Wednesday, 9/30/2026
Family Voice Matters: Conducting Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Interviews in School Evaluations
Presenter(s): Jennifer Paz, Founder & Bilingual School Psychologist, Vital Abilities
Meaningful family interviews are essential to understanding the full picture of a student’s development, learning history, and cultural-linguistic context. This session focuses on how to conduct family interviews that build trust, improve information quality, and strengthen interpretation of assessment findings. Participants will explore practical strategies for gathering developmental, educational, and language history in ways that support both clinical accuracy and respectful partnership with families.
Jennifer Paz founded Vital Abilities to ensure students receive timely, culturally responsive evaluations that reflect their true language, culture, and lived experiences beyond standardized test scores. Based in Austin, Texas, Jennifer is a bilingual school psychologist with extensive experience partnering with school districts across Texas, Colorado, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Georgia. She specializes in bilingual psychoeducational evaluations, complex case consultations, and comprehensive systems support.
Through actionable, research-grounded professional development, Jennifer equips school psychologists, educational diagnosticians, speech-language pathologists, and special education teams to confidently distinguish language differences from learning disabilities. Designed specifically for the realities of active caseloads, her training provides practical strategies that educators can implement immediately, keeping the student’s unique needs at the heart of every decision.
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/jONO1wXrSPCJra-ccdo5sg
Wednesday, 10/14/2026
Second Language Acquisition: Data Analysis of Emergent Bilingual Students
Presenter(s): Roxana Stanley, M.Ed
Understanding second language acquisition is essential for making informed evaluation decisions for emergent bilingual students. In this session, participants will explore how the stages of second language acquisition influence assessment results and learn how to analyze multiple sources of data to distinguish language difference from disability. Through practical examples and real-world scenarios, attendees will gain strategies for interpreting language proficiency data, academic performance, classroom observations, and evaluation results to develop defensible, data-driven conclusions. This presentation is designed to help all evaluators (both monolingual and bilingual) increase confidence in their decision-making while promoting equitable assessment practices for emergent bilingual students.
Roxana Stanley, M.Ed., earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas and her master’s degree in Special Education from Midwestern State University. She is a bilingual educational diagnostician, speaker, and founder of The Bilingual Diag, LLC. As a former emergent bilingual student herself, Roxana brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work, giving her a unique perspective on the importance of equitable, culturally and linguistically responsive evaluation practices. With more than a decade of experience evaluating emergent bilingual students, she is passionate about helping educators accurately distinguish language difference from disability through practical, research-based assessment practices. Roxana provides professional development across Texas and nationally, equipping educational diagnosticians, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and special education teams with strategies they can immediately apply in their evaluations. Her engaging, real-world approach makes complex assessment concepts accessible, practical, and relevant for today’s practitioners.
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/MES1mMFuSm21t5AMYAyy-A
Wednesday, 12/09/2026
Exclusionary Factors without Guesswork
Presenter(s): Georgene W. Moon, M.Ed
As the numbers of referrals are increasing, sometimes exponentially; it is important that we remember
Georgene has held various leadership positions on the Texas Educational Diagnosticians’ Association Board since 2004 and currently serves as an advisor to the Board. She is a Registered Professional Educational Diagnostician and previously served on the TPED Board. She is also a Nationally Certified Educational Diagnostician and currently serves as an advisor to the NCED Board. Additionally, she is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and several of its affiliates.
Throughout her career, Georgene has provided professional training on a variety of topics related to educational evaluation and assessment. She has presented in multiple states; at national, state, and local conferences; as part of the Beyond the Score webinar series; and for school districts throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/7t8YnWncQK6jBJXb8ojKSA
Wednesday, 1/20/2027
Understanding the Components of Orthographic Processing: Essential Knowledge for the Special Education Evaluator
Presenter(s): Dr. Suzanne Jones
Dr. Suzanne Jones has been in education for 31+ years. She started her career as an elementary classroom teacher and an English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum specialist before entering the field of special education as an educational diagnostician. As an educational diagnostician, she served at all grade levels and in various leadership positions in a large urban school district with an emphasis on the learning needs of Emergent Bilingual students. Currently, she is the Evaluation/IEP or ARD Support/Literacy specialist at Region 6 Educational Service Center in Huntsville, Texas. Additionally, she serves as an adjunct professor with Sam Houston State University in the educational diagnostician preparation program.
This training provides special education evaluators with a deeper understanding of orthographic processing, a critical cognitive skill that supports the development of accurate reading and spelling. Participants will examine the definition and components of orthographic processing, identify the cognitive skills that contribute to orthographic processing, and explore its direct relationship to reading and writing achievement. Through this session, evaluators will gain insight into how orthographic processing connects phonological awareness, letter-sound knowledge, phonics, and spelling. Then using this knowledge to build a stronger foundation for interpreting evaluation data that links to building student literacy skills.
