January 30, 2023 - Chapman’s Thompson Policy Institute on Disability Secures $1.2
Million in New Grants
The Thompson Policy Institute on Disability (TPI) is continuing to grow in its impact
and support. With three new grants totaling more than $1.2 million, TPI is expanding
its capacity to work alongside the disability community in improving equitable, accessible
and nurturing environments for learning and living. For more information, please read the blog post from Thompson Policy Institute.
January 11, 2023 - Innovative Approaches for Redesigning Professional Development
for Paraprofessionals in Inclusive Environments
Dr. Audri Sandoval Gomez, Dr. Shayne Brophy Felbab, Jill Perez, MA, and Kari Adams,
MA, Newport Mesa Unified School District, presented to a packed room at the Association
of California School Administrators conference. The team presented "Innovative Approaches
for Redesigning Professional Development for Paraprofessionals in Inclusive Environments."
December 21, 2022 - TPI Welcomes New Team Members!
Thompson Policy Institute on Disability (TPI) has grown with the addition of three
new team members. The latest additions to the team reflect TPI’s commitment to creating
cutting-edge practices to increase inclusion in schools and communities for those
who have often been underserved, including youth and adults with disabilities, those
who are Black, Latinx, LGBTQIA+, as well as those experiencing poverty. The new positions
will expand TPI’s ability to provide technical assistance to PK – 12 schools, universities,
and service organizations, while engaging in research and program evaluation. For
more information, please read the blog post from Thompson Policy Institute.
December 7, 2022 - Dr. Audri Sandoval Gomez honored for five years of service at Chapman
University
Dr. Audri Sandoval Gomez, Co-Director of TPI, was honored for five years of service
at Chapman University. Congratulations, Dr. Gomez!
November 7, 2022 - TPI Announces SPAIS Grant
TPI is thrilled to announce Farb Middle School, San Diego Unified School District,
and Savanna High School, Anaheim Union High School District, join six middle schools
in the Poway Unified School District to participate in the Strategic Practices for
the Advancement of Inclusive Schooling (SPAIS) grant. Read the latest
blog to learn more about the SPAIS grant and the newest additions to the grant!
October 27, 2022 - Thompson Center Autism Conference
Dr. Audri Sandoval Gomez, Co-Director of TPI, Elissa Green Kaustinen, Director of
FAST@CHOC, and Kari Adams, TPI Consultant and Special Education Coordinator at NMUSD,
presented at the Thompson Center Autism Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The presentation,
It Takes a Village: Maximizing Educational Outcomes through Collaborative Relationships,
was part of the Autism in Schools breakout strand and was well-attended with 150 conference
attendees. The conference brought together staff from the Thompson Policy Institute
on Disability, Thompson Autism Center at CHOC, and the Thompson Center for Autism
and Neurodevelopment at University of Missouri.
October 17, 2022 - The Future of Higher Education
Drs. Meghan Cosier and Audri Sandoval Gomez were invited to attend The Future of Higher
Education presented by the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. President Daniele
Struppa, Chapman University, Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI, and President Framroze
Virjee, CSUF, were the featured presenters for the event.
September 26, 2022 - TPI Announces California Department of Education Grant
The Thompson Policy Institute on Disability and El Dorado County Charter SELPA Partner
to Build Bright Futures with $400,000 Grant: The California Department of Education
Grant will Support Educators at California Charter Schools
September 23, 2022 - Professional Growth Day
TPI team members Dr. Audri Sandoval Gomez, Co-Director, Jill Perez, Program Specialist,
and Dr. Richard Rosenberg, Transition Consultant, presented during Poway Unified School
District's Professional Growth Day. Educator, Researcher, and Storyteller Shelley
Moore presented the keynote address "The Evolution of Inclusion."
During breakout sessions, Dr. Gomez and Ms. Perez presented "Building Common Practices
for Co-Teaching in Poway" and Dr. Rosenberg presented "Alternate Pathways to a High School Diploma: Creating Meaningful Post-Secondary Opportunity
for ALL" with Kevin Schaefer of Supporting Inclusive Practices (SIP).
September 21, 2022 - Cultivating Student Well-Being Series
Dr. Michael Hass, Chapman University, and Dr. Amy Ardell, Mount Saint Mary's University,
led 50 K-12 educators, district administrators, school psychologists and counselors
on a deep dive into supporting students' mental health, during the Cultivating Student
Well-Being Series. The series is based on Drs. Hass and Ardell's book "Supporting
Student Mental Health: Essentials for Teachers.."
The series is presented in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education.
September 19, 2022 - Thompson Policy Institute on Disability’s 2022 Summit
The 2022 Summit on Disability and Inclusion is available for viewing! Watch the Summit
to learn the importance of steak from Diana Pastora Carson, hear Alex Zavala's experience
working full-time for Kaiser, and find out about the exciting initiatives TPI is working
on! Please visit chapman.edu/tpi-2022summit to watch.
