Peggy A. Yates, Ed.D. With twenty-five years of PK-12 teaching experience as a special and general education teacher, and three years as a special education administrator, she utilizes her experiences and extensive academic training to engage teachers in learning. Her publications and current research, including international and national presentations, encompass understanding how to utilize classroom support staff to optimize services for students with special needs. Her most recent project includes curating with a colleague and instructing the CEC/CEEDAR CENTER/PAR2A webinar series, High Leverage Practices for Paraeducators. The series provides free, on-demand training for paraeducators and is available in the CEC Learning Library. Dr. Yates is actively involved in the Paraeducator Special Interest Group-Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children and serves as the Advocacy and Communications Chair. Nationally, she serves the field as a site evaluator in the teacher education accreditation process and locally, she serves as the vice president for the Alma Public Schools Board of Education.
Educational Background Dr. Yates’ credentials represent a compilation of a drive for improving special education and include: Doctor of Education (University of Michigan-Flint), Director of Special Education (Full Approval from the Michigan Department of Education), Masters in Special Education-Learning Disabilities and Emotional Disorders (Saginaw Valley State University) and a Masters in Middle Level Education (Central Michigan University). She holds a Michigan Department of Education Administrator Certificate with Central Office endorsement and is a certified special education and general education teacher in the State of Michigan.
Yates, P., & Chopra, R. (2021). Tools for Teachers: Delegating Instructional Tasks to Paraeducators. Council for Exceptional Children Paraeducator Webinar Series. Available for purchase on the CEC website-learning library.
Presentations (2019-2023): Yates, P. (March 2023). What Every Paraeducator Must Know-Tips and Tools for Training Programs. Pennsylvania Department of Education Conference 2023. Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Yates, P. (March 2023). Top Ten Tips for Paraeducator Supervision. Pennsylvania Department of Education Conference 2023. Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Yates, P. (Feb. 2023). What A Paraeducator Must Know to Support Students with LD. Learning Disabilities Association Annual International Conference 2023; Las Vegas, NV.
Yates, P. & Chopra, R. (Jan. 2023).Working with Students with Diverse Learning Needs: What Every Paraeducator Must Know. 24th International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability, and Developmental Disabilities-Council for Exceptional Children; Clearwater, FL.
Yates, P. & Chopra, R. (2022). Utilizing the CEC’s HLPs for Paraeducator Series in Teacher Preparation and PD. Council for Exceptional Children-Teacher Education Division Conference; Richmond, Virginia.
Yates, P. (2022). Paraeducators’ Journey to Teacher Licensure: Critical Supports and Challenges. Council for Exceptional Children International Conference; Orlando, Florida.
Yates, P. (2022). Tools for Teachers: Delegating Instructional Tasks to Paraeducators. Council for Exceptional Children International Conference; Orlando, Florida.
Yates, P. (2021). Paraeducator to Teacher Pathways: Navigating the Challenges. Council for Exceptional Children-Teacher Education Division Conference; Fort Worth, Texas.
Yates, P. (2021). Tools for Teachers: Working with Paraeducators. Council for Exceptional Children-Teacher Education Division Conference; Fort Worth, Texas.
Yates, P. (2021). Teacher-Guided Professional Development for the Paraeducator. Council for Exceptional Children Conference; CEC-Live 2021. United States.
Yates P., Chopra, R., Morano, S., & Sobeck, E., (2021). Paraeducator to Teacher Pathways: Creative Solutions to Alleviate Teacher Shortages, Council for Exceptional Children Conference; CEC-Live 2021. United States.
Yates P. (2020). Incorporating Paraeducators in the Inclusionary Setting, Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity; Honolulu, HI. Yates, P. (2020). Ongoing Professional Development for the Paraeducator: Lessons from the Field. Learning Disabilities Association’s (LDA) 57th Annual International Conference; Orlando, Florida, United States.
Yates P. (2020). Mentoring the Paraeducator to Maximize Educational Benefit. Council for Exceptional Children Conference; Portland, Oregon, United States.
Yates P. (2019). Training Special Education Preservice Teachers to Effectively Coach and Mentor Classroom Paraeducators. Council for Exceptional Children, Teacher Education Division Conference; New Orleans, LA, United States.
Chopra, R., Yates, P., Morano, S., Sobeck, E., Douglas, S., (2019). Embedding Research-based Content on Paraeducator Supervision in Teacher Education. Council for Exceptional Children, Teacher Education Division Conference; New Orleans, LA, United States.
Yates P. (2019). Fostering Ongoing Professional Growth for Paraeducators: Recommendations from the Field, Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity; Honolulu, HI.
Yates P. (2019). Integrating Social Emotional Learning, Transitions Skills, and an Element of Service, Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity; Honolulu, HI.
Yates P. (2019). Effectively Incorporating Classroom Paraeducators to Optimize Individualized Instruction. Council for Exceptional Children; Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.