About TAESE
Empowering Special Education Nationwide
Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE) is part of the technical assistance division at the Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice (IDRPP) at Utah State University. Since 1980, TAESE has built a wide-ranging and enduring legacy of supporting special education systems through expert technical assistance, training, and collaboration. We work with State and Local Education Agencies (SEAs and LEAs), schools, and professional organizations across the country to strengthen services and improve outcomes for children and youth with disabilities.
With our expert understanding, our mission is to improve results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. We work closely with agencies to apply a thorough understanding of federal and state special education laws, including IDEA, Section 504, FERPA, ADA, ESSA, and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
What We Do
TAESE partners with SEAs, LEAs, schools, and professional organizations to deliver:
- Strategic guidance on general supervision responsibilities
- Customized training for educators and administrators
- Data-driven support for performance planning and reporting
- Facilitation and planning for stakeholder engagement
- Conference and event coordination at the state and national level
Our Programs
TAESE is home to a wide range of impactful initiatives, including:
- The TASK12 Consortium – Mentoring and assessment for school-based sign language interpreters
- The National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials & Instruction (NCADEMI)
- Center on Educational Recruitment and Retention
- Center on Data and Accountability
- Special Education Conference Planning and Implementation
- Dispute Resolution in Special Education (DRSE) Workgroups
- The Center for State Special Education Leadership and Conflict Engagement
- The National Resource Center for Paraeducators (NRCP)
- New SEA Staff Cohort Trainings
Our Expertise
TAESE offers tailored support in areas such as:
- SEAP and ICC orientations and trainings
- Assistance with SPP/APR data collection, analysis, and reporting, including SEA and LEA level data drill-down workshops
- Facilitation for stakeholder groups, including consensus workshops, action-planning workshops, and strategic planning at SEA and LEA levels
- LEA and school-level special education training on many special education topics
- Program evaluations and procedural guidance at SEA and LEA levels
- Onboarding materials, orientations, and webinars for new LEA Special Education Directors
- Federal monitoring preparation for SEAs
- Supporting LEAs with for CAPs resulting from SEA monitoring
- Online systems and social media for teacher recruitment
- State-level conference planning and implementation
Why TAESE?
With over four decades of experience, TAESE is more than a service provider - we’re a trusted partner in building effective education systems that serve all learners. Our work is grounded in collaboration, innovation, and a deep commitment to fairness and excellence in special education.