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Thursday, September 3
 

TBA

SPED Regional Meetings -
Thursday September 3, 2026 TBA

Thursday September 3, 2026 TBA
Church Ranch B Denver Marriott Westminster

7:00am MDT

Registration Check-in
Thursday September 3, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am MDT
Registration check-in tables will be located in the main hallway.
Thursday September 3, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am MDT
Main Hall Denver Marriott Westminster

8:00am MDT

Gifted Education Plenary - From Understanding to Action: The ALP Roadmap for the Year Ahead
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 8:00am - 9:10am MDT
Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers
PF

Paul Foster, Ph.D.

Colorado Department of Education
Thursday September 3, 2026 8:00am - 9:10am MDT
Salon A and B Denver Marriott Westminster

8:00am MDT

Special Education Plenary - State of the State
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 8:00am - 9:10am MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
We begin the Fall 2026 Directors’ meeting with celebrations and successes across the state, as well as areas for continued improvement. Additionally, we will share Federal and State level impacts on Special Education.
Speakers
PF

Paul Foster, Ph.D.

Colorado Department of Education
Thursday September 3, 2026 8:00am - 9:10am MDT
Salon C and D Denver Marriott Westminster

9:10am MDT

Break
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:10am - 9:30am MDT
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:10am - 9:30am MDT
Lobby Denver Marriott Westminster

9:30am MDT

From Striving to Thriving: A Districtwide Model for Adolescent Literacy Success
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session explores how a Colorado school district is addressing adolescent literacy gaps through an innovative model of credit-bearing structured literacy courses for middle and high school students. Presenters will outline the program's development, including teacher training, student placement processes, and implementation strategies. Buidling on a similar session presented at last year's conference, this updated sesssion shares a full year of implementation data, emerging student outcomes, and key lessons learned throughout the rollout. Participants will gain a practical framework for designing and implementing comparable initiatives in their own schools or districts, with the goal of empowering striving readers with the skills necessary for academic success.
Speakers
LN

Lynni Nordheim

Dyslexia Specialist, Douglas County School District
avatar for Liza Meier

Liza Meier

Executive Director, Douglas County School District
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Church Ranch B Denver Marriott Westminster

9:30am MDT

Strengthening Comprehensive and Defensible Evaluation Practices Across Colorado
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session will highlight common questions, areas of need, and recurring concerns Colorado teams are experiencing related to special education evaluations, eligibility determination, and educational impact. Participants will explore practical strategies for strengthening multidisciplinary evaluation practices, improving evaluation consistency across teams, and supporting legally defensible decision-making aligned with IDEA and ECEA requirements. The session will also focus on leadership considerations for building systems that support high-quality evaluation practices across schools and districts.
Speakers
avatar for Krista Klabo

Krista Klabo

School Psychology and Special Education Evaluation Specialist, Colorado Department of Education
Krista Klabo, Ed.S. NCSP is the School Psychology and Special Education Evaluation Specialist at the Colorado Department of Education in the Exceptional Student Services Unit. She has a Masters of Science (M.S.) degree in Special Education: Learning Disabilities, Emotional Disabilities... Read More →
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Church Ranch A

9:30am MDT

Achievable Learning Progress: How to Strengthen the ALP (Colorado Gifted and Talented Student Board)
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This presentation will focus on improving the ALP experience through student involvement, collaboration, and connection between the ALP and ICAP. Students from the Colorado Gifted and Talented Student Board will focus directly on how we can make this experience better for students and why it's important to do so.
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Westcliff A

9:30am MDT

Suicide Prevention Among Youth Identified as Gifted/Highly Gifted and Talented
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session explores myths and facts associated with risk factors and warnings signs of suicide risk among youth identified as gifted and highly gifted and talented. Information learned is intended to inform development and implementation of Advanced Learning Plans.
Speakers
JL

Jane Lineman

Denver Public Schools
JB

Joanna Barker

Denver Public Schools
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Salon B Denver Marriott Westminster

9:30am MDT

What an ALP is and What it is not?
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This workshop (carried over from the spring) supports the development of clear, shared language that can guide mindset, policy, and practice across districts. We will build shared understanding of Advanced Learning Plans (ALPs) as student‑centered, possibility‑focused tools that drive meaningful growth and equity — not paperwork or placement artifacts
Speakers
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Westcliff B Denver Marriott Westminster

9:30am MDT

Abbreviated School Day (HB24-1063) Annual Training
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session provides annual training on House Bill 24-1063 requirements related to Abbreviated School Day and Abbreviated School Day Schedules. Participants will examine policy and monitoring expectations, analyze current AU reporting data, and strengthen understanding of how abbreviated schedules affect Colorado’s compliance with IDEA and Section 504. The presentation will equip attendees with practical guidance for monitoring AU outcomes and ensuring implementation aligns with state and federal regulations.
Speakers
avatar for Amber Pryor

