Upcoming Events

Diagnostic Center North (DCN)-Function to Reinforcement: A Deeper Dive to Understanding What To Do About Challenging Behavior - Virtual

Virtual Via Zoom

September 17th, 2024 - 1:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Special education teachers
  • General education teachers supporting students with behavior needs

This training will focus on building understanding of functions of behavior that are commonly seen within the classroom setting. Case studies and examples will be used to support participants analyzing behaviors across an array of severity to determine appropriate strategy selection.
Emphasis will be placed on how to match interventions and replacement behaviors to the function of behavior.

Participants Will

  • Increase understanding of the functions of behavior
  • Be provided with specific explanations of how to implement positive behavior strategies within the classroom environment from the Prevent, Teach, Reinforce model
  • Be able to identify appropriate interventions given specific behavior functions

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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DTUG

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or Virtual

September 19th, 2024 - 9:00 am

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New District Level SEIS & CALPADS Training

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

October 4th, 2024 - 9:00 am

In this session, you will learn how to use district-level SEIS features,  report special education data to CALPADS, and monitor for compliance. This session is intended for individuals who support special education data for the district. 

 
When: October 4, 2024
Time: 9:00am - 3:30pm
Where: Sonoma County Office of Education, 5340 Skylane Blvd., Santa Rosa
 
Attendees should bring a laptop if possible. If you do not have a laptop, we can reserve one for you to use.
 
Lunch will be provided

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DTUG

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or Virtual

October 16th, 2024 - 9:00 am

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CALPADS Special Education Fall Roadshow

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 & Virtual

October 23rd, 2024 - 9:00 am

This session will cover:
  • Fall 1 CALPADS Data Submission and Reports
  • What’s new for Fall 1
  • State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report Indicators using Fall 1 data
  • Data for Annual Determinations Letter (ADL)
  • Monitoring Reports and Holding Timely Meetings
  • Looking ahead to 2025-26

Where: This is a hybrid meeting. In-person will be held at the Sonoma County Office of Education, 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa,  CA. If attending virtually, the link to participate will be sent one week before the event.
 
Audience: Special education data coordinators, SELPA-level staff, and CALPADS administrators are encouraged to attend, particularly those with access to CALPADS, the local Special Education Data System, and the Student Information System.
 
Attendees should bring laptops if possible.

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Diagnostic Center North (DCN) - Writing Measurable Social-Emotional Goals - Virtual

Virtual Via Zoom

October 23rd, 2024 - 2:00 pm

Writing Measurable Social-Emotional Goals

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Special education teachers
  • Counseling enriched program teachers
  • School psychologists and counselors
  • Mental health clinicians

This training introduces service providers to a framework that addresses social-emotional needs using an operationally defined and measurable system. This framework emphasizes conceptualizing the presenting issue into three categories: symptom, self-report, and coping skill. Definitions of these categories will be expanded upon, and sample Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals will be discussed.

Participants Will

  • Discuss when social-emotional goals are required
  • Increase skills to operationalize and measure social-emotional goals

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North (DCN) - Treating Trauma - Virtual

Virtual Via Zoom

November 1st, 2024 - 10:00 am

Presenters(s)

Intended Audience

  • School psychologists
  • Mental health professionals

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates that more than two thirds of school aged children have experienced at least one traumatic event by age 16. This staggering statistic suggests that a significant number of students are likely struggling with mental health issues related to trauma. This training will teach therapeutic, evidence-based practice interventions for working with students who have experienced trauma. The trainer will break down the steps involved in a cognitive behavioral approach and will share resources and strategies for working with students in an academic setting.

Participants Will

  • Learn how to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions to support students who have experienced trauma
  • Learn how to utilize evidence-based treatment methods in the school setting
  • Learn how to adapt appropriate treatment interventions according to the type of trauma the student has experienced

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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DTUG

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or Virtual

November 19th, 2024 - 9:00 am

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Diagnostic Center North - Assistive Technology Consideration - (Virtual)

Virtual Via Zoom

December 11th, 2024 - 1:30 pm

Assistive Technology Consideration (New!)Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Administrators
  • General education teachers
  • Special education teachers
  • Speech language pathologists

Assistive technology must be considered for all students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP). What does this mean for professionals supporting students in special education? What assistive technology should be considered? This training will describe the process of assistive technology consideration, examine commonly available assistive technology and explore how to effectively implement assistive technology.

Participants Will

  • Describe the process of assistive technology consideration
  • Recognize the role of IEP team members in considering assistive technology
  • Support implementation of assistive technology

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North - Strategies for Effective Consultation within the School Setting - Virtual

Virtual Via Zoom

December 12th, 2024 - 1:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Administrators
  • Board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs)
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Other professionals providing consultation to teachers

The focus of this training will be on how to provide effective consultation to teachers within the school setting. It is often difficult to find ways to provide feedback, recommendations and supports for busy and stressed teachers. Honing your consultation skills is an art and can result in more collaborative and fruitful consultative relationships with the school staff that need support. Evidence-based interventions for consultation will be reviewed. There will be ample time for discussion and problem solving related to consultation barriers within the school setting.

