Shayna Raphael
Educational Consultant and Behavior Specialist with extensive experience in coaching (instruction and leadership), classroom teaching, special education, behavior assessment/management, and expert testimony focusing on educational needs and best practices. My career is focused on identifying barriers, removing them, and replacing those barriers with strategies that work for students, staff, and families in a school setting. I concentrate on interventions, mentoring, supports for special education students, and collaboration between families and schools. I hold a current teaching certificate in Washington State with an endorsement in special education. I have worked as a conditionally certified Speech Language Pathologist supporting ages 3 - 21 in public schools, provided speech therapy in a private pediatric clinic, taught in self-contained classrooms for students with severe emotional/behavior disorders, and served as a district behavior specialist supporting all grade levels. I frequently work on behalf of both school districts or families, as well as a neutral third party evaluator.
I have been retained as an expert for various cases, ranging from issues around special education, seclusion and restraint, misconduct, discrimination, negligence, assault and battery, and expected best practices within a school district.
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Behavioral Science
- Child Abuse
- Discrimination
- Education & Schools
- Negligent Hiring
- School Safety
- Wrongful Termination
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: Master of Science, Educational Administration / University of Kansas, 2023 - Present (expected completion August 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 -
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: K-12 Public Schooling: special education, isolation and restraint, FAPE, employee misconduct, HR practices, investigations, school district practices
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: 90%
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: 10%
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: 5
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: 12/2024
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: 2
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: 5
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Consulting, behavior assessments, education coach/mentor, interim recommendations for special education
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: No fee for initial consultation
- Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
- A: $300
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
- A: $300
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
- A: $300
- Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
- A: $300, door-to-door, flat fee
Lara Hruska, Cedar Law
(206) 607-8277
Shannon McMinimmee, Bellevue School District
mcminimees@bsd405.org
Deborah Boe, Boe Law Firm
deborah.boelawfirm@gmail.com