Host Tracy Lynn welcomes Michele Tolson, Assistant Director of Secondary Special Education for Kansas City Public Schools, to discuss leading districtwide special education with an equity lens. Michele shares how growing up as one of the few Black students shaped her commitment to representation, inclusion, and making students feel capable and welcomed. She explains her responsibilities overseeing services, staffing allocation, IDEA/IEP compliance, parent concerns, homebound and privately placed students, while navigating a severe national special education staffing shortage.

Other topics they discuss include: how charter school dynamics can concentrate higher-need students in the district, the impact of year-round transfers, and strategies such as contract practitioners, expanding paraprofessional capacity, and using retired educators for classroom support and IEP writing.

Please like, subscribe, and follow to stay Q-Ed Up for more insights. Q-Ed Up amplifies the voices of educators. Hosted by Tracy Lynn, this

show shares real stories from teachers, leaders, and innovators—digging

into what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s next in education through

science, soul, and stories. Sponsored by Quantum Education

Professionals.

 

Quantum Education Professionals connects schools with the specialized

staff they need, from nurses and therapists to special education and

STEM teachers. With over 20 years of experience, our Q360 Workforce

Solutions make staffing simple, freeing administrators to focus on

students while we provide the right professionals to support learning.

 

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