Amber Pryor

GSM Special Education Compliance Monitor & Technical Assistance Consultant, Colorado Department of Education
TA

Teresa Ashton

Colorado Department of Education
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Salon A Denver Marriott Westminster

9:30am MDT

Leadership Strand: Burnout and Resilience in Leadership
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session starts with an honest question: what brought you to this work, and is it still feeding you? Exhaustion and burnout is an ongoing threat to retaining passionate, experienced leaders: this session explores research on resiliency, leadership development, and collaborative action to support participants in identifying what's depleting them, find what gives them energy, and build a personal sustainability plan they can actually use.
Speakers
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Salon D Denver Marriott Westminster

9:30am MDT

How to Navigate External Forces and Influences During IEP Meetings
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Today’s IEP meeting participants have access to more information, resources, and recommendations than ever before. Social media, AI, and outside influencers are readily available and full of ideas. When team members are operating from different sources of data/expectations, collaboration and consensus building can be challenging. This session focuses on providing special education administrators with tools and strategies to support robust student-centered conversations and team decision-making when External Forces and Influences enter the IEP meeting.
Speakers
Thursday September 3, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am MDT
Salon C Denver Marriott Westminster

10:45am MDT

Break
Thursday September 3, 2026 10:45am - 11:00am MDT
Thursday September 3, 2026 10:45am - 11:00am MDT
Lobby Denver Marriott Westminster

11:00am MDT

Building an Implementable Continuum of Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Supports: Leadership Strategies
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Learn practical leadership strategies for building an implementable continuum of social, emotional, and behavioral supports. This session explores role clarity, protected staff capacity, coaching, data-based decision making, and system barriers that impact implementation. Participants will leave with strategies for strengthening and sustaining supports across schools and districts.
Speakers
avatar for Krista Klabo

Krista Klabo

School Psychology and Special Education Evaluation Specialist, Colorado Department of Education
Krista Klabo, Ed.S. NCSP is the School Psychology and Special Education Evaluation Specialist at the Colorado Department of Education in the Exceptional Student Services Unit. She has a Masters of Science (M.S.) degree in Special Education: Learning Disabilities, Emotional Disabilities... Read More →
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Church Ranch A

11:00am MDT

Updates on Everything Alternate: Extended Evidence Outcomes, COAlt, Alternate Access
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session will provide updated guidelines for participation and instruction on the Extended Evidence Outcomes (EEO), the COAlt, and the WIDA Alternate Access assessment. It will also highlight resources and strategies to support students with the most significant cognitive disabilities through standards-based instruction and meaningful participation in assessment. We will also introduce DLM's Instructionally Embedded Assessment, which can be used for the READ Act.
Speakers
avatar for Gina Herrera

Gina Herrera

Colorado Department of Education
avatar for Hunter Smith

Hunter Smith

Multilingual Learners with Educational Disabilities Specialist, Colorado Department of Education
Hunter Smith, Multilingual Learners with Educational Disabilities Specialist, CDE Hunter Smith was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He began his teaching career as a bilingual teacher in the primary grades in Denver Public Schools. Subsequently, he became a special educator for... Read More →
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Church Ranch B Denver Marriott Westminster

11:00am MDT

5-Year Continuous Improvement Cycle
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Colorado school districts participate in a Gifted Education Monitoring (GEM) visit every five years and this session will examine the continuous improvement cycle connecting each monitoring visit. The goal is to move beyond just a one-time event and provide the opportunity to continue forward movement, acknowledge progress, and facilitate readiness for the next visit - a clear “golden thread” from one monitoring visit to the next
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Westcliff B Denver Marriott Westminster

11:00am MDT

Achievable Learning Progress: How to Strengthen the ALP (Colorado Gifted and Talented Student Board)
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This presentation will focus on improving the ALP experience through student involvement, collaboration, and connection between the ALP and ICAP. Students from the Colorado Gifted and Talented Student Board will focus directly on how we can make this experience better for students and why it's important to do so.
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Westcliff A

11:00am MDT

Suicide Prevention Among Youth Identified as Gifted/Highly Gifted and Talented
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session explores myths and facts associated with risk factors and warnings signs of suicide risk among youth identified as gifted and highly gifted and talented. Information learned is intended to inform development and implementation of Advanced Learning Plans.
Speakers
JL

Jane Lineman

Denver Public Schools
JB

Joanna Barker

Denver Public Schools
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Salon B Denver Marriott Westminster

