National Inclusive Schools Week Building a National Dialogue on Inclusive Practices

1. National Inclusive Schools WeekBuilding a National Dialogue on Inclusive Practices Actual Aspects of Tolerance Conference St. Petersburg University St. Petersburg, Russia Elizabeth B. Kozleski University of Colorado at Denver

2. Goals of the Session • Provide an Overview of National Inclusive Schools Week • Share how schools, school districts, and communities celebrate the Week • Discuss how involvement in this kind of activity helps to change the discourse and values around students, and ultimately, people who are marginalized

3. The National Institute • What is the National Institute for Urban School Improvement? • Mission: to support inclusive urban communities, schools, and families to build their capacity for sustainable, successful urban education.

4. Urban Schools • The 100 largest systems range from 1.2 million to 45,000 students • Educate >25% of all the nation’s students • >23% of all nation’s teachers • Florida, California & Texas account for 40% of the 100 largest systems • 75% of students in these systems are culturally and linguistically diverse • 60% of students in these systems have free or reduced lunch – a statistic used to describe socio-economic status • Systems tend to have lower overall performance by their students on measures of academic achievement

5. National Institute Initiative • Continuous Improvement through public access to data on schools • Research and Development • Audience: Community, Families, Practitioners, Policy Makers • Professional Development • Cultural-Historical Activity Theory • Communities of Practice • Situated Learning

6. Networking and Dissemination • Creating a national dialogue about inclusive schools and their practices • Family and Disability Advocacy Organizations • States and school system leaders • Schools and practitioners • Professional, Advocacy, and Non-governmental agencies • Universities, researchers and teacher educators

7. Promoting a National Dialogue • Market research to support our efforts • Analyzed top 10 U.S. media markets • Researched public perceptions • Conducted six focus groups • Findings include • Inclusion omitted from special education debate. • Special education is presented in negative terms. • No unified voice. • 14% of teachers report school has adopted full inclusion, but 64% feel strongly it is not a good idea. (N=800 teachers)

8. The Message • Developed the National Institute’s mantra

9. National Inclusive Schools Week Purpose • To celebrate the progress of schools in educating an increasingly diverse student population • To acknowledge the hard work and commitment of schools, families, and communities • To encourage reflection on what else needs to be done

10. National Inclusive Schools Week • What? A national weeklong event. • When? The first full week in December. • Who? Parents, students, teachers, and administrators across the country.

11. The Week’s Celebration Kit • How the National Institute supported the Week? • Celebration Kit • Celebration Ideas • Resources • Fact Sheets • Press Release & Sample Proclamation

12. The Week’s Celebration Kit • National Institute Publications • Inclusive Schools Poster

13. The Week’s Celebration Kit • Bumper Stickers • National InclusiveSchools Week Stickers

14. The Week’s Web Site • National Inclusive Schools Week Web Sitewww.inclusiveschools.org/nisw02.html

15. The Week’s Events • Teleseminars • 2002: Strategies for Improving Inclusive Practices & Outcomes for Students with Disabilities at the Secondary Level2001: High Stakes Testing and Students with Disabilities

16. The Week’s Events • On-line Forums • 2004: Collaboration for Systems Change • 2003: Family/School Linkages • 2002: All Means All: Including Children with Severe Disabilities in Home, School,and Community Life • 2001: Using Children’s Literature to Build an Inclusive Community • What are Inclusive Schools?Why are Inclusive Schools Good for Kids?Why are Inclusive Schools Good for Families?Why are Inclusive Schools Good for Communities?

18. Results • Celebrated by tens of thousands of students, families, and educators in thousands of schools in nearly every state in the USA and nations. • At least 300 school systems have participated • At least 4 state proclamation declaring National Inclusive Schools Week • Canada • > 1,000,000 hits to the website in the 2 months leading up to Week • At least 8 universities • Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in 2002 and 03. • Increased number of Celebration Ideas downloaded in 2002 (2001: 3,578; 2002: 6,845; 2003: 10,000) • More than 24 proclamations in between ’01 and ‘03.

