Special Education 101
IN THIS SERIES, YOU WILL:
Learn how to navigate the special education process, from evaluation to services, and foundational understandings of lEPs and 504 plans.
Develop practical strategies for participating in IEP and 504 meetings and communicating effectively with schools and educational teams.
Explore how to recognize whether a student's needs are being met and how to ask productive advocacy questions.
Learn strategies for helping students understand and communicate their own needs, building self-advocacy skills for school and beyond.
Leave with practical resources and strategies you can apply directly to your advocacy work with students and families.
About the Presenter
Nicole Kelly, M.Ed. is a special education and education leader with over 10 years of experience working with students, families, educators, and school leaders. Her background includes roles as a special education teacher, case manager, inclusion leader, and school administrator, with a focus on special education, inclusive practices, and family support. She is currently working at the district-level in Washington, D.C. responsible for the compliance oversight inclusive education programs. As Co-Founder of LiveWellEd LLC, Nicole provides consultation and coaching to help caregivers and educators better understand and navigate special education systems and advocate effectively for students.
Angelina Zara, M.Ed. (Angie) is an educator, systems-level leader, and traumaresponsive practitioner dedicated to transforming school culture and creating environments where students and adults thrive. Since beginning her career in 2015 she has led school and districtwide initiatives in social-emotional learning, restorative practices, adult capacity building, and sustainable student support systems. She now serves as a Program Coordinator on a school-based administrative leadership team, where she leads SEL and whole-child initiatives. During the 2025–26 school year, her school achieved the highest growth across DCPS in both student sense of belonging and perceptions of student safety.Angie is currently pursuing her second Master’s in Trauma-Responsive Teaching and Leadership, deepening her work at the intersection of neuroscience, stress physiology, education, and systems change. She previously taught in Butler University’s Applied Educational Neuroscience Certification Program. In 2023, Angie co-founded LiveWellEd, LLC, a coaching-based organization supporting caregivers, educators, and organizations with practical, trauma-responsive tools and strategies that help the adults who care for children, and the children themselves, thrive.