MASTERMINDS
A Professional Development Series for Current & Emerging Leaders in Education
Caplan & Earnest’s Masterminds Program offers a haven for special education and Section 504 administrators, where they can learn information and skills while building camaraderie with a cohort of the best-and-brightest peers who understand the demands of this work. In your sessions, engage in refreshing, action-oriented conversations with seasoned attorneys and fellow education administrators, and gain the clarity you need to deliver the support and leadership your colleagues and school communities deserve.
- Improve morale for yourself and others
- Hear and understand different viewpoints
- Define, refine, and recommit to your priorities
- Learn the risk factors that lead to legal disputes
- Play with ideas you’ve encountered nowhere else
- See your familiar territory in a new and positive light
- Form connections with bright and dedicated leaders, just like you
- Participate in engaging lectures with Caplan & Earnest attorneys
Students with Disabilities
Since the foundation of the Masterminds Program, energetic, supportive Masterminds have built this track into a treasured marketplace of ideas for special education leaders throughout the state. These professionals face weighty challenges and overwhelming complexities day after day. Masterminds promotes camaraderie and procedural acumen for these leaders, who serve as essential intermediaries between schools, districts, and families. Attorneys Beth Friel and Hope Griffin facilitate a Masterminding process that offers invaluable perspectives and actionable ideas for navigating the ever-evolving landscape of education for students with disabilities.
New This Year: Masterminds Group Rate
As a thank you to our Masterminds community, a district or board of cooperative educational services can sign up all their special education and Section 504 administrators for a flat rate of $6,000, which includes four extra directors-only Mega-Masterminding sessions.
The individual rate for the program is $1,200 for special education and Section 504 administrators, and $1,600 for directors and executive directors.
Please note that participation in the Masterminds program does not create an attorney-client relationship with Caplan & Earnest, LLC. Presentations do not constitute legal advice, and discussions during monthly meetings are not protected by attorney-client privilege.
Schedule
The Masterminds Program is a professional development series running from September 2026 through May 2027. The Special Education program track includes 10 virtual one-hour sessions, plus an additional four, one-hour sessions for directors and executive directors. meetings run on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, with meetings opportunities available before, during, and after school.
Final schedules are built after the registration window closes and attorneys complete the group assignment process. C&E attorneys hand-select the small groups based on scheduling preferences and with an eye toward ensuring a great mix of complimentary experiences within each group. (Sorting Day is a great day at the C&E office—imagining the dynamics between the Masterminds as each group comes together is such a joy!)
Your small group will be assigned to a regular timeslot for the year. However, we are committed to accommodating your demanding schedule as best we can. You are always welcome to “guest” in another session when your schedule poses an unavoidable conflict with your assigned group.
Facilitators
Beth Friel
Hope Griffin
Hope specializes in finding simplicity within chaos, allowing Masterminds to cut through distraction and to act with clarity and purpose. Her Masterminds amplify their impact month after month as they sharpen their acumen and approach to emerging issues.
The individual fee for the Masterminds special education program track is $1,600 for special education directors and executive directors, which includes 10 standard Masterminds meetings plus exclusive access to four extra directors-only Mega-Masterminding sessions. The individual pricing for all other special education administrators is $1,200. All fees can be paid up front or in equal monthly installments, as selected on the registration page.
For a group rate of $6,000, a district or board of cooperative educational services can sign up all their special education and Section 504 administrators, which includes four extra directors-only sessions.
Licensed school and district administrators are eligible to participate in Masterminds. Special Education Directors and Executive Directors are eligible to participate in Mega-Masterminds.
Attorneys, board members, non-employee parents, and community members are not eligible to participate in Caplan & Earnest’s Masterminds Program during the 2026-2027 school year. Caplan & Earnest staff will verify the accuracy of registration information and will refund any payments made on behalf of ineligible participants.
Please note that participation in the Masterminds program does not create an attorney-client relationship with Caplan & Earnest, LLC. Presentations do not constitute legal advice, and discussions during monthly meetings are not protected by attorney-client privilege.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about the Masterminds program, please email Beth Friel.