2026 CASE Conference

Beyond Meetings, Emails, and Form Compliance: Leveraging Coordinator-Administrator Partnerships for Student Success (Room 555A)

12 Nov 26
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Tracks: Educational Leadership: Leading with Purpose

Speaker(s): Heather Showalter, Special Education Coordinator Autism Specialist, Pittsylvania County Schools Chatham, Virginia; Paula Simpson, Assistant Principal, Pittsylvania County Schools Chatham, VA; Christie Dawson, Principal, Pittsylvania County Schools

Overview and Framework This proposal introduces a unified leadership framework for special education service delivery and provides actionable implementation tools, moving beyond siloed roles toward a model of Shared Instructional Leadership. By aligning site-based administrative oversight with the specialized expertise of the Coordinator, schools can shift from a compliance-only special education culture to a dynamic and comprehensive culture focused on teaching and learning and improved learner outcomes for students with IEPs. This partnership is grounded in the High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) developed by the Council for Exceptional Children, providing a structured mechanism for joint decision-making and systemic oversight.