The Foundations of CBI Training Series is a fundamental training offered annually to support school personnel in the development, expansion, and maintenance of CBI practices in New Jersey. It is designed for any school personnel involved in the programming and implementation of CBI for students with disabilities of all ages. Participants will learn about the principles and value of CBI as an instructional practice; how to plan meaningful lessons for diverse community settings; how to employ best-practice strategies to promote skill acquisition, application, and retention; and how to effectively program and coordinate logistics that support quality and sustainable CBI practices. Two options are offered:

Option 1: Annual Cohort Teams

Districts that are establishing CBI practices among newly formed school-based implementation teams are invited to apply to be part of a select group of school districts, known as a cohort. Selected teams will receive intensive, collaborative training through the Foundations of CBI Training Series, develop a CBI Action Plan, and receive ongoing intensive technical assistance to support programming and implementation.

Upcoming Administrative Orientation Session: As administrative support is vital to the success of a CBI; districts may not apply for the 2022-2023 Cohort unless a district administrator has participated in the Orientation Session for Administrators. Participants will receive information about the cohort structure, eligibility criteria and commitments, technical assistance, as well as the administrative and organizational supports needed to guide these practices. To accommodate diverse schedules, multiple sessions will be offered:

To provide the most successful transition from school to employment, it is essential for schools utilizing Community-Based Instruction (CBI) for career exploration to have well trained and prepared staff. This two-day training will describe the roles and responsibilities of school-based staff, or job coaches, who provide on-the-job support to students participating in work-based learning experiences in community settings. The training will provide an overview of disability history, the evolution away from segregated to integrated employment settings, person-centered approaches, evidence-based strategies including the application of direct and systematic instruction used at job sites, and collection and use of data for informed decision making.

Note: This training is ONLY open to school staff. School-based job coaches must be supervised by a certified teacher who has completed the required courses to coordinate Work-Based Learning (formerly SLE). For more information, please visit the New Jersey Safe Schools Program.

Certificates: Certificates of Attendance with title and duration of NJ Department of Education Professional Development Hours will be provided.

A Virtual Community of Practice (VCoP) is a group of individuals who share a concern or passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. The CBI VCoP events will provide modalities for CBI practitioners to share resources, experiences, stories, tools, classroom lessons, and problem-solving strategies. These events are delivered virtually through Zoom and are intended for educators, administrators, job coaches, support staff and other school staff interested in collaborating, connecting, and sharing information on CBI practices.

Note: This training is ONLY open to school staff that have attended the Foundations of CBI training series.

Certificates: Certificates of Attendance with title and duration of NJ Department of Education Professional Development Hours will be provided.

The CBI Team will develop and deliver supplemental trainings to meet emerging needs identified by CBI practitioners throughout the 2021-2022 school year. If you would like to provide feedback and stay updated on the latest training opportunities, please join the CBI Mailing List.

CBI for Families: Understanding the Benefits of Community-Based Instruction

This is an interactive webinar session intended for families of students with disabilities who are interested in learning about the basics of Community-Based Instruction (CBI). Topics include an overview of the evidence-based instructional practice, benefits to students participating in CBI, helpful talking points to discuss CBI opportunities during IEP meetings, and the significance of family partnerships in creating quality and meaningful CBI practices. Participants are encouraged engage in open discussions with the CBI Project team throughout the session.

Certificates: Certificates of Attendance with title and duration of NJ Department of Education Professional Development Hours will be provided.

CBI for Younger Students: Building a Foundation for the Future

This is an interactive webinar session intended for school and district personnel who are interested in expanding CBI practices to students in grades PreK-8th. Topics include an overview of the evidence-based instructional practice, benefits to students participating in CBI, creating learning experiences that are developmentally and age appropriate for students, and utilizing the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and individual student goals within CBI lesson planning. Participants are encouraged to engage in open discussions with the CBI Project Team and one another throughout the session.

Pre-requisite: Participation in the Foundations of CBI training series within the last 5 years is required prior to attendance.

Certificates: Certificates of Attendance with title and duration of NJ Department of Education Professional Development Hours will be provided.

Adapted CBI Webinar Series
The CBI Project, in partnership with the NJ Department of Education, Office of Special Education, offered a two-day Adapted Community-Based Instruction Webinar Series for educators, administrators, support staff, and other school-based professionals. We developed this with the intent to support planning for remote Extended School Year programs. Participants learned how to identify creative ways to provide meaningful and appropriate learning experiences that promote and maintain skill sets for success in adult life. Participants also learned how to increase collaboration with families and leverage these partnerships to enhance the learning process.

Day 1: CBI for a COVID-19 Community
This webinar discusses the transition of the traditional community to virtual and home-based settings and explore considerations for prioritizing instruction. We introduce an adapted planning method to identify authentic learning experiences that promote functional skill practice in our available settings. Lastly, we review complimentary evidence-based strategies that can support and enhance skill acquisition and maintenance while we continue to provide remote instruction.

Continuing Education Credit and Certificates of Attendance are not offered for this webinar.

Day 2: Capitalizing on Collaboration for CBI During COVID-19
This webinar explores opportunities for building strong and collaborative partnerships with families throughout the Summer. We break down the traditional CBI process and offer strategies for incorporating collaboration in assessment, planning, instruction and reflection during remote learning. We also review scheduling possibilities that create optimal learning experiences with consideration to individual family circumstances. Lastly, we discuss the benefits of accessing community partners, agencies, and resources to enrich ESY programming.

Continuing Education Credit and Certificates of Attendance are not offered for this webinar.

For more information about CBI training and events: Please email Kellyann Giudice or call (732) 235-9307.

Fee information: The CBI project is funded by The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B. Therefore, there is no cost to schools to participate and receive professional development credit.