2024 TASH Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to the official website for the 2024 TASH Conference!

Each year, the TASH Conference brings together our constituents to share resources and success stories, learn about field-driven best practices, and network within a community engaged in shared values. The Conference is attended by passionate leaders, experts, and advocates from every corner of the disability community. Conference attendees are influential in their fields and communities, and play an important role in the provision of services and supports for individuals and organizations around the world; and include professors and researchers from leading institutions; those involved in local, state, and federal governments and public policy; special and general educators, and school administrators; self-advocates, adult service providers; students, family members, and many others. This year’s conference theme is Celebrate Together: Let the Good Times Roll!

Click on the "Registration and More" tab for additional information about our Conference location, registration, reserving a guest room, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, and more! The full Conference schedule is now available for viewing. Registered attendees will receive an invitation to log in and create a personalized schedule.

1:00pm CST

How Do We Build Equitable and Inclusive Education Systems?

Thursday December 5, 2024 1:00pm - 5:00pm CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin H

This workshop brings together national experts in creating a sustainable inclusive and equitable education system. This deep work requires a multi-level, multi-year focus on systemic and structural barriers that maintain current practices. While research such as implementation and improvement science offer strong structural guidance, the nuances and context of different states, districts, and schools require some individualization of approaches. Panelists will share research, best practices, and tools related to creating sustainable change while discussing differences in our approaches and options. High-level and practical insight will be shared in this highly interactive session.

This presentation brings together national leaders in the field of system change. Christine Betchel, Jessica Bowman, Meghan Cosier, Patricia McDaid, Effie McMillian, Michael McSheehan, Diane Ryndak, Kurt Schneider, and Debbie Taub have been engaged with system change work throughout their careers. While there will be prepared materials and shared content, this colloquium allows for opportunities similar to a panel discussion to showcase the range of work, areas of focus, and different approaches to change. This will be an interactive session though there are specific times for audience questions..

Introduction to the topic (30 min)
Mini-case studies by each participant related to their work (1.5 hours total)
Commentary on big-picture levers and areas of agreement (30 min)
Panelist questions and discussion related to contextual differences (1 hour)
Audience questions (20 min)

Panelists will share case studies from their work to highlight contextualized levers and barriers in planning for and implementing sustainable systemic change. Key resources will be shared with participants. The goal of this colloquium is a lively discussion filled with practical guidance, debate, and audience engagement.

Moderators

Deborah Taub

Owner/CEO, OTL Education Solutions, LLC

Presenters

Diane Ryndak

Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Jessica Bowman

Research Associate, TIES Center, University of Minnesota

inclusive education, systems change, mathematics education

Michael McSheehan

Owner/TA Provider, Evolve & Effect, LLC

Michael McSheehan’s life work has been at the intersection of disability and K-12 education. During his twenty years at the University of New Hampshire, he worked on projects for assistive technology, inclusive education, alternate assessment, RTI & PBIS, and MTSS. Michael helped... Read More →

Kurt A. Schneider

Superintendent, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804

Kurt A. Schneider, Ph.D. is in his ninth year as Superintendent of TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804, in Highland Park, Illinois. Under his direction, the educational cooperative works in partnership with 18 local school districts to meet the needs of diverse learners through... Read More →

Christine Bechtel

Carroll County Public Schools

Effie McMillian

Chief Equity Officer, WSFCS

Meghan Cosier

Chapman University

Patricia McDaid

Thursday December 5, 2024 1:00pm - 5:00pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin H Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Day 1 Intensive Workshops

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest Systems Change
Key Words System Change, Equity, Inclusive Education, Sustainable
Presentation Type Research

10:00am CST

Building Educator Capacity: Coaching for Inclusion of ALL Learners

Friday December 6, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 8

What are the first steps in the journey toward living our courageous commitment to inclusive education? Experience how TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 partners with member districts to build capacity in educators to implement equitable inclusive practices for students with disabilities through professional learning and coaching. Coaches will share experiences from their work in several community districts. The presenters will celebrate the growth of students, educators, and systems at many different points in this journey. Participants will leave with collaborative structures, frameworks and processes that are applicable to teams and educational systems at the individual student, classroom, and building levels.

