Northwest Regional Education Service District
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K-12 Special Education Professional Learning and Coaching
Our Services
K-12 Special Education Professional Learning and Coaching is available to support our component districts and internal NWRESD staff in a variety of topics and mentoring opportunities. Upon request, the Special Student Services program also offers a variety of discipline or disability-specific professional learning opportunities outlined below.
K-12 Special Education - Training Resources
NWRESD: K-12 Special Education Event Calendar
Subscribe: Email Event Alerts
Individual NWRESD Calendars:
- Attendance Services
- Behavior, Attendance, & Social-Emotional Systems
- Career & College Readiness
- Early Literacy Supports
- School Safety & Prevention
PDNetworks Support:
- Login Portal
- How To: Create an Account
- How To: Register for an Event
- How To: Un-Enroll from an Event
Download past PDU certificates by clicking on ‘My Workshops’ with PDNetworks.
Basic FBA to BIP Specialist Training
The Basic FBA to BIP Specialist Training is a series of 7 progressive e-Learning modules (75 to 90 minutes each) that provide in-depth training in the knowledge and skills for conducting a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and leading a Behavior Intervention Planning (BIP) team through the process of developing, implementing, and evaluating a BIP.
Basic FBA to BIP School-wide Training
The Basic FBA to BIP School-wide Training includes two modules from the Specialist training (#1 – Understanding Behavior and #4 – Function-Based Intervention). The school-wide training is focused on teaching the basics of behavior and behavioral intervention to (a) increase staff knowledge and skills for supporting students with challenging behavior, (b) creating a common language for discussing students with challenging behavior at your school, and (c) increase staff members’ effectiveness and efficiency when participating in the FBA to BIP process.
Additional Supporting Documents:
- All Forms & Resources
- District Planning & Implementation Guide
- Basic FBA to BIP Sheets Packet
- Basic FBA to BIP: Step-by-Step Guide
Other Resources:
Chris Borgmeier, PhD
Producer and Author of Basic FBA to BIP e-Learning Modules
Chris Borgmeier, PhD, is a professor in the Special Education Department at Portland State University. His research interests focus on School-wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (SW-PBIS), Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and intervention, implementation of evidence-based practices and systems change in schools.
Development of the Basic FBA to BIP e-Learning modules was funded through a grant from the US Department of Education, State Personnel Development Grant CFDA#84.323, and Part B funds administered by the Kansas State Department of Education’s Early Childhood, Special Education and Title Services. However, the content does not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and endorsement by the Office of Special Education Programs should not be assumed.
Please see the ‘Regional Technical Assistance Provider (RTAP)’ section for specific IEP training material and resources.
Oregon Department of Education:
Iris Center:
FACT Oregon:
Special Education Paraprofessional - Training Resources:
- Free: Events & On-Demand Training
- For Purchase by Districts: Training Programs & Courses
Should you have any inquiries or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact your local RTAP: Malory Turner - maturner@nwresd.k12.or.us. If you are located outside of our region, you can contact your local RTAP: Regional RTAP Contact List
2023-2025 Oregon Department of Education Resources:
Located on PDNetworks - Search: RTAP
Oregon Department of Education: Secondary Transition
Oregon Transition Education: transitionoregon.org
Purpose of the Website:
Provide high-quality resources to assist educators in Oregon to improve student learning and outcomes.
Purpose of the Transition Network Facilitators (TNF):
The transition team will support alliances that will shift the perception of society and raise expectations for individuals who experience disabilities so they can live integrated lives in Oregon communities based on choice. Transition Network Facilitators (TNF) offer training in person and virtually. If you are interested in scheduling training for your district, please contact your local TNF.
NWRESD - TNF Contacts:
Region 1: Columbia/Clatsop/Washington
Sarah Statham
Email: sstatham@mesd.k12.or.us
Phone: 971-280-5245
Email: krita@clackesd.org
Phone: 503-908-4847
Section 504: Resources
The Oregon Department of Education offers various Section 504 training in an in-person or virtual format. If interested in scheduling training for your district, please email ODE.CivilRights@ode.oregon.gov
Special Student Services
Our specialists engage in workgroups, action research, and attend professional learning events designed to ensure students receive the highest-quality services. The team actively gathers and shares resources with district teams to build capacity across our region.
Northwest Regional Education Service District (NWRESD) specialists partner with the technology industry to provide access to product-specific training and leverage free training for educators and families. In addition, our specialists collaboratively identify the training needs of educational teams and design learning opportunities to ensure access to tools and implementation of technology for all students.
