Arlington, Va., March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Education experts from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) will participate in a variety of presentations, panel discussions, and poster sessions at the Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC) Convention and Expo. The annual convention will be in a hybrid format, with both in-person programming (March 13-16, in San Antonio, Texas) and virtual program components (April 9-10).
AIR experts are joining thousands of conference attendees from around the world—including educators, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers—to share knowledge, engage with leaders in the field, and discuss urgent policy topics related to meeting the needs of students with disabilities. They will present on a wide range of topics, including integrating academic and behavioral supports; educator recruitment, preparation, improvement, and retention; equity and mental health; and reviewing current trends and legal issues in special education. Learn more about AIR’s commitment to generating evidence that improves outcomes and opportunities for students with disabilities.
To recognize outstanding leadership in the field of special education, CEC’s Division for Learning Disabilities will present the Jeannette Fleischner Career Leadership Award to AIR Institute Fellows Douglas Fuchs and Lynn Fuchs for their outstanding contributions to the field of learning disabilities. The award recognizes individuals who have advanced the field of learning disabilities through direct services, policy development, community service, research, or organizational leadership throughout their careers.
CEC is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving the success of children and youth with special education needs. It represents the interests of exceptional children in policy and legislation, establishes professional standards for the field, and develops initiatives to improve special education practice.
Conference sessions featuring AIR experts and their work are listed below. All times are Central Daylight Time. For more information on in-person session locations or to see a full list of sessions, visit the CEC website. To learn more about virtual sessions, visit the CEC virtual event program website.
IN-PERSON CONVENTION (March 13–16, 2024)
Wednesday, March 13
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Pre-conference Half-day Workshop: Putting the "I" in IEPs Using High-quality Tools for Development and Implementation
AIR Presenters/Authors: Donna Sacco and Amy Peterson
Pre-conference Half-day Workshop: Infusing High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) in Educator Preparation Programs: Strategies and Recommendations
AIR Presenters/Authors: Meg L. Kamman, Lindsey Hayes, and Amy Colpo
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Panel Session: Leveraging Data Based Individualization (DBI) to Design and Deliver Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)
AIR Presenters/Authors: Sara Evans and Kyle Allen
Panel Session: Teacher Registered Apprenticeships as One Shortage Solution: Possibilities and Considerations
AIR Presenters/Authors: Meg L. Kamman and Lynn Holdheide
Thursday, March 14
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Panel Session: Super Solvers PALS: Fraction Instruction for Inclusive 4th-Grade Classrooms
AIR Presenter/Author: Lynn Fuchs
9:15 – 11:15 a.m.
Panel Session: DLD Showcase | History and Future of CBM: Monitoring Progress to Improve Instruction
AIR Presenters/Authors: Douglas Fuchs and Lynn Fuchs
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Panel Session: Leading with MTSS with Intentionality
AIR Presenter/Author: Jason Harlacher
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Panel Session: Research to Practice: Bridging the Gap from HLPs to SDI
AIR Presenters/Authors: Sacha Cartagena, Stacy Hirt, Melissa Chiplis, and Chundra Steele-Woods
Panel Session: Multi-Tiered System of Supports Network: Integrating Academic and Behavior Supports
AIR Presenter/Author: Allison Gandhi
Panel Session: U.S. Department of Education: Making Inclusion Meaningful - OSEP Guidance and Resources for Teachers
AIR Presenter/Author: Tessie Rose Bailey
2:15 – 3:15 p.m.
Panel Session: The Principal’s Role as an Instructional Leader: What Special Educators Want and Need from Their Leaders
AIR Presenter/Author: David Bateman
Friday, March 15
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Concurrent Session: Beyond Recruitment and Retention: Creating and Maintaining A Diverse Special Education Workforce
AIR Presenters/Authors: Keane Alavi, Dena Slanda, and Shauntice Wheeler
9:15 – 10:00 a.m.
Poster: Lead IDEA Center: Supporting Leaders to Effectively Implement IDEA
AIR Presenters/Authors: Danielle Shaw Attaway, Abby Foley, David Bateman, Dena Slanda, and Lynn Holdheide
9:15 – 10:15 a.m.
