American Institutes for Research Education Experts to Present at the Council for Exceptional Children Convention

Arlington, Va. – 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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