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Training & Coaching That Strengthen Every Layer of Your System

Building stronger teams, one level of leadership at a time.

Sustainable systems depend on people, and people need support to grow, lead, and adapt. DECS District Support Services provides targeted training and coaching across your district—from paraeducators to principals—so professional learning translates into consistent practice and long-term stability.

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When Professional Learning Loses Momentum

Districts are investing significant time and resources in professional development—yet impact often fades quickly when training isn’t connected to daily realities.

We commonly hear that:

  • PD calendars are full, but staff still feel underprepared for complex classroom situations
  • New teachers struggle to find their footing and leave before systems support them
  • Paraeducators are committed and capable, but lack role clarity and structured training
  • Principals balance supervision, compliance, and behavior challenges with little space for coaching
  • ESDs and district PD leads are stretched thin, searching for credible, implementation-ready training

DECS helps districts move from training volume to training value—by aligning learning to systems, roles, and practice.

Our Focus: Training, Coaching, and Capacity Building

We design professional learning that connects instruction, behavior, and operations. Each engagement is tailored to your district’s needs and can be delivered in person, virtually, or in a blended format. Our training is built for immediate application, shared clarity across teams, and long-term sustainability.

Areas of District Support

Here are our four key areas of focus. Each includes an overview, sample learning module titles, and options for customization.

Paraeducator Program Audit & Training

Equip frontline staff with the skills, clarity, and confidence to support instruction, student independence, and inclusive practices.

  • Who’s Who and What’s What in Special Education
  • What’s Your Role?
  • Professionalism and Confidentiality
  • Behavior Basics
  • Taking Care of You: Paraeducator Self-Management
  • - Basics of Instruction
  • - Prevention Strategies
  • - An Introduction to Behavioral Principles and Terms
  • - Behavioral Measurement
  • - Prompts and Prompt Fading
  • In-Person Workshops
  • Virtual Interactive Sessions
  • Blended Learning Model (live + on-demand)
  • Asynchronous Virtual Interactive Courses

Paraeducators, teachers who supervise paraeducators, and building administrators.

  • Download Paraeducator Training Overview (PDF)

Areas of District Support

Below are the four key areas of focus. Each section includes an overview, sample modules, and a link to download a detailed outline.

Instructional Practice & Teacher Capacity Building

Strengthen instructional practice across special education and general education by building shared understanding, consistent expectations, and evidence-based approaches that support inclusive learning for all students.

This support involves custom courses and pathways of learning for new, returning, and experienced educators who are navigating increasingly complex classrooms and systems.

  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Practice
  • Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) Within Inclusive Settings
  • Evidence-Based Instructional Practices Across Content Areas
  • Standards-Based Grading and Assessment
  • Classroom Structure, Behavior, and Data Systems
  • Family Communication and Collaborative Problem-Solving
  • One-on-One Virtual Coaching (monthly or bi-monthly)
  • Cohort Coaching for District Induction Programs, PLCs, or Teams
  • Reentry Coaching for Returning Educators from Leave or Role Transition

Educators across roles and experience levels who:

  • understand their instructional responsibilities within inclusive systems
  • share common language and expectations across general and special education
  • feel supported to grow and stay in the profession
  • Download New Teacher Training Overview (PDF)

Areas of District Support

Below are the four key areas of focus. Each section includes an overview, sample modules, and a link to download a detailed outline.

Principal Training, Continuous Improvement, & Leadership Development

Strengthen school leadership capacity by supporting principals and assistant principals to lead improvement, supervise instruction, and navigate change with clarity and confidence—especially in inclusive, high-accountability environments.

This support recognizes that today’s school leaders are not only supervisors, but systems leaders responsible for continuous improvement, data-informed decision-making, and responsive leadership in an ever-changing context.

  • Leading Inclusive Schools Across General & Special Education
  • Continuous Improvement Cycles & School Improvement Planning
  • Data Collection, Analysis, and Decision-Making for School Leaders
  • Evaluating Instruction & Special Education Practice
  • Coaching Teachers for Growth, Accountability, and Equity
  • Leading Through Change, Uncertainty, and Competing Priorities
  • Managing Conflict, Family Communication, and Community Trust
  • Leading Inclusive Schools
  • Evaluating Special Education Instruction
  • Coaching Teachers for Growth and Compliance
  • Managing Conflict and Family Communication
  • Data-Informed Decision-Making
  • One-to-One Executive Coaching
  • Principal or Assistant Principal Cohorts
  • School leadership teams
  • Leadership retreats and targeted workshops

Building leaders who want to:

  • strengthen instructional supervision across general and special education
  • lead meaningful school improvement efforts grounded in data and evidence
  • build systems that support consistency, equity, and sustainability
  • navigate change thoughtfully without losing focus on students or staff
  • Download Principal Supervision Coaching (PDF)

Areas of District Support

Below are the four key areas of focus. Each section includes an overview, sample modules, and a link to download a detailed outline.

License DECS Asynchronous Professional Learning

Expand access to high-quality, equity-centered professional learning through DECS-developed asynchronous courses, designed to build shared understanding, practical skill, and systemwide consistency over time.

