Tracking Transformation: A Case Study on Systemic Inclusion for Students with Disabilities

• In Event: Dismantling Dis-Abling Systems of Oppression

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the impact of a change framework on co-teaching practices and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) rates in six middle schools within a large urban school district in the western United States. It examines systemic change, where district, school, and teacher leaders aimed to extend their successful elementary-level initiatives that enhanced general education access for students with disabilities (SWD), to middle schools through a comprehensive, system-wide approach. The framework used was based on established research on educational change levers, tailored to the district's resources and personnel. A context-based reflexive approach identified four main levers: system focus (e.g., Shogren et al., 2015), inclusive leadership (e.g., DeMatthews et al., 2020), teaching and learning (e.g., Tiernan, 2018), and paraprofessional support (e.g., Damiani et al., 2023).

Perspectives
Multiple factors influence access to general education for SWD. State and federal policies, along with their implementation, play a significant role in shaping access for these students (Author, 2018). Although scholars have proposed several change frameworks (e.g., Shogren et al., 2015), the results of the implementation of such frameworks in specific contexts remains under-researched.

Method
This case study follows the district's systemic change process over three years, addressing research questions about shifts in inclusive practices, specifically co-teaching, and LRE placement within six middle schools. The research questions include: 1. What were the increases in the number of co-taught classes over three years across the six middle schools?, 2. What changes occurred in the placement of SWD in four categories: separate setting, less than 40% in general education, 40-79% in general education, and 80% or more in general education?

Data Sources and Analysis
To address LRE data at the middle school level, the district partnered with the Institute for Higher Education starting in the 2021-22 school year. Six out of seven middle schools participated, involving 1,105 students (see Table 1). Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively to identify patterns and trends (Creswell & Creswell, 2022). Data visualization through bar charts facilitated the understanding of the percentage of SWD in each placement category over three years (Creswell & Creswell, 2022).

Results
All six schools saw a positive average change (+18%) in the percentage of SWD spending 80% or more of the day in general education, alongside increases in co-taught classes. There were declines in other placement categories: a -11% decline in students spending 40-79% of the day in general education, a -42% decline in those spending less than 40% of the day in general education, and a -5% decline in students in separate settings. Changes varied across schools, as detailed in Tables 2 and 3.

Scholarly Significance
After three years of focused systemic change across six middle schools, progress toward State Performance Plan indicators for LRE access varied by school. This suggests the importance of district-wide focus and support, school readiness, differentiated support for school sites, and data-based decision-making with specific policy targets.

Authors

• Meghan E. Cosier, Chapman University

• Audri Sandoval Gomez, Chapman University