Moderators

Mary-Kelsey Coletto

TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804

Presenters

Danielle Ritchey

TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804

Amanda Barton

TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804

Claire Kelley

TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804

Tyra Jambois

Friday December 6, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 8 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest Capacity Building for Inclusion
Key Words Inclusion, Coaching, Systems Change, Professional Learning, Equity
Presentation Type General

10:00am CST

Case Study: Creating A Culture of Radical Person Centeredness

Friday December 6, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin G

This presentation is a case study on an organization named SEEC that is implementing a best practice and research based framework to infuse the principles of person centeredness into the culture of the organization but to do so in a radical way. A shake up to the status quo. The framework has five main components: People, Collaboration, Values, Culture of Learning, and Continuous Quality Improvement to drive person centeredness into all aspects of the organization. This case study is part one of what we hope to be a two-part TASH presentation over the course of one year. In part one, we want to share with attendees how the framework was developed, discuss the various components of the framework, the assessment that was used to determine â€œcurrent stateâ€ with self-advocates, families, and internal team members, and how we used that assessment to develop a project pl

Moderators

Nicholas Burton

N. Burton Consulting

Presenters

Karen Lee

CEO, SEEC

Friday December 6, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin G Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Diversity and Social Impact
Themes of Interest Person Centered Practice
Key Words People, Person Centeredness, Culture, Equity, Values
Presentation Type General

10:00am CST

Creating Inclusive School Communities in An Urban Turnaround District

Friday December 6, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 5C

Attention all urban educators and administrators! Please join us as we present and discuss the systems change process underway in our district , with special emphasis on the challenges of creating inclusive school communities in a struggling urban school district with a large number of segregated special education classrooms. Our district has just completed Year 1 of our work on systems change for inclusive education. We would love to connect with other educators doing similar work to share ideas, strategies, and successes.

Moderators

Patricia McDaid

Presenters

Danielle Archambeault

Lawrence Public Schools

Sabrina Merdita

BCBA/School Psychologist, Lawrence Public Schools

Amanda Rivard

Lawrence Public Schools

Friday December 6, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 5C Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest K-12 Education
Key Words Equity, Inclusive Education, Urban Education, Systems Change
Presentation Type General

11:15am CST

A History, Growth, and Success of A Fully Inclusive, K-8, School Community

Friday December 6, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin F

This presentation will illustrate the inception through current day practices of an inclusive, K-8 school community; including roadblocks, missteps, small and large successes. The presenters will introduce you to how each stakeholder (students, families, practitioners, community) contributed to the development and growth of a school where students of all ages and abilities can be immersed in meaningful and relevant learning in a safe and supportive environment inclusive of all learners.

Presenters

John Kershaw

Director of Special Edication, Meeting Street

Heather Boccanfuso

Head of School, Meeting Street

Friday December 6, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin F Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest K-12 Education
Key Words Inclusivity, Equity, Growth, Success, Education
Presentation Type General

11:15am CST

Revisiting Equitable Opportunities to Learn

Friday December 6, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST

2ND Floor - Foster 2

This session highlights new research on the importance of context in providing equitable opportunities to learn (OTL). Our original work highlighted how the concept of OTL in general education literature was missing components to ensure accessibility for students with disabilities. We proposed the use of Universal Design for Learning and attention to individualized needs within the OTL framework to better define access to the general curriculum and to consider the specific aspects of equitable learning opportunities to improve access and outcomes for students with complex support needs. While our original work alluded to context and placement, we did not address it directly. The updated OTL extends our understanding of how to advocate for inclusive practices by bringing together UDL 3.0 and new research on the importance of context for equitable learning opportunities.

