Building Family Engagement in Special Education
Wednesday, April 9, 2025, 2:00 PM
Register
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ktHKDTa7S_mdZzUndO8ycA

Special education can often feel like a high-stakes challenge, with parents and schools struggling to stay on the same page. But with better communication and strong family partnerships, we can create a more supportive and collaborative environment for students with disabilities.

What you’ll learn:

• The impact of great communication and family engagement on student outcomes, teacher
satisfaction, and family experiences;
•Family-centered approaches to build trust and get everyone on the same
team
• Plain Language practices for talking about Special Education in a way that invites family understanding and participation

This session will also share examples, free resources, and tools you can use to strengthen partnerships and build collaborative Special Education processes.

Your Presenter:
Julie McKinney is the Director of Training and a Health
Literacy Specialist at Exceptional Lives, with over 25 years of experience in
health literacy, plain language, and adult education. She ensures content is
clear and accessible, strengthens community partnerships, and develops
trainings to help professionals connect with families. As a parent of children
with disabilities, she brings personal insight and a strong belief in the power
of relationships to support families through complex system

Nell Curran is the Head of Product and Technology at
Exceptional Lives, where she leads efforts to center user experience and data
in building inclusive, equitable tools. An anthropologist and UX advocate, she
brings a rich background in tech, nonprofit strategy, health disparities
research, and teaching justice studies in prisons. Nell is deeply committed to
reducing inequality in tech and improving access for marginalized communities.
She also draws from personal experience advocating for her all-neurodivergent
family, including her autistic child.