The Early Years – Transforming Education, One Student at a Time
Before the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was enacted in 1975, there were limited provisions for the education of children with disabilities and there were no federal laws requiring public schools to provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with specialized needs. The educational rights and services available to special education students largely depended on state and local laws, which varied significantly and resulted in significant disparities in access and quality of education for these students. Commonly, children with disabilities were excluded from public schools and in many cases, they were institutionalized. Societal attitudes often resulted in their exclusion and marginalization from their communities as well.
In California, private schools served as the primary educational alternative for students with disabilities. Some local education agencies provided funding or “private vouchers” to place students with such needs in private schools, however, such practices were not uniformly available. Without a federal standard, parents bore the responsibility for advocating for their children, securing specialized placements, or funding their education themselves if public schools were unwilling or unable to accommodate their needs.
In August 1972, Children’s Workshop was established as a non-profit corporation, with the mission to provide for and assist with the development and education of young individuals with disabilities. Judith Cohen, Lester Cohen, Alan Panton and Judith Panton served on the Board of Directors and developed the program, leaning on their expertise in the field of occupational therapy, speech therapy and social work. Judith and Lester Cohen knew all too well the limitation of quality educational services as her own daughter experienced the failures of the public system to provide adequate education. Determined to reimagine education for their daughter and others with similar needs, they laid the foundation for the future of the organization. It all began with a handful of students, in a little house in the Bankers Hill area of San Diego.
Judy Cohen, Executive Director 1972-1982, at the original Children’s Workshop location, 248 Nutmeg St. (circa 1981)
With federal rumblings of monumental changes to legislation, additional space was leased in 1974 to accommodate the growing demand. By 1975, the enactment of IDEA transformed special education by guaranteeing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to all students with disabilities and providing a framework for individualized services and support. This legislation marked a shift toward equity and accountability in education for students with disabilities, allowing for a series of important moves and expansions that would shape the future of the organization.
Judy Cohen, Executive Director 1972-1982, at the original Children’s Workshop location, 248 Nutmeg St. (circa 1981)
With federal rumblings of monumental changes to legislation, additional space was leased in 1974 to accommodate the growing demand. By 1975, the enactment of IDEA transformed special education by guaranteeing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to all students with disabilities and providing a framework for individualized services and support. This legislation marked a shift toward equity and accountability in education for students with disabilities, allowing for a series of important moves and expansions that would shape the future of the organization.
Becoming The Institute for Effective Education (TIEE): New Directions and Leadership
Although the aim to improve the quality of special education remained at the center of the organization’s mission, the philosophies and technologies continued to advance over the years at the guiding hands of Ken Traupmann, Ph.D. and Suzanne Fitch, Ed.D. Together, their combined passion for effective education and research based teaching methods set the stage for the evolution of The Institute for Effective Education.
In 1982, Ken Traupmann, Ph.D., a behavior analyst, educator and teacher trainer joined Children’s Workshop. Dr. Traupmann received his Ph.D. in 1970 as a research psychologist at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He subsequently undertook postdoctoral research fellowships at the University of Texas in Austin and at New York University Medical Center, at which he also completed a clinical psychology internship. Dr. Traupmann held teaching and research positions at the University of Texas, New York University Medical School, Rockefeller University, and the University of California San Diego (UCSD) where he taught theory and application of behavior analysis in both psychiatric and educational settings.
Dr. Traupmann is an expert in instructional design, evidence based teaching methods, functional analysis of behavior, and behavior intervention planning. While on the faculty of UCSD, Dr. Traupmann began conducting educational research at Children’s Workshop, ultimately leading to his position as the Clinical Director. In 1983, Dr. Traupmann was promoted to Executive Director, a position he would hold for nearly four decades. He brought to the organization an innovative approach to educating individuals with special needs using the science of behavior, emphasizing learning motivation. His approach for Integrating applied behavior analysis with effective instructional practices, led to remarkably improved student outcomes. His philosophy for “catching ‘em being good” would become a cornerstone of TIEE’s philosophy and mission.
