Stability Before Standards: Trauma-Informed, Data-Driven Approach to Supporting Students with Significant Emotional and Behavioral Needs

Struggling to meet the needs of neurodivergent students and those with significant emotional and behavioral challenges? This session highlights an out-of-district program for ages 5–21, showcasing embedded strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration that build regulation, engagement, and independence through consistent, supportive routines tailored to complex learner profiles.Participants will be able to: 1. Identify and implement trauma-informed, practice-based strategies that support emotional regulation, engagement, and independence in students with autism, emotional disturbance, or complex trauma histories. 2. Demonstrate understanding of how to integrate predictable routines, sensory supports, and relational practices into daily instruction to build a safe and responsive learning environment. 3. Design and apply individualized instructional plans that align academic instruction with IEP goals and therapeutic supports through consistent progress monitoring and data review. 4. Describe how to use tools such as VB-MAPP, EFL, and behavior data to inform instructional decisions and adjust supports in real-time. 5. Collaborate across interdisciplinary teams to develop whole-child programming that reflects neurodivergent processing styles and family engagement. 6. Outline a collaborative planning process that includes family input, therapeutic insights, and academic priorities to drive meaningful student outcomes.