BOSTON SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS Dr. Thomas Hehir Professor of Practice Harvard Graduate School of Education

Research on Effective Inclusive Schools

Henderson School june12/amgradengaging_03-21.html

The Impact of Inclusion

A score of 0-19 qualifies as Warning/Failing A score of qualifies as Needs Improvement A score of qualifies as Proficient Asd A score of qualifies as Advanced MCAS Performance Categories Displaying predicted scores derived from controlled multi-level regression models on the ELA portion of the grade 8 MCAS test for students with ‘High Incidence’ disabilities (low- income and non-low-income) who are included with their typically developing peers % of the day, 40-79% of the day and less than 40% of the day (n=68,622 students, nested in n=239 school districts).

Included % Included 40-79% Included less than 40% Inclusion and Low-Income Students 8 Included % Included 40-79% Included less than 40%

Inclusion and Race 9 Included % Included 40-79% Included less than 40%

The Four Frames of Leadership (Bolman and Deal) Symbolic Frame (Value and culture matter) Structural Frame (Organization, resources, policies, etc.) Political Frame (How an organization deals with issues of power) Human Resource Frame (How the individuals within the organization are treated, supported and developed)

Symbolic Frame (Values and culture matter) Strong mission orientation Leaders tell the story of the school and it’s students School leaders believe they are involved in a larger change effort to remake schooling to be more equitable and inclusive Ceremonies celebrating success and promoting mission are common

Structural Frame (Organization, resources, policies, etc.) All resources in one basket The leaders are exceptionally entrepreneurial Collaborative teaching and problem solving opportunities Extended time Integration of community resources UDL utilizing both high and low tech is ubiquitous Strong integration of the arts

Political Frame (How an organization deals with issues of power) Opinion leaders are essential elements of promoting change (Skrtic) Principals actively seek political support to secure necessary resources Principals actively seek both vertical and horizontal support within their school Principals actively seek community support Principals engage in a delicate dance of being both insiders and countercultural change agents Implementers and clients matter

Human Resource Frame (How the individuals within the organization are treated, supported and developed) All persons working within the schools are connected to the mission Leadership is distributed Teacher leadership is encouraged and valued Collaborative problem solving is the norm A recognition that specialized expertise is necessary Teachers and other staff evidence high morale Significant resources are available for staff development Clear expectations that all need to constantly improve their ability to address the needs of diverse learners

Biggest Take-Aways All of these schools have moved from “egg crate” performance organizations to collaborative problem solving organizations Kids at the margins have driven this organizational change

Adhocratic Problem-Solving Schools The way I’ve always looked at it is that I know the O’Hearn [Henderson] was set up… it’s thinking of the children with disabilities first. So because they’re placed at the center of what’s going to happen here, everything else has to be built around that. So it’s almost like thinking if the kids who need the most support and the most help and have hardest time are going to succeed here, then just think of how well everybody else is going to do who don’t need quite that much.

Adhocratic Problem-Solving Schools We’re taught to think about things in a really deep and thorough way…. our professional development is ongoing, because we problem‐solve everything in the moment. (Blair, BAA) I’ll think about a young boy and how much he’s struggling, and it’s really great here, because you can think along with someone else. (Nancy, Mason) [The O’Hearn is] a place where people are always thinking of another way to do things, rather than saying – ‘but this is the curriculum. That’s how we have to do it’… The teachers [here] are being more creative. (Mary, O’Hearn)

Elmore - Internal Coherence Model

Importance of Capacity Building Accountability must be a reciprocal process. For every increment of performance I demand from you, I have an equal responsibility to provide you with the capacity to meet that expectation. Likewise, for every investment you make in my skill and knowledge, I have a reciprocal responsibility to demonstrate some new increment in performance. This is the principle of “reciprocity of accountability for capacity.” - Elmore, 2000

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Multiple means of representation Multiple means of expression Flexible means of engagement

Lessons for School Leaders Establish a strong inclusive vision Practice the principles of distributed leadership Establish structures that enable teachers to work together Seek entrepreneurial opportunities Establish strong relationships with parents and the community Situate reforms in the instructional core Support school-level UDL at the school and classroom levels