Behavior plans are crucial tools in special education, offering structured strategies to address behavioral challenges while fostering growth and independence. However, even the most well-intentioned plans can fail if they aren’t designed or implemented effectively. Common pitfalls—like vague goals, lack of collaboration, or inconsistent implementation—can undermine a plan’s success and leave educators, students, and families frustrated.

By identifying these pitfalls and adopting best practices, behavior plans can be transformed into powerful tools for positive change. Here’s how to create behavior plans that work while avoiding common missteps.

Inclusion classrooms, where students with and without disabilities learn side by side, are a cornerstone of modern education. Yet, despite their growing presence, misconceptions about their effectiveness persist. These myths often stem from a lack of understanding about how inclusion works and what it aims to achieve. Breaking down these myths is critical to fostering equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students.

Let’s examine some of the most common myths about inclusion classrooms and the truths that dispel them.

What a difference a year makes! As we look back on 2024, we’re filled with pride and gratitude for everything we’ve accomplished together. This year marked a pivotal moment for our organization, with our transition to The SPEDucated Leader, the launch of our flagship programs, and the incredible impact of our work in schools nationwide.

In special education, collaboration is essential. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, classroom placement, and the implementation of supports all rely on one critical element: communication. Open and transparent dialogue among educators, parents, specialists, and students forms the foundation of an inclusive and supportive learning environment. When communication thrives, so does the potential for students with disabilities to succeed academically and socially.

For parents and educators navigating the world of special education, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) often feels like the golden ticket—a comprehensive plan to address the unique needs of students with disabilities. However, while the IEP is a critical tool, it’s not a magical solution that guarantees success. An IEP is only as effective as its implementation and the intentional efforts of the team supporting it. Rather than treating it as a one-stop fix, we must view the IEP as a dynamic, collaborative tool designed to provide students with disabilities the services and support they need to thrive academically and socially.

Supporting students with disabilities (SWD) takes intention, awareness, and a commitment to fostering independence. Yet, despite best intentions, some approaches and assumptions can  inadvertently hinder their growth and success. It’s easy to fall into patterns that aim to help but, in practice, may limit opportunities for students to reach their full potential. Three common ways in particular that we may unintentionally sabotage their success: offering too much support, setting limiting expectations, and failing to foster inclusive collaboration. Each of these can lead to missed opportunities for students to develop essential skills and gain confidence. By understanding and addressing these habits, educators, families, and advocates can create a more empowering and inclusive environment for students with disabilities.

Classroom placement is one of the most critical decisions made in special education. It involves more than just deciding where a student will spend their day; it’s about finding the right balance between providing specialized support and ensuring access to the general education environment. Whether in a general education classroom, a resource room, or a more specialized setting, placement decisions are made based on a variety of factors, including cognitive, behavioral, and social needs.This blog will explore how these decisions are made, what the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) entails, and why placement should always be individualized to meet each student's unique needs.

As classrooms continue to grow more diverse, providing equitable education means more than just delivering curriculum content. It’s about ensuring all students, regardless of their abilities or needs, have access to meaningful and engaging learning opportunities. For students with disabilities, this often involves Supplementary Aids and Services (SAS), which are essential for inclusive education. These supports allow students with disabilities to participate fully in both academic and non-academic activities. In this blog, we’ll explore what SAS entails, their importance, the types of supports available, and practical strategies for implementation.

Differentiation is the cornerstone of high-quality Tier 1 instruction, ensuring that every student, regardless of their learning needs, has access to meaningful and engaging educational experiences. Tier 1 instruction refers to the foundational level of teaching provided to all students in the general education classroom. It involves delivering standards-based teaching practices, a well-structured curriculum, and differentiated instruction that addresses diverse learning styles and abilities. In the inclusive classroom, differentiation is not just a strategy; it is a mindset that empowers educators to meet students where they are and guide them towards success. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) can be a powerful tool in enhancing differentiation, offering personalized support and data-driven insights to optimize teaching and learning. This blog will explore the top four strategies for incorporating simple yet effective differentiation into every lesson, providing educators with practical tools to create a supportive and dynamic learning environment for all students.

