Diverse Learners Cooperative

Valor paraprofessionals recently participated in their fifth session of a series focused on paraprofessional development, led by DLC Program Specialist Sage Pickren. They explored using the prompting hierarchy to build student independence and encourage students to help themselves. We’re excited to continue learning with this powerhouse group. #Paraprofessionals #ProfessionalDevelopment #PromptHierarchy #ITeachSped

Valor paraprofessionals recently participated in their fifth session of a series focused on paraprofessional development, led by DLC Program Specialist Sage Pickren. They explored using the prompting hierarchy to build student independence and encourage students to help themselves. We’re excited to continue learning with this powerhouse group. #Paraprofessionals #ProfessionalDevelopment #PromptHierarchy #ITeachSped

Black History is American History. The future of our history must reflect on the past and move forward to honor the diverse experiences and cultures of all our citizens. The DLC is committed to celebrating Black History Month by amplifying Black voices. This month, we plan to celebrate the work of educational nonprofits, individuals, and organizations that elevate Black voices in our community. We hope to spotlight those doing the vital work of expanding educational access and opportunities rather than simply commemorating historical figures or moments. We will also share helpful resources on Black history for your classroom. Our future depends on this important work, and the commitment to create a community that honors equity and inclusion. How are you celebrating Black history in your classroom? What nonprofits or organizations are elevating Black voices? Shout them out in the comments! ↓ #AmplifyBlackVoices #NashvilleNonprofit #BlackHistoryMonth #CelebrateDiversity #ElevateBlackVoices

My research article has been published. It is now available through Reading Psychology. You can read here: https://lnkd.in/eKDjCTdU

On January 24th, the Diverse Learners Cooperative and Tennessee SCORE hosted an inspiring day of learning and collaboration with the IGNITE Nashville network. Together, we...  - Celebrated Successes: We shared what’s working well and highlighted great ideas making a difference for students. - Tackled Challenges: We identified common obstacles and brainstormed ways to overcome them. - Shared Resources: We gathered tools, examples, and strategies to help schools improve and grow. - Set Goals: Together, we planned the next steps to guide our work in the months ahead. - Built Connections: We worked toward a shared vision for better outcomes for all students. This event was a big step toward creating stronger, more inclusive schools. By working together, we’re turning ideas into action and making a lasting impact! #IGNITENashville #EducationForAll #Collaboration #StudentSuccess #BetterTogether

On January 21, our Project Manager, Laura, traveled to Memphis for an on-site working session with Cornelia and Emily, two members of this year's Coaching Collaborative. In addition to hard work on service model strategic planning, Laura also ran into a celebrity. See if you can spot the celeb in this special video! https://lnkd.in/gBwRM-jb It was awesome to learn more about the work the University School of Memphis is doing to support all learners, and we can't wait to watch them grow! P.S. Are you interested in participating in our 2025-26 Coaching Collaborative?  Connect with us here: https://lnkd.in/gqjW6NVy #DiverseLearners #NashvilleNonprofit #UniversitySchoolOfMemphis

This week, Tennessee lawmakers are discussing a school voucher bill through a special session. We support the CEC’s position that the use of public education funds for vouchers harms children and youth with disabilities. Read their position statement to understand this conversation around school vouchers better.

Caroline is an education leader with over a decade of teaching, research, and consulting experience, working alongside communities in the U.S. and globally to pursue innovative and high-quality educational experiences for all students. As Senior Director of Impact at Tennessee SCORE, Caroline evaluates SCORE's overall impact, ensures alignment between its mission and strategic priorities and investments, and engages with partner organizations across Tennessee to advance student success through strategic initiatives. Before joining SCORE, Caroline served as director of strategic projects at the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET), manager of K-12 programs, and research analyst at the Tennessee Department of Education. She began her career as an English teacher at two innovative charter networks and holds a bachelor’s in public policy and a master’s in education policy from Vanderbilt University. We are grateful to have you on our Board, Caroline! #MeetTheBoard #BoardOfDirectors #NashvilleNonprofit #DiverseLearners

Planning your lessons to meet the needs of each learner is not an easy task – especially when you have a class full of diverse learners and you’re barely able to get anything done during your planning time. We get it. We’ve been there! That’s why we encourage the Focal Student Strategy as a sustainable differentiation practice. This helps you pinpoint aspects such as - Understanding Diverse Learner Profiles: Gain insights into common profiles such as struggling readers, students with focus challenges, English language learners, and high achievers. - Identifying Barriers to Learning: Learn to recognize specific obstacles that may hinder student progress. - Implementing Targeted Scaffolds: Discover practical scaffolding techniques tailored to each learner's needs. Foster a more inclusive learning environment by discovering more about the Focal Student Strategy: https://lnkd.in/eCGuFF5m  #DiverseLearners #DifferentiationStrategies #TeachersSupportTeachers

Kate serves as the VP of Administration at Mental Health Cooperative (MHC) where she provides oversight of the administrative functions and as a strategic partner to key executive agency initiatives. MHC supports individuals in TN with severe and persistent mental illness. She joined the agency in 2019 as a Project Manager working with the Information Technology team. She then served as Director of Project Management to support the entire agency working on cross-functional teams and projects. She has worked to implement various technology solutions, lead process improvement work, and help manage expansion efforts of services and programs. Prior to MHC, Kate worked as a healthcare consultant focused on process improvement, regulation reporting, and population health. She also spent 7-years working in education as a special educator serving communities in the greater New Orleans area. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Vanderbilt University. #MeetTheBoard #BoardOfDirectors #NashvilleNonprofit #DiverseLearners