Trends in LRE Placement Rates Over the Past 25 Years

Williamson, Pamela; Hoppey, David; McLeskey, James; Bergmann, Erica; Moore, Hanna

doi:10.1177/0022466919855052

Cited by 37 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 19 publications

(43 reference statements)

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“…Standards-based educational reforms (e.g., Every Student Succeeds Act, 2015; IDEA, 2004; No Child Left Behind Act, 2002), state-level reforms (e.g., new curriculum standards, Multi-Tiered System of Support [MTSS], certification changes), and social and demographic changes have led to evolving work contexts and increasing demands on SETs. These greater demands include the following: (a) increasing responsibility for content standards (e.g., Drame & Pugach, 2010), which may compete with SETs’ efforts to provide intensive interventions addressing foundational skills (e.g., Cook et al, 2019); (b) greater inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings (Williamson, Hoppey, McLeskey, Bergmann, & Moore, 2019), leading to changing service delivery models and the need for SETs to work collaboratively with GETs to assure students with disabilities’ needs are met (e.g., through co-teaching, collaboration); (c) widespread implementation of MTSS systems, which include SETs in varied ways (McCray, Butler, & Bettini, 2014); (d) a trend away from categorical toward non-categorical licensure (Sindelar, Fisher, & Myers, 2019), allowing SETs to teach a broader student population; and (e) a population of primarily White SETs (Billingsley, Bettini, & Williams, 2019) who indicate they feel unskilled in meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse student population (Fall & Billingsley, 2008).…”

Section: A Historical Perspective On Working Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving Working Conditions to Support Special Educators’ Effectiveness: A Call for Leadership

Billingsley

Bettini

Mathews

et al. 2020

Teacher Education and Special Education

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Special education teachers (SETs) are expected to use effective practices to improve outcomes for students with disabilities, yet even those who are well-prepared may not be effective in teaching these students, as problematic working conditions may limit their opportunities to teach effectively and their longevity in the profession. To complicate matters, the context of SETs’ work has changed, calling into question the nature of their roles in supporting student learning. The purpose of this article is to provide a broad overview of what is known about working conditions and to articulate how we might improve them. The authors identify key themes from the research literature about the relationship of SETs’ working conditions to their early experiences in schools and their burnout, attrition, and effectiveness. The authors then outline an action agenda focused on researching and leveraging the roles of varied stakeholders, teacher educators, educational leaders, and professional organizations to improve these conditions.

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Section: A Historical Perspective On Working Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving Working Conditions to Support Special Educators’ Effectiveness: A Call for Leadership

Billingsley

Bettini

Mathews

et al. 2020

Teacher Education and Special Education

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“…This mandate has led to increasing numbers of students with disabilities who are educated in general education classrooms for most of the school day (i.e. 80% or more) Williamson et al , (2020). Between 1990 and 2016, the percentage of students with disabilities educated inside the general education classroom for most of the school day increased substantially from 33.9 to 63.1% (USDOE, 2018).…”

Section: Context To Inclusive Education In the United Statesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the United States, the federal government did not formally adopt the Salamanca Accord, but rather maintained in legislation a preference for educating students with disabilities with their typical peers, based on a mandate to educate students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE) (EAHCA, 1975). Since being passed in 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) has resulted in consistent progress toward educating increasing numbers of students with disabilities in general education settings, although disparities persist across states, disability categories and racial and ethnic groups (Skiba et al, 2016; U.S. Department of Education [USDOE], 2018; Williamson et al, 2020). While this legislation largely characterizes inclusion as a place, this is not the perspective that we took in reviewing literature for this article.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since being passed in 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) has resulted in consistent progress toward educating increasing numbers of students with disabilities in general education settings, although disparities persist across states, disability categories and racial and ethnic groups (Skiba et al , 2016; U.S. Department of Education [USDOE], 2018; Williamson et al , 2020). While this legislation largely characterizes inclusion as a place, this is not the perspective that we took in reviewing literature for this article.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Principal leadership for students with disabilities in effective inclusive schools

