What's Next in Education?

Prior written notice is a crucial procedural safeguard under the IDEA, with a specific purpose and requirements that your district must satisfy. Attend this webinar for a deep dive into the nitty gritty of prior written notice, and leave with a foolproof formula for complying with your legal obligations.

Attorney Ron Stadler will take you through the IDEA’s requirements and the information that every PWN must include. You’ll also learn about related issues, including the connection between the IEP meeting and PWN, when disciplinary removals may trigger the district's duty to provide parents PWN, and how PWN can be used to challenge a district's decisions with respect to the student.

Along with lessons from court and administrative decisions to help you avoid common compliance pitfalls, you’ll gain best practices to:

• Identify the circumstances in which the district must provide parents with PWN and meet timelines for providing it
• Draft an appropriate PWN that includes all necessary information
• Use a PWN to defend the district’s decisions regarding the child's identification, evaluation, placement, and provision of FAPE
• Remedy deficiencies in your PWNs that violate IDEA mandates

This presentation on March 5 will be followed by Q&A time, so you can get this attorney’s expert insights on your specific concerns..

REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR

Responding to students with disabilities who exhibit dangerous behaviors is fraught with legal and practical pitfalls. Attorney Eric Rodriguez will teach you how to effectively use functional behavioral assessments and behavior intervention plans to target behaviors that interfere with learning and pose a safety threat — all while meeting IDEA requirements.

You’ll learn when it is appropriate to initiate an FBA or develop a BIP and how to go about doing so, supported by explanations of IDEA provisions related to standards, behavior interventions, and discipline removals. You’ll also find out when it is best to rely on a board-certified behavioral analyst or licensed school psychologist to conduct an FBA or develop a BIP.

Gather with your special education team and everyone will leave with the knowledge and tools to:

• Objectively identify specific behaviors that trigger the need for an FBA or a BIP
• Identify the components of a defensible FBA
• Recognize the important and necessary features of a BIP
• Develop behavior responses that keep students and staff safe
• Avoid legal missteps by learning dos and don’ts from recent court and hearing officer decisions
• And more

This webinar, being held on February 12, will include Q&A time so you can ask this attorney your specific questions.

REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR

Determining whether a student is eligible for an IEP or a Section 504 plan is a key decision-making point that requires consistent criteria and processes. Attorney Collins Saint will provide your team with a roadmap for making that determination based on sound legal reasoning.

You’ll gain an understanding of the differences in students’ legal protections provided by the IDEA and Section 504, such as manifestation determination reviews, as well as where the two laws align. Plus, you’ll learn about 504 protections that apply to all students with disabilities regardless of whether they have an IEP or a 504 plan.

This webinar will also look at the importance of considering specially designed instruction in light of recent case law, and providing a prior written notice when a team refuses an IEP even if the student qualifies for a 504 plan.

You’ll leave with best practices to:

• Follow a compliant process to determine whether a student qualifies for a 504 plan or an IEP
• Utilize data to appropriately protect students with disabilities during decision-making
• Avoid legal risks when identifying students, including child find and predetermination
• Ensure compliance with IDEA and Section 504 for students with disability-related plans
• And more

Happening on January 15, this webinar will include time for Q&A, so you can get Mr. Saint’s experienced insights on your specific concerns.

REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR

There are two fundamental approaches to addressing misconduct of students with disabilities: educational (placement) and disciplinary (removal). In this on-demand webinar, attorney Bobby Truhe shows you how to work from the start of repeated maladaptive behaviors and one-off misconduct by choosing the proper approach based on each student’s needs.

You learn the legal authority for teams to consider LRE and placement, as well as the legal requirements for disciplinary removals, manifestation, FBAs, and IAES. And you go beyond legal mandates to understand the benefits and downside of each approach and discover effective ways to address misconduct when it occurs.

