25-26 Special Education Rookie and Refresher Series
The 25-26 Special Education Rookies and Refresher Series is: A Year in the Life. We’ll follow one hypothetical student through a school year—designed to align with real-life touchpoints where special education staff often need guidance. Each session builds on the last and with legal insight while staying practical and anchored in the IEP cycle.
This year, the series isn’t just for special education directors. Based on your feedback, it’s now tailored for anyone working with special education students—including teachers, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and other providers.
Even if your district relies on your ESU for director-level oversight, this series is still a vital resource in addition to great ESU support for your internal team to stay sharp, stay compliant, and serve students well.
On Demand “Bonus Session” - Breaking News for the 25-26 School Year.
A brief recorded session on emerging legal issues that will matter to Nebraska’s special ed staff for this school year.
September 17, 2025 - “Should We Refer?” Crossing the Line From Support to Special Ed
Review MTSS documentation, Child Find triggers, and practical thresholds for moving from interventions to a formal referral.
October 14, 2025 - “Putting the Puzzle Together” – Evaluations and Writing the PLAAFP
Build a strong foundation with legally sound evaluations and meaningful PLAAFP statements that guide the rest of the IEP.
November 4, 2025 - “Where Are We Going?” Goals and Services that Actually Match the Student
Write goals that connect clearly to student needs and determine services—including transportation and related services—that support meaningful progress.
December 9, 2025 - “Who Teaches What?” Push-In, Pull-Out, and Co-Teaching Models
Clarify team roles and service delivery, align practices with the IEP, and stay compliant in shared instructional settings.
January 8, 2026 - “But He Hit a Teacher…” Behaviors, Discipline, and Disability
Understand how to respond when things go wrong. We’ll cover MDRs, behavior plans, suspensions, and how to support staff through it.
February 10, 2026 - “Least Restrictive What Now?” Understanding and Defending LRE Decisions
Discuss how to explain LRE to staff and parents—and ensure placements are both legally defensible and educationally appropriate.
March 10, 2026 -“Yes Means Yes” – Consent, PWNs, and Keeping Parents in the Loop
Walk through the do’s and don’ts of amending IEPs, documenting parent communication, and issuing effective PWNs.
April 14, 2026 - “Not Done Yet” – ESY and the Spring Crunch
Learn how to spot students who may qualify for ESY, what data to use, and how to prep for a smooth transition to summer services.
May 12, 2026 - “Ready or Not” – Graduation, Transitions, and Year-End Traps
Avoid common mistakes in exiting students, supporting transitions, documenting progress, and closing out IEPs before summer.
IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERING FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES YOU CAN COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION BELOW AND SELECT INDIVIDUAL WEBINARS: