With the increase of anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion educational policies and guidelines at local school boards and state-level agencies, campus administrators have seen an increase in complex situations as they concentrate their attention on supporting the educational needs of students from marginalized communities, including those with…

Since the adoption of the "No Child Left Behind Act," states have had to adopt rigorous, K-12 academic science standards to secure federal funding. Corresponding to this legislation and a concurrent call for equitable, relevant science standards, the "Next Generation Science Standards" were developed. As the country learns to…

Despite a long history of overrepresentation in segregated settings (Brock, 2018), students with disabilities who require extensive supports are more likely to receive inclusive placements in rural schools. In this paper, we present findings from a narrative literature analysis of inclusive education for students with disabilities in rural schools…

Inclusion, specifically inclusion of students with disabilities in the educational system, is not just compliance to standards, but also an attitude. Therefore, inclusive education can be implemented in various ways. This article will examine the educational systems of the United States and Japan, using a case study and literature review. The case…

Special and general education teachers are experiencing increased demands on how content is taught, the content to be taught, and the number of students with learning disabilities: all with limited available resources. Government regulations mandated through No Child Left Behind (NCLB, 2001) and Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA, 2004) have…

The purpose of this article is to review current research about the struggles facing effective inclusive schooling and the role the principal plays in bringing about improved equity, access, and achievement in K-12 public schools. Also, we examine the leadership pipeline and how principal preparation and professional development should address…

Over 13 percent of US students participate in Special Education (SE) programs annually, at a cost of $40 billion. However, the effect of SE placements remains unclear. This paper uses administrative data from Texas to examine the long-run effect of reducing SE access. Our research design exploits variation in SE placement driven by a state policy…

Rural school leaders are faced with challenges to close the achievement gap between subgroups, mainly general and special education. Schools and school systems face several barriers to move forward with positive trends in the data provided by the Alabama State Department of Education. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' perceptions…

Members of the Deaf New American community reported they arrived in the United States with no formal education, unable to read or write in their native language, and had zero fluency in English. Efforts to educate them have floundered, and the study aims to find out why and how to fix the problem. Interviews of eight Deaf New Americans yielded…

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effect of teacher professional development for working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and teacher (N = 56) self-efficacy in the general education classroom. A pretest/posttest quasi-experimental research design was implemented. Teachers in one randomly assigned school received…

An in-depth literature review was conducted to identify the skills, behaviors, expectations, and experiences (SBEEs) associated with employment, further education, and independent living for students with significant cognitive disabilities following high school. Analysis of 53 quantitative and qualitative studies identified 103 specific SBEEs…

The purpose of this paper is to trace the historical trajectory of special education and how societal perspectives influenced the special education movement. It aims to answer if special education and inclusion have achieved their goals for all individuals, especially those with disabilities. A review of historical trends, special education laws,…

This is a paper focuses on two issues central to improving student achievement, the integration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into general education and the inclusion of this framework into the preparation program for school administrators. First, this paper details the need to examine curriculum, instruction and assessment in…

Education is a pillar of the United States development and civilization priorities. The principles of both the U.S. settlers and the Founding Fathers point to the essence and value of education. Nonetheless, these benefits remain futile when the state fails to ensure inclusivity and equality in their campaign. Often, race, gender, and…

Federal legislation such as IDEA (1997) and NCLB (2001) have led to an increase in the number of students with significant disabilities receiving instruction in the general education classroom. This inclusionary movement has established a more diverse student population in which general and special education teachers are responsible for providing…