Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are core components of understanding how to better include neurodiverse students in the choral classroom. Too many educators gloss over this essential document when preparing to work with their students in the public school setting, often forgetting that these are legal documents that we are ethically and legally obligated to follow. This session aims to provide attendees with a practical understanding of accessible, ready-to-adapt practices that meet the inclusionary needs for all students.
Target Audience
High School/Middle School Band, Orchestra, and Choir
Additional Notes
Clinician Info
Brandon Ellsworth
North Salinas High School
Brandon Ellsworth (they/he) currently serves as the Director of Choirs and as an adaptive general music teacher at North Salinas High School located in Salinas, CA. Brandon earned a BM in Music Education from Westminster Choir College and is currently a candidate at Berklee College of Music for a MM in Music Education (Autism Concentration). An active singer, conductor, and pianist, Brandon serves as the current president-elect of the CMEA-CCS chapter and is an active member of the National Association for Music Education, American Choral Directors Association, and the Council of Exceptional Children Division of Visual and Performing Arts Education. In 2018, Brandon co-authored the K-5 General Music Curriculum for the Newark Board of Education, which currently serves over 40,000 students in Newark, NJ. In 2020, Brandon developed and piloted an inclusionary adaptive general music class for high school students and has recently begun expanding this model within their district. They have also served as a guest clinician, conductor, and collaborative pianist for festival and honor events in New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, and New York City. Brandon believes in the importance of equity as students of all abilities and backgrounds should have access to the music classroom. In their free time, Brandon enjoys backpacking and spending time with their two cats, Cole and Sissy.