Mine & Yours

Leaders often face challenges in fostering a school culture where all staff feel equally responsible for the success of students with disabilities. These challenges may stem from role ambiguity, limited opportunities for collaboration, or uncertainty about how to maintain high expectations for students with disabilities. Without shared ownership, some students may be excluded from general education settings or receive fragmented support that fails to meet their needs.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires access to and progress in the general education curriculum, as well as active participation from all members of the individualized education program (IEP) team in developing and implementing high-quality programs. When educators do not collectively embrace their responsibility to support students with disabilities, those students are more likely to be placed in restrictive environments, which can hinder both their academic and functional growth.

Principals play a critical role in promoting shared ownership by building systems that support collaboration, belonging, high expectations, and collective efficacy. This requires supporting staff through professional learning that clarifies the roles of IEP Team members and reinforces a shared responsibility for supporting students with disabilities. Principals must also allocate time for co-planning between general and special educators, and use data, such as student voice and climate surveys, to identify and address gaps in belonging. Additionally, principals must model effective leadership by centering student voice in decision-making and reinforcing shared responsibility through school policies and routines. Together, these efforts cultivate a school culture where all educators see themselves as responsible for every student’s success, ultimately improving outcomes for students with disabilities and strengthening relationships across the school community.