From Preparation to Practice In Part 1 of this series, we explored how leaders can strengthen IEP meetings by setting clear conditions for collaboration before teams ever gather. Part 2 focuses on what happens in the moment, when facilitation matters most. This post introduces the Collaborative IEP Team Meetings Facilitation Guide, a companion tool to the Collaborative IEP Meetings Roadmap, designed to support real-time facilitation so meetings remain focused, inclusive, and student-centered throughout the process.

Setting the Stage for Stronger IEP Meetings IEP meetings sit at the intersection of compliance, instruction, and relationships. When they are well-facilitated, they can build trust, clarify next steps, and strengthen support for students. When they are not, they can feel rushed, confusing, or disconnected from daily instruction. This first post in a two-part series introduces the Collaborative IEP Team Meetings Roadmap, a tool designed to help educational leaders strengthen IEP meetings at the systems

Inclusion Today is a cross-organizational collaboration between The Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP), Diverse Learners Cooperative (DLC), the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE), and Blue Engine (BE), aimed at shifting practices among school and district leaders to achieve equitable outcomes for all learners. The collaboration came about during a Community of Action (CoA) hosted by the Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA). All four organizations have extensive backgrounds supporting programs, schools, districts, and education

Last month, DLC team members joined EdTrust Tennessee at the Tennessee State Capitol for Day on the Hill, an opportunity to advocate directly for the policies that make inclusive education possible and sustainable. This experience was made especially meaningful as two former DLC fellows and current classroom teachers, Anthony Benvenuto of Valor Collegiate Academy and Isormari Pozo of LaVergne High School, joined the DLC team. Their voices were essential in understanding the relevant context in