In Colorado’s low-income, highly diverse Adams County 50 school district, teachers are learning how to integrate supports for all students, including those who are gifted, have disabilities, are learning English, and live in poverty. That cross-pollination of educational specialities is the brainchild of Steve Sandoval, a one-time school psychologist who has made a career out of helping teachers deeply understand the needs of their students. Sandoval’s “interventionist framework” is credited with helping to dramatically raise achievement in the district during a time of rapid demographic change. “No one teacher has truth in a bottle; no one teacher can do it all, regardless of how great he or she is as a teacher and how well they differentiate in the classroom,” Sandoval says. “It really does take a variety of people to support kids that are enrolled in our school district.” This video was produced as part of Education Week’s Leaders To Learn From project, recognizing outstanding school district leaders from around the country.
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