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 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
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 | Rolling Admission
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 | Rolling Admission
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 | Rolling Admission
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 | Rolling Admission
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 | Rolling Admission
Executive Functioning and Reading Comprehension
This graduate course explores the critical connection between executive functioning skills and reading comprehension. Participants will examine how cognitive processes such as working memory, attention, self-regulation, and flexible thinking influence a student’s ability to construct meaning from text. Through readings, discussions, and application-based assignments, educators will learn how executive functioning challenges can affect comprehension and identify strategies to support diverse learners. The course emphasizes both the science of reading and practical classroom applications, equipping teachers with tools to foster stronger comprehension skills by addressing the executive functioning needs of their students.
Asynchronous | Rolling Admission
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
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 Special Education Team Leaders can be Prepared for IEP Meetings
This training is designed for team leaders to elevate their expertise in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. The focus will be on professional best practices before, during, and after the IEP meeting. We will also discuss some communication and conflict-resolution techniques to skillfully manage difficult or sensitive topics and build genuine partnership with parents and guardians, ensuring a high-quality, individualized program for every student and the team they are working with.
Live via Zoom | Thursday, December 4th; 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) Training Course
This course will introduce participants to basic concepts and principles of behavior analysis as they relate to children and adolescents, with an emphasis on students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and related developmental disabilities. Participants will become knowledgeable about evidence-based interventions, based on basic principles of behavior, for intervening on behalf of children and adolescents in educational settings.
Live in Person at ACCEPT | Thursdays, January 8th, February 12th, March 12th, April 16th, May 14th, and June 4th; 8:00am – 3:15pm
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
McKinney-Vento Mandated Liaison Training
Session topics include every stage of McKinney-Vento implementation: identification, enrollment, eligibility, school selection, transportation, dispute resolution, data collection, and liaison responsibilities. Facilitators also share practical strategies for balancing these duties alongside other professional responsibilities, with dedicated time for self-care and peer connection.
Live via Zoom: Tuesdays, 9:00 am – 10:00 am; 1/13, 1/20, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10 & 2/24/26
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
ADOS 2 Training
In just two days, learn the potential uses of the ADOS-2 as part of a diagnostic evaluation for autism. You’ll have the opportunity to practice scoring while observing the instructor administer the ADOS-2 to a child with autism. The workshop focuses primarily on Modules 1 through 4, and attendees are given materials to study later to complete training in the Toddler Module. ACCEPT will be hosting the Toddler Training on Thursday, February 26th.
In Person at ACCEPT | January 27 and 28, 2026; 7:30am – 3:30pm
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
Partnering with Families of Neurodivergent Students: Practical Strategies for Educators
Families of neurodivergent students often navigate extra layers of stress. They spend a lot of time seeking support, advocating for services, and managing behaviors that may be misunderstood. As an educator, your role in welcoming and supporting these families is critical. You don’t need to have all the answers. But the way you communicate, collaborate, and show empathy can build trust and support the student.
Live via Zoom | Wednesday, February 11, 2026; 12 pm – 2 pm
Collaborative Transition Planning
This workshop will cover strategies to help schools guide SPED families and students through transition planning, to help the student prepare for life after school. Participants will learn about the mindset and needs of families at this time and how to encourage ongoing discussions about the student’s future goals. We’ll also cover key parts of transition planning that parents will need to know, and share resources to help them engage in the process.
Live via Zoom | Wednesday, February 11, 2026; 12 pm – 2 pm
ADOS 2 Toddler Training
This one day training is a specialized course for professionals on administering and scoring the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) with young children (under 30 months) who have minimal speech. Participants should have already completed the introductory ADOS-2 training for Modules 1–4 as a pre-requisite.
In Person at ACCEPT | February 26, 2026; 7:30 am – 3:30 pm
Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Teacher Endorsement Course
The Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Teacher Endorsement course is designed to help equip teachers to address the needs of a multilingual and multicultural student population by training teachers in research-proven practices for working with English Learners (ELs).
Live via Zoom | Tuesdays, 3/3 3/10, 3/17, 3/24, 3/31, 4/7, 4/14, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19, 5/26/26; 4pm – 7pm
Capstone Presentations: 6/2/26; 4pm – 8pm | Whole Class Make Up Sessions (if needed): Thursdays, 5/7, 5/28 & 6/4/26
Writing in Ways that Matter Across Your Day, Week and Year
It is challenging to find time in a packed school day to support oral language, grammar, conventions, and writing—and we know that assigning writing tasks to students is not the same as teaching it. In this workshop, we’ll explore realistic ways to incorporate efficient writing instruction across a day, week, and school year.
Live via Zoom | March 10, 2026; 11:30am – 2:30pm
Turn Those Spreadsheets Into Sustainable Teaching: Assessment-Based Instruction That Makes an Impact
Teachers spend lots of time and energy on assessment in the elementary grades—making it critical that these assessments actually inform teaching. In this workshop, presenters will help teachers understand the possibilities and limitations of various assessment tools that are commonly used across a grade band, including both screeners and diagnostic assessments.
Live via Zoom | March 18, 2026; 11:30am – 2:30pm
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