Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education

For district and school leaders committed to inclusive education for ALL! Loving this work coming out of the Educating All Learners Alliance Community of Action! This work to bring diverse organizations together to 10x their impact and work through collaboration and codesign to address core needs of the field is among my favorite things we do, Announcing the Inclusive Leadership Practices Starter Kit by #InclusionToday! Inclusion Today is a cross-organizational collaboration between The Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP), Diverse Learners Cooperative (DLC), the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE), and Blue Engine (BE), aimed at shifting practices among school and district leaders to achieve equitable outcomes for all learners. By signing the Inclusive Leadership Pledge, you’ll gain access to the Inclusive Leadership Practices Toolkit and the Planning Tool, which offer resources focused on (a) inclusive vision, awareness, and mindset (b) strategic planning (c) effective collaborative structures (d) strong foundational general education instruction, and (e) equitable allocation of resources. Take the pledge to join a growing network of educators dedicated to promoting inclusive practices and driving change in education https://lnkd.in/eaVn5Q6Z

"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." - Maya Angelou Coming Thursday, October 31, 2024, Brittni Sammons discusses with Tim Villegas what it looks like to create an inclusive master schedule. In this preview clip, Brittni reflects on her previous thoughts about separate educational settings for learners with disabilities. Look out for the episode when it drops this week on your favorite podcast player or YouTube.

Hardworking teachers desire to move inclusive education practices forward but often lack systems that support this change. It’s time to empower them with the resources and respect they need to succeed in building inclusive communities. Aaron Lanou, an inclusive education consultant, shares that inclusive settings must happen for all learners, but many school systems are not ready for this change. This is why it is so important for schools and districts to have a plan and a partner in this work. Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast player or watch it on YouTube. #ThinkInclusive #InclusionMatters #EmpowerTeachers Timothy Villegas

Segregated special education classrooms are not an efficient way to educate learners with extensive support needs. "Although separate special education classes for students with extensive support needs have long been viewed as critical for providing intensive individualized support and education, researchers have noted that these students may spend substantial portions of their school day engaged in noninstructional activities such as extended periods of games, choice or play time, movie viewing, or other activities unrelated to academic instruction." For those of us who have taught in segregated special education classrooms, we know the truth. It's hardly an environment for learning. Even on the best day, there are constant interruptions, distractions, and times when the students do nothing. Plus, teachers must navigate multiple grade-level standards in one classroom, which is arduous for any teacher. A better way is for schools and districts to plan for learners with extensive support needs within the general education environment and use the special educators that would typically be assigned to a special education classroom to support learners throughout general education classrooms. This would require restructuring how schools typically serve students with extensive support needs, but it is a more effective and efficient practice that MCIE has supported our partners with. If you think it can't be done, there are schools right now that would beg to differ. We have a message for school leaders. Equipping general and special education teachers to support all learners in inclusive classrooms results in improved IEP quality, more student engagement, increased instructional time, and consistent application of individualized supports. If you want to learn more, check out the links in the comments. Our work begins with a conversation, and we can't wait to talk to you. Please like, comment, and share with a school leader in your community. [image carousel] screenshots from an EdSource article called "Too much downtime, too little learning in special day classes" - link in the comments

Math is for everyone, not just the ones who find answers quickly. Let's focus on the beauty of the process, the struggle, and the discourse. Together, we can make math accessible and open doors for every student. Here is Ron Martiello, an instructional coach, on Think Inclusive. Listen on your favorite podcast player or watch the full episode on YouTube. #MathForAll #Education

➕ Episode Alert ➕ Jenna Mancini Rufo, Ed.D. on Think Inclusive talks about why every learner deserves a spot in the general education classroom, regardless of where they are on their learning journey. Don't let the myth of needing 'prerequisite skills' hold students with disabilities back. Listen on your favorite podcast player or watch the episode on YouTube. #ThinkInclusive #JennaRufo #InclusionAlwaysWorks

The MCIE team has been busy equipping educators to move inclusive practices forward in their schools and districts, from Illinois to Oklahoma to Maryland. Here is a photo dump of the last few weeks. Image 1: Carolyn facilitating learner planning at Edgewood Middle School in Illinois. Image 2: Nicole and Carol met with co-teaching teams at Braddock Middle School in Maryland to discuss their strategies for co-planning. Image 3: Brittni with educators from Deerfield 109 in Illinois during a professional learning session about universal and specially designed instruction. Image 4: Tim and Carolyn presenting before the Oklahoma House Committee "Exploring the Impact and Implementation of Inclusive Education and Parental Participation." Image 5: A picture of the room Tim and Carolyn presented to during the session. Image 6: Educators at the Commodore John Rogers School in Baltimore, Maryland, learn about teamwork and planning for all learners. Image 7: Carolyn with educators from Somerset County, Maryland. Image 8: Educators from District 113 in Illinois with our partners at TrueNorth. Image 9: Secondary social studies educators in Maryland learning about high-quality universal instruction and specially designed instruction. Image 10: A learner using a newly installed communication board on the playground of Princess Anne Elementary in Maryland.

💾 Episode Alert 💾 On the next episode of Think Inclusive, Andrea Harkins-Brown, Ed. D. from Johns Hopkins stops by to discuss how artificial intelligence could help educators develop IEPs. But not before Timothy and Andrea talk about how the research (time and time again) points to better outcomes for learners with disabilities in inclusive environments. Tune in this week on your favorite podcast player or on YouTube. #InclusionWorks #ThinkInclusive #ArtificialIntelligence

How do we prepare students for a more inclusive environment? Kayla Coburn highlights the creative use of 'bumping,' to foster genuine connections among students. Watch how these interactions transform classrooms and create a culture of acceptance. Learn more about the power of trust in our educational spaces. Watch the entire episode of Think Inclusive on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast player. #InclusionMatters #StudentEngagement #SocialImpact #EducationLeadership Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education

Love this message from our recent guest, Kayla Coburn (Inclusion Starts Now), on Think Inclusive. ☀️ Whether you're an educator, family member, or advocate, remember that every small step counts toward inclusion! You're already doing great – celebrate your progress! #InclusionMatters #CelebrateEveryStep