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/jWz45PM9Q7C-rt_3Y25bvQ
Recordings/Handouts of Previous Lunch and Learn Sessions
Wednesday, 11/19/2025
Title: Understanding and Conducting Dyslexia Evaluation
Presenter(s): Laurie Peterson, M.Ed., MA, LPC, NCED
Join Laurie Peterson, NCED and owner of Diagnostic Learning Services, for an in-depth discussion on best practices for evaluating dyslexia. Laurie will explore the core components of a comprehensive dyslexia evaluation, focusing on finding the “preponderance of evidence” required to identify dyslexia. The webinar will also address common challenges in dyslexia identification, such as the impact of previous interventions or ADHD comorbidity, and offer practical strategies to improve diagnostic accuracy.
Founder and Executive Director, Diagnostic Learning Services & eDiagnostic Learning, Laurie Peterson is the Founder and Executive Director of Diagnostic Learning Services and eDiagnostic Learning. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and a master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis on Assessment. Early in her career, Laurie worked in public schools conducting psychoeducational evaluations and collaborating closely with educators to support student success. Her time in the school setting gave her a deep appreciation for the challenges diagnosticians face in balancing compliance, time, and the individual needs of students. Driven by a desire to provide comprehensive evaluations that capture the full picture of a learner’s strengths and challenges, Laurie founded Diagnostic Learning Services in 2004. Her practice focuses on identifying learning disabilities, ADHD, and processing disorders in students and adults, as well as helping families understand how to advocate for appropriate accommodations and support. Laurie is also the co-host of the popular podcast Let’s Talk Learning Disabilities and serves on the Executive Board for the North Texas chapter of Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD).
Wednesday, 1/7/2026
Title: Driving Instruction in our FIEs with Free CBM & CBA
Presenter(s): Mahnaz Pater-Rov
Discover how to make your Full and Individual Evaluations (FIEs) truly instructional roadmaps using free Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) and Curriculum-Based Assessment (CBA) tools. Participants will explore the vision behind CBM as a technology for tracking growth and how it differs from CBA’s diagnostic focus on automaticity of the basic skills. This session will show how informal measures can be used to write meaningful impact statements that directly inform instruction. Leave with practical strategies, free resources, and a clearer understanding of how to link data from FIEs to actionable instructional planning.
Mahnaz Pater-Rov is a Ph.D. student at Texas Women’s University and has been in education for over 25 years with 19 years of experience as an Educational Diagnostician. She mentors diagnosticians and collaborates with leaders of dyslexia programs. She has an interest in evidence-based assessment, data based decision making, and implementation science of CBM. In an attempt to support independent research, she channeled this interest into hosting several interviews with well-regarded researchers in the field on a platform called Clubhouse, and a related podcast. Over the last three years she’s gathered almost 2,000 followers on the Clubhouse app and several hundred others who listen to the podcast. The listeners generally consist of both diagnosticians and providers of dyslexia. Her dissemination work has been recognized by the Institute of Educational Sciences and the Texas Education Agency Special Education Department.
https://www.ncedonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Driving-Instruction-in-FIEs-with-Free-CBMs.pdf
Wednesday, 3/11/2026
Title: Turning Data Into Support: Executive Function in Action
Presenter: Joanna Abramo, Ed.D., BCC, SHRM-CP
Executive Function (EF) skills play a central role in learning, organization, and self-management; when these skills are still developing, students may show variability in task completion or frustration with complex demands. This session offers tangible strategies to use patterns of EF assessment to create focused classroom strategies that leverage student strengths. Participants will learn effective strategies that enhance learning, self-management, and independence in school and community settings.
Joanna Abramo, Ed.D., has spent close to 20 years in the field of education. She earned a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from St. Peter’s University, holds a Master’s degree in Childhood Special Education, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, both from Fordham University. Over the course of her career, Dr. Abramo held various positions throughout New Jersey in the area of special education, working with students from PreK to age 21. Beginning her career as a classroom teacher, she later worked in various leadership roles, including a special education instructional coach, and district-level Supervisor of Special Education. She currently is a faculty member in the College of Education at Kean University. Through her work with Abramo Advising, she trains educators, pre-service teachers, and professionals throughout the tri-state area. As a Board Certified Coach (BCC), she works with clients on academic and career coaching, specializing in executive functions, ADHD, and neurodivergent individuals. She is an active member of Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
October 23, 2024
FBA’s & BIP’s: Collaborating for Student Success
Dr. Lisa McClearly, LP, LSSP, BCBA-D, NCSP
Recording can be viewed here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/I7uGy69-P6131eYlwquhGYov9e6TBvLqX12I5lw3hHbBd7t5-hVib4QFgybNAjSB.fiK2Wb1W4JGaMIL-
Passcode: uD4Y@dKq
June 26, 2024
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Understanding Exclusionary Factors: All Things Considered
Presenter: Georgene Moon, NCED
This session covers the role of Exclusionary Factors and their impact on SLD identification, while also considering the continued impact from Covid-19 on education and the importance of documentation in our reports. Included in the presentation is a brief review of the Exclusionary Factors required by federal and state law and the impact of societal changes: social, economic, cultural and technology related. The updated Exclusionary Factors Checklist is presented, as well as additional forms that can be used as documentation during your data gathering and evaluation process. In addition, the possible impact of Covid-19, both short and long term, on our students’ education and the ethical implications of disregarding Exclusionary Factors is reviewed.