11:00am MDT

AU Determinations: Understanding Levels of Support and Using Data for Timely Action
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session will review how AU Determinations are calculated, including the data collection timeframes. It will then provide an overview of determination levels of support, with a focus on leveraging data to strengthen Specially Designed Instruction as measured by SPP/APR indicators.
Participants will also address a common challenge related to data lag in determinations by learning how to access and use more current data sources. The session will include a demonstration of how to navigate the Data Management System (DMS) to access the most current data available analyze multi-year trends.
Note: participants will need their laptops to access activities and data.
Speakers
avatar for Erin Frank

Erin Frank

Colorado Department of Education
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Salon A Denver Marriott Westminster

11:00am MDT

Engaging Diverse Voices and Stakeholders
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
The hardest problems rarely get solved by one person with the right expertise. They’re solved when the right people are engaged. This session explores how to identify and engage stakeholders, including unlikely ones, in ways that generate real buy-in, surface solutions you wouldn't have found alone, and distribute the weight of complex decisions more broadly. Leaders who do this well don't just build better programs; they build a network that sustains them.
Speakers
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Salon D Denver Marriott Westminster

11:00am MDT

Compliance with Disability Discrimination Laws
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session is about Senate Bill 26-125 (“Disability Rights Protections in Public Schools”), expectations for school districts, and pitfalls to avoid.
Speakers
JL

Jason Langberg

Colorado Attorney General's Office
Thursday September 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Salon C Denver Marriott Westminster

12:15pm MDT

Lunch On Your Own
Thursday September 3, 2026 12:15pm - 1:45pm MDT
Thursday September 3, 2026 12:15pm - 1:45pm MDT
On Your Own

1:45pm MDT

Getting Ninth Grade Right: Systemwide Practices That Improve Student Outcomes
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
The first year of high school sets the foundation for students' future success. Students who are engaged, connected, and supported during ninth grade are more likely to earn credits, remain on track for graduation, and achieve positive postsecondary outcomes. For students with disabilities, intentional systems of support during the first year of high school can make a significant difference in both academic achievement and long-term success.
This session will explore systemwide practices that schools can implement to strengthen support during the first year of high school. Participants will examine considerations for course scheduling, student support services, relationship-building, family engagement, progress monitoring, and cross-functional collaboration that help students successfully navigate the transition into high school. The session will also highlight strategies for identifying and responding to early indicators of disengagement before students fall off track. Participants will leave with a customizable Ninth-Grade Success Planning Checklist that school and district teams can use to evaluate current practices and strengthen supports that promote student engagement, persistence, and graduation.
Speakers
avatar for Kacy Little Owl

Kacy Little Owl

Secondary Student Success Specialist, Colorado Department of Education
I support Secondary Transition at the Colorado Department of Education, helping schools create meaningful pathways to life after high school for students with disabilities. I’d love to connect and chat about transition planning, CTE and career pathways, professional learning, and... Read More →
AS

Amy Swisher

Douglas County School District
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Church Ranch B Denver Marriott Westminster

1:45pm MDT

Native Language Evaluations: Connecting the Dots
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a comprehensive special education evaluation is used to determine eligibility for special education and the child’s educational needs. To produce reliable and accurate information on what a Multilingual Learner (ML) knows and can do academically, developmentally, and functionally, assessments and other evaluation materials must be provided and administered in the child’s native language or other mode of communication, unless clearly not feasible (34 C.F.R. § 300.304(c)(1)(ii)). Administrative Units must also ensure that assessments and other evaluation materials are selected and administered so that they are not discriminatory on a racial or cultural basis. (34 C.F.R. § 300.304(c)(1)(i)). Evaluations that fail to account for a child’s linguistic and cultural background risk producing evaluation data that are inaccurate and unreliable for determining eligibility and educational need. (34 C.F.R. §§ 300.304-300.305). For Non-English Proficient (NEP) and Limited English Proficient (LEP) MLs, the multidisciplinary team should always engage in a data-based discussion regarding which areas of assessment should be conducted in the child’s native language or bilingually.
Speakers
avatar for Hunter Smith

Hunter Smith

Multilingual Learners with Educational Disabilities Specialist, Colorado Department of Education
Hunter Smith, Multilingual Learners with Educational Disabilities Specialist, CDE Hunter Smith was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He began his teaching career as a bilingual teacher in the primary grades in Denver Public Schools. Subsequently, he became a special educator for... Read More →
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Church Ranch A

1:45pm MDT

Facility Schools 101 and 2026-2027 Updates
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session provides a foundational overview of Colorado’s facility schools and the work of the Office of Facility Schools. Participants will explore the different types of facility schools, who they serve, how students are referred and placed, and the roles of placing agencies, facility schools, and school districts throughout the process. The presentation will also examine the growth to 41 facility schools across the state and introduce several new facility schools.
Participants will gain a clearer understanding of funding, referral processes, and the distinct responsibilities of facility schools and local school districts. The session will also highlight the Facility Schools Technical Assistance Center and its role in supporting rural districts and students who may not have direct access to a facility school, along with updates and what’s new in Colorado’s facility school system.
Speakers
AM

