Parents are rightly concerned about their children’s learning loss post-pandemic. Teachers are too. But the misapplication of special education cannot be the solution.

When educators predict the number of special education will rise across their district ~ push back. Resist. Students need support delivered with precision to close the gaps, not the separate and unequal land of access and opportunity. The ‘tell’ behind these deficit-based comments reveals a deeper truth, namely, that they don’t have a strength-based system of support that is grounded in shared accountability and clarity.

Districts and schools that are operating under the same tiered system that was in place before the pandemic, would be wise to reflect on the urban legend definition of insanity, that, is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.  Said a different way, if what was in place before wasn’t effective, what would lead one to think it will be different this time?  If improvement is the goal, then the insufficient tiered system must change along with the practices of educators. Now is the time to get crystal clear on what’s indispensable for educating students in the wake of the pandemic and into the future.

                                                       Loss of All Kind

The effects of the pandemic have been widely reported yet not nearly enough has been reported on ways of helping district and school leaders think through the challenges of obsolete mind frames. Globally, it is estimated that eight million children eighteen and younger lost a parent or caregiver worldwide from the pandemic and over 250,000 of those are students in the United States. [1] So, if students present differently as a result of the pandemic, shouldn’t education systems respond differently?

             A System That Works for All

 Here’s a radical excellence question: If there were nothing holding you back from designing a comprehensive system that works in conjunction with the improvement process, what would it be?

Instead of a triangle, think about a Double Helix with each strand serving as the complementary backbone of the other so that a complete structure is designed. The elements are non-directional yet are absolutely dependent upon the whole, with a cohesive system as the result. In other words, when we get the conditions right—everyone in the system wins.

The elements of a comprehensive Double Helix System of Support © would include the following dimensions:

A Clear Definition

·  A nimble and responsive system of support that serves as the overarching frame which encompasses the academic and social dimensions of learning.

It provides the foundation for the broader school improvement process by supporting all learners and for ensuring equitable access to a high-quality education.

Shared Accountability

· Implementation is the collective responsibility of all educators, staff, families, and communities.

· The adult skills needed for meeting the wide spectrum of learners is provided by, supported, and monitored by district and school leadership teams.

Design

· There are high expectations of the adults for students.

· The design is nimble to allow educators to make data-informed decisions that meet the needs of students from different backgrounds, levels of language proficiency, learning complexities, and levels of attainment.

· The tiers used to label students are banned. Instead, strategies are identified that address needs.

· Academic and behavioral instruction and support is implemented with stretch inside the classroom.

· Educational financial, and human resources are allocated with intentionality and coordinated across and within the system and in every classroom.

·  A strength-based approach that meets the needs of students, including those with complex needs and disabilities, is designed, implemented, and monitored for effectiveness.

                                                                                        The Time Is Now

It’s time to ban outdated, linear systems that perpetuate the same limiting mind frames and practices.  It’s time to rethink what it means to support the academic and social dimensions of learning so all students can grow and achieve. It will provide the support needed to close gaps and keep children from inappropriately being labeled special education. Otherwise, the district will be responsible for creating a de facto disability. All the efforts behind the federal disability law will be for naught and students who have historically been marginalized including race, ethnicity, poverty, and disability will be doomed for generations to come.

[1] “Orphanhood and Caregiver Loss Among Children Based on New Global Excess COVID-19 Death Estimates.”