IEP meetings often become compliance-driven events rather than collaborative, student-centered experiences. Special education administrators face the ongoing challenge of moving beyond basic compliance to foster authentic, inclusive partnerships with families. Redesigning meeting structures to address cultural and linguistic differences builds trust and directly improves student outcomes.
In this session, Andratesha Fritzgerald, Ed.S., will demonstrate how districts can center student voice, honor family expertise, and build equitable decision-making processes. Through real-world examples and actionable tools, leaders will gain a strategic framework to transform IEP meetings into collaborative spaces where all stakeholders feel valued and empowered.
By attending this session, you’ll gain:
- Methods to identify common barriers that prevent families and students from fully participating in IEP meetings.
- Practical insights for implementing culturally responsive practices that strengthen family engagement and trust.
- Turnkey meeting structures your teams can use to elevate student voice and self-determination.
- Actionable approaches to apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to improve meeting accessibility.
- Proven protocols to shift IEP meetings from compliance-driven events to collaborative planning experiences.
Who Should Attend?
- Directors of Special Education / Special Services
- Supervisors of Special Education / Special Services
- District Leadership
Meet your host
Andratesha Fritzgerald is a nationally and internationally recognized keynote speaker, educational consultant, and thought leader in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and equity-centered school transformation. With over 25 years of experience, Andratesha brings powerful insight to the intersections of instructional design, anti-oppressive practices, and leadership development. She is the author of Antiracism and Universal Design for Learning: Building Expressways to Success (CAST, 2020) and winner of a Benjamin Franklin Award from the Independent Book Publishers Association.
Known for energizing workshops and compelling keynote sessions, Andratesha invites educators, leaders, and communities into honest reflection and bold redesign. Her work centers around data-informed decision-making, dismantling systemic barriers, and designing learning environments where every member of the learning community can thrive. She has served extensively in education as a teacher, curriculum specialist, administrator, and director.
Andratesha is a book nerd, Jeopardy enthusiast and imagination expert who loves writing and dreaming out loud with her husband, two children and committed educators who believe in academic success for all. She is the co-founder of Building Blocks of Brilliance Educational Consulting Firm. Andratesha brings both strategy and soul to every space. Prepare to be provoked, challenged, and inspired.