19. Examples • Examples from other districts, schools, classrooms, and communities • Tiger, Georgia • Houston, Texas • St. Paul, Minnesota • ARC of Maryland • State of New Jersey • Canada • United Kingdom

20. Impact of the Week How has National Inclusive Schools Week impacted one district on a district, school, and/or classroom level? • Underscored the Importance of the School Board Target:All schools will increase their capacity to serve a broader range of students with designated low incidence disabilities at their base schools. • As a result, the percentage of students receiving special education services in their base school programs will increase. • Measure: 80 percent of schools will serve 50 percent or more of their kindergarten through grade 12 students with designated low incidence disabilities at their base school.

21. Impact of the Week • Provided an opportunity for the School Board to publicly express their ongoing commitment to inclusive schools via board resolution. • Served as a catalyst for expanding communication and interest about inclusive schools among a broader group of constituents. • Provided a vehicle for highlighting and sharing the successes of selected schools.

22. Impact of the Week • Celebrated by tens of thousands of students, families, and educators in thousands of schools in nearly every state in the country and several foreign nations. • Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in 2002 and 03. • One million hits to www.inclusiveschools.org • Increased number of Celebration Ideas downloaded in 2002 (2001: 3,578; 2002: 6,845) • More than a dozen proclamations in 2001 and 2002.

23. Impact of the Week • “Because National Inclusive Schools Week was developed by your national organization that is not perceived as a ‘special ed’ organization, the week enabled the general education sector to view inclusion more globally.”Director, professional development organization, FL • “The attention and notice helps all educators to realize that inclusion is a national initiative….”Administrator, Las Vegas, NV

24. Impact of the Week • “We managed to bring more teachers ‘on board’ to listen to inclusion ideas, and to be more willing to change their classroom structure. This in itself is a miracle, to have a teacher who only accepted segregation ... look at alternative teaching and ask for help in getting this used in his/her classroom.”Teacher, Middletown, OH • “It certainly helped to bring about more awareness and promoted friendship development between disabled and non-disabled peers.”Member, Best Buddies, Centreville, MD

25. Impact of the Week • “It has inspired me to know that I am doing the best thing possible for my son and other children. I have started an inclusion committee in our building with the principal.”Parent, Norwood, PA • “[Changed] attitudes on the part of teachers and parents of non-disabled students that we are responsible for the learning of all students.”Teacher, Boston, MA

26. Impact of the Week Together We’re Better I think inclusive schools are important to both, kids with disabilities, and without disabilities. Diversity is vital to the student body. As students work together with all kinds of kids they get to understand them better. We learn not to judge people by their abilities or looks but by their personalities. We also learn about the challenges that people will disabilities have to face everyday. Because I know people with disabilities, when I see a disabled person out in public I see a person, not a wheelchair. I don’t stare, he or she is not that different from me. Why is it important for kids with disabilities to go to a regular school? Because they are regular kids!

27. Impact of the Week Together We’re Better (con’t) Kids should be with kids their own age and be part of the regular world. They should be able to go to the school in their community with the kids in their neighborhood. Public schools should offer whatever is necessary to give each kid the same quality education. I have friends at my school with disabilities and I am glad they go to my school. In my eyes I think any person I look at, disability or not is just a normal human being. - Brian Lang, sixth grade,Pine Grove Middle School, Maryland

28. National Institute for UrbanSchool Improvement: 2002-2007

29. Next Steps • How can the Week expand its impact on improving practice?

30. For More Information Contact the National Institute for Urban School Improvement at • Elizabeth B. Kozleski • Elizabeth.kozleski@cudenver.edu • National Institute for Urban School Improvement • 1380 Lawrence Street, Suite 625 • Denver, CO 80204 • Sign up for E-News • Check our Web site www.inclusiveschools.org