Dr. Traupmann honored as Administrator of the Year by Zig Engelmann at an ADI Conference
Shortly after in 1983, Suzanne Fitch, Ed. D., joined the organization, initially as a school counselor. Dr. Fitch soon became deeply involved in shaping the organization’s educational approach and was promoted to the position of Director of Urban Skills Center in 1984 when the school first opened. Dr. Fitch, received her B.A., M.Ed. in Counselor Education, M.Ed. in Special Education, and Ed.D. in Leadership from the University of San Diego. Dr. Fitch has also held a California Multiple Subjects credential, a Special Education credential, a Pupil Personnel Service credential, and is a licensed Marriage Family Therapist.
Dr. Fitch is an expert in staff supervision and effective educational methods. Her dissertation was the first systematic research to show that adolescents with learning and behavior problems could be taught to teach important academic and social skills to young children with learning and behavior disabilities. In 1989, Dr. Fitch was promoted to Director of Schools. The following year, the organization’s name officially changed to The Institute for Effective Education (TIEE), reflecting a broadening of its mission and expanding influence. In 1999, Dr. Fitch was promoted to Executive Director of Programs and Personnel, a pivotal and guiding role that she held for over 2 decades.
Dr. Fitch’s work in the field expanded beyond TIEE, as faculty at San Diego State University (SDSU) for over 22 years, where she taught methods classes in special education at the Imperial Valley campus. Through this program, Dr. Fitch also served as the principal trainer of special education teacher coaches in a federally funded project designed to improve the use of evidence-based methods throughout the 14 school districts in California’s Imperial County. Her influence has reached beyond pupils in the classroom to impact hundreds of educators through her positive mentorship.
Dr. Fitch and B.F. Skinner at an ABA Conference
The contributions of Drs. Traupmann and Fitch have been pivotal to TIEE’s success and to the impact felt by the organization’s mission. Throughout his career, Dr. Ken Traupmann has received numerous accolades. In 1994, he was recognized as Administrator of the Year by the San Diego Chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children. That same year, he received Administrator of the Year by the Association for Direct Instruction. He received this honored award once again, in 2009. For her extensive work and dedication at San Diego State University, Dr. Suzy Fitch received high recognition as the Most Influential Faculty Member of the Year in 2009. That same year, both Drs. Fitch and Traupmann and the educators at TIEE received the Ernie Wing Institute Award in recognition of their efforts in the developing, implementing, and sustaining a data-based decision making organization. They have both served on numerous California and national task forces concerning issues in education, including the certifying of teaching personnel and have both been dedicated the Board Members and served as President of the California Association of Private Special Education Schools (CAPSES)
Organizational Growth and Community Impact
By the late 1980s, the organization operated two separate schools, Children’s Workshop and Urban Skills Center. The building at 248 Nutmeg St. was purchased in 1984 from the Paton-Cohen’s partnership, allowing Children’s Workshop to expand enrollment for young learners, ages 3 yrs-12 yrs old, with intensive communication, social, and behavioral challenges. A separate space was leased on Federal Blvd. for the newly established Urban Skills Center. This program was developed to provide ongoing educational services for adolescent populations, as students aging out of Children’s Workshop continued to require specialized options. A separate preschool was also operated at this location. By 1987, the referrals from the local school districts began to broaden to include adolescents with less intensive, more moderate needs. To meet the evolving needs of the community, additional space across the street from Urban Skills Center was leased.
During this period, Drs. Traupmann and Fitch brought together educators, researchers, and practitioners for the first Master Workshop at the University of San Diego in 1988. Renowned researcher Richard Foxx, Ph.D. led this workshop. This would be the first of many Master Workshops, demonstrating their commitment to training educators, advancing the field of special education and ultimately to deepening the impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities.