Participants Will

  • Learn about evidence-based interventions for consultation
  • Explore simple, straightforward methods for providing consultation
  • Reflect on their consultative approach and discuss alternative approaches

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: Strengthening Autism Assessments Through Behavioral Observations

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

December 17th, 2024 - 8:30 am

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Intermediate to advanced practitioners
  • School psychologists
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) assessors

This training is intended for intermediate to advanced school-based practitioners who conduct autism assessments. The primary focus is to sharpen and expand assessors' ability to operationalize and collect observational data as part of a comprehensive assessment. This training will build capacity to identify and document obvious and subtle social and behavioral features of autism.

Participants Will

  • Understand the value of diagnostic criteria to determine autism educational eligibility
  • Anchor behavioral observations with key indicators of autism
  • Identify varying degrees of autism-related behaviors

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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DTUG

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or Virtual

December 17th, 2024 - 9:00 am

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Diagnostic Center North: Executive Functioning Academy - Part 1: The Fundamentals

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

January 8th, 2025 - 9:00 am

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • General education teachers
  • Education specialists
  • Intern and early career school psychologists
  • School counselors
  • Administrators
  • Para-educators
  • Any specialists who would like to gain a fundamental understanding of the executive functioning domains and how they impact student performance

Executive Functioning (EF) refers to a set of processes that have to do with managing oneself and one's resources to achieve a goal. It is an umbrella term for neurologically based skills involving mental control and self-regulation. It is now commonly believed that executive functions are essential for purposeful, goal directed behaviors and actions, and there is substantial evidence that academic achievement and appropriate executive function skills are correlated.
In this beginning level training, educators will gain a fundamental understanding of executive functioning and its impact on student learning and development.

Participants Will

  • Gain a fundamental understanding of executive functioning skills and how EF skills develop
  • Learn about the executive functioning domains, and how they impact student learning and behavior
  • Develop foundational skills needed to plan effective executive functioning accommodations and interventions

 

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: Executive Functioning Academy - Part 2: Assessment & Analysis

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

January 8th, 2025 - 1:00 pm

Executive Functioning Academy - Part 2: Assessment & Analysis

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • School Psychologists

Executive Functioning (EF) refers to a set of processes that have to do with managing oneself and one's resources to achieve a goal. It is an umbrella term for neurologically based skills involving mental control and self-regulation. It is now commonly believed that executive functions are essential for purposeful, goal directed behaviors and actions, and there is substantial evidence that academic achievement and appropriate executive function skills are correlated.
In this intermediate level training, educators will learn about the assessment and analysis of executive functioning skills.

It is recommended that participants have a fundamental understanding of EF to participate in this training. Participants are encouraged to take EF Academy Part 1 if they are early career practitioners, or if their understanding of executive functioning is at a beginner level.

Participants Will

  • Learn how to assess EF skills through formal and informal measures, rating scales, interviews, and observations
  • Develop an efficient EF testing battery
  • Learn about common EF profiles and assessment patterns
  • Discuss educational impact and decision making for Individual Education Plans (IEP) and 504 eligibilities

 

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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DTUG

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or Virtual

January 21st, 2025 - 9:00 am

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Diagnostic Center North: How to Conduct Meaningful Assessments for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

January 28th, 2025 - 8:30 am

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • School psychologists
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Special education teachers

Comprehensive psycho-educational assessments are the cornerstone of any well-developed Individual Education Plans (IEP) and are essential for program planning. However, conducting assessments that are legally defensible and meaningful for students with significant needs can be especially challenging. Often, students with significant needs have difficulty participating in formal assessment measures and may even be deemed "untestable". This training will include strategies for how to gain relevant and meaningful information through a combination of formal and informal measures and the use of dynamic assessment.

Participants Will

  • Discuss the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and special education eligibility criteria for Intellectual Disability (ID)
  • Learn how to conduct legally defensible assessments for students with ID that yield useful, meaningful information for goal writing and program planning
  • Discuss formal and informal assessment measures to help providers develop a well-rounded assessment battery
  • Learn strategies for dynamic assessment
  • Learn how to explain ID and the implications to parents

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: Dynamic Assessment: A guide for Speech-Language Pathologists

Virtual

February 12th, 2025 - 1:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Speech-Language Pathologists

Dynamic assessment, you have heard about it but want to learn how to implement it in your practice This training will provide participants with guidelines for how to conduct dynamic assessment.

