This two-day conference was designed to bring educators and leaders from across the P20 continuum together to learn about current topics impacting our schools, educators, and students and the education landscape, as well as share resources to support you and your teams.
The conference was held February 26-27, 2026, at The Conference Center at OCLC in Dublin, Ohio. Keynote speakers included Tessie Rose Bailey and Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Bettini.
TESSIE ROSE BAILEY, PHD
Dr. Tessie Rose Bailey is Principal Consultant, American Institutes for Research (AIR); Director, PROGRESS Center: Promoting Progress for Students with Disabilities; and Advisor and Former Director of the Center on Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS Center). She develops and provides high-quality technical assistance (TA) to states, districts, and institutions of higher education, and has extensive experience in MTSS, special education services and law, secondary and transition services, teacher education and evaluation, and scaling up evidence-based practices.
Elizabeth (Liz) Bettini, PhD
Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Bettini is Associate Professor of Special Education at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development where she examines factors shaping the special education teacher workforce and how working conditions contribute to the shortage of special education teachers. Her current work focuses on identifying potential interventions to improve working conditions and addressing challenges in accessing skilled, committed special education teachers. She previously taught students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in self-contained and inclusive settings in Arizona and Connecticut.
