Educational Services

Ricki Light, M.Ed.
Director of Education

Ricki has been an educational advocate and strategist in Arizona since 2000. Prior to that, she had twenty years of experience as a special educator in the public school system in Canada and Los Angeles. In addition to teaching special education, she was a Least Restrictive Environment Facilitator, Special Education Program Specialist, Behavior Specialist and Career and Transition Teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District. She is certified in Arizona, California and Canada as a general and special education teacher and has her masters degrees in counseling and school administration. She is a Level III Advocate for special education in the State of Arizona. Ricki has a child-centered philosophy and works in conjunction with educational teams in designing classroom strategies to meet the unique learning, academic or behavioral needs of her clients.

Consultation
1 1/ 2 hour meeting with parents (and child if needed) to establish a good working team
• Review of recent medical and school records
• Conversations with school personnel, physicians, caregivers etc.
• Initial action plan

Telephone Conferences and E-mail Communication

School Observation
 Observations in the classroom, cafeteria and/or schoolyard
• Discussions with school personnel
• Follow up phone call to parents

Written Report
• Educational background information
• Report on classroom observations
• Recommended strategies, modifications and accommodations
• Educational team meeting notes

Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
• Assist school teams in conducting FBA’s and in the preparation of Positive Behavioral Support Plans

Advocacy
• Attend IEP meetings, 504 Accommodation and Student Success Team meetings
• Assist with mediation meetings

Professional Development Training
Workshops for administrators, teachers, assistants, parents and support staff on the following topics:
• Case manager training for Functional Behavior Assessment Teams
• ADHD, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Tourette’s Syndrome and Learning Disabilities
• Teaching the diverse learner in general education classrooms
• Methods for teaching children in the Least Restrictive Environment
• Designing individual positive behavior support plans for the classroom
• Paraprofessional training for individuals that work with children with special needs in the general and special education classroom
• Methods for including children with special needs in the general education classroom

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