Frequently Asked
Questinons

  • How can schools effectively support students with diverse learning needs in inclusive classrooms?

    Follow-up context Dr. Cooper might give:
    By implementing a robust Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and ensuring fidelity in co-teaching and specially designed instruction (SDI), schools can meet a range of academic and behavioral needs.

  • What strategies can leaders use to build trust and capacity among staff during periods of change or reform?

    Dr. Cooper’s insight:
    Transparent communication, strategic professional development, distributed leadership, and cultivating a culture of psychological safety and accountability are key to empowering staff and sustaining change.

  • How do you ensure compliance with special education regulations while prioritizing student-centered instruction?

    By aligning IEP goals with rigorous state standards, ensuring services reflect students' strengths and needs, and regularly reviewing data with multidisciplinary teams, compliance and student outcomes can go hand-in-hand.

  • What role does data play in improving student achievement and school improvement planning?

    Data must inform instructional decisions, intervention planning, and resource allocation. Using disaggregated data—for example. iready NWEA, STAR, and behavioral indicators—can help identify trends, target interventions, and close achievement gaps.

  • How do you coach teachers to balance academic rigor with social-emotional learning (SEL)?

    Academic rigor and SEL are not mutually exclusive. When teachers set high expectations while embedding emotional safety, relationship-building, and reflective practice, they create classrooms where students thrive both intellectually and emotionally.