Participants Will

  • Become familiar with the assessment framework of dynamic assessment.
  • Learn about guidelines and necessary components for designing and conducting dynamic assessment
  • Learn about tools that can be used to score your mediated learning experience
  • Learn how to integrate results into a written report

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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DTUG

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or Virtual

February 19th, 2025 - 9:00 am

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DTUG

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or Virtual

March 26th, 2025 - 9:00 am

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Diagnostic Center North: When They Don't Show Up: Dealing with School Avoidance

Virtual

April 8th, 2025 - 1:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • School psychologists
  • Mental health professionals
  • Administrators
  • Teachers

There has been a steady increase in the number of students who are refusing to attend school. Chronic absenteeism and frequent tardies are significant problems that not only plague schools, but families as well. This training will help provide information on how to identify the reason(s) behind the student's school refusal (whether in person or while engaged in remote learning), and outline evidence-based practice interventions to help students return to class. Case examples will be offered to illustrate the various methods and intervention strategies. Attendees will have the opportunity to share their own case examples.

Participants Will

  • Learn how to identify reason(s) behind a student's school avoidance
  • Learn evidence-based strategies to help students return to class
  • Learn how to assemble an appropriate team to implement and monitor the transition plan

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Diagnostic Center North: Social Communication in School-Age Students- Part 1 of 2

Virtual

April 9th, 2025 - 12:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Administrators
  • Special education teachers
  • School psychologists

Sessions

  • IN014: In-Person (3 hours)
  • IN032: Virtual session 1 of 2 (1.5 hours)
  • IN033: Virtual session 2 of 2 (1.5 hours)

George is having a hard time making friends. In conversations, he sometimes interrupts or changes the topic abruptly. He doesn't pick up on nonverbal cues and often misinterprets his classmates' intentions or feelings. In the classroom, he struggles to follow rules. He always seems to be in trouble. His classmates sometimes tease him. As part of an interprofessional team we are often asked to evaluate and intervene with students who, like George, struggle with social communication. This training will address what social communication is, how we assess it and evidence-based strategies for intervening. The training will focus on students who are in late elementary through high school.

Participants Will

  • Define social communication and its disorders
  • Describe assessment strategies for students' social communication
  • Explain how to implement evidence-based interventions for students who struggle with social communication
  • Work as part of an interprofessional team to address social communication

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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DTUG

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or Virtual

April 22nd, 2025 - 9:00 am

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Diagnostic Center North: Social Communication in School-Age Students- Part 2 of 2

Virtual

April 29th, 2025 - 12:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Administrators
  • Special education teachers
  • School psychologists

Sessions

  • IN014: In-Person (3 hours)
  • IN032: Virtual session 1 of 2 (1.5 hours)
  • IN033: Virtual session 2 of 2 (1.5 hours)

George is having a hard time making friends. In conversations, he sometimes interrupts or changes the topic abruptly. He doesn't pick up on nonverbal cues and often misinterprets his classmates' intentions or feelings. In the classroom, he struggles to follow rules. He always seems to be in trouble. His classmates sometimes tease him. As part of an interprofessional team we are often asked to evaluate and intervene with students who, like George, struggle with social communication. This training will address what social communication is, how we assess it and evidence-based strategies for intervening. The training will focus on students who are in late elementary through high school.

Participants Will

  • Define social communication and its disorders
  • Describe assessment strategies for students' social communication
  • Explain how to implement evidence-based interventions for students who struggle with social communication
  • Work as part of an interprofessional team to address social communication

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: Universal Design For Learning (UDL) - Part 2: Engagement, Representation, and Assessment Choice Boards

Virtual

April 30th, 2025 - 1:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Special education teachers (transitional kindergarten - high school)
  • General education teachers (transitional kindergarten - high school)
  • Administrators

It is recommended that participants have a fundamental understanding of UDL to participate in this training. Participants are encouraged to take "Introduction to Universal Design For Learning (UDL)" prior to this training.

Universal design for learning (UDL) helps create inclusive and accessible learning environments for all students. By providing multiple means for action, expression and engagement, UDL allows for different learning styles and abilities to be accommodated. This leads to increased student engagement, motivation, and success in the classroom. This training takes a deep dive into understanding the three pillars of UDL (engagement, action & expression, and assessment). You will also learn how to create choice boards in each of those three pillars and have access to an extensive Padlet that contains ready to use resources for teachers to include on their choice boards.

Participants Will

  • Describe the three pillars of UDL (engagement, action- & expression, and assessment)
  • Explore a variety of choice boards and discover how important they are in the UDL framework
  • Engage in instruction on how to create choice boards in all three pillars (engagement, action & expression, and assessment)
  • Receive access to a UDL Padlet that is full of resources, templates, examples, videos, and suggested reading materials

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

Read More >>


DTUG

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or Virtual

May 21st, 2025 - 9:00 am

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DTUG

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or Virtual

June 17th, 2025 - 9:00 am

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