Press

Kensington, CA, January 25, 2024- Let’s Go Learn proudly congratulates Theresa Copple, a special education teacher, and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Itinerant Teacher for Riverside County (RCOE), California, on being named the 2024 Teacher of the Year by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).

The CEC Teacher of the Year award recognizes outstanding educators who provide direct services to children and youth with exceptionalities, embodying the highest standards in supporting students with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. Copple, who serves RCOE students and those within the Alvord Unified School district, was surprised with the prestigious award by CEC Executive Director Chad Rummel, alongside school and district officials, as well as local and state CEC leaders.

Kareem Thompson, President of CEC, remarked, “Theresa’s dedication to connecting people to services, to knowledge, and to each other exemplifies an outstanding teacher. It’s an honor to recognize her as someone who builds bridges with her students and community to help her students succeed.”  As a Deaf and Hard Of Hearing, Copple faces unique challenges, including not having a dedicated teaching space. She has taught in various unconventional spaces, from picnic tables outside to borrowed principal offices, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in her teaching approach. Copple’s teaching philosophy reflects the wisdom passed down from her son’s kindergarten teacher and father: “Use your resources” and “Be like a sponge and soak it up.” She emphasizes the importance of connecting teachers to students through instruction, highlighting her role as a coordinator.

As the 2024 CEC Teacher of the Year, Copple will receive a $2,000 cash prize, a $1,000 classroom grant, and travel and accommodations to attend the CEC annual convention in San Antonio, Texas, where she will be recognized in front of her peers. The CEC Teacher of the Year award is sponsored by Let’s Go Learn, one of CEC’s premier sponsors.  Richard Capone, CEO of Let’s Go Learn, expressed joy in sponsoring the CEC Teacher of the Year, stating, “We believe that teachers are the key to promoting success, so we are so pleased to be able to celebrate Theresa.”  Let’s Go Learn extends its heartfelt congratulations to Theresa Copple for this well-deserved recognition, and we look forward to celebrating her achievements at the CEC annual convention.

Let’s Go Learn is a personalized learning software company focused primarily on MTSS, special education, and intervention programming to support K-12 students. Over 20 years ago, Let’s Go Learn pioneered online, computer-adapted diagnostic assessments to determine the learning needs of each student. In contrast to limited screening tools, Let’s Go Learn’s platform quickly determines student deficits, needs, and causal relationships to help develop individualized learning paths for each student. Millions of students worldwide have benefitted from Let’s Go Learn’s assessment data, pin-pointed instruction, and robust progress monitoring. The platform is designed to monitor progress from interventions in specific areas, while building detailed reporting and data to support the development and tracking of IEP content and goals.

Media Contact: Richard Capone, 510-455-2098.

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to high-quality education that is inclusive and equitable for individuals with disabilities.

Thanks to this year’s sponsor, Let’s Go Learn. Let’s Go Learn provides highly diagnostic online assessments, automated progress monitoring, and gap-focused SDI to help teachers write IEPs faster and with greater accuracy as well as support their students’ academic achievements.

Media Contacts Annie Drinkard, 703-264-9455, adrinkard@exceptionalchildren.org

Director of Communications and Publications, Council for Exceptional Children