Professional Development Courses
Live and on Demand Professional Development for BCBAs
Join us the first Friday* of every month to explore cutting edge topics specifically designed for BCBAs. Participants can join live via Zoom or view the recording after the session.
Asynchronous and Synchronous Options | Rolling Admission; Participants can earn up to (14) CEs
Maximizing Mentorships: Best Practices in Mentoring New Teachers
Based on the popular work of master teacher mentors, Carol Pelletier (Mentoring in Action) and Lois Zachary (The Mentor’s Guide), and the MA DESE Mentoring Guidelines, this workshop is designed to provide practical and reflective principles and activities that help the teacher mentor maximize trust, collegiality, communication, reflection, and personal growth with their mentee.
Asynchronous and Synchronous Options
AI in the Classroom: Practical Exploration for Teachers
This curriculum acknowledges real-world constraints including uncertain technology access, varying comfort levels among educators, and the limited time teachers have for professional development.
Session 1: From My Classroom to My School
Session 2: Spotting Risks and Misuses
Session 3: Exploring AI Without Fear
Session 4: Creativity with Guardrails
Session 5: Becoming an AI Leader: Sustainable Practice for the Long Term
Live via Zoom; Sessions will also be recorded | Wednesday, October 15th, Tuesday, October 21st, Wednesdays, October 29th, November 5th & November 12th | 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
AI Ethics, Literacy, Policy & Security
Part 1: Essential Knowledge for Administrative Decisions
This is part one of a two-part series which aims to equip Massachusetts K–12 school and district leaders to evaluate, govern, procure, and communicate about AI in ways that protect students, support staff, and meet community and School Committee expectations.
Part one will build foundational leadership competence across AI literacy, ethics, policy, and security for immediate decision-making.
Live via Zoom; Sessions will also be recorded | Wednesday, October 15th, Tuesday, October 21st, Wednesdays, October 29th, November 5th & November 12th , 9:30 am – 11:30 am
AI Ethics, Literacy, Policy & Security
Part 2: Advanced Leadership & Implementation
This is part two of a two-part series which aims to equip Massachusetts K–12 school and district leaders to evaluate, govern, procure, and communicate about AI in ways that protect students, support staff, and meet community and School Committee expectations.
Part two will convert those foundations into durable systems for governance, privacy, procurement, instructional integrity, and continuous improvement.
Live via Zoom; Sessions will also be recorded | Tuesday & Thursday, November 18th & November 20th; Tuesdays, December 2nd, December 9th & December 16th, 9:30 am – 11:30 am
Stress Less with the Out-of-District (OOD) Process
Join us for a half-day workshop exploring the ins and outs of Out-of-District (OOD) placements in Special Education. We’ll delve into the pros and cons, debunk common myths, and share both success stories and cautionary tales. Topics include reviewing the process, building caregiver relationships, finding the best placement, supporting students returning to the district, and navigating accountability.
Live via Zoom | Friday, October 24, 2025; 12:00pm – 3:00pm
Conflict and De-escalation Training
This interactive session is designed to help staff and leaders navigate conflict and challenging conversations through a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) lens. Participants will explore how unconscious bias, power dynamics, and social identity shape workplace conflict, and learn inclusive strategies for de-escalation and dialogue.
Live via Zoom; Recording will also be made available | Tuesday, November 4, 2025; 11:00am – 12:00pm
Inclusion Academy: Building Inclusive Classrooms Through Co-Teaching and UDL
This course satisfies 15 Professional Development Points (PDPs) toward educator recertification in Massachusetts.
This six-session asynchronous series equips educators with practical strategies to create inclusive classrooms by leveraging co-teaching models and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. Participants will explore foundational concepts of inclusion, collaborative planning and instruction, flexible lesson design, and the application of accommodations and modifications to support diverse learners. Each session includes reflection, case studies, and opportunities to apply learning directly to practice.
Asynchronous | 10/27 – 12/8/25
Little Books, Powerful Instruction: The When, Why, and How of Using Decodable Texts
In this workshop, presenters will lead participants through the key research around decodable texts and their power for the earliest readers—including typically developing students as well as those with difficulty learning to read. Participants will learn about how decodable texts fit with high-impact instructional practices, including the time in children’s reading development when decodable texts are most beneficial (and when they’re not!).
Live via Zoom | November 4, 2025; 8:00am – 11:00am
The Truth About “Reading Levels”: Implications for Assessment and Instruction
In this session, teachers will understand the limitations of leaning heavily on reading levels on the A to Z gradient, while acknowledging the ways this information has been helpful in the past. Teachers will gain knowledge of other kinds of useful assessments and leveling systems, and considerations when analyzing texts. They’ll also hear about when to use different texts for different purposes—including instruction, practice, home-school connections, and engagement—and why it’s important for all students to access grade level texts.
Live via Zoom | November 4, 2025; 11:30am – 2:30pm
Legal Update for Administrators
Massachusetts requirements around time out procedures, the implications of the Mahmoud v. Taylor ruling and issues pertaining to ICE in the school and communities. Attorney Joyce will review the most recent updates and change in legal interpretation so that special education directors, team chairs and staff with the expertise to ensure compliance with state and federal law.
Live via Zoom | Friday, October 17, 2025, 8:30am – 11:30am
Providing Reading Intervention for Students PreK-3
This graduate course will provide a scaffolded opportunity to learn more from foundational documents and key components of literacy as well as supplemental scholarly literature, tools, and activities that help to strengthen pedagogical practices and target interventions based on real live data.
Asynchronous | September 15 – December 15
Providing Reading Intervention for Students Grades 4-9
This graduate course will provide a scaffolded opportunity to learn more from foundational documents and key components of literacy as well as supplemental scholarly literature, tools, and activities that help to strengthen pedagogical practices and target interventions based on real live data.
