Council of Administrators of Special Education | CASE

CASE, The Council of Administrators of Special Education, the largest division of the Council for Exceptional Children, is an international nonprofit professional organization providing leadership, advocacy, and professional development to more than 5,700 administrators responsible for the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. CASE was organized in 1951 in New York, NY at the annual CEC Convention.

CASE is on the list of the Top K-12 Conference to Attend in 2025 in this K-12 Dive article. If you want to elevate your professional learning and be part of a community that is the VOICE of special education leaders, get involved with CASE now. 

UPDATED GUIDANCE FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) have published a "Dear Colleague Letter" dated November 2024, and titled "Using Functional Behavior Assessments to Create Supportive Learning Environments". 

See the full letter here

 

SECTION 504 PROCESS MANUAL

Section 504 Process Manual

Pre-order your copy today!
 
This new 504 Manual containing sample forms and procedures is designed to be compliant with the actual requirements of the law. Authored by Julie Weatherly, Esq., the focus of this book is to walk educators through the actual requirements of Section 504 with the intention of helping to establish district processes and procedures without the creation of unnecessary forms or processes. Julie Weatherly's goal in providing this Manual to educators is "to help school entities that may believe it is time to consider reviewing their 504 forms and procedures, or entirely recreating them." 
 
In addition to the Manual, CASE and Julie Weatherly, Esq. are offering a webinar specifically to train individuals and/or teams on how to implement the manual, and answer any questions regarding the use of the information to establish any needed updated procedures in school districts.   More Information
 

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Advancing the field of special education through the delivery of highly effective professional learning opportunities is a pillar of the CASE's mission. The CASE is dedicated to providing high-quality professional learning that is relevant and important to the field of special education, designed to provide world-class learning and networking to strengthen and grow the field of special education leadership. 

Dec 6 —
 AI Series

  

Artificial Intelligence Free Webinar Series

This free series for CASE members is brought to you by Playground IEP and  focuses on the responsible use and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) for special education leaders. There are four free sessions. The first session is free for anyone to attend. The other three sessions are for CASE members.

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Dec 11 —
 Project Thrive  

Project Thrive Free Webinar Series

Register for these free webinars covering various topics on how to support LGBTQ+ youth in your community. 
 
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Dec
18 —
 Wellness Wednesday  

Wellness Wednesday Lunch & Learn Series

Join us for a rejuvenating "Wellness Wednesday" lunch and learn session designed specifically for special education leaders. In this one-hour workshop, we'll explore practical strategies for maintaining balance and promoting well-being amidst the unique challenges of leading special education teams.
 
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Dec 12  — Weatherly Review  

The Weatherly Review

Featuring Julie Weatherly, Esq., this virtual event keeps you current with legal developments, court cases, and updates throughout the year. 
 
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Jan
15 —
 Wellness Wednesday  

Wellness Wednesday Lunch & Learn Series

Join us for a rejuvenating "Wellness Wednesday" lunch and learn session designed specifically for special education leaders. In this one-hour workshop, we'll explore practical strategies for maintaining balance and promoting well-being amidst the unique challenges of leading special education teams.
 
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Jan
22 —
 		 Compliant IEPs  

Developing Compliant IEPs

The key foundational legal session is to ensure IEPs are developed and implemented as the IDEA intends. This session is for all special educators.  

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Feb
19 —
 Wellness Wednesday  

Wellness Wednesday Lunch & Learn Series

Join us for a rejuvenating "Wellness Wednesday" lunch and learn session designed specifically for special education leaders. In this one-hour workshop, we'll explore practical strategies for maintaining balance and promoting well-being amidst the unique challenges of leading special education teams.
 
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Feb
24 —
(May 19, Sept 8, & Dec 2)
 Great Leadership  

GREAT Leadership → GREAT Instruction → GREAT Achievement

Featuring John O'Connor, this interactive online webinar series is designed to empower school and district leaders with the tools, strategies, and insights essential for impactful instructional leadership. Through four comprehensive sessions, participants will explore effective instructional leadership practices, data-driven decision-making, and inclusive strategies that directly contribute to student achievement. 
 
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MEMBERSHIP | LEADERSHIP

Join CASE

As the voice of special education leadership, CASE continually engages with federal agencies, national coalitions and partner organizations representing our members. Focusing on national policy and advocacy supports lasting solutions that will continue to drive the profession forward. The value of CASE Membership includes Networking, Professional Learning, Advocacy, Resources, and Savings. 

