December, 2005

I graduated from high school in 1960. There are many things in schools today that are the same as they were then. National Inclusive Schools Week (December 5 - 9) celebrates one of the fundamental differences in the student body that I was part of and the experience that our children have today.

In 1960, children with disabilities were educated separately from their non-disabled peers. In most cases that was in a separate school and in many cases a completely different city. Some children stayed at home and were never involved with other children at all. What a loss for all of us. Our country is wonderfully diverse and our children and adults with disabilities are a valuable part of that mosaic.

In 1975, the United States Congress passed Public Law 94-142. This law gave children with disabilities the right to receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. The law was further enhanced in 1997 with the enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that confirmed the rights of children with disabilities to be educated side by side with all of their peers.

The Madison Metropolitan School District has been a leader in creating inclusive educational opportunities for children. Since the District's closing of Badger School in 1977, there has been steady progress toward fully including our children with disabilities in the general educational experience in our schools. Most children with disabilities now attend their neighborhood school where special education and classroom teachers work collaboratively to ensure that the learning experience is appropriate for every child in the classroom.

The sense of community and relationships between students with and without disabilities that develop in the school setting set the stage for many of our disabled citizens to join a pluralistic society as adults. Our community at large is enriched by providing valuable opportunities for children with disabilities to move into the world of work and be productive citizens.

Making our schools more inclusive does not automatically guarantee better learning for anyone. In fact, there are some who argue that the inclusive movement diluted and compromised the quality of education for students with and without disabilities.

However, the growing body of research and our own local experience suggests that providing students with and without disabilities the opportunity to share educational experiences enriches the learning of both. The ability of our children to better understand, respect and value the gifts of all people is one of the most important outcomes we can achieve as a school district.

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