All DECS courses are:

  • fully built and ready to deploy
  • grounded in evidence-based practice
  • designed for adult learners
  • developed through an equity and inclusion lens that prioritizes the rights and dignity of both students and educators

DECS asynchronous courses are not static slide decks or passive videos. They are intentionally designed to:

  • engage adult learners through reflection, application, and practice
  • connect theory to real classroom and leadership decisions
  • support consistent implementation across roles and schools
  • reinforce inclusive practice in both general and special education

Courses address areas such as:

  • inclusive instructional practice and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
  • specially designed instruction (SDI)
  • MTSS systems and progress monitoring
  • paraeducator roles and classroom support
  • compliance-aligned instructional decision-making

DECS courses are housed in Canvas, allowing for flexibility and scalability.

  • Districts without Canvas may access courses through DECS-hosted environments.
  • Districts that already use Canvas can choose technical integration with their existing LMS, enabling:
  • Custom Curriculum Integration
  • single sign-on and streamlined access
  • consistent user experience for staff
  • easier tracking of participation and completion

Integration is designed to minimize administrative burden while maintaining fidelity to course design.

  • School districts seeking consistent, scalable professional learning
  • Educational Service Districts (ESDs)
  • Regional or multi-district collaboratives
  • District PD leads looking to supplement or strengthen existing learning pathways
  • Annual or multi-year licensing agreements
  • Districtwide, regional, or role-specific access
  • Optional implementation guidance and support from the DECS team

Licensing DECS courses allows districts to build internal capacity without relying on repeated external facilitation.

Educators and leaders who:

  • share common language and expectations
  • apply inclusive, evidence-based practices with confidence
  • experience professional learning as relevant, accessible, and respectful of their time
  • grow skills that support students and systems long after the course is completed
  • Download Principal Supervision Coaching (PDF)

What Districts Gain

The coaching changed how our principals lead: they are now calm, clear, and confident.

  • Superintendent, Washington

Aligned professional learning across departments and leadership levels.

Staff who stay longer because they feel competent, supported, and valued.

Improved student outcomes through better-trained adults.

Scalable systems that can grow with our district over time.

The Process That Delivers Results

Professional learning only sticks when it’s intentional, supported, and built around your real context. Every DECS training or coaching engagement follows a clear, proven process:

Step 1

Discovery & Alignment

We meet with district leadership to clarify goals, priorities, and the audiences you want to support.

Step 2

Design & Customization

Our team adapts training modules, coaching plans, and delivery formats (in-person, virtual, or blended) to your exact needs.

Step 3

Delivery & Engagement

We facilitate live sessions, workshops, or cohort coaching experiences that connect directly to classroom, campus, and district realities.

Step 4

Coaching & Follow-Through

After training, we provide optional leadership or implementation coaching to ensure new skills turn into daily habits.

Step 5

Measurement & Reflection

We review feedback, participation data, and implementation progress, refining the plan to sustain growth long after our sessions end.

Proven Results

This wasn’t a one-and-done PD. It actually changed how our people lead.

  • Assistant Superintendent, Pacific Northwest

Paraeducator Development

In one mid-size district, trained paras improved classroom data collection accuracy by 40% within 60 days.

New Teacher Retention

A Washington-area district reduced special-education teacher turnover by 25% after adding reentry coaching.

Principal Leadership

Leaders who completed executive coaching reported stronger instructional feedback conversations and calmer parent interactions.

Licensed PD Expansion

An ESD trained 120+ staff using DECS-licensed content, ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery across seven districts.

Why Districts Choose DECS

  • We’ve led from every level — paraeducator to director to superintendent.
  • We train with context. Every session connects to the realities of district life, not abstract theory.
  • We build internal capacity. We equip your staff to lead, teach, and coach, independently.
  • We make it scalable. Every training can be licensed, replicated, and adapted to future needs.

Our Focus: empowering the people who make systems work.

Who This Program Serves Best

We work with teams eager to move beyond quick fixes and build systems that truly empower staff and students alike.

Best Fit:

  • Need cohesive, system-wide professional development that connects every role: paraeducators to principals.
  • Want training that is practical, evidence-based, and ready to implement.
  • Are facing turnover, burnout, or inconsistent supervision across schools.
  • Desire scalable options: from single-district PD days to regional ESD licensing.

Not Ideal For:

  • Districts seeking a single PD session with no follow-through or coaching.
  • Teams not ready to align time, systems, and leadership around shared goals.

When your goal is sustainable compliance, not just compliance hours, DECS District Support Service Package is the right fit.

FAQs

Clarity and Confidence in Every Step

Yes. All sessions are tailored to your context, initiatives, and staff roles.

Yes. Blended models are highly effective and easy to implement across large districts.

Absolutely. Most packages include or can add ongoing coaching to reinforce learning.

Yes. We offer flexible licensing options with support for implementation fidelity.

We Partner for Sustainable Change

Invest in the People Who Run Your System

Sustainable change happens when every adult in the system grows.
From paraeducators to principals, DECS helps your staff build skills, confidence, and clarity one training at a time.

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