WestEd special education experts will present at the 2026 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Convention & Expo, March 11–14, 2026, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
With over 300 sessions covering a wide range of topics in special education, the convention offers strategies, research insights, and tools to enhance your practice. The convention brings together thousands of special education professionals from around the world, including teachers, administrators, and researchers.
This year’s conference features two themes: “Innovative Access; Innovation Redefined” and “Beyond the Labels: Rewriting the Story of Special Education.”
Add WestEd’s presentations (see below) to your calendar and visit our team to learn about our resources, professional development opportunities, and research.
WestEd Presentations
Wednesday, March 11
Strategic Leadership and Disability Compliance: Making Sense of Reading Policy
Time: 2:15–3:15 p.m.
Presenters: Randi Stone (American University), Nakia Simmons Cotton (Edufaith Educational Services), and Elizabeth Zagata (WestEd)
This session will help leaders create an inclusive learning environment for students with disabilities under Section 504 and Special Education. A primary focus will be on understanding reading legislation and policy research, identifying collaborative pathways for professional development, and supporting educators through sense-making to adapt practices to serve all students.
Thursday, March 12
Friends Matter!: The Relationship Between Peer Social Support and Peer Victimization for Students With EBD
Time: 2:15–3:15 p.m.
Presenters: Nicholas Gage (WestEd), Chad Rose (University of South Carolina), and Robin Parks Ennis (University of Alabama)
Youths with disabilities, especially students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), experience higher rates of bullying victimization than do their peers without disabilities. Therefore, we explored differences in bullying victimization between students with disabilities and students without disabilities; the mediating, protective role of peer social support; and the question of whether EBD status moderated that mediation.
Friday, March 13
Linking Data and Practice: Assessment and MTSS for Diverse Learners
Time: 10:30–11:30 a.m.
Presenters: Nicholas Gage (WestEd) and Rhea Rayomand Palkhiwala (Utah State University)
This presentation highlights districtwide MTSS strategies for improving equity, reading, and behavior outcomes, followed by authentic, data-rich assessments for DHH students and the use of the CIBATA tool to strengthen Tier 1 supports. Participants will gain practical tools, insights, and strategies for implementing inclusive, data-driven practices across diverse educational settings.
What Matters Most: A Schoolwide Framework for Teachers of Students With/at Risk for Learning Disabilities
Time: 2:15–3:15 p.m.
Presenters: Saashya Rodrigo (National Center for Learning Disabilities), Lauren Wong (WestEd), and Laura Stelitano (National Center for Learning Disabilities)
This framework outlines essential school-level conditions for ensuring that teachers feel confident in adapting instruction for students with or at risk for learning disabilities. The framework is grounded in survey research from a national sample of general and special educators and is informed by a committee of practitioners, researchers, and policy experts.