Upon request, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Team members can provide professional development and training for teachers, instructional assistants, and/or parents on a variety of topics.
Examples include:
- Evidence-based teaching strategies:
- Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA): Pivotal Response Training (PRT), Discrete Trial (DT), Functional Routines
- Visual Strategies
- Social Stories/Narratives
- Video Modeling
- Social Skills and Social-Cognitive Development
- ASD evaluation and assessment procedures and requirements
- Behavior management/self-regulation strategies
- Characteristics and learning styles of students with ASD
- Communication strategies (i.e. Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Pivotal Response Training (PRT)
- Executive functioning and organizational skills
- General, in-class sensory strategies for student self-regulation
- Parent training and coaching for developing social and communication skills for young children with ASD
- Puberty and sexuality
- Transition planning, vocational preparedness, and self-advocacy
Coordinator: Tina Meier-Nowell
Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) Team
The Northwest Regional Education Service District (NWRESD) Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) Team supports professional learning and provides consultative services to educators throughout our region to help support students who are visually impaired in their districts or programs. NWRESD partners with the Commission for the Blind to support post-secondary transition.
Blind and Visually Impaired Student Fund (BVIS)
The BVIS fund supports professional learning for educators throughout our state by offering workshops, conferences, and technical assistance in the areas of Cortical Vision Impairment, Assistive Technology, and DeafBlindness. NWRESD BVIS also provides statewide events and activities for students who are visually impaired. In addition, BVIS has a mentorship program for new teachers of students who have visual impairments.
Coordinator: Stephanie Karpouzes
The Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH) program at NWRESD offers 6-week sign language classes once or twice a year. These classes are available for free to district staff and family and community members. Additionally, teachers of the deaf/hard of hearing provide in-service training to school staff members on the specific hearing needs of individual students. Other professional development and training are available upon request.
Coordinator: Laurie Harrison
Nurses can provide topic-specific training to district staff as needed and requested. Training topics can include:
- Medication administration
- Managing specific health conditions (seizure, asthma, diabetes, celiac disease, adrenal insufficiency, etc.)
- Managing food and other allergies, including the use of EpiPens
Coordinator: Damon Lorenz
Occupational Therapy:
In the context of their consultation work, occupational therapy staff provide ongoing student-specific and general professional development to classroom staff. Occupational therapy practitioners are motivated by a commitment to role-release, building the capacity of those who work with students every day in their ability to incorporate the concepts and techniques of occupational therapy into their teaching.
Occupational therapists and assistants also provide topic-specific training to district staff as needed and requested.
Training topics can include:
- The service model: how to get the most benefit from your occupational therapist
- Early handwriting instruction: why it’s important and how to do it
- Fine motor skills needed for classroom participation in paper/pencil/scissor tasks
- Accommodations that may benefit a student’s access
- Adaptive methods for students to complete self-help and self-care tasks
- Guidance towards safe eating within school settings
- Assistive technology
- Systems-level supports/strategies to benefit all learners
Coordinator: Jessica Duffett
Physical Therapy:
Physical therapy staff provide ongoing student-specific and general professional development to classroom staff who work directly with students. Physical therapists are motivated by a commitment to role release, building the capacity of those who work with students every day in their ability to incorporate the concepts and techniques of physical therapy into their daily interactions and work.
Physical therapists also provide topic-specific training to district staff as needed and requested.
Training topics can include:
- Understanding the service model: How to utilize your physical therapy team
- Transfer training and proper ergonomics for staff when working with students
- Training for specific pieces of equipment that a student uses during their school day
Coordinator: Jessica Duffett
Upon request, school psychologists can provide professional development to staff on a variety of topics relating to special education such as positive behavioral strategies, traumatic brain injury (TBI), suicide prevention/interventions, classroom accommodations and interventions, considerations for special education referral, data collection and analysis, etc.
Coordinator: Tina Meier-NowellSpeech Language Pathologists (SLPs) engage in workgroups, action research, and professional development events designed to ensure students receive the highest quality services. NWRESD provides a professional learning network for SLPs throughout our region and across the state.
Coordinator: Caitlan Freese
NWRESD sponsors Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) training throughout the year within our region while also collaborating with other regional programs and with the Center for Brain Injury Research and Training (CBIRT) at the University of Oregon to ensure access to professional learning throughout the state.
CBIRT- Upcoming Events and Training
Return to School - TBI Educator Resources
If you are an Oregon education professional who cares about students with TBI and concussion, please consider joining the TBI Team: Oregon TBI Educational Team - New Member Form
Coordinator: Malory Turner
