Dismantling Equity Barriers in a Southern School District

• In Event: Dismantling Dis-Abling Systems of Oppression

Abstract

Purpose: One district used implementation science (Fixsen et al., 2005), targeted universalism (powell et al., 2019), the National Equity Project’s framework for equity leadership, and the TIES Center’s Inclusive Education Roadmap to critically examine the racist and ableist foundations of its system with a special focus on inclusive education. The long-standing policies, practices, and procedures emphasize systemic racism and ableism where most students with low incidence disabilities (e.g., autism, intellectual disabilities) were systematically relegated to separate settings and academic paths with low outcomes. The work is a prime example of how education systems are often designed to perpetuate inequities and create significant barriers for marginalized students.

Perspectives: Research has consistently demonstrated the benefits of inclusive education practices for students with and without disabilities, yet the one measure the federal government collects related to inclusive practices, “least restrictive environment” (LRE), has shown little to no change for years for certain disability groups (Morningstar et al., 2017). These settings significantly limit their post-school outcomes and typically result in poverty and low quality of life (e.g., Jackson et al., 2022). Disproporationate percentages of students of color fall prey to this system.

Methodology: This case study is an ethnographic examination where the authors include key participants in the equity work. Data has been collected through notes, interviews, focus groups, and participant observation.

Results: The work shares tools used and steps taken to analyze and rework policies, practices, and structures. Results include specific changes made and tools developed to support the work. The district developed an equity blueprint while working on mindset and procedural shifts and capacity building needed for inclusive education.

Scholarly Significance: While the work is not completed, and most likely never will be, these initial steps and associated learning provide important insight to others working in system change. They outline key processes for analyzing disproportionate data and the structures that create those outcomes. Next, they contextualize implementation science and the work to dismantle structural barriers to foster systemic change. They also provide insight into special education mythologies that sustain a pedagogy of oppression and steps toward systemic change.

Authors

• Deborah Taub, OTL Education Solutons

• Effie McMillian, Winston-Salem Forsyth County Public Schools

• Diane L Ryndak, University of North Carolina - Greensboro