2026 CASE Conference

Beyond De Minimis: Scaling "Appropriately Ambitious" Progress Through Systemic Leadership (Room Ballroom C)

11 Nov 26
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Tracks: Educational Leadership: Leading with Purpose

Speaker(s): Michele McKinley, Chief of Special Education, Bridgeport Public Schools, CT; Sohum Bhatt, Partner Success, Goalbook; Jo Ann Marie Steinbauer, Lead Impact Researcher & Program Evaluator, Goalbook

The Supreme Court’s Endrew F. ruling redefined the benchmark for a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), elevating the standard from "de minimis" to "appropriately ambitious" progress. This shift requires special education leaders to move beyond administrative checklists to establish a "cogent and responsive explanation" for every student’s growth. This interactive session provides a framework to bridge the gap between legal compliance and daily classroom instruction. Using a District Gap Analysis tool, participants will evaluate their current systems against the "Golden Thread"—a rigorous alignment where a student’s unique needs, ambitious goals, and specialized instruction are inextricably linked. By grounding evaluation in research-based practices from implementation science, participants identify actionable strategies to dismantle systemic barriers. Participants will leave with a systemic roadmap to transform progress monitoring into a narrative of achievement, ensuring districts meet both legal requirements and the moral imperative of student success.