Moderators

Megan Foster

Utica University

Presenters

Deborah Taub

Owner/CEO, OTL Education Solutions, LLC

Jessica Apgar

Friday December 6, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST
2ND Floor - Foster 2 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest K-12 Education
Key Words Access, Inclusion, UDL, Equity, OTL
Presentation Type General

2:15pm CST

Educational Placements Predictors: Intersectional Analysis of Students with Complex Needs

Friday December 6, 2024 2:15pm - 3:10pm CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 8

This study sheds light on potential inequities in student outcomes perpetuated by current disability labeling and placement systems, particularly for historically marginalized students. We used multi-level linear modeling to explore how student characteristics and their intersections affect the educational placement of public school students who received special education services in Utah across 6-years. Studentsâ€™ eligibility for the state alternate assessment based on significant cognitive disability (SCD) had the strongest negative effect on educational placement, followed by disability labels often associated with complex support needs (i.e., multiple disabilities, intellectual disability, autism). The placement patterns of students of color and White students across autism and intellectual disability labels were reversed and disproportionate, suggesting White families have greater access to knowledge of relative resources and stigma associated with different disability labels.

Presenters

Kristen Lansey

Assistant Professor, University of Arizona

Kirsten Lansey (she/her), Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of special education. Her overarching goal is to conduct research, teaching, and service that contributes to systemic educational change so that students with complex support needs receive inclusive and equitable learning... Read More →

Friday December 6, 2024 2:15pm - 3:10pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 8 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest K-12 Education
Key Words Educational Placement, Placement Predictors, Disability Labeling, Racial Disparities, Equity
Presentation Type Research

2:15pm CST

How to: Anti-Ableist, Respectful, and Student-Centered Evaluation

Friday December 6, 2024 2:15pm - 3:10pm CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 5B

We have created tools for students, families, and professionals that help leverage the IDEA evaluation process to not simply establish eligibility for Special Education, but as a guide to an IEP team, to a school, or even to a school district on how to support learners with extensive support needs in general education in a way that centers and respects the student and guarantees meaningful access, progress and engagement, is anti-ableist, and sets up the foundation for authentic relationships. There is a way to use the mandated documentation in anti-ableist, respectful, and strength-driven ways that center the student and their preferences, meaningful engagement, and authentic relationships, reframe the evaluation process as more humanistic, inclusive, empowering, and authentic, and that will help the evaluation team to reframe their ideas of Disability and Special Education.

Moderators

Taina Karru-Olsen

Co-Founder and Director, Inclusion For ALL

Inclusion For ALL is a grassroots network in Washington State and an intentional community of disabled individuals, parents and other caregivers of disabled individuals, professionals who work in education, and other community members who value social justice. We believe and know... Read More →

Presenters

Sarah Butcher

Co-Founder and Director, Roots of Inclusion

Hi! My name is Sarah Butcher. I am dedicated to fostering an equitable, accessible, and inclusive education system that empowers each student to thrive. With a keen ability to identify connections across systems, I leverage relationship-building, family and community engagement... Read More →

Jennifer Karls

Co-Founder and Director, Roots of Inclusion

Ananda Scott

President, Inclusion For ALL

Friday December 6, 2024 2:15pm - 3:10pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 5B Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest K-12 Education
Key Words Evaluation, Re-Evaluation, IDEA, Anti-Ableism, Empowerment, Inclusion, Equity, Student-Centered
Presentation Type General

3:25pm CST

Community Living in California- Is Equity Still Achievable?

Friday December 6, 2024 3:25pm - 4:20pm CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 5C

We began to provide personalized community living supports in the early 1990's, when people were able to rent, lease, and/or obtain housing vouchers to access a home of their own with the supports they needed. Over the past ten years, opportunities for housing vouchers have become relatively non-existent in CA, rent prices no longer allow people who rely on SSI/SSDI benefits alone to afford rent. The only people able to move into a home of their own now must have a "silver spoon"; (funding from family, sustainable employment, or other secure financing). This creates a huge divide between the "haves' and the "have nots". Adults continue to live with their aging parents. Alternative community living options options have become more restrictive, reverting back to congregate, segregated options, which goes against our philosophy of full inclusion at TASH. We will facilitate a discussion on the FUTURE of Community Living and how we can get the good times rolling again!

