The Ability Challenge

📣Join Our VIP Panel for Special Education and District Leaders! We have an incredible lineup of experts ready to tackle tough questions about staffing shortages in special education: Phyllis Wolfram: Executive Director for CASE, Special Education Leadership Kristen N. Briggs: Managing Director of Program, The Ability Challenge A. Jordan Wright, PhD, ABAP, ABPP: Chief Clinical Officer, Parallel Learning Moderated by: Sarah Sandelius, Founder & CEO of the Ability Challenge This session is designed to empower district leaders with the insights needed to navigate staffing shortages in your special education programs. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this engaging conversation! Staffing Shortages in Special Education: What Needs to Change? 📅 Wednesday, October 23rd ⏰ Time: 3 PM - 4 PM EST 💻 Virtual Panel ✅ Register Today! https://bit.ly/3zQyP5W #SpecialEducation #DistrictLeaders #theabilitychallenge #inclusionmatters

🌟 We're excited announce that we're part of NewSchools newest #LearningDifferences cohort, championing students with unique learning needs. Discover how we're making a difference: https://bit.ly/48d3HKu. We can't wait to share our journey with you!

📋 Calling all Special Education Leaders and LEA Representatives! Are your IEP meetings as effective as they could be? As an LEA rep, you're the lynchpin in these crucial conversations. But are you: ✅ Prepared with student data? ✅ Facilitating meaningful discussions? ✅ Making informed resource decisions? ✅ Following through post-meeting? We've just published a deep dive into the multifaceted role of LEA representatives. Plus, we're offering a FREE IEP Meeting Checklist to supercharge your next meeting! How do you ensure your IEP meetings are productive and student-centered? Share your best practices below! #SpecialEducation #IEPMeetings #InclusiveEducation #theabilitychallenge https://bit.ly/3XXK0l9

We're with one of our Vermont partners today, engaging in Coaching for Equity! 🍁📚 Coaching for Equity empowers educational leaders to become effective coaches of inclusive practices. Here's what it involves: - Customized, on-site support for instructional coaches, principals, and district leaders - Typically 3-4 sessions per year for sustained impact - Focused on developing leadership skills to foster truly inclusive learning environments Through Coaching for Equity, we're helping create schools where every student thrives! 👥 We'd love to hear from you: What's the biggest challenge you face in creating an inclusive environment in your school or district? Share your thoughts in the comments, or reach out to learn how Coaching for Equity can address your specific needs. #CoachingForEquity #InclusiveEducation #LeadershipDevelopment #EducationalInnovation

Careful and collaborative planning is at the heart of fostering inclusive education. ABC partners with districts to offer shoulder-to-shoulder leader support and coaching to roll out effective systems, such as co-planning. For example, we co-built an integrative approach with one district partner that led to improvements in IEP quality and more services being delivered in the least restrictive environment. Key Findings: 🔤 Challenge: Disparate implementation of special education practices that varied widely from school to school, leading to different student experiences across the district. 🔤 Solution: Develop district leadership with a shared purpose, clear goals, and centralized expectations for all case managers. 🔤 Impact: Special educators understand their roles and how to design effective programming for students with disabilities that maximizes time in general education classrooms. This case study illustrates how embracing diverse educational perspectives can transform learning experiences for all students. If this resonates, drop a comment below or tag another member of your school community to spread the word! #inclusionmatters #specialeducation #continuum #idea #leastrestrictiveenvironment #theabilitychallenge

Is your district maximizing the potential of every IEP meeting? Bring The Ability Challenge to your school or district for customized, on-site training on the critical role of LEA representatives. This is one of our new offerings for 2024-25 and so far, we've been getting outstanding feedback! Our expert-led sessions will: - Empower your LEA reps with district-specific strategies - Ensure compliance while fostering collaborative decision-making - Provide practical tools tailored to your unique challenges Don't let another IEP season pass without optimizing your team's effectiveness. Our September calendar is filling up fast! Ready to elevate your special education program? Contact us today for a consultation on bringing this transformative training to your district. Invest in your team, and empower your students. Let's create world-class IEP meetings together. #SpecialEducation #IEPExcellence #DistrictLeadership #idea #learepresentative #theabilitychallenge

🎓 School leaders, are you grappling with special education staffing challenges? You're not alone. With 39 states reporting shortages, it's time to think outside the box. Our latest blog explores three innovative staffing models that could transform your special education program: 1️⃣ The Departmentalized Model 2️⃣ The Grade-Level Integration Model 3️⃣ The Dynamic Caseload Model Each approach offers unique benefits for creating more resilient, effective, and inclusive learning environments. But which one is right for your school? Dive into our blog to: ✅ Explore the pros and cons of each model ✅ Get practical implementation strategies ✅ Access our exclusive Staffing Model Assessment Matrix School leaders: What's your biggest staffing challenge right now? Share in the comments - your insights could help fellow educators! Ready to reimagine your special education staffing? Visit our blog and start your journey towards a world-class program that empowers every student to thrive. #SpecialEducation #InclusiveEducation #SchoolLeadership #InnovativeStaffing #theabilitychallenge https://bit.ly/4cXQKVr

📚 Attention School and District Leaders! 📚 Are you ready to kickstart your most inclusive school year yet? 🌟 Our latest blog post is your essential guide to fostering a culture of inclusion from day one. Learn practical strategies to: ✅ Empower teachers for inclusive planning ✅ Create welcoming environments for ALL students ✅ Set the tone for a year of growth and achievement Don't miss this opportunity to transform your school community. Read now and start the year strong! 💪 #InclusiveEducation #SchoolLeadership #BackToSchool https://bit.ly/3yNq3ot

Harness the Power of Reflection and Improvement At The Ability Challenge, we’re dedicated to continuous growth and transformation in special education. Our latest case study with Central reveals key insights for special education leaders: Key Findings Initial Challenge: Fragmented special education structure causing inconsistent practices across schools. Solution: - Restructured leadership roles. - Integrated special education within general management. - Conducted targeted professional learning for principals. Impact: - Principals are now equipped to support special education within core classrooms. - Optimized scheduling for effective service delivery. - Marked improvement in educational quality, especially for students with disabilities. This case study shows how strategic leadership changes and focused professional development can drive systemic improvements in special education. https://bit.ly/46LpwjA We're here to share knowledge that fosters positive change across districts. Ready to explore how these strategies could benefit your school or district? Schedule a consultation with us today. #SpecialEducationLeadership #InclusiveEducation #ContinuousImprovement

We're excited to be back in action, helping our partners prep for an incredible school year launch. Over the next two days, we're delivering an exciting new workshop to co-design effective special education programming to support their learners in a more targeted way! We're facilitating and they're planning to: 🙋🏼♀️ Maximize the options on their continuum of services 🙋🏾♂️ Master data-driven, student-centered decision-making The impact we expect is inspiring: ✅ Students benefiting from more tailored, effective support ✅ Educators implementing diverse placement options with confidence ✅ Leaders taking significant steps toward truly inclusive learning environments It's incredible to witness participants gaining new skills, resources, and vision for the upcoming school year in real-time. We're committed to expanding this impact. If your district or school is ready to elevate its special education programming, reach out! There's still time to bring this empowering workshop to your team and join the movement towards world-class special education for every student. #ABCEducation #SpecialEducation #InclusiveLearning #theabilitychallenge #professionaldevelopment