Once you have a robust system in place for collecting meaningful data, you can use this information to implement effective progress monitoring. Progress monitoring enables educators to make informed decisions and refine their instructional approaches. While it shares foundational principles with data collection—such as setting clear, measurable goals and conducting regular assessments—it emphasizes actionable steps and targeted interventions.

If I had a dollar for every time I heard the word "data" in education, I don’t think I would be writing this blog! In the field of education, the term "data" is mentioned so frequently that it can sometimes feel like just another buzzword. However, when we take a step back and truly understand what data collection and progress monitoring entail, their significance becomes clear. By effectively utilizing data, educators can achieve the goals they set for their classrooms and see meaningful progress in their students.

Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) is frequently misunderstood to mean differentiation, modification, and accommodations. However, this is not true! SDI is actually an intentional and individualized instructional plan to ensure that students have access to, can engage with, and make progress within the general education curriculum by specifically targeting their IEP goals. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits, challenges, and strategies effective for SDI implementation.

Students who qualify for special education receive an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) which details their academic skill level, overall needs, and programs or services that they would benefit from. The IEP is a collaborative document created by all the adults who support a student in class. It can be thought of as being a road map to guide the students academic experience throughout a school year. IEPs and the students' goals are reviewed annually to monitor student progress and development.

Although I have not had much experience with babies, I know that when they cry, it is typically related to them being hungry, tired, or in some sort of discomfort. Similarly, behavior, and misbehavior, is often a cry or request for something that an individual needs or wants, but does not state directly. Consider a teething toddler. While they might not verbally request a teething ring or ice cube to soothe their sore gums, adults can infer their need based on the tears, irritability, gesturing, and sensitivity to the area. Similarly, in order to unlock the mysteries of recurring and worsening student behavior, we must read in between the lines.

Special Education spans beyond just teaching students within classrooms, but often includes additional services and supports to ensure that students are successful during the school day. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) defines related services as a way to provide, “transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services” to allow students to have access to general education and activities. IDEA explicitly lists and defines 12 possible related services that students can receive, however, schools have the discretion to provide additional services based on the unique needs of the student.

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) ensures students throughout the country have access to a free appropriate public education with special education and related services support. IDEA is the renaming of the original 1975 All Handicapped Children Act which served to support districts that meet the needs of students with disabilities to ensure that all students were getting the education that they deserved. Before this, some students with disabilities were often not prioritized or considered unable to learn. IDEA also works to ensure that students can receive education and services within their own community schools instead of needing to attend separate and more restrictive schools.

Unpopular opinion … co-teaching should be leveraged in classrooms across all grades. Not only are teachers able to rely on one another for planning and classroom responsibilities, it also enables educators to provide more tailored and differentiated support to students based on their learning needs. There are several co-teaching models that classroom teachers can leverage depending on the flexibility needed for the age of students, content, learning goals, and preferred activities. As you read the co-teaching models and explanations, reflect on how utilizing these different teaching structures could push your student learning and performance to the next level!

According to the 2017-2018 school data, the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights found that while Black boys only accounted for 51.4% of enrollment in K-12 schools throughout the country, they accounted for more than 70% of out-of school suspensions and expulsions. When we look specifically at rates for students with disabilities, we see that when looking at students that were suspended more than once, Black boys are being affected disproportionately. Coupled with the fact that Black girls are suspended at higher rates than their peers, speaks to the amount of instructional days that students are missing in a given year.

Inclusive Practices is an all encompassing term that includes teaching strategies, relationship-building techniques, and more. While some practices might be a habit to you, I hope to share additional practices to increase your inclusiveness in your school and community. Read below for 8 easy inclusive practices that you can put into practice tomorrow!