Recording can be viewed here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1paEtnwpZBXIG9sHujACn0N8GHVVX3bML/view
Re
You
June 18, 2024
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Navigating Support for d/Deaf Students: Insights and Strategies for the ARD/IEP Committee
Dr. J. Lindsey Kennon
As we have progressed toward inclusive education for diverse learners, it is essential for IEP committee to equip themselves with the knowledge and tools necessary to support students with diverse needs. One such group is students who are d/Deaf, whose educational journey can be significantly enhanced when their team is prepared to support their unique needs as a micro-population within Special Education. This session aims to empower educators with the knowledge and resources needed to effectively support d/Deaf students in their classrooms. Join us for a lunch-and-learn discussion, outlining the challenges educators may encounter when working with d/Deaf students. The focus of this session will be to share knowledge related to language acquisition and development in students who are d/Deaf or hard-of-hearing and their unique and varied linguistic landscape, including variations in signed languages, communication preferences, and the impact of hearing loss on language acquisition. We will also discuss assessment considerations, as well as actionable strategies for effective support related to LRE, accommodations, modifications, and support services.
Recording available here:
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May Lunch and Learn Series
May 29, 2024
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Best Practices in Evaluating Emergent Bilinguals for Special Education
Presenter: Dr. Cristina Rodríguez Chen, RPED, NCED
Emergent Bilinguals (EBs) represent one of the fastest-growing groups of school-age students in the United States, having increased by 60% in the last decade and now encompassing over 400 languages, with approximately 80% speaking Spanish. Public schools are more racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse than ever before, a trend expected to persist. By the year 2030, it is estimated that second language learners will make up approximately 40% of the school-age population. This increasing diversity underscores the urgent need to address the longstanding issue of appropriately identifying and providing educational services for diverse students. However, the future for students identified as EBs is uncertain. They exhibit some of the highest dropout and retention rates among all youth, influenced by societal factors that affect their educational experiences. These include the availability of adequate language supports and limited understanding among educators and evaluation staff regarding how to differentiate cultural/language differences from true disabilities.
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Norm-Referenced Test Interpretations: Ensuring Ecological Validity
Presenter(s): Dr. Edward Schultz, NCED
Norm-referenced tests are a helpful tool in identifying learning disabilities. However, evaluators often rely too much on standard score interpretation. To ensure that the tests accurately describe classroom performance, they must be analyzed beyond the standard score level. This session will focus on three other types of analysis to make your tests more generalizable – task demand analysis, contextual analysis, and integrated data analysis.
Recording Available Here. Enter the following passcode to view recording: jkmS6&EZ
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElc-mhrzovEt2UuibD8lLFRdp_E63sPPPq
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April Lunch and Learn Series
Assistive Technology Assessment: Running Each Student’s Race Before Passing the Baton
Presenter(s): Dr. Kathleen Sheriff
Imagine running a race in your mind before you ever even get to the track. What can we do to support students in their individual races toward successful school participation? Suppose we plan from the locker room to the finish line for each student in need of assistive technology (AT)? Let’s talk, walk and then run through some steps necessary from supporting foundational skills to carrying a baton across successful barrier lines. Bring your imaginations along with your lunch for our AT Lunch & Learn Time Together!
Recording Available Here. Enter the following passcode to view recording: *&hD$db0 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcldeGqrT8rE9ZFLWpEUlvqlC9Zf1kFSzMr
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Integrative Training for Educational Diagnosticians: Determining PSW for SLD or Educational Diagnostician Detective
Presenter(s): Dr. Marjason
Training for educational diagnosticians aiming to determine a Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW) for Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) involves a comprehensive understanding of assessment tools, data interpretation, and collaborative decision-making. The primary goal of this training is to equip educational diagnosticians with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively assess students for Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) by identifying their Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses. The theoretical frameworks, practical assessment techniques, and collaborative problem-solving strategies to guide diagnosticians in determining PSW for SLD. Participants will engage in being a ” detective” and working though a case study for determining SLD using PSW.
Recording Available Here:
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Disclaimers
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This resource is provided for personal and educational use only. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, modified, or sold without the express written permission of the author.
If you are unsure of whether or not the topic is applicable for PD hours, please contact the Professional Growth Chair at: profgrowth@ncedonline.org