What is a "culture of collaboration"? It starts with the awareness that school culture must transform in order to improve outcomes for students. In practice it is, for most educators, a new way for teachers to work, plan, and communicate with each other, bringing the strength and daily realities of both general and special education to bear in a more focused, fluid, and interlocking way, that, in the end, results in improved student outcomes.

Participants will:

1. Examine the current roles of general and special educators, paraprofessionals, and administrators, and then redefine new roles for the future;
2. Examine the ways general and special educators manage planning, and then restructure the use of time and other resources;
3. Examine the ways IEPs are written, and then align them with how instruction is provided within the general education setting; and
4. Develop a system for on-going data collection and monitoring of improved collaboration between general and special education.

Target Audience: general and special educators and administrators

Option A: One or Two-Day Workshop: The purpose of this training is to build general awareness about the elements involved in creating a culture of collaboration for improved student outcomes.

Option B: Training & Consulting Series: This option is for schools/districts for which the goal of improved collaboration is a priority. Carol will assist participants in (1) assessing school readiness for collaboration and (2) developing a long-term plan to address the structures and activities necessary to foster and maintain a culture of shared responsibility for the success of all students. This option can be combined with a Summer Institute (below) either to kick off the initiative or to support it during multi-year implementation.

Option C: 3-5 Day Summer Institute with Consulting During School Year: As with Option 2, this is for schools/districts for whom collaboration is a priority.