Leadership

Description: Creating Connections to Shining Stars is a collaborative effort between Virginia's Part C, Early Intervention and Part B, Early Childhood Special Education programs. The conference will focus on promoting and supporting the implementation of evidence-based practices in inclusive settings for infants, toddlers, and young children, both with and without disabilities. CCSS Information CCSS Registration Hotel Roanoke Reservations Keynote Speaker: David and Jacob Raphael, Our Autism Story: A Father...

Description: Self-Paced Course: Think Like a Behaviorist: Behavior 101 is designed to address common misperceptions about behavior and children with ASD. Participants will learn about the importance of understanding behavior, the functions of behavior, the basic principles of ABA, common myths about ABA, and the ABCs (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence). Learn how to think like a behaviorist in this first part of a series on behavior 101. This course is designed for any professional who supports young...

Description: Deaf 101 is a free online short course designed to provide basic knowledge and tools necessary to communicate effectively with deaf individuals, especially in educational and professional settings. The course is broken down into two modules: the first describes the spectrum of deaf identity and answers common questions about deaf people; the second provides participants with quick tips and strategies to communicate effectively with deaf people. You can take the course all at once or in...

Description: Register for Together we go far: Teaming with paraprofessionals to support learners with autism - Special education is a team endeavor, and paraprofessionals are essential to this team. Most paraprofessionals receive their training on the job, and often by the special education teacher. Unfortunately, most special education teachers were not taught how to supervise, coach, and collaborate with paraprofessionals during their training. This presentation aims to provide special education teachers...

Description: Register for Together we go far: Partnering with families to support caregiver-mediated intervention - Our goal in education is to improve autistic students’ lives, not just within the classroom but across their homes, community, and future employment settings. To that end, it is essential to partner with families to learn about their priorities, values, and needs. Through this partnership, schools can support families and assist them in implementing feasible and meaningful...

Description: In April 2024, the VDOE provided a webinar on using VPI funding in ECSE Classrooms. For access to the recording, please contact valeads@gmu.edu. You may find the three helpful documents on the VDOE’s VPI Webpage. VPI Guidelines give a full VPI program overview. VPI Eligibility Guide gives specific guidance on determining and documenting eligibility. And finally, FAQ-VPI Funding for ECSE Classrooms answers many common questions related to using VPI funds to support students in...

Description: New this Year! The VDOE will host ECSE Office Hours for ECSE administrators, special education directors or those who would like to increase knowledge and ask questions on content related to ECSE. Office Hours will be held the third Thursday of the month from 11:00-12:00. Each month, a specific topic will be discussed. There will be a short introduction of the topic followed by the opportunity for you to ask questions. Registration is not required. Simply use the Join the meeting link to...

Description: The VDOE is hosting a three-part webinar series to prepare school divisions for the 2026-2027 school year. Administrators from all school-based preschool programs are encouraged to attend. Dates, topics, and registration links are included below.  Webinar recordings and slides will be sent to everyone registered. We have changed our webinar platform this year, which means you must register for each session to receive the recording. Please register for every session you are interested in,...

Description: Looking to boost motivation, engagement, and participation when facilitating instruction in your preschool schedules and daily routines? Join us for an interactive learning community designed to empower early childhood educators in using differentiated and systematic instruction for young learners with autism. VLCA for Early Childhood: Instruction is a four-session series that provides practical and proactive instructional strategies, helpful resources, and opportunities...

Description: Register for the Special Education Workshop Series - New Growth, Stronger Support When families understand the process, better support can grow.Our quarterly SPED Series is designed to help families understand special education processes, rights, and tools that help students in preparing them for further education, employment, and independent living. Join us as we dive into this quarter’s topics and build stronger partnerships for student success.SESSIONS:March 25 – From...

Description: Register for Addressing Behaviors Confidently - Learn How to Help Your Child Be Successful at Home & School!This presentation shares different ways to understand social and emotional needs and support your child’s growth and development. Learn strategies to calm difficult moments, make daily routines run more smoothly, and learn about the school-based support available, including Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBAs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs). You will leave...

Description: Register for the April Self-Paced Training Course: Building Strong Parent Advocates - Families of children receiving special education services find themselves in a world of complicated policies, confusing acronyms and terms, and piles of paperwork. The Building Strong Parent Advocates training provides information to help families build a solid foundation to understand the special education process while empowering them to be their child’s best advocate. This...

Description: Register for the April IEP University - The IEP process can be difficult and stressful. Conflict may occur as a result of managing emotions while simultaneously following policy and procedures. IEP University was developed to help provide families and professionals with accurate and useful information around IEP development and meetings. This self-paced training takes about 6 hours to complete and can be accessed online anytime during the 3-week timeframe.

Description: Register for The Power of Family Engagement in Early Childhood - Building positive relationships between schools and families supports our children’s learning and development. Strong home-school connections create a more positive experience and help our children improve their relationships, health, and school success, leading to more positive long-term outcomes. By taking an active role in the early years, schools and parents can help ensure our children have the support they need to...

Description: Learn about early childhood special education data for the state and your school-division. Child count and inclusion data will be presented. Every division will receive a copy of their data and participants may ask questions related to their data collection, reporting, and/or analysis. Because VDOE will be sharing state- and division-level data, participants are encouraged to attend the virtual presentation as it will not be recorded. The individual(s) who has primary responsibility for ECSE...