2025

This session provided an overview of the federal requirements and best practices guiding the transition from IDEA Part C early intervention services to IDEA Part B. Sharon Lunn, ECTA, and Michelle Lewis, DaSy, shared key responsibilities for Part C and Part B programs, highlighted state experiences and challenges, and introduced tools, resources, and technical assistance to support effective transitions. Participants had the opportunity to reflect on current practices in their own states and consider strategies for strengthening transition planning and implementation.

The SPDG Program Area Meeting occurs at the annual OSEP Project Directors’ Conference. This is another opportunity for the SPDG Program Grantees to meet with one another to share best practices and strategies to effectively implement evidence-based professional development.

A Roadmap to the OSEP Conference to the SPDG National Meeting

What does coaching look like and sound like in the field? Do our data reflect both the quantity and quality of coach efforts? How can SPDGs collaborate with local leaders to enhance the capacity of coaches to implement evidence-informed coaching practices?

Often, fidelity data is collected out of obligation rather than intention. This session will focus on making your fidelity data work for you. Dr. Jennifer Coffey will share best practices and resources to ensure your data collection is purposeful, meaningful, and actionable.

Dr. Jennifer Coffey
 

This session will highlight the Nebraska statewide effort to strengthen coaching practices in early intervention home-based services. Rachel Schachter, Ph.D. and Sue Bainter will share a multi-level coaching model that includes tools, professional learning communities, and embedded data use to support both coaches and providers. Key takeaways include lessons learned about system-level supports and the intentional use of coaching to improve outcomes for families and children.

Presenters: Rachel Schachter, Ph.D. and Sue Bainter

This session, presented by Dr. Maegan Rides At The Door, Director of the National Native Children’s Trauma Center, explores trauma-informed healing for Native children, families, and communities.

Our focus was on measuring family engagement. Special guests from New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Wyoming projects (FY 2024 SPDGs) shared their plans for family engagement and how they intend to measure their impact.

During the May Fidelity Friday we’ll be delving into curriculum fidelity with two new(ish) resources:

Join CAST’s Project COOL (COaching On Learning) team to explore a scalable coaching model designed to support the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), High-Leverage Practices (HLPs), and Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) in educational settings. This session will introduce the goals of Project COOL, demonstrate how instructional coaching can advance inclusive teaching practices, and highlight new tools and resources to support your work.

Oklahoma’s SPDG leads an interactive Fidelity Friday session showcasing how they embed fidelity tools and coaching supports across three levels: educators, districts, and internal project staff. This session offers real-world strategies for streamlining fidelity measurement and promoting coherence across MTSS initiatives.

Presenter: Alexa Hudak, M.Ed., Program Manager – OK SSIP/SPDG