Connect With Us at Fall Conferences!
This fall, Lead IDEA Center experts will present at several conferences for early intervention (EI) program, school, district, and state education leaders, as well as faculty in leadership preparation programs. We’ll share free resources that support leadership in special education and early intervention, including our IDEA Leadership Essentials and practical toolkits designed to help leaders strengthen services for students with disabilities, retain special educators and EI providers, and more.
Our conference schedule and presentations featuring our experts are listed below.
The National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) Annual Conference on September 28-30 in San Antonio
Session: Partnership With Purpose: Strengthening Shared Leadership Between Principals and Special Education Directors
Date/time: Tuesday, September 29 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. CT
Presenters: Sara Evans, Barbara Van Haren (WI DPI), and Debra Wall (WCASS)
The Division for Early Childhood (DEC)’s 42nd Annual International Conference on Young Children with Disabilities and Their Families on October 26-29 in Omaha
Session: Reflect, Refine, Lead: Enhancing IDEA Implementation with Self-Assessment
Date/time/location: Wednesday, October 28 from 2:45 – 3:45 p.m. CT in Room 216
Presenters: Mary Beth Bruder and Darla Gundler
The 2026 Council of Special Education Administrators (CASE) Conference on November 11-13 in Providence
Session: Partners in Progress: Leadership Collaboration for Student Success
Date/time/location: Wednesday, November 11 from 1:15 – 2:15 p.m. ET in Room 550 A/B
Presenters: Jenna Basile and Timara Davis
Session: Leading Effective IEP Partnerships: How Special Education Directors Support Principals in Reducing Conflict
Date/time/location: Friday, November 13 from 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. ET in the Rotunda
Presenters: Jenna Basile and Timara Davis
The University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) Annual Convention on November 18-21 in Pittsburgh
Session: Preparing Principals for Leading Schools That Effectively Serve Students with Disabilities
Presenters: Dena Slanda and Shelby Cosner
Session: Organizational Capacity Diagnostic Tool Session
Presenters: Shelby Cosner
Session: Bridging Leadership Preparation and Practice: Advancing Principal Effectiveness Through Partnerships, Data, and Practice-Based Resources
Presenters: Paul Steinle, CEEDAR, and WA State
Attending one of these conferences? We’d love to connect in person. We hope you'll join one of our sessions to learn about Lead IDEA resources and share your own IDEA leadership challenges and successes.