Lead IDEA’s Navigators are interactive resources designed to support early intervention (EI) program and PreK–12 school building administrators as they address core problems of practice in their daily work. Each Navigator brings together clearly defined challenges, research‑based explanations for why these issues persist, realistic leadership scenarios, practical toolkits with strategies and resources, video reflections from leaders in the field, and guidance on how the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other key policies connect to each topic.
Each Navigator Highlights
School & Program Stories
These application‑based stories reflect the real‑world experiences of EI program and school leaders. Each story presents a realistic scenario, making it easy for readers to see themselves in the situation, and outlines clear, actionable steps leaders can take to address the issue effectively.
Solution Toolkits
Each Solution Toolkit provides a structured set of strategies to help leaders respond to pressing challenges. Toolkits include concrete actions, practical examples, and curated resources to support implementation, along with videos featuring real leaders sharing how they applied these strategies in their early intervention program or school. Key IDEA and policy considerations are highlighted to ensure decisions align with federal requirements and best practices.
Let’s navigate IDEA leadership together.
Special Educator Retention
Principal Navigator
Principals play a pivotal role in retaining their special educators. Co-developed with the CEEDAR Center, the Special Educator Retention Navigator highlights 6 pressing retention issues that schools often face and the principal’s role in proactively addressing them.
Strengthening Services for Students With Disabilities
Principal Navigator
The Strengthening Services for Students With Disabilities Navigator gives principals actionable strategies to improve classroom teaching practices and enhance service delivery for students with disabilities. This tool offers strategies for tackling common challenges and emphasizes the principal’s role in setting up a schoolwide system for tracking progress, identifying students who are not meeting IEP goals, and guiding data-driven interventions.
Early Intervention Program Provider Retention
Administrator Navigator
Research shows that early intervention provider shortages are driven by a range of issues, many of which administrators can purposefully address. The Early Intervention Provider Retention Navigator, co-developed by the Early Childhood Intervention Personnel Center, highlights pressing retention issues and the local EI program administrator’s role in proactively addressing them.