Team Leader Resources
School-Based Team Leader Resources
Through our work with Education Team Leaders, Special Education Directors, 504 Coordinators, and Transition Coordinators statewide, CES Specialists have developed resources and tools to help school-based team leaders ensure that students are well-supported, practices are compliant, and that teams work collaboratively.
CES is making many of these toolkits and other resources available free of charge, including the monthly School-Based Team Leader Update newsletter, and the IEP Team Leader Toolkit!
School-Based Team Leader Update
Connecting IEP, 504, and Transition team leaders across Massachusetts. Formerly known as the IEP Team Leader Update, this monthly publication has now been expanded to the School-based Team Leader Update for SY 2026-27. Each month, you’ll find a brief overview of a new topic, with current resources related to it. Each issue includes:
- A topic overview
- Current resources related to the topic
- Effective practices for different types of teams
- Practical tools to support your work
- Information about trainings and support
- Updates from DESE to inform your work in schools
Please share the Update with others that might be interested!
Anyone can click here to subscribe and receive the monthly Updates in their email inbox, or you may find new issues posted here on this page.
The IEP Team Leader Toolkit
CES has created the IEP Toolkit as a series of free digital, downloadable resources to support teams for implementing the Massachusetts IEP. These resources are updated regularly.
This online resource provides view-only access to the folder and subfolders – and visitors may make their own copies of forms and resources for their use, or download copies to their desktop. The IEP Toolkit has been created by CES Special Education Specialists for Special Education Directors, Education Team Leaders, Special and General Education Teachers, and Related Services Providers. Resources contained in the CES IEP Toolkit relate only to the Massachusetts IEP.
The CES IEP Toolkit is available under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND license. This license enables reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The Toolkit contains meeting agendas, sample charts, goals, and templates, crosswalks, checklists, forms, slide presentations, timelines, and a definition sheet library for the IEP process. These tools are invaluable for managing an IEP team or for anyone working with the Massachusetts IEP. Our specialists continue to grow this library, and you can browse this folder at any time to get expertise at your fingertips!
Join Our Special Education Communities of Practice for FY2026-27!
These communities are designed to connect Team Leaders from different districts both during our virtual meetings and as partners between meeting times via email. The outcomes that you’ll experience as a participant are the opportunity to share your problems of practice, the opportunity to help others by providing resources and ideas from your district, and the opportunity to get information about current priorities and best practices for special education services and teams in Massachusetts.
Communities of Practice are available in SY2026-27 for Elementary IEP Team Leaders, Secondary IEP Team Leaders, 504 Coordinators, Transition Coordinators, and Early Childhood Special Education Team Leaders.
Meet the CES Team
Laurel Peltier
Laurel Peltier holds an Ed.D. in Special Education Leadership and C.A.G.S. in Special Education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, as well as a professional license as a Special Education Administrator in Massachusetts. She has over 25 years of experience in transition assessment, planning and service delivery, and has provided leadership for transition in public schools and at the college level. Laurel is a co-author of Responsive Collaboration for IEP and 504 Teams (CORWIN, May 2022) to support all stakeholders at the IEP or 504 table – educators, related service providers, parents/caregivers, and students – with tools and strategies to experience more satisfying collaboration. She is also the designer and leader of the Special Education Team Leader Institute.
Prior to joining the team at CES, Laurel developed and led public and private secondary school programs for students with disabilities, taught undergraduate and graduate courses in special education and writing, and acted as a consultant and professional development provider for more than 20 school districts in Massachusetts. Her most recent post was with the Amherst Pelham Regional High School. In addition to her professional experience, Laurel brings experience as the parent of a child with autism and intellectual disabilities.
Position: Curriculum and Instructional Specialist in Special Education
Email: lpeltier@collaborative.org
Mary Geiring
Mary A. Geiring is a CES Special Education Co – Teaching and Inclusion Specialist in the Professional Development Department. She holds a Special Education Ph.D. from the University of New Orleans in 2018, a Masters of Science in Special Education from Southern Connecticut State University, and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Sacred Heart University. She is a member of the American Education Research Association, the National Association for Special Educators, the National Association for Multicultural Education, and the Council for Exceptional Children. Her major areas of research include teacher collaboration, teacher preparation, responsive classroom, teacher induction, and inclusion practices. Prior to joining CES, Mary was an LEA Facilitator at Muscogee County Schools in Columbus, GA. Her previous experience includes Program Director of the Special Education and Habilitative Services Department at the University of New Orleans, and over nine years of experience as a special education instructor in school settings.
Position: Curriculum and Instructional Specialist
Email: mgeiring@collaborative.org