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 […]
Public Comments: Academic Achievement in the District of Columbia
[submitted to the DC Council November 7, 2025] Good afternoon Chairman Mendelson and members of the Council. My name is Meagan Alderton; I am the Senior Director of Education Innovation and Improvement at the DC Special Education Cooperative, better known as the Co-op. For more than 25 years, the Co-op has partnered with public charter […]
Specially Designed Instruction (SDI): Advancing Equity for Students With Disabilities
Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) is one of the most powerful levers for ensuring equity for students with disabilities. Defined under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as adapting “the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction” to meet a learner’s unique needs and ensure access to the general education curriculum, SDI goes beyond general differentiation to […]
FY25 Annual Report: A Year of Growth and Impact
In FY25, the DC Special Education Cooperative (the Co-op) advanced its mission to ensure every student with a disability in D.C. has access to high-quality instruction and meaningful opportunities for success. This year, we deepened our impact through innovative initiatives like the E3 cohort model, expanded Demonstration Classrooms, and strengthened collaboration across our 57 member […]
Unlocking Learner Potential Through UDL: Reflections from UDL-CON 2025
At the 2025 UDL-CON International Summit, Meagan Alderton (DC Special Education Cooperative), Nakita Packer (Bridges Public Charter School), and Ruth Templeton (CAST) facilitated “UDL in Action: Unlocking Learner Potential Through Systemic Design,” a session highlighting how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can drive systemic change and foster equity in schools. The presentation centered on the […]
Demonstration Classrooms Drive Growth for Students with Disabilities
In 2018, the Co-op launched its Demonstration Classrooms program, working with partner schools to create high quality classrooms showcasing best practices in supporting students with disabilities. Since their inception, these classrooms have driven growth for students with disabilities while serving as “reimagined professional development” for educators across DC. It’s no secret that traditional schooling has […]
When Every Child Belongs: Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education
Across the United States, the number of students with disabilities has skyrocketed in recent years. Here in DC, many of the Co-op’s member schools report experiencing this increase most acutely in their preschool programs, with rising numbers of students entering PreK – many with high needs in multiple areas, including communication, behavior, and pre-academic skills. […]
Autism Acceptance Month
April is Autism Acceptance Month, a time to foster greater awareness, understanding, and inclusion. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines acceptance as “the quality or state of being accepted or acceptable: approval”. In the context of Autism Acceptance Month, it means building our knowledge in order to embrace autistic people as they are, rather than seeking to […]
Celebrating Black History Month 2024: Highlighting the Intersectionality of Black Disabled Americans
During National Black History Month, the DC Special Education Cooperative is proud to celebrate the legacy of Black Americans. Black History Month is a time to celebrate the fullness of African American history and culture, but that cannot be contained in one month alone. The vibrancy of Black history and culture has enriched every aspect of […]
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 […]
In The DC Line this week: Three intentional steps to live up to our promise to DC’s students with disabilities
Author: Julie Camerata This week, The DC Line published an op-ed I penned on the highest leverage actions schools can take to make a difference for students with disabilities. “Just 10% of DC students with disabilities perform at grade level in English and only 8% do so in math, according to the 2023 statewide assessment results.” This deserves to […]
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 […]
Our Holiday Wishlist
Our Holiday Wishlist for Serving Students with Disabilities At the Co-op, we believe that every school can serve its students with disabilities and provide strong, rigorous teaching and learning. Here is our wishlist for this holiday season (and the common practices we see when students with disabilities are being well-served):
Who are students with disabilities?
Students with disabilities are often lumped into one monolithic category, but nearly 20 percent of DC students are students with disabilities and their needs are not a monolith. In fact, they are diverse in their dreams and academic needs. Meet three families who are sharing their unique perspectives on navigating DC schools for their children. […]
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 […]
The State of Special Education in the District of Columbia
By Julie Camerata A wealth of resources share startling statistics about students with disabilities in DC public schools. Looking at, understanding, and acting on data is critical for DC to move forward both at the city level and for each student learning in a DC school. This overview of how DC students with disabilities are […]