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Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC)
Providing professional learning, resources, and technical assistance to educators

Inclusion/High-Leverage Practices

Inclusive practices, a hallmark of schools that promote opportunities for individual talents and gifts to be cultivated and shared, promote positive student outcomes.  A VDOE priority initiative, inclusive practices involve co-teaching strategies, family engagement, and high-leverage practices, which are foundational research-based practices proven effective for all students. 

TTAC at GMU supports inclusive practices by working with school divisions in Region 4 to build sustainability and scale up High-Leverage Practices (HLPs), co-teaching strategies, and family engagement through collaboration with Region 4 schools and divisions, professional learning sessions, resources and supports.  To support Virginia’s Statewide Inclusion Action Plan and improve co-teaching throughout Virginia, TTAC at GMU collaborates with co-teaching demonstration teams, who serve as exemplar co-teaching teams that model effective practices in Region 4. 

High Leverage Practices (HLPs)

Researchers from the CEEDAR Center and Council for Exceptional Children identified 22 research-based High Leverage Practices, which are foundational teaching practices, proven effective for all students. HLPs can be woven into core instruction in the general education setting to intentionally design, deliver, and assess instruction that leads to equitable learning outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities. HLPs are research-based instructional practices that occur in any content area; practices that occur with high frequency in any learning environment; practices that have component parts so that teachers can implement them with fidelity; practices that improve student outcomes. HLPs focus on four major areas of practice: collaboration, assessment, social/emotional/behavioral, and instructional.

High Leverage Practices for Students with Disabilities

This website houses information, resources, and videos about HLPs from the CEEDAR Center and CEC.

Council for Exceptional Children's Introduction to HLPs Video

High Leverage Practice Crosswalks for Literacy, Math and Transition (VDOE TTAC at GMU)

Based on the work of the CEEDAR Center and Council for Exceptional Children, the GMU TTAC Team has created High Leverage Practice Crosswalks in the areas of Math, Literacy, and Transition to support stakeholders in developing personalized professional learning and targeted support, with the goal of bridging research into "practical" classroom practice to improve performance outcomes. The HLP Crosswalks are dynamic documents that will be periodically updated with the most current research and practical resources. 

Check out the High Leverage Practice Crosswalks for Literacy, Math, and Transition on TTAC Online!

Literacy:

Mathematics:

Transition:

HLP Self-Paced Professional Learning Sessions

Expand your knowledge about research-based High Leverage Practices (HLPs) and earn certificates of participation. Professional learning sessions are located on Virtual Virginia.

Professional Learning Topics:

  • HLP 7: Setting the Stage for Learning - Establish a Consistent, Organized and Respectful Learning Environment (Certificate of Participation for 5 hours)
  • HLP 1: Collaboration 101 (Certificate of Participation for 2 hours)
  • HLP 16 & 22: Explicit Instruction and Effective Teacher Feedback (Certificate of Participation for 5 hours)
  • HLP 17: Use Flexible Grouping (Certificate of Participation for 3 hours)
  • HLP 18: Active Engagement Strategies (Certificate of Participation for 3 hours)
  • School Leaders, Administration & Instructional Coaches: Strategies for Teacher Retention and Support - Scale up with HLPs (Certificate of Completion for 1 hour)

Customize Professional Learning

TTAC at GMU can customize HLP self-paced professional learning to build capacity with sustainable HLPs to meet division and/or school goals.

Please contact Catherine Martin to learn more.

Excellence in Co-Teaching Demonstration Sites

In 2014, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) created the Excellence in Co-Teaching Initiative to promote effective co-teaching practices with co-teaching teams who serve as demonstration sites for schools to observe exemplar co-teaching practices and approaches. TTAC Online's eWorkshops and eWebshops include instructional videos, lesson plans, and resources created by demonstration teams, who are also referred to as the "Real Co-Teachers of Virginia."

2024-2025 Excellence in Co-Teaching Demonstration Sites Contact Information

Region 4 Co-Teaching Demonstration Sites:

Region 4 has two co-teaching demonstration sites who were identified through a rigorous and competitive process. Co-teaching teams and administrators are invited to observe model co-taught lessons and exemplary practices in action at demonstrations sites in Loudoun County Public Schools.

Discovery Elementary (Loudoun County, Grade 3)

Freedom High School (Loudoun County, Algebra 2)

To schedule a virtual or in-person observation of Region 4's Excellence in Co-Teaching Teams, email TTAC GMU Coordinator, Melissa Gunter.

Co-Teaching Responsibilities

Collaboratively, co-teachers instruct all students with inclusive high-leverage practices, using different co-teaching approaches. Three main responsibilities of teams include: collaborating during planning, instruction, and assessment. Listed below are resources that support these co-teacher responsibilities.

Co-Planning: HLPs 1-3

Co-Instruction: HLPs 11-22

Co-Assessment: HLPs 4-6

Focus Area Coordinators

  • Melissa Gunter Coordinator, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
    MS, Longwood University
  • Catherine Martin Coordinator, Inclusion/High-Leverage Practices; Math
    PhD, George Mason University
  • Tricia Morgan Coordinator, Secondary Transition
    EdD, Liberty University