Allie Miller

Technical Assistance Center Coordinator, Colorado Department of Education
avatar for Judy Stirman

Judy Stirman

Colorado Department of Education
avatar for Tara Butler

Tara Butler

Colorado Department of Education
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Salon A Denver Marriott Westminster

1:45pm MDT

Annual Plan Sharing
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
During this collaborative session, Administrative Units (AUs) will share the improvement work outlined in their Gifted Education Annual Plans using a simple Before → Now → Next framework. Rather than reviewing entire plans, participants will focus on telling the story behind a selected priority area, highlighting where they started, and the next steps planned to advance their goals. This structured sharing opportunity will promote reflection, celebrate successes, and foster the exchange of ideas and promising practices among Gifted Education leaders.
Speakers
avatar for Heather Baskin

Heather Baskin

Assistant Director, Office of Gifted Education, Colorado Department of Education
Heather currently serves as the Assistant Director of Gifted Education for the Colorado Department of Education. Prior to joining the Colorado Department of Education in September of this year, she served as the director of Gifted Education for Mesa County Schools.
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Salon B Denver Marriott Westminster

1:45pm MDT

Five Year Continous Improvement Cycle
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Colorado school districts participate in a Gifted Education Monitoring (GEM) visit every five years and this session will examine the continuous improvement cycle connecting each monitoring visit. The goal is to move beyond just a one-time event and provide the opportunity to continue forward movement, acknowledge progress, and facilitate readiness for the next visit - a clear “golden thread” from one monitoring visit to the next
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Westcliff B Denver Marriott Westminster

1:45pm MDT

What an ALP is and What it is not?
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This workshop (carried over from the spring) supports the development of clear, shared language that can guide mindset, policy, and practice across districts. We will build shared understanding of Advanced Learning Plans (ALPs) as student‑centered, possibility‑focused tools that drive meaningful growth and equity — not paperwork or placement artifacts.
Speakers
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Westcliff A

1:45pm MDT

Leadership Stand: Power Influence and Creating Lasting Change
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session explores the gap between having good ideas and having the authority to act on them, and what's available to leaders working inside systems they don't fully control. Participants map their own power bases, analyze the stakeholders standing between them and a priority they care about, and practice building a narrative that can move people that data alone won't reach.
Speakers
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Salon D Denver Marriott Westminster

1:45pm MDT

Using State Complaint Trends to Strengthen Special Education Practices
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session will examine top trends in state complaint data that special education directors can use to identify and avoid common missteps. By reviewing both trend data and analysis of recent state complaint decisions, the session will also provide practical suggestions for improving special education procedures and practices to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
Speakers
avatar for Candace Hawkins

Candace Hawkins

Special Advisor, IDEA Compliance and Dispute Resolution, Colorado Department of Education
Thursday September 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
Salon C Denver Marriott Westminster

3:00pm MDT

Break
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:00pm - 3:15pm MDT
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:00pm - 3:15pm MDT
Lobby Denver Marriott Westminster

3:15pm MDT

Gifted Education Regional Meeting
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:15pm - 3:50pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:15pm - 3:50pm MDT
Westcliff A

3:15pm MDT

Gifted Education Regional Meeting
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:15pm - 3:50pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:15pm - 3:50pm MDT
Westcliff B Denver Marriott Westminster

3:15pm MDT

Gifted Education Regional Meeting - Janet Peasely
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:15pm - 3:50pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:15pm - 3:50pm MDT
Salon B Denver Marriott Westminster

3:15pm MDT

Updates from the Consortium
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:15pm - 3:50pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This session will provide an overview of the current issues that the Consortium is focused on.
Speakers
LH

Lisa Humberd

Consortium of Directors of Special Education
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:15pm - 3:50pm MDT
Salon C Denver Marriott Westminster

3:50pm MDT

Break
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:50pm - 4:00pm MDT
Thursday September 3, 2026 3:50pm - 4:00pm MDT
Lobby Denver Marriott Westminster

4:00pm MDT

SPED Regional Meetings - Metro
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Thursday September 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Salon C Denver Marriott Westminster

4:00pm MDT

SPED Regional Meetings - North
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Thursday September 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Church Ranch A

4:00pm MDT

SPED Regional Meetings - Outback
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available

Thursday September 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Salon A Denver Marriott Westminster

4:00pm MDT

SPED Regional Meetings - Pikes Peak
LIMITED
Thursday September 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Thursday September 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Salon D Denver Marriott Westminster

4:00pm MDT

SPED Regional Meetings - South
Thursday September 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT

Thursday September 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Church Ranch B Denver Marriott Westminster
 
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