About the Lead IDEA Center

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), the Lead IDEA Center provides knowledge and professional learning services that help leaders fully realize IDEA's opportunity to enhance services and improve outcomes for children with disabilities. 
 
The Center provides resources and training to support EI and PreK—12 school leaders in creating educational opportunities tailored to the individual needs of children eligible for early intervention and special education services, prioritizing equitable environments and ensuring adherence to both the letter and spirit of IDEA. The Lead IDEA Center works with state and local leaders to maximize the potential for leaders to positively enhance outcome for infants, toddlers, children, and youth who benefit from support and services provided under IDEA.

What We Do

We use partnership, local collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement to develop and promote a professional learning system that advances knowledge, skills, and supports among EI and PreK—12 leaders in the following ways:

• understanding IDEA requirements
• supporting personnel success
• improving working conditions and culture
• creating shared accountability for all
• promoting progress for children. 

 

Knowledge Advancement

We build knowledge and awareness of administrator responsibilities and best practices in leading systems serving children with disabilities. We have engaged local leaders and scanned the literature to identify a set of core knowledge and skills necessary for achieving the promise of IDEA. 

 

 

Capacity Building

We provide professional learning materials and services that foster and reinforce the leadership competencies necessary for establishing and maintaining high-quality learning environments for all children with disabilities. Our services advance shared leadership and collaborative structures to do the following:

• refine allocation of resources
• strengthen family engagement and partnerships
• empower educators and other personnel
• improve instruction for all. 

 

 

Infrastructure Development

We draw on implementation science to support local leaders, as well as local and state agencies, with improving the infrastructural elements necessary for sustaining and scaling policies, procedures, and practices that result in effective IDEA implementation.

 

Who We Work With

To support EI and PreK—12 school leaders, we work with: 

• Local EI and PreK—12 administrators
• Local & State Education and Part C Lead Agencies
• Local & State Professional Development Providers
• Leader Preparation Programs
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Families