What's Next in Education?

Every educator knows the tension: Overlooking a suspected disability exposes the district to legal risk, but referring every struggling student leads to unnecessary evaluations and special education resources being stretched thin for students who truly need them.

In this interactive webinar, attorney and engaging presenter Geneva Jones will go beyond the basics of child find to tackle the harder question schools face every day: When does a student’s struggle actually suggest a disability? You’ll learn how to balance both sides of the child find dilemma — considering IDEA, Section 504, and general education supports without under-referring or over-identifying students.

Make more thoughtful, legally sound decisions about referral and evaluation by gaining this expert’s guidance to:

• Recognize when a student’s academic, behavioral, or emotional concerns create a reasonable suspicion of disability
• Distinguish a genuine suspected disability from learning differences, skill deficits, and other factors
• Use the need for specially designed instruction as a key part of determining whether IDEA may be the appropriate path
• Identify when a student’s needs may warrant evaluation under Section 504 rather than special education
• Document your team's reasoning so decisions hold up under scrutiny
• And more

Happening on November 5, 2026, the webinar will include Q&A time so you can ask this expert your specific questions.

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability — and one of the most legally contested issues that special education teams face today. Are you confident your eligibility determinations, goals, and services would hold up under scrutiny?

In this interactive webinar, attorney Jan Tomsky will break down the law, Education Department guidance, and recent case law shaping how districts identify and serve students with dyslexia. She’ll walk you through real disputes over child find, evaluations, methodology, and FAPE — and point out exactly where other districts got it wrong.

You'll leave equipped with the knowledge to:

• Draft IEP goals that are measurable and designed to enable student progress
• Respond to an IEE recommendation on dyslexia without assuming it's the final word
• Explain why child find is a screening process, not a guarantee of eligibility
• Recognize when it's time to reconvene the IEP team to reconsider methodology
• Apply the Endrew F. standard to demonstrate a student's appropriate progress
• Distinguish a medical diagnosis of dyslexia from IDEA eligibility

Whether you're defending an eligibility decision, writing IEP goals, or deciding what services a student with dyslexia requires, this webinar on October 15, 2026, will give you the legal foundation to act with confidence — not guesswork.

Real questions from real educators and service providers, answered by Jeremy Neff — a former teacher and coach who has spent nearly 20 years as an attorney helping educators navigate legal issues.

This 90-minute on-demand webinar is broken down into three sections covering the most challenging and confusing areas of special education compliance:

• Child find, evaluations, and eligibility
• FAPE
• Discipline and school safety

Within each section, Mr. Neff briefly reviews the federal requirements districts must meet, then answers questions submitted live by attendees — from when to refer a student with a suspected disability for evaluation, to the separate FAPE standards under IDEA and Section 504, to when an MDR is required for a code-of-conduct violation.

Whatever situation you're navigating — timelines, procedural safeguards, or compliant next steps — this webinar gives you the next best thing to a private consultation with an attorney, on your own schedule. Watch now and get straight answers before a gray area becomes a problem.

Accommodations and modifications have distinct purposes and impact how a student participates in classroom instruction. But even experienced staff have difficulty differentiating between the two. In this on-demand webinar, attorney Parris Taylor clears up the confusion and breaks down the issues your special education team should address on your mission to offer FAPE.

You gain an understanding of Section 504’s mandates and what OCR says about providing FAPE based on individual student needs. Then, through practical tips and specific examples, he guides your team through better analyzing and meeting that FAPE requirement, distinguishing "accommodations" and "modifications," and applying lessons from recent cases on specific accommodations and modifications that meet students’ needs.

You and your team gain best practices to:

• Discern differences in the FAPE requirement under 504 and the IDEA
• Develop appropriate, legally compliant 504 plans
• Determine which accommodation(s) and/or modification(s) will meet a student’s particular needs
• Recognize when a student with a 504 plan should be referred for an IDEA evaluation
• Understand modification of the curriculum
• And more

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

Attorney Ron Stadler takes you through the IDEA’s requirements and the information that every PWN must include. You 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 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
• And more

Responding to students with disabilities who exhibit dangerous behaviors is fraught with legal and practical pitfalls. Attorney Eric Rodriguez teaches 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 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 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 so everyone gains 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

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. In this on-demand webinar, attorney Collins Saint provides your team with a roadmap for making that determination based on sound legal reasoning.

You 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 learn about 504 protections that apply to all students with disabilities regardless of whether they have an IEP or a 504 plan.

This webinar also looks 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 get equipped 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

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

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

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

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

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.