Evidence-based Intervention: Demo Teacher Feature
For Mr. Griffin, math intervention is about far more than numbers, it’s about building confidence, fostering perseverance, and helping students discover what they’re capable of achieving. As a Math Intervention Teacher in the Co-op’s Demo Classroom at Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS, he has dedicated himself to meeting students where they are, celebrating their progress, and […]
More Than a Certification – How DC3C Is Equipping Students With Lifesaving Skills and Real-World Confidence
In an emergency, a single action can change everything. DC3C students are learning how to be ready when those moments happen. This past year, 26 high school students participating in DC3C programming earned CPR, AED, and First Aid certification through hands-on training led by DC3C staff. For many students, the experience became more than learning […]
In Conversation with OSSE’s Dr. Christina Grant
In August, the Co-op released All In: Getting to Solutions for Students with Disabilities. As the Co-op notes in the report: Changing results requires reimagining our schools and dismantling systemic inequities. A wealth of research throughout the years supports the recommendations that emerged from summit participants’ conversations. We cannot continue to recycle the same recommendations […]
Organize Yourself and Your Team to Support Student Growth
“I wanted to make sure we were supporting the right students with the right kind of supports. The systems we created helped me become a stronger leader and delegate more effectively.” —Amanda Arellano, Special Education Manager, LAMB PCS When Amanda Arellano participated in our Elevated Leadership Service program (which provides year-long support to help develop […]
UDL: a gateway to improving academic outcomes for ALL students
“UDL is what you want to see in any classroom: it’s strong teaching and learning, with a focus on equity, high expectations, and planning intentionally. The Framework gives us the tools and guides us through the process of removing barriers to learning.” — Meagan Alderton, Program Quality Specialist at the Co-op Through Demonstration Classrooms, the […]
Fellow Executive Directors, what are we willing to change?
By Raymond Weeden In my 20+ years in education, I’ve rarely been surprised by assessment results. Educators have a good pulse on how students are doing and where support is needed. So as we find ourselves looking at abysmal PARCC results for students with disabilities, it’s not a question of how we got here but […]
In this week’s Washington Post
Author: Julie Camerata This week, The Washington Post published an op-ed I penned on the need for our city, at all levels of leadership, to prioritize students with disabilities. We know DC’s students with disabilities were struggling before the pandemic. Now we must act with the urgency to support them: Only then can we truly […]
At Paul PCS: Data, Support, and All Really Meaning All
Interviewed by Julie Camerata, Executive Director of the DC Special Education Cooperative This week, EmpowerK12 released its 2022 Bold Performance Schools report, highlighting DC schools that are serving high-priority students, including students with disabilities, well. We sat down with Rosee Ragin, Executive Director of Student Support Services at Paul PCS, whose middle school was named […]
Empowering our SPED Leaders: DC’s model Special Education Leadership Coaching Cohort
Across the country, schools are scrambling to fill vacancies. Many schools have tried incentives such as bonuses and other perks, sadly to no avail. These problems with retaining staff have existed for years but have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and overall burnout – particularly when it comes to special educators. Special education staffing […]