Virginia Land Shuss

Recognized as an accomplished teacher, leader, consultant and researcher in special education. Proven ability to design effective programs for a diverse population of students. Extensive knowledge of the laws, types of disabilities and how they impact student learning and curriculum design.

Knowledgeable special education leader with proven ability to engage and motivate groups in diverse settings. Facilitated numerous successful workshops, ensuring participants gained valuable insights and skills. Demonstrated strong communication and organizational skills to enhance learning experiences.

• President of the Council for Administrators of Special Education in Arizona
• Pinal County Special Education Directors
• Council for Exceptional Children
• Council of Administrators for Special Education
• Arizona School Administrators

• Learning Disabilities
• Emotional Disabilities
• Intellectual Disabilities
• Multiple Disabilities
• Autism

Presentations, workshops, consultations for educators, administrators, psychologists, therapists, parents, students, doctoral candidates 

• Positive Behavior Interventions – Successful strategies for students demonstrating challenging behaviors
• What is a Learning Disability – Understanding what a learning disability is and how it influences student’s learning
• Effective Instructional Practices – Teaching to students with learning disabilities, understanding evaluation results and how to apply them
• Autism- Understanding and implementing best practices for students with autism
• Transition from High School to Work for Students with Disabilities -Best practices for students transitioning from high school
• IEP Facilitation and Implementation –Writing and implementing effective individual educational plans
• IDEA and the Law-Special education law and how it drives the services provided in public in the school settings,
• Communication Between Educators- How to maintain collaboration between general education teachers and special education teachers to best meet the needs of students in the least restrictive environment
• The Role of the Paraprofessional – Understanding the role of the paraprofessional in the classroom
• Reporting and Monitoring Student Progress –How to regularly assess student progress and track academic progress
• Differentiation – How to adjust instruction to meet the diverse needs of students

• Foundations of Special Education
• Introduction to Special Education
• Applied Behavior Strategies

• Dissertation, Decisions in Individual Educational Program Meetings-Influential Factors, This study focused on the factors that influence decision making in IEP meetings. A mixed methods exploratory design instrument model was used involving interviews, which drove the case study survey. The findings challenge a commonly held notion that all educational decisions are made 'by the book'. Many variables have important implications for educational outcomes and services for students with disabilities.
• Master’s Thesis, Psycho-educational Evaluation, Testing, interpreting and writing a comprehensive evaluation to determine special education eligibility.

• Facilitation Training - 2022 to Present (on going)
• Mediation Training - 2024
• Current Special Education Certificate in ED, MIID, MOID, LD, Supervision