Asynchronous | September 15 – December 15
Science of Reading
This course provides a strong foundation in the best practices of literacy instruction. Essential areas of reading instruction are addressed: understanding the science of reading, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and decoding, vocabulary development, fluency, and comprehension.
Asynchronous | September 15 – December 15
Literacy Foundations for English Learners
This course serves as a foundation in the methods, materials and approaches for teaching foundational literacy to English learners in grades PK-4. Educators will be provided a scaffolded opportunity to learn more from foundational documents and key components of the Mass Literacy site as well as supplemental scholarly literature, tools, and activities that help to strengthen pedagogical practices and accelerate the outcomes of all English Learners.
Asynchronous | September 15 – December 15
Executive Functioning: Helping All Students Become Successful
Unlock the potential of your students by understanding and improving executive functioning skills with our insightful workshop. Designed for educators, coaches, and school psychologists, this workshop delves into the critical role executive functioning plays in student achievement and provides actionable strategies to support and enhance these essential cognitive skills.
Asynchronous | September 15 – December 15
Data-Based Decision Making and MTSS
Unlock the power of data to enhance student outcomes with our in-depth workshop on Data-Based Decision Making and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). This workshop is tailored for educators, school leaders, and support staff who are committed to leveraging data to drive instructional practices and support all students effectively.
Live and Recorded via Zoom | Fridays, September 26th, October 17th, November 14th & December 5th, 9:30am – 11:30am
Shaping Evaluations for Impact: Aligning OT/PT Practice with the New IEP
The new Massachusetts IEP format emphasizes a more collaborative, student-centered process. This 2-part interactive workshop will focus on how to shape your evaluation practices to align with the intent and structure of the new IEP—streamlining your process while increasing your impact.
Live via Zoom and In Person @ ACCEPT Collaborative, 4 Tech Circle, Natick
Part 1: October 10, 2025 (12:00 – 2:30) – Virtual Zoom session
Part 2: January 16, 2026 In person (8:30 – 2:30) at ACCEPT Collaborative, 4 Tech Circle, Natick
Work Smarter, Shine Brighter: AI Shortcuts and Google Drive Know How
In today’s fast-paced educational environment, administrative professionals are the unsung heroes who keep our schools and districts running smoothly. This professional development session is designed to transform your workflow by providing practical, ready-to-use strategies for two critical areas:
- Gemini/AI: Learn to leverage the power of AI to instantly draft communications, create detailed agendas, and summarize lengthy documents, saving you valuable time.
- Google Drive: Master the art of organization with simple, repeatable systems for managing files, sharing documents, and collaborating with your team seamlessly.
Live via Zoom | November 4th, 2025; 9:00am – 11:00am
Challenging Behaviors in Students: The SLP’s Role in Identifying What Barrier to Learning is Fueling the Behavior
The students in any public or private school system experience an abundance of labels that attempt to define their academic challenges in the classroom. These labels are behavioral, emotional, cognitive and linguistic in nature. The student’s histories often reflect the traditional public school model of classification and can focus on the behavioral characteristics of the student as the primary reason they have difficulty achieving academic success.
Student Discipline and Discipline of Students with a Disability: A Legal Update
School law attorney Michael J. Joyce will provide a legal update regarding applicable federal and state law around student discipline and disciplining students with disabilities. Topics will include:
- State and Federal due process requirements
- Legal updates around suspension and removals
- Disciplinary traps and pitfalls
- Timeout and seclusion regulations
- Current case studies
Live via Zoom | Monday, December 1, 2025, 9:30am – 11:30am
How to Support English Learners in the Art Classroom
Art teachers are in a unique position in working with English Language Learners (ELs). The art classroom provides a welcoming and safe environment for English Language Learners to be able to express themselves, and the creation of art can prompt important oral language skills. This workshop will allow us to explore how we can take advantage of hands-on strategies and activities specific to the art classroom that are effective with ELs.
Live in Person at ACCEPT |Tuesdays, 1/6, 1/13, 1/20, 1/27 & 2/3; 4:00pm – 7:00pm, Snow Date: 2/10/26
Managing Challenging Behaviors and Teaching Key Social Skills
Individuals with social-behavioral challenges and/or ASD often present with difficulty regulating their feelings and interacting socially. In the morning, the workshop outlines predictors of better outcomes and how to maximize motivation and engagement of students. The second part of the morning discusses the pitfalls of a traditional escalating disciplinary model and the need to understand why students are having behavioral challenges.
Live via Zoom | January 16, 2026; 8:30am – 11:30am
Orton-Gillingham Level One Classroom Training
The 30-hour Orton-Gillingham Classroom Level training is for individuals who are looking for an introduction to the Orton-Gillingham approach. Participants include parents, administrators, and educators working in a classroom or with a small group. Topics include:
- The background of dyslexia
- The history of the Orton-Gillingham approach
- Phonological and phonemic awareness
- Phonics and spelling rules
- Strategies for multi-sensory instruction
- Spelling and phonics rules
- Types of syllables
- Syllable division
- Orton-Gillingham lesson planning
Live Via Zoom | Tuesdays, January 27th, February 3rd, February 10th, February 24th and March 3rd, 2026 ; 8:30am – 3:30pm
Cultivating Character, Resilience, and Well-Being: Integrating Positive Psychology and Strength-Based Approaches in Clinical Practice
In an era of increasingly complex, evolving, and unpredictable needs, the critical importance of effective school-based mental health counseling cannot be overstated. Schools are not only educational institutions but also crucial spaces for mental health intervention and student development.
Live via Zoom | March 20, 2026; 11:30am – 2:30pm