With the organization’s official name change in 1990, The Institute for Effective Education (TIEE) embraced its new identity, as did the community. By 1991, TIEE had secured the purchase of a new building in Mission Valley at 4055 Camino del Rio South. By 1992, this key site hosted multiple educational programs: Elementary Program (now known as Mission Valley Academy), Community Living Program and the Adolescent Program (now known as the Workshop at Cook & Cook Secondary), with the Urban Skills Center leasing space next door. In 1994, the school was named the Cook Education Center to honor Marjorie Cook, who made a significant donation to the organization.
Partnerships with local districts, universities as well as state and national organizations solidified TIEE as a leader in professional development for educators. In 1992, TIEE entered into a four-year joint venture with San Diego City Schools and SDSU’s Department of Special Education to provide long-term training of teacher interns who, subsequent to training, would teach in San Diego City School’s special day classes for students with emotional and behavior problems. Whether working with school districts, universities, or community organizations, TIEE has built a strong foundation of partnerships that amplify its impact.
Knowing first hand how research based practices had resulted in many life altering results for students with exceptional needs, TIEE’s Board of Directors approved the expansion of the organization’s mission to include educating the full range of learners and the full span of talent. In 1994, Coleman Preparatory, a general education private school, was purchased by TIEE from the Coleman Foundation. Today this school, known as Mt. Helix Academy in the La Mesa area, serves both general education and special education students Tk-8th grade, utilizing Direct Instruction, Precision Teaching and other research based strategies.
The millennium brought with it ongoing opportunities for growth and expansion. In 2000, TIEE purchased an additional facility in Mission Valley at 2255 Camino Del Rio South. In 2001, the remodeled building became the new location for the Cook Education Center and Urban Skills Center. At that same time, Children’s Workshop left their original home in Bankers Hill, moving to 4055 Camino Del Rio South. This pivotal development allowed for TIEE’s schools to respond to the growing needs of the community and to support the local school districts in providing quality educational services to the rapidly rising number of special education students.
In 2019, Mission Valley Academy received its own campus at 4055 Camino del Rio and Children’s Workshop relocated to a newly envisioned, state of the art campus, located near Miramar in San Diego. Every square foot of this school was crafted specifically to meet the needs of the students and the educators. For the innovative design, architect Kevin DeFreitas received the People’s Choice Orchid Award in 2020. In recognition of the legacy built by Drs. Ken Traupmann and Suzy Fitch, TIEE’s Board of Directors befittingly dedicated the campus in their honor.
Children’s Workshop, 9524 Kearny Villa Rd., established 2019.
Somewhere I need to embed Vocational and Adult Services….perhaps here.
The true measure of The Institute for Effective Education’s success lies in the lives impacted. Thousands of students, families and educators have been profoundly enriched by the organization’s mission. TIEE’s steadfast commitment to providing educators with the tools to create engaging, effective learning environments and to implement evidence-based practices, has improved educational and meaningful, life-long outcomes for students of all ages and backgrounds.
In 2022, TIEE celebrated 50 years of excellence in education. To commemorate the organization’s milestone, over 200 employees and educators gathered on May 20, 2022. At this event, TIEE’s visionary leaders, recently retired Drs. Ken Traupmann and Suzy Fitch, were recognized for their 40 years of dedication to the organization’s mission, to the students, families and employees it serves.
Drs. Suzy Fitch and Ken Traupmann, celebrating a milestone moment.
A Continued Commitment to Excellence
Today, The Institute for Effective Education stands as a beacon of educational excellence, continuing to lead the charge in transforming the science of teaching and learning. Through our ongoing partnerships with school districts, universities, and educational organizations, TIEE remains a vital force in the educational community, inspiring teachers to adopt best practices to help all students achieve their potential.
As we look ahead, our team of leaders, administrators, and educators are strongly committed to not only implementing evidence-based practices but to evolving these practices and technologies, using behavioral science as our guide. We are dedicated to advancing the cause of effective education and deepening its impact—today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.
