How can school leaders prepare for the changes required to create inclusive school environments?

Page 7: Create a Vision

Once a guiding team has been formed, the next step is to create a shared vision among its members. The guiding team’s vision is a description of their desired future school and how that school will be different from the current one. The vision leads the actions of the guiding team through the change process.

Identify What Works

Before creating their school’s vision, the team must first understand common characteristics indicative of an inclusive school environment. To do so, they should gather information about inclusion by reviewing current research literature, contacting professional development organizations, communicating with other school personnel practicing inclusion, and reaching out to local university faculty, among other methods. Ideally, the guiding team should visit at least one inclusive school—and more if possible—that matches their own school in terms of size and demographics. Conducting a school visit allows the team members to observe an inclusive school environment as well as to view the inclusive practices being implemented at the classroom level. In addition, it allows them to meet with administrators and teachers to discuss any questions they may have about creating an inclusive school.

Create a Vision Statement

Longview Middle School Vision Statement

Longview Middle School will serve all students in integrated, heterogeneous classrooms, regardless of ability/ disability, language, or educational need, through a collaborative culture in which adults share responsibility and embrace all students. At Longview Middle, all students will belong, be successful, and have their individual needs met by highly qualified teachers and staff.

Mel Riddile discusses why it is important for a school’s vision statement to be clear and simple (time: 0:33).

Determine Whether the Vision Can Be Measured

The vision statement should not simply be a slogan. It should be a guiding statement that can be measured. Once the team has written a vision statement, they need to identify each of its objectives so that they can be independently measured. Then the team should brainstorm to determine what kinds of data they already have and what types of data they will need to collect to measure each of these objectives. If they discover that one of the objectives cannot be measured, they need to refine the vision statement. Additionally, these data can later serve as a baseline against which the team can measure the school’s progress toward creating an inclusive school environment. See the table below for an example of how to measure a vision statement.

Ms. Lawrence and the guiding team decide that before creating a vision, they need to understand more about building an inclusive school environment. To do this, they:

• Research and read about the characteristics of inclusive schools
• Visit other schools that are known for being inclusive
• Schedule guest speakers who can provide information about inclusive environments and answer the team’s questions

Now that the team has a basic understanding of the essential characteristics of an inclusive school, they begin to list the characteristics of the school they want to create. Ms. Lawrence helps the team better articulate this emerging vision by asking them guiding questions and summarizing their responses.

Click here to view their responses.

Create a Vision Statement

1. In five years, as a result of our more inclusive environment, all students will ______. (List 2-3 inclusive traits.)
   — Be treated as important members of the school by being welcomed into the general education classroom, regardless of ability
   — Be encouraged to teach each other, showcase talents, take risks, create, collaborate, and see themselves as strong readers.
2. In five years, what will we be able to point to as an indication of our inclusiveness? (List 2-3 inclusive traits.)
   — All school personnel understand inclusion as the educational philosophy that permeates the school as evidenced by the way they include all students in all activities.
   — All teachers are well-versed in adapting materials, lesson structures, instructional arrangements, curricular goals and outcomes, and teaching techniques that can meet the needs of all students
   — All teachers have the skills and time to collaborate in ways that ensure every child’s reading abilities are improving.
3. In five years, who will recognize our school as being more inclusive? (List entities.)
   — Families and community members, as evidenced by the way they are educated about and engaged in CMS’s becoming a strong, inclusive learning community.
   — The district office, as evidenced by the ways it offers the support needed for CMS to fulfill its inclusive mission.
4. Using no more than two sentences, summarize your responses to the questions above to form a vision statement.
   The vision of Central Middle School is to provide an inclusive learning environment where everyone in the school succeeds every day because they feel supported, take risks, try new approaches, showcase new skills, and solve problems collaboratively.

After creating their vision statement, the guiding team wants to be sure it can be measured. They create a table in which they list each objective outlined in the vision statement and brainstorm types of data that they already have and data that they will need to collect to measure each of these objectives.

Click here to see their evaluation table.

Central Middle School Monitoring the School’s Vision Statement What the Vision Statement Says Data We Already Have To Measure the Vision Statement Data We Need To Collect To Measure the Vision Statement The vision of Central Middle School is to provide an inclusive learning environment where everyone in the school succeeds every day because: Special education reports TCAP scores (by subgroups, grades, and individual teacher) Progress reports and report cards Discipline reports Guidance referrals Student survey Classroom observations School personnel survey Feel supported Student survey Take risks Student survey Classroom observation Try new approaches IEP progress report Student survey Classroom observation Showcase new skills Progress monitoring Student portfolio Classroom observation Solve problems collaboratively Lesson plans (to document paired or group activities) Student survey Classroom observation Feel supported School personnel survey Take risks Annual performance evaluations School personnel survey Try new approaches Annual performance evaluations School personnel survey Classroom observations Showcase new skills Annual performance evaluations School personnel survey Classroom observations Solve problems collaboratively Annual performance evaluations Faculty/ staff meeting minutes School personnel survey Classroom observations

One type of data that the team determines that they need to collect is parent, teacher, and student survey data. CMS is fortunate enough to partner with a local university and will have the opportunity to work with a graduate student to develop surveys.