The coexistence of high standards and inclusion: whole-school approaches can satisfy requirements of IDEA and NCLB Act - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, No Child Left Behind Act

School Administrator, March, 2003 by Dorothy Kerzner Lipsky

School administrators find themselves facing what appear to be conflicting mandates from the federal and state governments, including the demands for academic standards and the requirement of inclusive special education.

Evidence suggests, however, that school districts can achieve high academic outcomes while including all students in meeting the requirements of both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act.

IDEA and NCLB address the common issue of educational benefits for all students. The federal laws offer a framework that:

* emphasizes high standards for all students. While NCLB focuses on reading and math, IDEA addresses all subjects;

* requires testing of students with needed modifications so that few are excluded. The results are to be made public as part of the school district's report to parents and community;

* includes provisions to ensure overall data do not mask the particular. NCLB requires disaggregation of test results by various subgroups, including students with disabilities. IDEA requires disaggregation per treatment (referrals, certification, placement and discipline) by gender, language and race;

* emphasizes the importance of personnel. IDEA imposes requirements on states for a comprehensive personnel system. NCLB requires all teachers, including those in special education, be highly qualified by the end of the 2005-2006 school year;

* requires best practices. IDEA requires states and local districts to acquire and disseminate the results of educational research and adopt promising educational practices. NCLB requires reading and math programs be research-based; and

* encourages flexibility in the use of funds to promote a whole-school approach. IDEA authorizes the use of special education funds for services to nondisabled students and professional development activities with general education teachers who serve students with disabilities. NCLB allows school districts to transfer funds between various federal programs, excluding IDEA.

A Unified System

The basic redesign of special education is as a service, not a place or program to which students are sent. The systemic goal is to transform the whole district into a unified educational system.

While the federal law does not require the placement of all students with disabilities in a general education environment, it presumes inclusion. Each student's individual education plan must incorporate specific justification of a decision for a student not to participate with nondisabled peers in academic, extracurricular and nonacademic activities. This justification must be particular, subject by subject, and cover the spectrum of school-based programs, the entire academic curriculum, clubs, sports, afterschool activities and student transportation.

District leadership is essential. The leader must: 1) work with all stakeholder groups to develop a shared vision of a unified system; 2) support a planning process to re-examine past practices; 3) secure resources for the needed changes; and 4) monitor initiatives to ensure progress, to make midcourse corrections and to sustain momentum.

Successful outcomes for all students will require fundamental changes in district organization and budgeting, school organization and staffing, and classroom practices. An effective continuum of services for students with disabilities is best achieved by changing programs, procedures and services in general education.

The practices described here are drawn from the experience of the National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion in its research, training and technical assistance work with urban, suburban and rural school districts.

District Organization

Launched by the superintendent, a building-level planning process prepares the district for implementing inclusive education to promote high-level educational outcomes for students in general and special education. A whole-school approach to the educational restructuring is essential. The planning process is not a special education exercise.

The district planning process involves five steps:

* Establish a diverse school planning group. Because the consequences will have an impact on all adults and children in the school, the planning group should include the full range of school stakeholders--general and special educators, classroom and support personnel, administrators and parents.

* Conduct a school self-assessment. Identify the reasons students have been referred for special education services to determine additional or alternative serv-ices in general education to support students and enable them to succeed in the regular classroom. Examine the current design and staffing of special education programs to identify resources for (re)deployment to provide support to students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Look for current district and school practices that inhibit inclusive practices. Identify students with disabilities served in separate classrooms to determine the supports required in a general education classroom. And determine the professional development required in the school redesign, recognizing that staff members themselves are an important professional development resource.