Panel Session: Everybody Wants to Belong! Resources to Make it Happen
AIR Presenters/Authors: Amy Peterson and Riley O’Donnell
Panel Session: TED Showcase: What if…? Imagining New Possibilities in Teacher and Leader Preparation
AIR Presenters/Authors: Meg L. Kamman and Lynn Holdheide
10:30 – 11:15 a.m.
Poster: Sustainable Ecosystem Elements: Evidenced-Based Strategies to Guide High-Quality Educational Programming
AIR Presenter/Author: Swati Guin
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Panel Session: Supporting Teachers with Implementing Content Literacy Middle School Evidence-Based Practices
AIR Presenters/Authors: Isabelle D’Souza, Sophie Weich, and Alida Hudson
11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Poster: Providing Teachers Strategies for Early Numeracy Intervention for Mathematics Difficulties
AIR Presenter/Author: Kathleen Pfannenstiel
Poster: A Model for Ensuring Measurable Annual Goals
AIR Presenter/Author: David Bateman
Poster: The Recipe for Success: Navigating Common Barriers to MTSS Implementation
AIR Presenters/Authors: Adaline Arnold and Cat Merkle
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Panel Session: Shared Book Reading Practices Supporting Dual Language Learners’ Foundational Literacy
AIR Presenters/Authors: Hans Bos, Danielle Shaw Attaway, and Lauren Artzi
1:00 – 1:45 p.m.
Poster: Using Tools Charts to Support Selection of High-Quality Assessments and Interventions
AIR Presenter/Author: Colleen Boggs
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Panel Session: Special Educator Preparation: Promising Strategies to Promote Recruitment and Retention
AIR Presenters/Authors: Stacy Hirt, Josh Otarola, Swati Guin, and Lynn Holdheide
Panel Session: Measuring the Fidelity of Integrated MTSS Using the IMFR
AIR Presenters/Authors: Caitlyn Majeika, Jennifer Pierce, and Allison Gandhi
Panel Session: School Mental Health: Working Well - A Focus on Staff Wellbeing with an Equity and Mental Health Lens
AIR Presenter/Author: Megan Gildin
Saturday, March 16
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Panel Session: What Do an IEP and Bike Have in Common?
AIR Presenters/Authors: Amy Peterson, Riley O’Donnell, and Pamela White
9:15 – 10:15 a.m.
Panel Session: Supporting Expertise in DBI and SDI Through Virtual Learning
AIR Presenter/Author: Stacy Hirt
VIRTUAL CONVENTION (April 9–10, 2024)
Live Presentations
Tuesday, April 9
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Virtual Workshop: Demystifying SDI
AIR Presenters/Authors: Amy Peterson and Sara Evans
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Virtual Workshop: Trauma-Informed IEPs
AIR Presenter/Author: David Bateman
Virtual Workshop: Facilitating Effective Meetings and Strengthening Collaboration with the IEP Team
AIR Presenters/Authors: Amy Colpo, Dena Slanda, and Sacha Cartagena
On-Demand Presentations
Wednesday, April 10
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Panel Session: Everybody Wants to Belong! Resources to Make it Happen
AIR Presenters/Authors: Amy Peterson and Riley O’Donnell
Panel Session: Leading MTSS with Intentionality
AIR Presenter/Author: Jason Harlacher
Panel Session: Shared Book Reading Practices Supporting Dual Language Learners’ Foundational Literacy
AIR Presenters/Authors: Hans Bos and Danielle Shaw Attaway
Panel Session: Beyond Recruitment and Retention: Creating and Maintaining a Diverse Special Education Workforce
AIR Presenters/Authors: Keane Alavi, Shauntice Wheeler, and Dena Slanda
Panel Session: Leveraging Data Based Individualization: Design and Deliver Specially Designed Instruction
AIR Presenters/Authors: Sara Evans and Kyle Allen
About AIR
Established in 1946, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education, and the workforce. AIR's work is driven by its mission to generate and use rigorous evidence that contributes to a better, more equitable world. With headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR has offices across the U.S. and abroad. For more information, visit www.air.org.
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Dana Tofig American Institutes for Research 202-403-6347 dtofig@air.org
