This article was written and published by Aurora Dreger  — June 30th, 2025

May is always a busy time in education, and at EALA, this May was no exception.

We gathered in Scottsdale, Arizona, for the fourth convening of the Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA) Community of Action, bringing together 29 incredible participants from 22 organizations across the education sector.

As Project Director of the Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA), this initiative is especially close to my heart. The Community of Action isn’t a panel or a keynote series: it’s a working space. It’s where cross-sector teams get in one room, identify persistent challenges facing students with disabilities and learning differences, and co-design solutions that can move from whiteboard to real-world impact.

What made this convening especially exciting? We were able to fund more projects than ever before, meaning more student-facing innovations are getting the support they need to move forward, faster.

Over the course of three days, participants developed ideas, pressure-tested them with their peers, and pitched them to the full group. By the end, the community selected several projects for direct implementation funding, a rare and powerful outcome in a landscape where bold ideas are often under-resourced.

I’m incredibly grateful to every person and organization who made this convening possible. Your energy, urgency, and creativity are what power this work.

👥 Shout out to all the amazing organizations represented: All It Takes, All Means All, Blue Engine, BootUp, CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology), Education Through Music-Los Angeles, Bartlett City Schools, Geffen Playhouse, Gladeo, IEP&Me, Marshall Street, MindWorks Collaborative, National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), National Parents Union, New Legacy Charter School, ReadWorks, SELF – Special Education Leader Fellowship, Neurodiversity in STEM at TERC, The RILEY Project , The Village it Takes, LLC, Fun Zone Fundamentals Sports Camp For Homeless Kids

🙌 And to the 29 attendees who brought their full selves to the work: Dr. A’Seret Dokubo, Aisha Chappell, Alicia Ciocca , Brian Allman, Coretta Martin, Emma Stotts, Heather Cunningham, Ed.D, Jason B. Allen, Jenna Connor, Katie Ryan, M.A., KB Cunningham, Kelli Suding, M.Ed., CPACC, Kelly Paulson, Lori Woodley-Langendorff, MS, PPS, Malcolm Baker, M.Ed., Martrice Gandy, Melissa Malone Sanjeh, Michelle Cho, Nathalie Karimian, Neema Desai, Riley Mulcahy, Ron Crockett, Seamus McLean, Shayna Harris, M.S.W., Stephanie Lassalle, Susanne Nobles, Tafshier Kim Cosby, Tiffiny C. Reckley, MMEd, Chris Santangelo

The Community of Action isn’t a think tank. It’s a do-tank – and this is just the beginning.

Learn more about EALA’s Community of Action:

• Community of Action – EALA – Educating All Learners Alliance
• Sign Up for Updates
• Driving Impact Through Community-Driven Innovation: How EALA’s Community of Action is Advancing Transformative Solutions in Education

About Educating All Learners Alliance

The Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA) is an uncommon coalition of organizations committed to resource sharing and community-building that supports the efforts of the education community to meet the needs of students with disabilities.

We are committed to showing the path to possible for practitioners by providing curated, searchable resources, access to experts, a tech library featuring accessibility features in edtech, and examples from the field. Learn more: https://educatingalllearners.org/