ASCEND KRYSTAL CLEAR
Education Consulting Group LLC
ASCENDRA DONALD & LAKRYSTAL MCKNIGHT
INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT
Personalized to your needs: No cookie cutter solutions- every coaching session is tailored to your school's specific challenges and goals.
EXPERT ADVICE
Learn from veterans in the field of special education to provide you the foundational skills you need to become a SpEd Aware Leader.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Designed and tailored to your biggest needs (e.g., IEP tracking, scheduling guide, meeting agendas).
ABOUT AKC
At Ascend Krystal Clear (AKC) Education Consulting Group, we empower educators by providing them with special education knowledge, tools, and systems that transform them into competent, confident leaders. Our goal is to bridge the gap between compliance and effective leadership, ensuring that special education programs are strategic, student-centered, and legally sound.
With over 29 years of combined experience in special education leadership, school psychology, general and special education teaching, and program coordination, our team brings deep expertise to every engagement. We are certified autism specialists, DEI experts, and trained in de-escalation intervention, making us uniquely positioned to support school districts in improving compliance, optimizing programming, and fostering collaboration between general and special education teams.
OUR MISSION
We empower educators by providing them with the special education knowledge, tools, and systems to be not only competent, but CONFIDENT in their leadership abilities!
Focus on Inclusive Systems + Leadership Solutions
Inclusive Leadership for Real Schools
Practical coaching, trainings, and tools that help school leaders build systems that serve all learners—without burnout or legal guesswork. From compliance to collaboration, we help you lead with clarity.
A comprehensive resource designed to help you develop and enhance teamwork, problem-solving, and communication among your school staff.
A comprehensive guide is designed to equip educators like you with proven techniques to navigate challenging classroom behaviors with confidence and care.
Our Services
Transform Your Special Education Leadership with Expert Coaching
FOUNDATIONS PATH
Gain clarity on leadership role in supporting diverse learners and walk away with actionable strategies aligned to your current needs.
TRANSFORM PATH
Build out aligned leadership practices that improve collaboration, compliance, and service delivery across your building.
IMPACT PATH
Fully integrate equitable leadership systems with coaching support, strategic planning, and measurable school-level outcomes..
We help you strengthen the 3 systems that drive inclusive schools.
Inclusive
Systems
Compliance
Collaboration Systems
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
LaKrystal's contributions go beyond technical knowledge—she is a collaborative force on any team. Her commitment to fostering a positive, proactive approach to special education makes her an ideal team member and support system for all who work alongside her. Anyone would be lucky to have LaKrystal as part of their program.
PRINCIPAL
Both LaKrystal and Ascendra are knowledgeable veterans in the field of education. They have a wealth of foundational, procedural, and legal knowledge to boost you and your educational staff’s understanding of special education. They are a wide variety of session packages and topics. I’d recommend AKC’s services without hesitation.
SPED ADMINISTRATOR
Ascendra always employs evidence-based practices and stays current with research. She is compassionate and has excellent interpersonal skills. She has always been a trusted resource for staff and parents regarding the academic and social-emotional needs of students. She was a great support to me in my role as a school psychologist, providing valuable resources and training opportunities that were essential for me to do my job!
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST