Practical strategies for making inclusion part of every day, every classroom
Inclusive schools don’t happen by chance, they happen through intentional leadership. In this Quick Take Video from the Diverse Learners Cooperative, we explore five actionable ways school leaders can champion inclusion and ensure that every student belongs.
What is Inclusion and Who’s Responsible for Implementation?
Inclusive education is the philosophy that students with disabilities should be educated as much as possible alongside their peers in general education classrooms. All students—including those with disabilities—are valued members of our community and deserve the opportunity to learn alongside their peers.
The vision and leadership of building administrators are the most significant factors in developing an inclusive school environment. This means that inclusive leaders engage very closely with learners and teachers to better understand how to support complex needs in their school settings.
“The most significant factor in building an inclusive educational setting is the vision and leadership of the building administrator.”
-Moving Toward Equity Through Inclusive Schooling: Considerations for School Administrators, Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education
1. Build a Shared Vision for Inclusion
True inclusive education begins with a clear and shared vision: All means all.
Leaders set the tone by stating and modeling that every student, regardless of ability, language, or need, is part of the school community.
- Example in Action: One district begins each Board of Education meeting by reading its inclusion statement aloud, reminding the entire community that every decision must align with this vision.
- Try this: Revisit your school’s mission statement. Does it explicitly reflect inclusion? If not, update it with your team.
2. Plan Strategically—with All Voices at the Table
Inclusive leadership requires aligning school plans, improvement goals, and metrics to reflect the progress of all learners.
- Example in Action: A district formed an inclusive planning team that brought together parents of students with disabilities, multilingual learners, teachers, specialists, and even a bus driver. Their collaboration surfaced powerful insights and new data to guide improvement.
- Try this: Audit your current data systems—are you tracking outcomes for diverse learners in meaningful ways?
3. Create Strong Collaborative Structures
Collaboration is the heartbeat of inclusion. Leaders must ensure that shared planning time and cross-role communication are prioritized and protected.
- Example in Action: At one middle school, special educators and math teachers co-planned monthly, aligning instruction to evidence-based practices and reviewing student progress together.
- Try this: Schedule recurring collaboration blocks for general and special educators to co-plan lessons and analyze student work. Provide teachers with a shared co-planning agenda, and teach them how to effectively use the tool.
4. Strengthen General Education Instruction
Inclusive schools strengthen the core classroom experience for everyone. Leaders encourage teachers to use evidence-based practices and embed accommodations directly into lessons.
- Example in Action: One elementary team met monthly to analyze student writing and design targeted re-teach lessons, embedding IEP accommodations and scaffolds into their plans.
- Try this: Use student work analysis protocols to identify barriers to instructional access and plan universally designed instruction.
5. Allocate Resources Equitably
Inclusion requires thoughtful allocation of time, people, and funds—based on student need, not convenience.
- Example in Action: School leaders spent time attending IEP meetings and observing students with complex needs to better understand where additional supports were most critical.
- Try this: Conduct a resource mapping activity to identify where your supports align (or don’t) with your most intensive student needs.
Keep Growing Toward Inclusion:
Inclusive leadership isn’t a checklist, it’s a mindset and a continuous journey.
Download the Inclusion Today Starter Kit and Companion Guide created by Blue Engine (BE), The Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP), Diverse Learners Cooperative (DLC), and the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE) to help your school team take the next step toward a more inclusive community.
✨ Remember: Inclusion starts with leadership and leadership starts with you. How can you intentionally build an inclusive school?