DeMatthews

Billingsley

McLeskey

et al. 2020

JEA

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PurposeCreating inclusive schools for students with disabilities is a major leadership responsibility for principals throughout the world. Each national, regional and local context is different, but every principal can help create and support inclusive schools. The purpose of this article is to describe the evolving context of inclusive education and school leadership in the United States aligning what is known to an established leadership framework (Hitt and Tucker, 2016), as there are similarities between the Hitt and Tucker domains and the work of leaders in inclusive schools. The authors emphasize that inclusive leadership is consistent with existing conceptualizations of principals' work. The authors consider specific policies and organizational conditions that support inclusive schools and highlight successes and continuing challenges for principals that can be applied throughout the world.Design/methodology/approachThis paper utilizes an exploratory approach to review the US policy-related and empirical literature on school leadership for effective inclusive schools. The authors draw across time from research syntheses in school and inclusive leadership from leading journals in educational leadership, special education and edited volumes focused on school leadership. The authors analyze common themes centered on leadership practice, organizational and social conditions and challenges.FindingsThe research review identified effective leadership practices that support inclusive education in the United States and provides a critical discussion of how these findings relate to international research and practice.Practical implicationsThe paper considers the relevance of national policy contexts coupled with a review of school leadership for inclusive schools that is insightful for policymakers and practitioners seeking to create more inclusive schools throughout the world.Originality/valueThe paper offers a situated review of leadership for inclusive schools in the United States. As such, this review lays the foundation for a comparative and international conversation on school leadership for inclusion.

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“…General education placements had increased for SWDs since the EAHCA (US Department of Education, 2018) but many barriers remained. SWDs in secondary schools and identified within certain disability categories continued to be placed in more restrictive settings (US Department of Education, 2018;Williamson et al, 2020). The disproportionate identification and segregation of low-income students of color was also a phenomenon spanning decades (Blanchett, 2006;Dunn, 1968;US Department of Education, 2018).…”

Section: Us Special Education Law and Challenges To Inclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Undoing systems of exclusion: exploring inclusive leadership and systems thinking in two inclusive elementary schools

DeMatthews

2020

JEA

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PurposeMost education systems were not initially designed to include students with disabilities. However, over the past 25 years, great strives have been taken to ensure students with disabilities have access to the general education classroom and to important social, emotional and academic opportunities. Within the USA, researchers have begun to focus on the principal's role in creating and sustaining effective inclusive schools. The purpose of this article is to examine the leadership practices and perceptions associated with creating effective inclusive schools for students with disabilities.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study examined how two elementary school principals created an effective inclusive school and how they understood the challenges and change processes associated with inclusion. Each principal was interviewed and observed four times over one school year. Teachers and district administrators were also interviewed to gain insights into the school's progress with inclusion and to verify principals’ interview data.FindingsThis study added to existing research by identifying the following leadership practices critical to creating effective inclusive schools: (1) creating a culture of change-oriented collaboration, (2) planning and evaluating, (3) building capacity and (4) developing/revising plans. The principals felt that these practices enabled inclusion to take root, despite challenges and the chaotic nature of life in schools. A total of three additional themes emerged related to how principals understood change processes and challenges associated with inclusion: collaborative inquiry, information flow and crises/distractions/fatigue.Practical implicationsSeveral key leadership practices were identified in this study, including practices associated to systems thinking (ST). These practices hold promise and might be applied to thoughtfully design inclusive reforms. Faculty in principal preparation programs might also consider exposing aspiring leaders to the literature on leadership for effective inclusive schools as well as systems thinking.Originality/valueThe paper identifies the leadership practices of two principals who created effective inclusive schools. The paper is unique as it applies a ST lens to the investigation of leadership for inclusion.

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Trends in LRE Placement Rates Over the Past 25 Years

Cited by 37 publications

References 19 publications

Improving Working Conditions to Support Special Educators’ Effectiveness: A Call for Leadership

Improving Working Conditions to Support Special Educators’ Effectiveness: A Call for Leadership

Principal leadership for students with disabilities in effective inclusive schools

Undoing systems of exclusion: exploring inclusive leadership and systems thinking in two inclusive elementary schools

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