Maine Special Education Law Summer Institute
Date: 07 / 06 / 2026 to 07 / 16 / 2026
Time: 9:00am to 12:00pm
Presenter(s):
Penelope Wheeler-Abbott
Description
Join us for 8 interactive Zoom sessions! July 6-16, 2026, Monday-Thursday 9am-12pm
About the Institute
We are holding our Institute virtually again for 2026 using Zoom, a cloud based video conferencing service. This program has been designed with busy educators in mind. Participants will cover materials that would traditionally be taught in a semester-long course. This will be accomplished through significant reading in advance from Eric Herlan’s Maine Special Education Law, as well as collected court and hearing officer rulings. Participants will also complete a written exercise in advance of the course, and a written project either during or after the completion of the course. Class members will be required to prepare a written brief on one of the cases, participate in virtual mock IEP meetings, and then finish the course with an interactive mock disciplinary exercise- virtual of course! Participants will come out of the course with a strong knowledge of all the important procedural and substantive requirements of Maine special education law, including the disciplinary issues that impact this field, Section 504, FERPA, and other key issues impacting the delivery of services to students with disabilities.
The Institute is an intense and exciting learning experience for administrators, so we encourage participants to be fully present during their online sessions. Because of the small class size and casual nature of the Institute, Penny will be available to continue discussions and talk informally with participants throughout the 8-day period.
A course in Special Education Law is required for new administrator certification in Maine. What better way to meet your requirements than to learn from the best and have fun doing it!
Topics Include:
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- The IEP and team process
- Special education procedures
- Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
- Least restrictive programming/classroom accommodations
- Eligibility
- Discipline of students with disabilities
- Section 504 and FERPA
- Staff shortages and Special Education
Earn 4.5 C.E.U.s over 8 half-day sessions!
The Maine Department of Education has approved the Institute to fulfill the requirement for a course on special education law for purposes of administrator certification. Whether you need a course to satisfy a requirement, are looking for an update, or simply have an interest in school law, the course will meet your needs. The course will also qualify for C.E.U.s from UMO for a small fee. Instructions for payment will be provided with the course materials.
(Note: Although the Institute provides certification and recertification credits, it is not affiliated with a college or university and does not provide graduate school credits.)