TIES Inclusive Education Roadmap RETIRED
School Guidance: Equitable Inclusive Leadership Teams
While Equitable Inclusive Leadership Teams (EILT) operate at all levels of the system, they do not look identical due to the complexity of their work and the size of the organization. Given the general Guidance for Equitable Inclusive Leadership Teams, what are the membership “look fors” and potential members at the school level?
Membership, Knowledge, and Skills | Member "Look Fors" | Potential Members on the School EILT (estimated size range between 5-12) |
|---|---|---|
Decision-makers | Special education and general education administrators or designees who have the authority to make decisions regarding changes to policy, procedures and practices. | Principal and Assistant Principal Special Educators General Educators Paraprofessionals District-level special education supervisors or coaches Parent of students with significant cognitive disabilities Parent Teacher Organization representative Specialized Support Personnel Augmentative Alternative Communication specialist Technology specialist Special areas teacher (PE, art, music, dance) Librarian |
Implementers | Personnel who will implement inclusive educational practices including general education classroom teachers, special education teachers, specialized support personnel, paraprofessionals, and general education special area teachers (PE, art, music, technology) | |
Evidence-based practices in inclusive education for students with significan cognitive disabilities | Expertise and experience regarding inclusive education for all students, explicitly including students with significant cognitive disabilities | |
Evidence-based practices in instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities | Expertise and experience regarding instruction of students with significant cognitive disabilities | |
Evidence-based practices in instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities | Expertise and experience in general education instructional and classroom management strategies including Universal Design for Learning and/or differentiated instruction | |
Best practices in implementation and systems change | Knowledge of local systems, policies, and supports. Access to relevant data systems. Expertise and experience in school reform and/or systems change in education. |
SCHOOLS organize their EILTs differently depending on their size, needs, and the organizational structures that are currently in place. Below are two examples with different configurations for how schools have organized their Equitable Inclusive Leadership Teams based on their specific context. No one way is correct as long as the focus of the work moves forward.
Large schools have a large staff with different organizational structures. Some are organized by grades, by departments, or both. School EILT needs to determine how to construct a team that is representative of the school and includes diverse voices.
This school organized its team with representatives from across the whole school. They moved inclusive education forward by using small workgroups that focused on specific activities as well as grade level and department representatives taking information back to their colleagues and leading work in these areas. In addition, the Parent-Teacher Organization was kept apprised of the work and acted as a “critical friend” for the EILT.
Smaller schools have fewer staff, all of who wear “multiple hats” and cover various roles. This school organized its EILT by assuring that the principal-led team included the general and special educators who are champions of inclusive education and well respected in their school, a parent of child with a disability, and a counselor or social worker who supports a wide array of students. If possible, a specialist teacher and paraprofessional could also be a team members. It is important that a special educator on the EILT supports students with significant cognitive disabilities to assure that each and every student is included in the planning and implementation.