Shayna Raphael
Shayna Raphael is an expert in special education, behavior intervention, and school district operations, with nearly two decades of experience supporting students with disabilities and guiding institutional practice across public school systems. She works as an educational consultant and behavior specialist, providing direct service, systems-level support, and litigation expertise. Her roles have included speech-language pathologist, special education teacher, district behavior specialist, and consultant to school districts throughout Washington State. She has worked across dozens of school sites and programs, supporting classroom instruction, program development, staff training, policy alignment, and compliance coaching. She also delivers professional development nationally to educators, administrators, and legal teams.
Ms. Raphael holds a Master of Education with a Special Education Endorsement and a Master of Science in Educational Administration. She is certified as a Level One Civil Rights Investigator through ATIXA and has advanced training in de-escalation, trauma-informed care, and behavioral planning. Her consulting work includes conducting FBAs and BIPs, auditing special education programs, coaching educators through evaluation and compliance processes, and advising districts on misconduct investigations and procedural oversight. She is hired by school districts, legal teams, administrators, and families to support supervision, corrective action, and alignment with state and federal law.
She provides expert consultation and testimony in matters involving special education, seclusion and restraint, discrimination under Title IX, employee misconduct, negligence, incidents involving physical harm in school settings, and the implementation and oversight of school district policies and procedures. Her testimony addresses school district standard of care, supervision of employees, and the safe and effective operation of educational programs. She is retained by both plaintiffs and defendants, including school districts and families, and is known for her clear, actionable analysis of institutional practices and their impact on student safety, access, and compliance.
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Behavioral Science
- Child Abuse
- Discrimination
- Education & Schools
- Human Resources
- Negligent Hiring
- School Safety
- Sexual Harassment/Discrimination
- Wrongful Termination
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: Master of Science, Educational Administration / University of Kansas, 2023 - 2025
Graduate Certificate, Diversity and Inclusion / Cornell University; Ithaca, NY 2021
Graduate Certificate, Applied Behavior Analysis / Arizona State University; Scottsdale, AZ 2018
Master of Arts, Education – Special Education Endorsement / Pacific Lutheran University; Parkland, WA 2015
Bachelor of Science, Speech and Hearing Sciences/ University of Washington; Seattle, WA 2007
Certificated Teacher - Washington State with Special Education Endorsement - active - Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: Washington State Teaching Certification
American Academy of Pediatrics - National Collaborative for Safe Infant Sleep Member
Tacoma Pierce-County Health Department Child Fatality Review Committed Member
Cribs for Kids - Advisory Member
Claire Bear Foundation - Board President - Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: National:
Reducing Recurring Behavior Problems; Practical Strategies for Decreasing Repetitive, Difficult Behavior
Washington State:
Isolation and Restraint: Policies and Procedures
Behavior Management: Managing difficult behavior in music education
EBD Best Practices: Functional Behavior Assessments
EBD Best Practices: Social Skills Instruction
Perfecting the Prior Written Notice: Why, What, When
Functional Behavior Assessment: Understanding the FBA Process
Keep Calm & Teach On: Behavior Strategies for Educators
Supporting Education: Educator support for business & finance employees
Keep Calm & Drive On: Preventing and managing big behavior on the school bus
Apathy, ADHD, and Academics: Maintaining attention and engagement in the classroom while preventing problem behavior
Data Collection: Introduction to behavior-related data collection in schools
Managing Difficult Behavior in the Classroom
Reducing Recurring Behavior: Decreasing difficult behavior
Behavior Intervention: Functional Behavior Assessments and Plans - Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: No
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: 10+
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: I have been retained as an expert in matters involving special education, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), seclusion and restraint, school district policies and practices, standard of care, civil rights compliance, Title IX, discrimination, hiring and supervision of school personnel, misconduct investigations, Human Resources protocols, mandatory reporting, and incidents involving child abuse or physical harm in school settings.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: No fee for initial consultation
Attorney references available upon request.