AWARD WINNERS

Congratulations to each of the CASE award winners. Congratulations to all the CASE award winners! Your dedication, hard work, and passion for advancing special education and educational leadership deserve this recognition.

Dr. Zabrina Cannady

Outstanding Service to CASE Award: Dr. Zabrina Cannady (pictured), the Director of Professional Learning for the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE), was honored with the Outstanding Service to CASE Award. With a 30-year career in education, she has held roles such as program specialist, coordinator, director of student services, and assistant superintendent. Dr. Cannady's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Master of Education in Special Education, a Master in Family Services, an Education Specialist in Special Education, and an Education Doctorate in Educational Administration. She also served in the United States Air Force for twelve years. Read More
 

Eric HoppstockHarrie M. Selznick Distinguished Service Award: Eric Hoppstock (pictured) is the 2024 Harrie M. Selznick Distinguished Service Award recipient. He currently serves as the Superintendent at the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency, serving 14 K-12 districts reaching approximately 25,000 students. Prior to his superintendency, Eric served as a special education director, supervisor, compliance officer, and school psychologist. He has served on various committees influencing special education teacher certification and legislative practices influencing the field of special education in Michigan. His involvement continues even in his role as Superintendent. Eric also served and continues to serve on numerous local, state, and national Executive Boards related to special education and education as a whole. Read More

Tina KauffmannOutstanding Administrator of Special Education Award: The Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) announces Tina Kauffmann (pictured) as the 2024 Outstanding Administrator of Special Education Award recipient. Tina is the Exceptional Student Services Director at Littleton Elementary School District in Avondale, Arizona. She has positively influenced the field of special education administration through multiple initiatives and programs, leading to long-term positive impact for individuals with disabilities. Tina is currently the president of AZCASE and has a long history of serving the organization. She is passionate about and committed to serving special educators and administrators to the benefit of students with disabilities and their families. Read More
 
Heather Lane
Early Career Special Education Administrator Award: The Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) announces Heather Lane (pictured) as the 2024 Early Career Special Education Award recipient. Heather has been in education for 15 years. She began her career as a special education teacher in Chicago Public Schools. She quickly saw a need for advanced education in the area of behavior due to what she was seeing in the field. She received her Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis and became a BCBA. Heather did not stop there. She also received her Masters in Administration and completed her Director of Special Education endorsement.  Read More

 

The CASE Academy of Law and Leadership

 
April 22-24, 2025
The Leading Special Education Law Conference 
Turning Legal and Regulatory Guidance Into Local School District Practice
More Information Here
 

 

CASE CommUnity

CommUnity

A FREE Member Benefit is our CommUnity, a resource where special education leaders can communicate with each other, share ideas, post questions, seek resources, and network with others around the world. Take advantage of this tool to its fullest. Access the CommUnity through the Members Only portal. 
Access CommUnity Here
 
 

Endorsed Products

CASE focuses on products that support instruction and data management. This includes curriculum based instruction, behavior intervention programs, and data/progress monitoring systems. As a product is considered for endorsement, the following areas are thoroughly reviewed: product description, target market, feasibility, research base, product research, quality of the product research, satisfaction of reputation, and professional practice.
More Information
 

ADVOCACY | Diversity

Across the nation, policymakers seek to diversify the educator workforce to ensure students engage with educators who share their identities. In light of this need, CASE issued a call for applications to create a valuable resource to support the field in diversifying the special education leadership workforce. The call resulted in the identification of the Diversification of the Special Education Leadership Workforce Task Force (DSEL-TF). Eighty percent of the Task Force were people of the global majority and included representation from the LGBTQ+ and the disability communities along with many other intersectional identities.   

 CASE, as an organization, is committed to practicing and promoting equity in all we do to honor belonging for all.

More Information

 

 

CASE POLICY STATEMENTS

The following policy statements were developed with our focus on legislative action and advocacy related to special education programs. The CASE Policy Committee has developed two new policy statements.

  • Resolving Conflicts at the Lowest Level Appropriate
  • The Importance of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel to Student Success
More information

Weekly Update | Free Resource

Weekly Update

CASE welcomes all educators to sign up for the "CASE Weekly Update."  You will receive updates from CASE and have access to the most recent news in special education every Tuesday. In addition, you will have the opportunity to register for webinars—many of which are free—and access resources provided by many of our partners.

Register for the CASE Weekly Update HERE

FRIENDS of CASE | PLATINUM

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FRIENDS of CASE | GOLD

  Classworks            

Friends of CASE are companies that support our mission and assist CASE in making a difference for our members.  Be sure and visit each of the respective websites for our Platinum and Gold Friends linked above.