In order to receive Register through the conference link (taasro.org) .

After completing this online learning, administrators should be able to understand the legal implications regarding the education of students with disabilities, the administrator's role in overseeing the IEP process for students with disabilities, and the key procedural and substantive requirements of developing and implementing a high-quality IEP. Specific administrator actions taken before, during, and after IEP meetings will be discussed to ensure services and supports outlined in the IEP are implemented with fidelity.

Based on guidance from the USDOE, this PLU provides school leaders with an opportunity to understand federal regulations to address discipline issues for students with disabilities. Participants will assess their current understanding, review national, state, and local discipline data, complete asynchronous learning, apply learning to real-life cases, and develop a plan of action to address discipline issues leading to days of lost instruction for students with disabilities and school safety concerns.

Data from the State Report Card indicate that students from identified subgroups, including children with disabilities, are continuing to perform below the level of all students in the areas of academic achievement among others. Despite overall improvements statewide for all students, the gaps in achievement and other areas have grown for students with disabilities, in particular.

Although much progress has been made in students with disabilities gaining access to general education settings, there remains a significant gap between their achievement and that of their typical peers. Research has suggested that leadership is second only to classroom instruction in influencing what students learn at school because principals help create conditions important for student learning.

The focus of this professional learning is to empower educational leaders with practical resources, evidence-based strategies, and enhanced professional knowledge that they can use to strengthen their foundational knowledge and skills to ensure that all educators are equipped with the necessary skills and supports, including high-quality, evidence-based training and ongoing professional development, to effectively implement positive behavioral strategies.

This in -person professional learning will assist Alabama school administrators to increase their knowledge of a school's obligations for implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), to provide assistance in making legally sound decisions, and to assist in the avoidance of common legal mistakes in the area of educating students with disabilities. The basis of this training is the Help Guide for School Administrators with a Q&A section based largely upon real questions specifically posed by school principals and other administrators in Alabama regarding special education legal issues and requirements.

The A+ Leaders Network is a Year 4 learning community created specifically for school leaders in cohorts 15 and 16 program schools who are committed to sustaining strong instructional practices and leading with clarity, purpose, and long-term vision. This year-long learning experience will use sustainability and school improvement research to help bridge the transition from grant-supported implementation to long-term sustainability.

This professional learning focuses on developing a strong vision for instruction through the implementation of instructional frameworks and instructional rounds grounded in Dr. Robert Marzano’s New Art and Science of Teaching (NASOT). Participants will explore effective instructional practices, establish a common language of teaching and learning, and examine connections between NASOT, the Alabama Teacher Observation Tool (ATOT), and schoolwide instructional expectations. Educators and leaders will engage in collaborative planning, participate in mock instructional rounds, and engage in reflective discussions designed to strengthen instructional consistency, feedback, and student learning across classrooms.

This event is only open to current A+ College Ready program schools cohorts 17, 18, and 19. A+ College Ready's Leadership Institute will empower school leaders to lead their schools/districts to raise academic expectations and achievement for ALL students through their personal and organizational commitment to excellence.