2021 Student Services and Disabilities Training Program | Group 1 & 2

Group 1 & 2: March-October, 2021

Program: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Location: At Your Desk

Registration is now closed for the Group 1 &2 Bundle.

Committed to Student Success

AALRR is excited to announce the launch of our Student Services and Disabilities Training Program. We understand how crucial it is that school districts have the tools necessary to navigate these unique times and support student success. Our team designed this training program to provide district teams and administrators with professional development training in key areas that we believe are particularly relevant to address the challenges facing school districts today.

Group 1:

March 31, 2021 | 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Reducing/Defending Special Education Litigation Arising out of the COVID-19 School Closure | Kristen Myers, Partner

This presentation will review best practices for preventing and/or reducing special education litigation for case managers and administrators. We will discuss strategies for proactively addressing issues in cases related to learning loss and compensatory education claims as a result of the COVID-19 school closures, including identifying red flags that could signal that a student is having difficulty accessing distance or hybrid learning, responding to parent requests, and developing internal dispute resolution processes for addressing compensatory education and learning loss claims.

April 28, 2021 | 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Anticipating and Defending against Requests for Private Services and Unilateral Placements | Jennifer Fain, Partner

This presentation will assist teachers, case managers, service providers, and administrators in identifying red flags that indicate potential issues with a student’s program and services. Attendees will learn how to anticipate parent requests for private services and unilateral placements and what actionable steps districts should take when these warning signs are presented.

May 12, 20201 | 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Residential Placements | Ernest Bell, Partner

This presentation will review best practices for IEP team members — including mental-health professionals, educators, service providers, and administrators — to appropriately determine whether a student requires a residential placement to receive a free appropriate public education.

June 23, 2021 | 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Defense of Psychoeducational Assessments | Gabrielle Ortiz, Senior Associate

This presentation will discuss best practices and review requirements for school psychologists conducting and completing defensible psychoeducational assessment reports, including a review of relevant case decisions regarding appropriate/inappropriate psychoeducational report determinations. In addition to school psychologists the best practices and discussion will also benefit those tasked with addressing assessment requests such as directors, coordinators and program specialists.

June 30, 2021 | 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Defense of Related Service Assessments | Gabrielle Ortiz, Senior Associate

This presentation will discuss best practices and review requirements for related service assessors – such as speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, etc. – in conducting and completing defensible assessment reports, including a review of relevant case decisions regarding appropriate/inappropriate psychoeducational report determinations. In addition to related services assessors the best practices and discussion will also benefit those tasked with addressing assessment requests such as directors, coordinators and program specialists.

Group 2:

August 13, 2021 | 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Unpacking Educational Benefit | Deb Ettinger, Partner

What is “meaningful educational benefit?” How do IEP teams develop a program that is “reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress in light of the child’s circumstances?” This presentation will analyze this legal standard, and review the ways IEP teams develop programs through well thought out goals and baselines, as well as proving reports on progress through data collection.

September 10, 2021 | 8:00-9:30 a.m.

Defensible & Quick(ish) Responses to Pupil Record Requests (90-minute training) | Ernest Bell, Partner

Is a pupil record “anything with the student’s name on it”? This presentation will particularly help special educators, service providers, and administrators better understand legal requirements for records, and will provide a checklist for responding to requests more quickly, comprehensively, and easily.

September 24, 2021 | 8:00-9:30 a.m.

Legally Defensible IEP Meetings: For Newbies to Vets (90-minute training) | Ernest Bell, Partner

This presentation will provide a simple how-to guide and checklist for teams to produce IEPs that improve educational outcomes for students, and that avoid mistakes getting educators into recent legal trouble.

October 8, 2021 | 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Strategies for School District Staff When Emotions Escalate in IEP Meetings and Informal Dispute Resolution” | Kim Schulist, Senior Associate

This presentation will provide special education administrators, special education teachers and staff with an opportunity to learn strategies to expand their “toolbox” for working with families and other staff members when emotions escalate at IEP meetings, alternative dispute resolution meetings, and other interactions throughout their workday.

October 22, 2021 | 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Transition Plans | Ernest Bell, Partner

This presentation will review best practices to improve post-secondary planning outcomes for students who want to move on to careers or higher education. We will also discuss strategies to avoid drafting mistakes that result in litigation for denials of FAPE involving students who have already graduated. Service providers and assessors take note: Case carriers are not the only educators necessary to formulation of appropriate ITPs!

Event Information

Date: March-October, 2021

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

ZOOM registration link emailed at check-out