2026 CASE Conference

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Supporting the General Educator Role in the Determination of a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): Strategies for Collaborative Success (Room Ballroom B)

Have you ever noticed that IEP teams often operate under a set of implicit norms and practices that shape their team interactions and the decision-making process? According to Bost & Lashley (2025), there may be an unspoken hierarchy that exists among IEP team members and their roles in determining FAPE in the LRE, which may inadvertently impact the full participation of team members in the IEP process. In this interactive session, we will identify and discuss current IEP practices, processes, and mindsets that may be unintended barriers to the meaningful participation of our general education partners. We will explore a number of strategies to increase general educator involvement in the critical data and decisions at the IEP. This interactive session will have participants practicing facilitation of roles, posing key questions, and eliciting critical information through the use of several tools and processes. Participants will leave with actionable steps to empower general educators in the IEP decision-making process.