☰
Special Populations
For all to mean all, it has to mean each.
For all students to succeed, each student must have access to the resources and educational rigor they need, at the right moment in their education, regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity, language, disability, sexual orientation, family background, or income. We are committed to serving traditionally under-served populations and establishing the platforms necessary to provide the supports needed to ensure equity for all students. Our work supporting students with disabilities and English learners has opened doors to resources for these special populations.
Supporting Students with Disabilities
CCSSO helps to bridge special education and general education systems to ensure integrated efforts to improve outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities.
Through various partnerships with national technical assistance centers and national coalitions, we work to support states in their efforts to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. We’ve collaborated with the Collaboration for Effective Educators Development, Accountability and Reform (CEEDAR) Center and The National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) as well as launched a diverse coalition of organizations to support states in their efforts to develop teachers and leader who can successfully prepare students with disabilities to achieve college and career-ready standards. Read more about our partnerships and our work with students with disabilities here.
The National Collaborative on Inclusive Principal Leadership and Supporting Inclusive Schools for the Success of Each Child: A Guide for States on Principal Leadership
CCSSO, in partnership with the National Collaborative on Inclusive Principal Leadership, developed Supporting Inclusive Schools for the Success of Each Child: A Guide for States on Principal Leadership with support from the CEEDAR Center and Oak Foundation.
CCSSO Inclusive Leadership Webisode Series
The CCSSO Inclusive Leadership Webisode Series builds off our foundational resource Supporting Inclusive Schools for the Success of Each Child: A Guide for States on Principal Leadership to showcase resources and promising practices from states and national partners related to advancing inclusive principal leadership in policy and practice. The series covers a variety of topics pertaining to inclusive leadership, including Universal Design for Learning, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, distributed leadership, high-quality IEP development, among others. Please feel free to share these webisodes with your wider networks.
Supporting English Language Learners
English learners (ELs) represent the fastest-growing student group nationwide in K-12 schools (about one in 10 students.) More than ever, state chiefs are committed to leveraging policy to better serve these students.
State education agencies are committed to transforming their support to better serve this traditionally underserved population of students. As part of that effort, State chiefs are committed to supporting English learners, those students who are not yet proficient in English, in receiving a strong education while they move toward English proficiency. We have devoted to working with states in these efforts. Key areas of support include (1) developing English Language Proficiency Standards, (2) facilitating the development of English Language Proficiency Assessments, (3) development of guidance on moving toward a common definition of ELs, (4) inclusion of ELs in state accountability systems, (5) compliance with federal law related to ELs, and (6) guidance on identifying ELs with disabilities. Learn more about our work with English Learners here.