Virginia Department of Education-Sponsored Content Teaching Academies at James Madison University – Information Summary

The Virginia Department of Education is sponsoring the following content teaching academies on June 23–26, 2025, at James Madison University (JMU). The academies are designed to provide professional development to participating Virginia educators to enhance the outcomes of students with disabilities using high-quality instruction and to promote inclusive practices. Registration for each academy may be accessed on the JMU Content Teaching Academy 2025 web page.

Special Education Teacher Support Academy (SETSA)

Four days, June 23-June 26

A four-day academy, SETSA is designed for early-career (0-7 years) special education teachers in grades K-12. Veteran special education teachers from your division or school are encouraged to attend alongside you to support your learning of academy content. Teachers will learn about evidence-based strategies to design and deliver instruction, services, and supports that address the unique needs of students. Academy sessions will address the essentials of teaching special education including High-Leverage Practices (HLPs), specially designed instruction, co-teaching, math and literacy instruction, individualized education programs (IEPs), collaboration with professionals and families, creating a positive learning environment, transition, and self-determination. Continued Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) support opportunities will be available as needed through the year. A $400 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information contact academy lead Gina Martin.

Adapted Physical Education (APE)

Three and 1/2 days, June 23-June 26

The APE academy is a three and one half-days opportunity designed for physical education teachers, paraeducators, and health and physical education program supervisors. Participants will enhance their understanding of how to develop effective inclusion strategies for the Physical Education Standards of Learning objectives; understand the importance of specially designed instruction; incorporate high-level practices in their instruction; enhance learning outcomes and promote student success for students with disabilities, including their peers. A $400 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Sheila Jones.

Early Childhood Special Education Beginning Educator Support and Training (ECSE BEST)

Four days, June 23-June 26

Registration for ECSE BEST is currently full. If you’d like to be added to a waitlist for this academy, please email cta@jmu.edu with “ECSE BEST Waitlist” in the subject line.

The ECSE BEST is a four-day academy designed for early-career (0-3 years) early childhood special education teachers. Participants will learn about components of the special education process as well as evidence-based strategies that address the unique needs of young children with disabilities. Academy sessions will address the essentials of teaching ECSE including promoting high-quality teacher child interactions, assessment, instruction, and implementation of the VDOE Division for Early Childhood Recommended Practices. A $500 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Dr. Dawn Hendricks.

Intensive Behavior Academy (IBA)

Three days, June 23-June 25

Registration for IBA is currently full. If you’d like to be added to a waitlist for this academy, please email cta@jmu.edu with “IBA Waitlist” in the subject line.
The IBA is a three-day experience designed to support general education and special education teachers in advancing their understanding of behavior and discovering proactive approaches to educating students with behavior support needs. Unlock the “secret ingredients” of student behavior in this professional learning experience. Like a chef understanding food chemistry, the IBA demystifies the “why” behind interfering behavior, empowering you to create your own recipe for student and classroom success. Through hands-on activities and practical application, participants will gain expertise in the science of behavior and leave equipped to proactively address interfering behavior, cultivate prosocial skills, deliver explicit behavior instruction, and use data for effective decision-making. A $300 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Samantha Gregory.

Sensory Disabilities Academy (SDA)

Three days, June 23-June 25

The SDA is a three-day academy designed for Virginia educators, paraprofessionals, service providers, and administrators working in leadership roles that support programming for students with disabilities who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, and deafblind (PreK-12). Participants will explore HLPs to enhance collaboration and communication within teams that support students with sensory disabilities. The sessions will focus on leading the implementation of the HLPs and other supports. A $300 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Tracey Yurechko.

Secondary Transition Academy (STA)

Three days, June 23-June 25

The STA is a three-day experience designed for educators who develop and implement IEPs across all grade levels. Educators will learn about the secondary education indicators. The session will introduce the participants to the Predictor Implementation School District Self-Assessment (PISA) which supports educators, divisions, and stakeholders with implementation of practices that increase positive post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Additionally, participants will tour the Wilson Workforce Rehabilitation Center, a unique resource in Virginia that provides comprehensive transition/vocational assessments. A $300 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy leads Dr. Patricia Morgan and Rebecca Ceja.

Co-Teaching Teams of Secondary Mathematics (CTSM)

Three days, June 24-June 26

The CTSM is a three-day academy designed for secondary mathematics general and special educator teams working together to enhance student outcomes focusing on improved content understanding, pedagogy, collaboration, co-teaching, and networking. Since this academy is designed for co-teaching teams, all members of a team must register and attend together. A $300 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Dr. Regina Mitchell.

