Join me as I speak with Sarah Sandelius and Kristen N. Briggs from The Ability Challenge about revolutionizing special education through their groundbreaking THRIVE Framework. We need to shift from deficit-based thinking to presuming competence in all learners.

You'll Learn:

  • Why focusing on Tier 1 instruction is essential for ALL students
  • How to move beyond compliance metrics to meaningful student outcomes
  • The critical difference between visible and invisible disabilities
  • Why "kids will meet whatever bar you set for them, low or high"
  • Practical strategies for creating truly inclusive learning environments

Sarah Sandelius, a former lawyer who founded The Ability Challenge, shares her personal journey from witnessing educational inequity to creating systems-level change. Kristen N. Briggs brings her invaluable perspective as a special education teacher and school leader, highlighting how intentional support systems can transform educational experiences for students with disabilities.

Episode Mentions:

  • National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)
    • Insights for Navigating the Transition to Adulthood
    • Forward Together
  • IDEA
  • MTSS-i
  • Juliana Tapper, M.Ed - Teaching 6-12 Math Intervention
  • The Ability Challenge's 2025 White Paper "From ABC to THRIVE"

Chapters:

  • 00:00 - Introduction and overview
  • 01:00 - Meet Sarah Sandelius and Kristen Briggs
  • 02:00 - Research that informs their work
  • 03:50 - Kristen on lived experience vs. academic research
  • 06:10 - Sarah's journey to founding The Ability Challenge
  • 09:56 - Understanding visible vs. invisible disabilities
  • 11:59 - What schools could do better to support students
  • 13:21 - The problem of "Tier 2 and 3 ourselves out of a Tier 1 challenge"
  • 17:23 - The importance of collaborative professional learning
  • 19:29 - The THRIVE Framework explained
  • 21:50 - Taking a systems-level approach to special education
  • 24:40 - Moving beyond compliance metrics to meaningful assessment
  • 27:46 - Grade-level content access for all students
  • 29:08 - The "what, so what, now what" data analysis protocol
  • 31:32 - Setting high expectations and checking educator biases
  • 34:34 - Future vision and emerging trends in special education
  • 37:17 - Building teacher knowledge around specialized instruction
  • 38:37 - Resources for understanding functions of behavior
  • 39:12 - Reimagining staffing approaches

When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

See All 224 Episodes of "Schoolutions"