Advocate and educator, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed., delivers keynote at Thompson Policy
Institute on Disability’s 2022 Summit. The Thompson Policy Institute on Disability’s
(TPI) 2022 Summit on Disability and Inclusion brings together a variety of stakeholders
dedicated to developing inclusive spaces for the disability community in schools,
employment, and society.
August 22, 2022 - 2022 Research, Practice, and Impact Report
Check out the accessible report to learn about the impact TPI is making through its
initiatives!
July 13, 2022 - 2022 Summit on Disability and Inclusion Announcement
Alex Zavala will be presenting on the Transition Services panel!
Alex is currently employed at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Irvine. He was hired as
a full-time employee after participating in an internship program at Kaiser through
Goodwill of Orange County's Project Search Program. Alex is well-known throughout
Kaiser, and he has earned awards for his positive work ethic. He has also been featured
as a Hometown Hero for a local news station and in the Los Angeles Times. During the Transition Services Panel,
Alex will share his experience working with Project Search and what his day-to-day
life is like.
To hear Alex present his experience, please join TPI for the 2022 Summit on Disability
and Inclusion on Friday, August 12 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm PST at Musco Center for
the Arts at Chapman University in Orange, California.
Accessibility: Musco Center for the Arts is a fully accessibly venue with nearby accessible
parking. ASL interpreters and a quiet room will be available.
April 7, 2022 - New Blog Alert!
Teacher preparation programs and those that support them must prioritize diversity,
equity, inclusion and anti-racism in their efforts to prepare a more robust and diverse
teacher pipeline. That is why CalEPIC is proud to participate in the Teacher Preparation
Transformation Initiative, a community of practice with leading Teacher Preparation
Transformation Centers (the Centers), that is working to transform the way teachers
are prepared. Our vision? If teacher preparation programs implement sustainable, quality programming at scale that
recruits and retains diverse, effective new candidates, then more teachers will be
better prepared to positively impact all students.
You can read the blog here:
For more information on the Teacher Preparation Transformation Initiative, please
visit:
April 7, 2022 - TPI Partners with OC Groups Toward a Brighter Future for People with
Disabilities
Read the latest TPI blog to find out about TPI's efforts to improve transition outcomes
for people with disabilities through its partnership with the Orange County Local
Partnership Agreement.
January 28, 2022 - Dr. Kevin Stockbridge has joined the team as CalEPIC Project Manager!
January 21, 2022 - Bridge to the Future V Conference
TPI is partnering with California Transition Alliance to present:
Bridge to the Future V Conference
Spanning the Transition Landscape: The Times They are A-Changin'
Connecting Professionals Serving Youth in Transition
A Virtual Student-Centered Conference
March 7 - 9, 2022
Target Audience: All Pre-K through age 22 educators, administrators, families, and
community stakeholders committed to ensuring ALL students are prepared for competitive,
integrated and family-sustaining employment. ALL means ALL.
Additional Institute Partners: California Department of Education, Sacramento County
Office of Education, California Community of Practice, Interwork Institute at SDSU,
Supporting Inclusive Practices, California Department of Rehabilitation.
January 11, 2022 - TPI is in the news!
TPI's California Educator Preparation Innovation Collaborative, CalEPIC, is featured
in Chapman University's Newsroom. The article details TPI's efforts to develop innovative
approaches that will prepare educators to teach all students equitably in general
education classrooms.
https://news.chapman.edu/.../with-growing-support.../
January 11, 2022 - TPI at TASH!
Dr. Audri Sandoval Gomez, Associate Director of TPI, and Elissa Green Kaustinen, Director
of TPI's FAST@CHOC program, will be presenting at TASH along with Kari Adams, Special
Education Coordinator, Newport-Mesa Unified School District. “It Takes a Village:
Maximizing Educational Outcomes Through Collaborative Relationships” will be presented
on Thursday, December 2 from 1:15-2:00 pm PST.
Stacy Eldred, TPI Graduate Research Assistant, and Megan Doty, Doctoral Candidate Attallah College of Educational Studies, will be presenting “Using a Strengths-Based
Approach to Promote & Facilitate Inclusion for Students with Extensive Needs” on Friday,
December 3 from 1:00 - 1:45 pm PST.
Dr. Don Cardinal, Founding Director of TPI, will be honored with the Barbara R. Trader
Leadership Award on Saturday, December 4 from 3:15 - 4:00 pm PST.
November 19, 2021 - Congratulations, Dr. Cardinal!
