Role and Scope of Responsibility

• Jessica Stone serves as a district-level Special Education Director with authority to oversee compliance, policy, and staff training.

• Isabel Peña works as a School Psychologist, supporting students directly through assessments, behavioral interventions, and collaboration with site teams.

Perspective on Conflict Resolution

• Stone views conflict as a systems issue, focusing on procedural correction and maintaining professional relationships.

• Peña experiences conflict at an interpersonal level, emphasizing empathy, reflection, and separating work from personal life to avoid burnout.

Professional Development Opportunities

• Stone facilitates structured professional development, including legal updates, CPI, and district trainings.

• Peña reports limited access to meaningful PD, explaining that procedural updates are often shared without context or implementation guidance.

Training Background in Special Education Law

• Stone’s legal understanding is largely self-directed, learned from district attorneys and webinars.

• Peña’s knowledge stems from formal graduate training in school psychology and ongoing engagement with national and state-level resources.

Focus in the IEP Process

• Stone ensures compliance, consistency, and parent engagement across the district.

• Peña’s focus is on accurate eligibility determinations, behavioral plans, and ensuring that all staff working with a student understand their role in implementation.

Environmental and Contextual Challenges

• Stone’s rural district faces staffing shortages and geographic barriers, requiring creative solutions to ensure equitable access to services.

• Peña’s smaller school community allows for natural inclusion and consistent adult support, reducing student stigmatization.

Data Use and Interpretation

• Stone uses student data to monitor progress and guide services aligned with IEP goals.

• Peña analyzes assessment data to identify inequities and trends, noting patterns of disproportionate identification among specific student groups.

Leadership and Authority

• Stone holds administrative authority to implement systemic change and ensure compliance at a district level.

• Peña, without formal authority, relies on collaboration and advocacy within her team to address challenges and uphold student support.

Student-Centered Focus

Both emphasize that all decisions within special education must prioritize the student’s individual needs, growth, and access to learning. They share a belief that meaningful IEPs and instructional practices are built around the whole child, not just compliance.

Communication and Collaboration

Both Stone and Peña stress that communication is the foundation of effective teamwork. They highlight the need for open dialogue among teachers, administrators, service providers, and families to ensure alignment and prevent misunderstandings during the IEP process.

Building Relationships and Trust

Each identifies relationship-building as critical to successful special education practice. Whether addressing parent concerns or coordinating services, both note that trust fosters collaboration, reduces conflict, and supports a more positive school culture.

Emphasis on Compliance and Accountability

Both interviews highlight the necessity of maintaining compliance with legal and procedural requirements. They agree that consistent documentation, follow-through, and adherence to policy protect both students and educators.

Recognition of Professional Growth Needs

Stone and Peña acknowledge that ongoing professional learning is essential. Each emphasizes the need to stay informed about changes in law, policy, and instructional practice to ensure high-quality, equitable support for students with disabilities.

Shared Implementation Challenges

Both recognize that challenges arise when communication, training, or staffing are lacking. They each describe situations where misunderstandings or incomplete procedures impacted service delivery, highlighting the need for clear systems and accountability.

Commitment to Collaborative Problem-Solving

Despite working in different roles, both see success in special education as a shared effort. They emphasize that effective outcomes depend on collaboration between general educators, specialists, administrators, and families who collectively advocate for student success.

Reference

Course: IEPs: The what and why of Measurable Annual Goals | PROGRESS-NCII. (n.d.). https://courses-studentprogress.org/course/view.php?id=18

• How can IEP teams establish clear and consistent parameters for accommodations? I see "as needed" in many IEPs, which seems vague and could lead to misinterpretation

• When determining the LRE, how does the team balance a student's right to participate in general education with the need for significant academic and behavioral support. For example, a 6th-grade student performing at a K-1st grade level?

• In what ways to school psychologists' assessments and academic assessments combine to make eligibility decisions?

Reference

Course: IEPs: The what and why of Measurable Annual Goals | PROGRESS-NCII. (n.d.). https://courses-studentprogress.org/course/view.php?id=18

Our assessment data seemed to vary slightly as well, with my school possessing a higher percentage of students meeting standards in all areas. Again, this can be attributed to the higher number of students at her school, as that is more entries to bring the average down. There is also more likely a better teacher to student ratio at schools with smaller numbers, as well as more opportunities for targeted interventions if needed.

Suspension wise, while I know that the numbers are somewhat skewed due to population size, I was shocked to see the percentage of students with disabilities suspended on her campus. Even reflecting on the percentages, that still feels high. It does seem to vary district to district in regards to approaching disciplinary action for students with disabilities.

Despite high number of students with disabilities, less than 11 qualified for the CAA, which implies a difference in program between the two schools.

Yell, M. L., Katsiyannis, A., Ennis, R. P., Losinski, M., & Bateman, D. (2020). Making Legally Sound Placement Decisions. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 52(5), 291-303. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059920906537

Supporting Inclusive Practices (n.d.). Secondary transition webinar #7: Legal mandates.   [Video]. YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aRw3-lFnWM