Inclusion

Learn about how schools work to educate and include students who need extra supports in all areas of school life
Students break down a word using the Neuhaus method during class at Starpoint School in Fort Worth, Texas on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026 . Starpoint is a laboratory school that focuses on education for students with learning difficulties like dyslexia.
Students break down a word using the Neuhaus method during class at Starpoint School in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sept. 17, 2026. Starpoint is a laboratory school that focuses on education for students with learning difficulties like dyslexia. A new Texas plan aims to expand support for early childhood special education.
Amanda McCoy/Star-Telegram via TNS
Early Childhood This State Has a Plan to Improve Early Childhood Special Education. Here's How
Experts discuss the difficulties that families and educators face in supporting young students with disabilities.
Jennifer Vilcarino, September 30, 2026
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4 min read
Lois Curtis, left, addresses a group at the state Capitol in Hartford, Conn., to observe the 10th anniversary of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that qualified patients have the right to receive community-based care rather than to be institutionalized. Curtis was one of the to plaintiffs in the suit, Olmstead v. L.C. and E.W.
Lois Curtis, left, addresses a group at the Connecticut state Capitol in 2009 to mark the 10th anniversary of <i>Olmstead</i> v. <i>L.C.</i>, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling stemming from a lawsuit in which she was a lead plaintiff that established qualified patients' right to community-based care over institutionalization. In June, the U.S. Department of Justice stated it “will not rely upon the <i>Olmstead</i> Guidance in its enforcement” of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a move that advocates fear could upend transition planning for K-12 students who have disabilities.
Bob Child/AP
Special Education New Federal Guidance Could Roll Back Special Ed. Transition Services
New DOJ guidance threatens high school transition programs meant to help disabled students live independently.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, September 1, 2026
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3 min read
20250329 AMX US NEWS OSCEOLA PARENTS FEAR DISASTROUS FALLOUT 1 OS
Melanie Thomas plays with her autistic son, Luke, at their home in St. Cloud, Fla., on March 25, 2025. The local school district implemented changes that would merge more students with disabilities into mainstream classes. A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that the number of students who have disabilities and spend at least 40% of their school day in general education classes rose about 25% between the 2012-13 and 2023-24 school years.
Stephen Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via TNS
Special Education More Students With Disabilities Are in General Education Classes. How's That Working?
New report examines states' efforts to educate students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, July 14, 2026
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1 min read
Asia Screen, special education compliance monitor, center right, greets a student at Edward T. Steel School on the first day of school on Aug. 25, 2025, in Philadelphia.
Asia Screen, special education compliance monitor, greets a student at Edward T. Steel School on the first day of school on Aug. 25, 2025, in Philadelphia. A new report from Congress' nonpartisan watchdog finds students with disabilities are spending more time in mainstream classrooms, though the progress toward achieving that goal in federal law varied by state.
Jessica Griffin/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
Special Education Students With Disabilities Are Spending More Time in Mainstream Classes
Under federal law, students with disabilities are supposed to learn in the least restrictive environment.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, July 7, 2026
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6 min read
Special Education Spotlight Spotlight on ADHD, Inclusion, and IDEA: How Schools are Redefining Support for Students with Disabilities
New ADHD research and inclusive practices are reshaping how schools support students with disabilities and learning differences.
June 3, 2026
Special Education Spotlight Knock Down the Barriers to Inclusive Literacy Instruction
Literacy for all: inclusive classrooms, accessible tools, and strong supports help students with disabilities learn, belong, and thrive.
April 15, 2026
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 14: Debra McAdams, Executive Director, Department of Exceptional Education at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools visits Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School Of The Arts in Nashville.
Debra McAdams, executive director of the department of exceptional education at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, visits Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 14, 2026.
Brett Carlsen for Education Week
Special Education Q&A Why Inclusive Classrooms Benefit Every Student, Not Just Those With Disabilities
Inclusive practices improve outcomes for all students and require deep system change.
Evie Blad, February 9, 2026
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5 min read
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 14: Debra McAdams, Executive Director, Department of Exceptional Education at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools visits Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School Of The Arts in Nashville.
Debra McAdams, executive director of the department of exceptional education at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, visits Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 14, 2026.
Brett Carlsen for Education Week
Special Education Leader To Learn From How Nashville Dismantled Segregated Classrooms for Students With Disabilities
Nashville overhauled special education to prioritize inclusion, and changed school culture.
Evie Blad, February 9, 2026
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8 min read
A “zones of regulation” sign decorates the door of a classroom at Ruby Bridges Elementary School in Woodinville, Wash., on April 2, 2024.
A sign asking children to identify their feelings decorates the door of a classroom at an elementary school in Woodinville, Wash., on April 2, 2024. Experts say schools should design social-emotional-learning curricula and programming with the needs of students with disabilities at the forefront.
Meron Menghistab for Education Week
Special Education A Missed Opportunity in SEL: Centering Students With Disabilities
Students with learning differences are not always considered in the design or implementation of SEL programs.
Madeline Will, January 26, 2026
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7 min read
Students on Northwood High School’s pickleball team warm up ahead of a match against Wheaton High School in Wheaton, Md., on Oct. 1, 2025.
Students on Northwood High School’s pickleball team warm up ahead of a match against Wheaton High School in Wheaton, Md., on Oct. 1, 2025.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Video How One District Made Pickleball an Inclusive Varsity Sport
Kids with IEP and 504 plans play alongside their peers on one district's varsity pickleball team.
Jaclyn Borowski & Yi-Jo Shen, October 31, 2025
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2:07
Birch Academy Students Randy Gamez (cq), left, and Ashlee (cq) Garcia, third from left, walk from art class to gym class with Mt Pleasant High School students, sophomore Veronica Northup, second from left, and senior Deana Clerjuste at Mt. Pleasant High School in Providence, R.I., last week. The U.S. Justice department, in an investigation, found the former Birch Vocational School in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act as the students were kept segregated and given small jobs. The entire program has been revamped to integrate students with intellectual disabilities into classrooms with typically developing peers. Currently, many of the ancillary classes are integrated.
Birch Academy Students Randy Gamez (cq), left, and Ashlee (cq) Garcia, third from left, walk from art class to gym class with Mt Pleasant High School students, sophomore Veronica Northup, second from left, and senior Deana Clerjuste at Mt. Pleasant High School in Providence, R.I., last week. The U.S. Justice department, in an investigation, found the former Birch Vocational School in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act as the students were kept segregated and given small jobs. The entire program has been revamped to integrate students with intellectual disabilities into classrooms with typically developing peers. Currently, many of the ancillary classes are integrated.
Gretchen Ertl for Education Week
Special Education Professional Learning Guide Your Guide to Special Education
From understanding disabilities to applying effective teaching strategies, this guide helps you foster an inclusive learning environment.
August 12, 2025
School Climate & Safety Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Creating Inclusive Classrooms?
Answer 7 questions about creating inclusive classrooms for students.
August 5, 2025
Thu., January 23, 2025, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
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Special Education Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Inclusion & Special Education?
Answer 7 questions about inclusion and special education.
October 1, 2024