that emphasizes communication, tolerance, and adaptive skills. Through case examples and interactive practice, attendees will gain practical strategies for implementing PFA/SBT with fidelity while maintaining a compassionate, person-centered approach to addressing the most challenging behavior in schools.
Six Key Instructional Practices for Accelerating Learning and Promoting Progress for Students with Disabilities & Struggling Learners.
Dr Tessie Rose Bailey
How can educators accelerate learning and promote progress for students with disabilities? This session will highlight and model six high-leverage, evidence-based practices shown to support implementation of high-quality instruction for students with and at risk for disabilities regardless of their identified disability category or grade span. These practices were identified through an extensive, systematic meta-analysis. Participants will have access to freely available tools, including tip sheets, checklists, and online learning modules to support local implementation of these practices.
Empowering Educators: Targeted Math Intervention Strategies for Grades 3–6
Ready to close math gaps and boost student success?
Stephanie Lester
Join us for a powerful day of learning where you'll walk away with practical strategies, ready-to-use resources, and the confidence to deliver targeted math interventions that make a real difference! Let’s make math meaningful—and achievable—for every learner in your classroom!”
This full-day, 6-hour training is designed to equip educators with practical, evidence-based strategies to support students in grades 3–6 who are performing below proficiency in mathematics. Grounded in the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, this session provides a deep dive into how to use data to inform instruction, implement Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, differentiate core instruction, and monitor progress consistently to ensure interventions are working. Educators will engage in hands-on learning, collaborative discussions, and resource exploration, all focused on building strong foundations in number sense, operations, fractions, and problem-solving. Teachers will leave with ready-to-use tools for small group instruction, progress monitoring templates, and actionable plans to accelerate math achievement for all learners.
Laser Focused Literacy Instruction: Prioritizing What Matters Most in the Classroom
Carrie Cole (class size limited to 65)
Laser Focused Literacy Instruction: Prioritizing What Matters Most in the Classroom
Teaching can feel overwhelming—especially when trying to meet the diverse needs of all learners, including those with disabilities. While this session won’t solve every challenge, it will help reduce that overwhelm by getting laser-focused on what truly matters most in teaching reading. So, how do we get laser-focused? The truth is, not everything we teach holds equal weight. To truly prioritize, we must ground ourselves in a few essential beliefs:
Literacy is the foundation for all learning. A student who struggles with reading struggles everywhere—navigating math word problems, decoding science content, accessing social studies texts. Without literacy, every other subject becomes a barrier. This is especially true for students receiving special education services, for whom reading challenges often compound learning barriers across the curriculum.
Reading programs are only the beginning. High-quality reading programs must be aligned to the science of reading. But even the best program can’t meet student needs on its own. Teachers must know how to identify and prioritize what’s most effective within those programs, where to adapt, and how to implement instruction in ways that accelerate growth—especially for students with reading disabilities or those who require specially designed instruction.
Tier 1 instruction is our strongest tool for both prevention and support. "First" instruction—what happens in general education classrooms—is critical. The earlier we provide strong, evidence-aligned reading instruction, the more we prevent reading difficulties from developing. For students in special education, high-quality Tier 1 instruction provides an essential base that interventions can build upon. We must strive to ensure all students, including those with IEPs, become proficient readers by the end of third grade, when the chance of catching up drastically diminishes.
Assessment should guide, not overwhelm. Use literacy assessments strategically—with the mindset: “Assess as little as possible to get the information I need to teach effectively." The right data helps us identify both whole-class needs and targeted supports for individual students, including those with disabilities.
Time reflects our values. We must prioritize and protect instructional minutes to reflect literacy’s central role in student success. This means ensuring that students who need additional support—particularly those with disabilities—receive it without losing access to core content.
Participants will leave this session reenergized by the power of literacy and equipped with practical, research-based strategies that make a lasting difference—for every student, in every setting. Join us!
Develop Children’s Creativity Through Purposeful Planning
Dr Eliza Sorte Thomas
Creativity is something we can foster and develop in the children we work with no matter their age (or our own). Come get curious and creative in this session through creative exercises you can modify and extend to offer children more creative thinking opportunities to develop their confidence, problem-solving skills, and perseverance. Like many things, the more creative things you do, the more creative you get! Come give children the opportunity to learn and grow their creative brains.
Participants will:
Develop a definition and rationale for creativity in the classroom.
Play with creative exercises.
- Adapt exercises and brainstorm additional ideas for the age and stage of the children they work
with for future implementation.