Best Practices in Inclusive Education (BPIE)

Two days, June 23-June 24

The BPIE is a two-day academy designed to help instructional teams from targeted schools to improve and enhance the performance of students with disabilities in more inclusive school settings. This academy is offered by invitation only. Eligible school divisions will be contacted by a VDOE representative with a registration code that can be entered when completing registration. This academy is offered by invitation only. A $200 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Dwana Cooper.

The Power of We (POW!): Building Collaborative Cultures for the Success of Dually Identified English Learners

Two days, June 23-June 24   

The POW!, a two-day academy, will provide school-based teams evidence and research-based practices for creating a collaborative culture that supports the instruction of dually identified English Learners. Topics covered in this session include an overview of the WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 edition; methods and models of collaboration that support the instruction of dually identified English learners; the teaching and learning cycle of collaboration; and scaffolds and supports in the content areas. A $200 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Jo-el Cox.

Paraeducator Empowerment Academy (PEA)

Two days, June 23-June 24

The PEA is a dynamic two-day training designed to equip paraeducators with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively support students with disabilities. This comprehensive academy covers essential topics including disability awareness, special education regulations, ethics and confidentiality, and the educational impact of disabilities through the lens of a paraeducator. Participants will engage in hands-on learning experiences focused on fostering student independence, providing specially designed instruction, and utilizing HLPs and evidence-based strategies in communication, behavior management, data collection, and assistive technology. By the end of the academy, paraeducators will be empowered with practical tools to enhance student success and promote inclusive learning environments. A $200 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Jennifer O’Berry.

Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL) University

Two days, June 25-June 26

The VESOL University is a two-day academy designed for educators who use the Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL) in their daily instruction. Sessions will be facilitated by a mix of TTAC specialists and exemplar practitioners from across Virginia. Focus will be given to dynamic classroom lessons that address VESOL standards across multiple content areas. Cross-content instructional strategies will be experienced through hands-on activities that can be adapted or applied to students of any grade level. We look forward to collaborating with the VESOL University Class of 2025! A $200 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Dr. Daniel Biegun.

Co-Teaching Teams of Elementary Reading and Mathematics (CTERM)

Two days, June 23-June 24

The CTERM is a two-day academy designed for elementary general and special education teaching partners to develop effective co-teaching practices that support all learners in math and literacy. The workshop will focus on how to collaboratively assess student needs, plan instruction, and implement coteaching models to create inclusive and engaging learning environments. Since this academy is designed for co-teaching teams, all members of a team must register and attend together. A $200 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy leads Christine Mooney and Dr. Regina Mitchell.

Beyond Unlocking Big Words (BUBW): A Culminating Experience

One day, June 23

The BUBW is a one-day academy for teachers who have previously completed the Unlocking Big Words training. Participants will engage in a hands-on, collaborative culminating activity to design lesson plans and instructional materials based on structured literacy principles. This event will provide opportunities for teachers to showcase their work, receive feedback, and build a shared repository of high-quality resources. A $100 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Christine Mooney.

Morphology Instruction to Enhance Reading and Vocabulary (MIRV) Instruction

One day, June 24

The MIRV is a one-day academy designed to deepen the understanding of morphology. Learning experiences will focus on the study of word parts such as roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Participants will learn strategies to teach students to decode unfamiliar words, expand their reading comprehension, and academic vocabulary across content areas. A $100 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Christine Mooney.

Transition Planning Begins in Elementary (TPBE)

One day, June 24

The TPBE is a one-day academy that will engage participants in practices to promote successful postschool outcome, which begins with initiating transition planning the moment a student is enrolled in school. During this session, participants will learn the importance of career development within the Pre-K through elementary years, the foundation of transition planning, and developing an Academic and Career Plan Portfolio. Attendees will receive guidance on strategies and best practices across several domains including supporting integrating work-based learning into instruction and engaging the parent in career exploration and transition planning. A $100 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy leads Dr. Patricia Morgan and Rebecca Ceja.

Navigating Special Education: Evaluation, Eligibility, and IEP Essentials for Teams (E & E Teams)

Two days, June 25-June 26

The E & E Teams is a two-day academy designed for division-level and school-based special education teams. Sessions will focus on practices in evaluation, eligibility, and IEP planning to improve consistency in implementation; developing an understanding of what constitutes specially designed instruction; promoting strategies to inform local special education procedures and practices; and learning practices to improve the special education experience for students and families. A $200 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Martha Montgomery.

Unlocking Big Words (UBW)

Two days, June 25-June 26

The UBW is a two-day academy for upper elementary, middle, and high school general and special education teachers. Participants will hone their knowledge and skills to effectively implement structured literacy. Participants will develop a deep understanding of the six syllable types and learn how to explicitly teach them to support students’ reading, spelling, and writing development. A $200 stipend will be paid to participants upon verification of successful completion of this academy. For more information, contact academy lead Christine Mooney.

New Speech Language Pathologists Meetup (NSLPM)

One day, June 25