Presenters

Scott Shepard

Director, Avenues Supported Living Services

Scott Shepard is the Executive Director of Avenues Supported Living Services, a non-profit agency which provides community living and personalized day supports to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in North Los Angeles County. With Avenues SLS, we had the opportunity... Read More →

Friday December 6, 2024 3:25pm - 4:20pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 5C Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes of Interest Housing
Key Words Equity, Legislative Advocacy, California for All (except us?), Community Living, Housing, DSP Wages vs. Fast Food Wages
Presentation Type General

4:35pm CST

Effective Transition Planning For Employment and Independence

Friday December 6, 2024 4:35pm - 5:30pm CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 5D

This presentation offers evidence-based solutions to bridge the significant gap between current practices and best practices in transition planning for adult independence, job skills, self-advocacy, technology, and post-secondary education. By adopting a growth mindset with strengths-based approach to student-centered transition planning, schools can effectively implement the practical steps detailed in our Transition Matrix. Steps are designed to enhance potential for personal fulfillment, employment, financial stability, independence, and community integration. Participants will receive a comprehensive road map for transition planning. Willâ€™s personal journey from school to employment is a powerful testament to the impact of supportive interventions. His experience underscores challenges students face in being recognized as productive members of society. With tools and supports from LSU PAYCheck program, Will successfully secured competitively integrated employment.

Presenters

Tracy O'Donnell

Louisiana UCEDD

Friday December 6, 2024 4:35pm - 5:30pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 5D Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Transition
Themes of Interest Transition to Employment
Key Words Equity, Inclusion, Opportunity, Post-Secondary Education, Competitive Integrated Employment, Transition, Person-Centered, Strengths-Based Approach, Growth Mindset, Community
Presentation Type General

10:00am CST

Overcoming Challenges and Resistance: Advancing Inclusion in Schools

Saturday December 7, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 11

This presentation explores the critical importance of overcoming challenges and resistance to systemic change in schools to advance inclusion. It delves into common barriers hindering progress towards inclusive education, such as lack of awareness, fear of change, and resource constraints. Through a combination of strategies, including education, collaboration, resource management, leadership, and advocacy, this presentation provides insights into how educators and administrators can effectively navigate these challenges. By examining case studies, engaging in interactive discussions, and outlining action plans, participants will leave with practical tools and knowledge to drive positive change and foster inclusive school environments.

Presenters

Kelli Petrone

Program Director, All In For Inclusive Education

Saturday December 7, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 11 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest Systems Change
Key Words Inclusive Education, Systemic Change, Equity, Diversity, Advocacy
Presentation Type General

3:00pm CST

Dan Thompson Employment Rallies - Our History and Our Future

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 5D

Washington State upholds a tradition of promoting competitive integrated employment and community inclusion through gatherings and shared learning. In the early 2020s, traditional gatherings were disrupted, leading to the creation of The Dan Thompson Employment Rallies. These rallies reunited legacy leaders in supported employment with people with disabilities, new service providers, government and education partners. Six regional rallies and a statewide event supported full engagement, both in person and online, fostering a powerful dialogue on Employment First, led by those most impacted. Emphasizing inclusive employment, leadership and voices of people with disabilities, these events reenergized our community. Transition students played a crucial role in shaping the vision and narrative and the rallies addressed inequities, ensuring marginalized communities' needs and voices were included in statewide planning. Join us to discover the innovative rally format, themes, and next steps.

Moderators

Primary Topic Employment
Themes of Interest Competitive Integrated Employment
Key Words Self-Advocates, Leadership, Inclusion, Employment First, Transition Aged Students, Equity, Systems Change, Self-Determination, Capacity Building for Inclusion
Presentation Type General