Sustaining Inclusive Success

Description:

The following practices are essential to the success of inclusive practices, closing the achievement gap and creating a sharp focus on the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders. Planning for sustainability should be incorporated into the earliest stages of planning and implementation.
Practices:
  1. Inclusive education is recognized as a district-wide priority, not the priority of a single department.
  2. Leadership sessions are conducted periodically with key personnel to ensure the vocabulary and rationale regarding inclusion are uniformly understood and communicated.
  3. The district produces district and school-specific data snapshots to maintain the expectation of improvement and change.
  4. Model sites are identified and featured for school personnel and parents to visit and expand their knowledge of inclusive practices.
Phases of Implementation:
Excellence Phase
  • Inclusive education is fully embedded as a district-wide priority across all departments, reflected in policy, practice, and culture.
  • Leadership development and training on inclusion are ongoing and systemic, ensuring consistent language, messaging, and expectations across all levels.
  • District and school-specific data snapshots are regularly used to drive improvement and celebrate success, with results communicated transparently to all stakeholders.
  • Multiple model sites are sustained and showcased, with regular opportunities for educators and families to observe, collaborate, and share best practices.
Implementation Phase
  • Inclusive education is recognized in district communications and leadership priorities, with increasing cross-departmental ownership.
  • Leadership teams participate in periodic sessions to practice and reinforce common vocabulary and rationale for inclusion.
  • District produces and shares school-level data snapshots to monitor progress and set improvement goals.
  • At least one model site is identified and visited by district personnel, with plans to expand opportunities for staff and families to learn from model sites.
Initiation Phase
  • District leadership expresses commitment to inclusive practices, though responsibility may still rest primarily with special education.
  • Initial conversations about shared vocabulary and rationale for inclusion are taking place in leadership or departmental meetings.
  • District-level data are collected but not yet consistently disaggregated or shared across schools to inform improvement.
  • Interest in identifying potential model sites is emerging, but no formal process is in place.
  • School personnel can articulate student performance on the state assessment and are aware of any achievement gaps that exist.
Resources: (more to come)