Tuesday, April 21, 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Opening General Session

Room: Ellington Ballroom

Tuesday, April 21, 2:15 PM

"Did I Do That?" Navigating Non-Attorney Advocates & Meaningful Parent Participation in IEP Meetings

Room: Chastain

ADD/ADHD and Eligibility: IDEA or Section 504?

Room: Dunwoody

Beyond Backlogs: Innovative Assessment & Therapy Tools Support Diverse Learners

Room: Inman

Compliance on the Edges: Don’t Snub Coaches and Subs

Room: Salon G

From Adversaries to Allies: Building Partnerships to Influence Statewide Policy in Challenging Times

Room: Centennial

Learning from Legal Challenges: Turning Complaints and Hearings into Lasting Improvements

Room: Salon I

Navigating School Safety in 2026: What Special Ed Administrators Need to Know About Safety And IDEA

Room: Piedmont

Student Behavior, Inside and Outside of School - What Must and Can a District Do?

Room: Salon H

The Symbiotic Approach when Partnering with Your Attorney to Handle Legal Cases

Room: Training Rooms A&B

When Parents Push Back: Leading Through Conflict with Clarity, Compliance, and Compassion

Room: Ravinia

Tuesday, April 21, 3:30 PM

Ambush Advocates: Navigating Aggressive Tactics in IEP Meetings

Room: Training Rooms A&B

Designing Legally Sound Instruction: Where Law Meets Learning

Room: Dunwoody

Leading with Purpose & Compassion: Supporting Teams through Challenges of Dispute Resolution

Room: Centennial

Preparing for Due Process: Is it Worth the Results, Win or Lose?

Room: Chastain

Restraint & Seclusion: Policies, Procedures, and the Office for Civil Rights

Room: Ravinia

The Importance of Training LEA Representatives as Effective IEP Meeting “Process Leaders”

Room: Salon I

The Proactive Leader's Playbook: Navigating Conflict and Fostering Resolution in Special Education

Room: Inman

Threat Assessments: Legal Requirements and Practical Implications for Students with Disabilities

Room: Salon H

When the State comes a-knocking: lessons learned through an LRE cohort model

Room: Salon G

Tuesday, April 21, 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Academy Grand Opening Reception

Room: Overlook Exhibit Hall

Wednesday, April 22, 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

General Session

Room: Ellington Ballroom

Wednesday, April 22, 11:00 AM

A Legally-Defensible Approach to Evaluations and Reevaluations

Room: Salon G

Discipline Decisions at the Crossroads: Law, Leadership, and Student Support

Room: Dunwoody

Host Law Firm session

Room: Piedmont

Label-Less Learning: A Framework for Inclusive Practices that Elevate All Students

Room: Centennial

Manifest Minimal Misery in Manifestations: A Guide to Successful MDR Strategies

Room: Training Rooms A&B

Mission Possible: Deciphering Patterns of Behavior for Legal MDR Compliance

Room: Inman

Rethinking Discipline: Effective Alternatives to Expulsion

Room: Ardmore

STAR Autism: Compliance Solution

Room: Pittman

Taking LABOR out of Collaborative IEPs: Creating a Culture of Hospitality Through Special Education

Room: Ravinia

Tales from the Field: When Participation Goes Too Far

Room: Chastain

The Impact of School Choice on Dispute Resolution and What it Means for Your District

Room: Salon H

Wichita Public Schools: A Year of Change and Progress Under DOJ Oversight

Room: Salon I

Wednesday, April 22, 12:45 PM - 2:15 PM

General Session Wednesday

Room: Ellington Ballroom

Wednesday, April 22, 2:30 PM

Don't Wait, Collaborate: Practical Strategies for Creating Meaningful Family Partneships

Room: Centennial

Drugs, Weapons, and Bodily Injury: A Deep Dive Into 45-Day Unilateral Placements

Room: Salon H

Host Law Firm Wed 2:30

Room: Piedmont

IEP Teams in Action: Strategic Thinking for Resolving Conflict and Strengthening Compliance

Room: Dunwoody

Trade Secrets (and Cautionary Tales) of a Conflict Professional: DIY Productive Conflict Engagement

Room: Ardmore

Under Pressure: Turn Conflict with Families & Their Attorneys into Cooperation with Confidence

Room: Inman

Using the Golden Thread and Educational Benefit Reviews to Create Legally Defensible IEPs

Room: Training Rooms A&B

You Need to Calm Down: Staying Professional When Advocates & Attorneys Enter the Room

Room: Salon G

Thursday, April 23, 9:00 AM

Ensuring IDEA Compliance for Incarcerated Students

Room: Chastain

Exploring IEEs: A Deep Dive into Independent Educational Evaluations

Room: Centennial

Partnerships for Success- Collaborative Relationships with Day Schools, District, and Families

Room: Inman

Policy Update

Room: Ravinia

Staying Out of Hot Water: Practical & Legal Strategies to Prevent Complaints and Due Process

Room: Dunwoody

Suspension is Never an Intervention

Room: Ardmore

Thursday, April 23, 10:45 AM

A toolkit for meeting the core IDEA requirements: Working smarter not harder!

Room: Chastain

Explaining Procedural Safeguards to Families & What to Do When They Exercise Them

Room: Centennial

From Regulation to Reality: Ensuring Compliance While Driving Student Success in Special Education

Room: Ravinia

Host Law Firm Thurs 10:45

Room: Piedmont

Practical Tools for Reducing Legal Risk and Strengthening Special Education Practice

Room: Pittman

Strength Within: Cultivating Self-Leadership and Awareness in Special Education Disputes

Room: Inman

Supporting Staff with “Over-Communicating” Families While Preserving Meaningful Participation

Room: Ardmore

Utilizing Soft Skills to Avoid Legal Pitfalls in Special Education

Room: Salon H

Thursday, April 23, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Closing General Session

Room: Ellington Ballroom

Thursday, April 23, 10:45 PM - 11:45 PM

Student Speech in 2026: Kids (Still) Say the Darndest Things

Room: Training Rooms A&B