Leading inclusion

Abstract

The 42 school districts participating in the state of Washington’s Inclusionary Practices Project achieved a significant 12.8% increase in inclusion in the least restrictive environment (LRE 1, or in general education for 80-100% of the school day) over four years, surpassing the state average increase of 6.8%. Katie Novak and Helene Paroff highlight the importance of leadership, collaboration, progress assessment, and continuous professional learning to the success of the project. The project challenges the perception that inclusion is limited to special education and underscores the role of executive sponsorship. Above all, the work provides valuable insights for replicating and creating inclusive environments in other education systems.