Leading For Social Justice

A step-by-step process for raising the achievement of English language learners and students with special needs and for integrating schoolwide change through proactive support services that benefit all students.

"An opportunity for aligning educational programming within schools to provide a comprehensive PreK--12 experience with the results districts are looking for: students exceeding their potential and having the skills, knowledge, and long-term understandings that can be applied to real-world problems."
--Brian T. Pulvino, Director of Special Education
Syracuse City School District, NY

"A must-read for teachers, principals, directors, and superintendents as they advance equity and excellence for all children."
--Barbara J. Sramek, Director of Special Education
Marshall Public Schools, WI

An insightful guide for integrating comprehensive services to benefit all students.

Acknowledging that student achievement increases in inclusive learning environments and decreases when groups are taught separately, this easily accessible guide examines methods for raising the achievement of English Language Learners and students with special needs, who are sometimes overlooked in a culture of high-stakes testing. The authors provide a step-by-step process for conducting a formative analysis to help schools integrate schoolwide change through proactive support services.

Readers will find ways to:

• Examine discrepancies between current practice and research
• Build a school climate that supports students with challenging behaviors
• Implement programs focused on continuous equity-driven accountability
• Develop curriculum, instruction, and teacher capacity

Ideal for special education teachers, directors of special education, and other district administrators, this excellent resource can helpyou develop an instructional climate to promote success for every student!

Colleen A. Capper is professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has authored or coauthored five books (published or in-press) and refereed journal articles related to educational leadership and equity. Capper has served as a special education teacher, administrator of special programs, and founding director of a non-profit agency for preschool children and adults with disabilities in the Appalachian region of Kentucky. Capper works with individuals in school districts, non-profit, and for-profit agencies across the country on ways to integrate social justice, equity, and spirituality into their daily work.

Elise Frattura is an assistant professor in the Department of Exceptional Education and Educational Administration and associate dean for the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She teaches courses in administration of student services, organizational leadership, and special education law. Frattura researches and publishes in the area of nondiscrimination law, integrated comprehensive services for all learners, and the theoretical underpinnings of educational segregation. Coauthor of Meeting the Needs of All Learners: How Leaders Go Beyond Inclusion (Corwin Press 2000), Frattura works with school districts across the country to assist in the movement from programs to services for all learners.