Get equipped with knowledge and best practices to:

• Ensure better compliance by framing the discussion as a response to maladaptive behaviors, whether educational or disciplinary
• Bridge the knowledge gap between special education and general education staff related to addressing misconduct and maladaptive behaviors
• Comply with all legal and procedural requirements of disciplinary removals
• Identify situations where proactive due process or litigation is needed for really concerning behavior
• Document changes in placement in IEPs and PWNs to defend the work of the team
• And more

SHOP RECORDED WEBINARS

With due process and state complaints on the rise, school and district staff are frequently called on to assist in defending and trying to resolve these matters — and most have little to no experience in navigating the complex legal issues involved. Remedy that situation by training everyone with this on-demand webinar presented by attorney Amy J. Pitsch.

Ms. Pitsch explains what happens when complaints are filed: applicable timelines, actions that staff must take immediately, and procedural issues that must be addressed. You also learn how to best position the district to defend a complaint, and practical tips to work toward a resolution even while litigation is advancing.

Along with discovering what to expect from the district’s legal counsel and during the hearing, staff gain best practices to:

• Implement IDEA requirements when a due process or state complaint is filed
• Conduct a resolution meeting under the IDEA
• Prepare themselves and other district personnel for a due process hearing
• Communicate with parents when a complaint is pending
• Apply stay-put during a due process proceeding
• And more

SHOP RECORDED WEBINARS

With transportation being one of the most requested related services plus increasing litigation surrounding new modes of transportation, school staff have to be prepared to handle the myriad issues that arise. Attorney Cynthia Vargas addresses educators’ concerns on all things transportation, from determining whether a student requires transportation as a related service to the likely remedies for failure to implement them.

You get up to speed on trends under the IDEA and Section 504, including what the law says about porter services. Plus, you get clear guidance on various modes of transportation — school bus, van, subway and other public transit, cab, and rideshares — as well as safety issues, specialized equipment, and managing and disciplining behavior.

Steer clear of legal potholes by learning best practices to:

• Determine a student's eligibility and need for transportation as a related service
• Assess a student's need for door-to-door service
• Identify the least restrictive mode of transportation
• Respond to allegations of disability harassment on the bus
• Address parental requests for specific modes of transportation or services in the home before transporting
• And more

SHOP RECORDED WEBINARS

While writing an IEP goal seems straightforward, it’s anything but. Make sure everyone on your special education team knows how to write measurable goals that are reasonably calculated to produce meaningful educational benefit. In this recorded webinar, Dr. Derek Ihori breaks down the technical aspects of IEP goal writing and provides best practices your team can implement right away.

Along with learning the 5 stages in the process of goal development, you discover how to ensure there is an apples-to-apples relationship between baselines and goals so that progress and the effectiveness of the IEP can be monitored and evaluated.

You and your team learn step-by-step guidance to:

• Gather baseline data upon which to develop measurable annual goals
• Use AI to assist in the development of standards-aligned goals
• Develop goals that pass the “Stranger Test”
• Measure progress toward goals
• Revise the IEP if a student is not making adequate progress
• And more

SHOP RECORDED WEBINARS

When it comes to serving students effectively, it’s essential that educators and special educators stay current on the latest best practices, federal policies, and compliance obligations. LRP’s Next in Ed blog is an effortless way for you and your entire school or district team to find out about the latest trends and to get authoritative professional development.

Each month, Next in Ed will highlight LRP’s newest upcoming Education Webinar so you and your team will know exactly what you’ll learn. With each webinar you attend, you’ll gain:

• A laser-focused look at a specific topic, covered concisely in 90 minutes to not waste your time
• Guidance from the most knowledgeable and engaging experts who break down the practical and legal sides of the topic
• Convenient training you attend wherever you are – no travel time or expenses
• A cost-effective way to train your entire team, with unlimited participants at your site for one low rate
• Interactive Q&A with the presenter so you can get insights on your specific concerns

With a new webinar each month, everyone on your team can continually elevate their skills and advance their knowledge to support student achievement.

Check the Next in Ed blog often or, better yet, sign up to receive new blog post updates, so you don’t miss out on any upcoming training webinars. LRP also offers a library of 50+ on-demand, expert-led webinars covering an array of special education topics.

SHOP RECORDED WEBINARS