In this episode of Conversations with the Co-op, host Jeffrey Lee sits down with Kate Hurd, ASD Coordinator for the Paul Bunyan Education Cooperative, to explore two distinct approaches to data in special education. Kate shares her perspective on collecting highly accurate, comprehensive data to inform programming decisions, particularly in Federal Setting III center-based classrooms. Jeffrey offers a more streamlined, functional approach often used in Settings I and II. Together, they examine the benefits and limitations of each perspective, the importance of context, and how teams can find the right balance to best support student success.

In this final episode of the 2024–2025 school year, Jeffrey Lee is joined by Lynn Krominga, Assistant Director of Special Education at the Paul Bunyan Education Cooperative, to unpack one of the most foundational and often misunderstood questions in our field: What is special education?

Together, they explore:

• What qualifies as special education and what doesn’t

• The role and purpose of related services in schools

• How teams determine when a student may no longer need special education

• What supports remain available when academic struggles persist

Whether you're a teacher, case manager, related service provider, or administrator, this conversation offers clarity and practical reflection on how we serve students and support teams.

Thanks for listening this school year. We’ll be back in the fall with more conversations to inform and inspire your special education practice.

In this episode of Conversations with the Co-op, host Jeffrey Lee is joined by Jim Kath, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Coordinator at PBEC, for a powerful conversation about how student behavior communicates unmet needs. Rather than viewing behavior through a lens of compliance or disruption, Jim and Jeffrey explore how educators can shift toward curiosity, empathy, and proactive support.

Whether you're a case manager, classroom teacher, or administrator, this episode will help you:

• Understand behavior as a form of communication

• Recognize how unmet needs show up through actions

• Consider strategies for supporting students more effectively

Tune in to reflect on how listening to behavior, not just managing it, can strengthen student and team outcomes.