Dr. Donald N. Cardinal, the founding director of TPI, will be honored with the Barbara
R. Trader Leadership Award during the 2021 TASH Conference. Dr. Cardinal earned the
award for his lifetime of service, scholarship, and leadership in advancing inclusion
for people with disabilities. The TASH Awards Ceremony will be held virtually for
conference attendees on Saturday, December 4 from 6:15 - 7:00 pm.
October 22, 2021 - Save the Date!
Person Driven Planning to Address Individual Hopes and Dreams
Presenters: Richard Rosenberg and Linda O'Neal
November 17, 2021
3:00 - 4:30 pm
FREE Virtual Workshop
This free workshop is a follow-up to the popular Transition Services breakout session
during the 2021 Summit on DisAbility and Inclusion.
Registration link and more info to follow.
Live closed captioning will be provided. Please email tpi@chapman.edu to request a
language translator.
September 21, 2021 - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grant
TPI is excited to announce a new 3.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
to establish the California Educator Preparation Collaborative (CalEPIC). To learn
more about CalEPIC, please read the latest blog from Attallah College of Educational
Studies:
https://blogs.chapman.edu/.../thompson-policy-institute.../
August 13, 2021 - Congratulations, Dr. James!
TPI wants to congratulate our Office Manager and Special Projects Coordinator, Jennifer
James, who recently graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Education from
the Attallah College of Educational Studies at Chapman University. Her dissertation
is titled, “Systemic Functional Linguistics in the Community College Composition Class:
A Multimodal Approach to Teaching Composition Use the Metalanguage of SFL.” Congratulations,
Dr. James! We are so happy for you and proud
you are part of the TPI team!
July 27, 2021 - TPI will be teaming up with the Fish Interfaith Center at Chapman University
TPI will be teaming up with the Fish Interfaith Center at Chapman University for the
2021 Summit on DisAbility and Inclusion. Drs. Jay Kumar and Sophie Janicke-Bowles,
representing Fish Interfaith Center, will be leading Summit attendees in mindfulness
activities during the Summit breaks. The mindfulness activities will specifically
help attendees deal with living in a digital world. The virtual Summit is free to
attend, but registration is required. To register, please visit:
2021 Summit on DisAbility and Inclusion
Wednesday, August 11
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Virtual
Accessibility: Live closed captioning and ASL interpreters will be provided. The virtual
platform is also screen reader compatible. Please email tpi@chapman.edu for any other
accommodations.
June 15, 2021 - 2021 CA-MTSS Conference
Drs. Meghan Cosier, Audri Sandoval Gomez, and Don Cardinal will be presenting during
the virtual 2021 CA-MTSS Conference. Their presentation, "Are We Moving the Needle
on Access to General Education?: A Five-Year Trend Analysis on California's Outcomes,"
will be on Thursday, July 22 at 11:00 am. To register, please visit https://camtsspli.ocde.us/.../91c570f0-c45e-4d80.../summary
March 29, 2021 - Resource fair to connect families
Elissa Green Kaustinen, TPI's FAST@CHOC Director, is hosting a FREE resource fair
to connect families with therapeutic services, support groups, educational opportunities,
and recreational activities in the community.
Date: April 17, 2021
Time: 10 am - 12 pm
Featuring: Keynote by Dr. Tom Megerian, Pediatric Neurologist and 20 different agencies,
community resources, and businesses supporting Autism. The closing address will be
presented by Able Coffee Roasters.
Giveaways: Raffle prizes and swag bags for the first 100 that register.
Closed captioning through Zoom auto-captioning will be provided.
January 8, 2021 - Setting our Students up for Long-Term Success
Please read the latest TPI blog by GRA Rachel Wiegand and Dr. Amy Jane Griffiths for
strategies to set-up students for successful employment outcomes.
December 11, 2020 - A virtual discussion with Dr. Alfredo J. Artiles of the Stanford Graduate School of
Education
TPI sponsored a virtual discussion with Dr. Alfredo J. Artiles of the Stanford Graduate
School of Education. The presentation, "Notes on the Next Generation of Interdisciplinary
Research on Inclusive Education," was presented in partnership with the AERA Special
and Inclusive Education Research SIG. Dr. Meghan Cosier, TPI's Director, is currently
serving as the Treasurer / Secretary for the SIG. To view the video, please use the
following link and select the "Special Interest Groups" tab:
/.../thompson.../action/index.aspx
November 18, 2020 - TPI's Newest Initiative!
TPI is currently developing a proposal for a California-based Educator Preparation
Innovation Center - CalEPIC. The CalEPIC network will build the capacity of California’s
diverse, well-prepared, and thriving educators to support equity, inclusivity, and
the whole child. The development of CalEPIC is made possible with the generous support
of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
For more information about CalEPIC, please read the blog post from Attallah
College of Educational Studies and visit
www.calepic.org.
