Achieving Radical Improvement in Education
Districts and schools have been called upon to minimize learning loss, address disruptive and challenging behaviors, and improve the social-emotional dimensions of school climate and culture. Here’s what is needed to begin radical improvement.
Get The Conditions Right
The districts and schools that prioritize cohesiveness, intentionality, and shared accountability will move more quickly to the forefront of radical improvement. Research consistently indicates that when conditions are intentionally designed to be right for all learners, students who are furthest away from opportunity achieve.
Number of Students with Disabilities
Ages 5 (in kindergarten)-21, by Disability Category,
Served Under IDEA, Part B, in the US, Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States: SY 2019-20
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts Data Warehouse (EDW): “IDEA Part B Child Count and Educational Environments Collection,” 2019-20. All data for Wisconsin were suppressed due to data quality concerns. Data for Iowa was not available.
Students with disabilities are first and foremost general education students. The figure here is a snapshot that shows the number of students served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by category across the nation.
In looking at the four categories with the highest number of students, we see that by definition these students do not have impairments that make achieving unattainable. For example, students identified with a Specific Learning Disability have average to above average intelligence, but often have difficulty demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of content. Why is this important?
Traditionally, the trajectory of students with Specific Learning Disability has been negatively impacted by low expectations and a diminished education. However, when districts and schools improve the conditions, those same students grow, achieve, and graduate with a regular diploma.
One of the telltale markers of districts that value students with disabilities is their graduation rates. For students with disabilities, graduating with a regular diploma is paramount to opening the door to post-secondary education, apprenticeships, paid employment, and a meaningful life.
How does your state compare? To learn more about how your state compares to the national average and to gain a deeper understanding of who your students are and how they are achieving, click here.
Identifying the practices that will drive real growth, and align human, fiscal, and material resources will lead to sustainable improvement. What better time than now to set your sights on getting the conditions right for all students?
