School Story
Principal Alvarez:
Lack of Shared Ownership
At Brookside Elementary, Principal Alvarez noticed a troubling pattern: Students with disabilities were not receiving the consistent, effective support they needed to succeed. Although special education teachers were highly dedicated, many general educators felt uncertain about their responsibilities and often assumed that supporting these students fell solely to the special education team.
This mindset resulted in fragmented instruction, inconsistent implementation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and low expectations for students with disabilities. Many teachers were unsure about Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements, effective instructional practices, and what they were accountable for as members of IEP Teams. Collaboration between general and special educators was limited, and students with disabilities were frequently excluded from classroom-level planning and decision making. Ultimately, the school culture did not yet reflect an “all means all” commitment to students with disabilities.
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Principal Actions
To address this challenge, Principal Alvarez launched a schoolwide initiative to build shared ownership and collective efficacy among all staff. She began by creating space for educators to reflect on their mindsets about students with disabilities. Through professional learning sessions, staff explored how belonging affects student engagement and achievement, examined their assumptions about student potential, and clarified the general educator’s role in implementing IEPs. These sessions leveraged belief inventories, student success case studies, and book studies to shift mindsets and reinforce the idea that all students can succeed with the right supports.
To ensure these shifts translated into practice, Principal Alvarez restructured the schedule to include protected time for collaboration. General and special educators met weekly to co-plan lessons, review data, and align supports, using protocols that emphasized shared decision making and joint accountability. Grade-level professional learning communities also began meeting every Wednesday to analyze student work, exchange strategies, and refine instruction based on data insights. These structures created consistent spaces where inclusive practices moved from discussion to daily practice.
Beyond targeted professional learning and structured collaboration, Principal Alvarez and her leadership team embedded shared ownership into the school’s systems and culture. They communicated a clear vision of high expectations and collective responsibility for all students, updated observation tools to include indicators of inclusive practices and student belonging, and gathered student and family feedback to inform school policies. The school also formed a cross-functional team to analyze outcomes for students with disabilities and recommend improvements. Throughout the year, Principal Alvarez celebrated inclusive successes in staff meetings and newsletters, reinforcing the message that every educator plays a vital role in supporting students with disabilities.
Over time, Principal Alvarez saw a clear cultural shift. Teachers began viewing themselves as a unified team responsible for each child’s success. Collaboration between general and special educators became the norm, not the exception. Students with disabilities were more engaged, more included, and making meaningful academic progress.
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Toolkit
Promoting Shared Ownership
Explore research-based strategies, , along with short, medium, and long-term solutions, essential to support collaboration and shared ownership amongst educators serving students with disabilities.