This course examines how educators and leaders can cultivate belonging beyond the classroom through authentic family engagement, community collaboration, and inclusive educational systems. Participants will explore strategies for building trusting partnerships, honoring family expertise, and creating school cultures where every student and family is welcomed, valued, and empowered.

A key focus of the course is ensuring that special education evaluations and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are inclusive, collaborative, and student-centered. Participants will examine how evaluation and IEP processes can move beyond procedural compliance to become meaningful opportunities for shared decision-making that elevate student strengths, amplify family voice, presume competence, and support equitable access to high-quality Tier 1 instruction and participation alongside peers. Through inclusive evaluation practices and standards-based IEP development, educators will learn to design supports that increase access, engagement, and belonging rather than reinforce separation.

This is Module 2 of 3. You can register for the other two modules here:

Module 1

Module 3