Leadership Goals: Promoting More Inclusion at Our Schools

Students with Special Education Needs (SEN) have been among the hardest hit groups during the pandemic. While many schools have prioritized bringing SEN children back to in-person learning, ongoing closures have severely affected students learning.

Research studies show that SEN students are amongst those most at risk of regressing significantly amid COVID-related learning loss. In the current crisis, SEN students have been overlooked. They lack the specific support required to meet their needs, and the lack of timely support can have long term consequences.

Now, we need more inclusive school policies that can help overcome the learning slide for SEN students. School leaders should positively influence the school climate of inclusion using policies at different levels to allocate resources for SEN students.

Following recommendations can help schools become more inclusive and provide better support for all students:

We need early intervention for SEN students and to provide that, we should focus on kindergarten and elementary grades. When children in early years receive the right help, we are setting the foundation for lifelong learning and participation while preventing potential delay in development and disabilities.

Schools should have a policy of screening children early for their difficulties. Catching children early and identifying problem areas can prevent delays and disabilities later. It also helps to gather the resources that the students need.

Elementary grade students should be screened for their reading and writing skills regularly, and if they show any learning gaps, they should be placed in reading and spelling programs that can help them catch up with foundation skills.