Santa Barbara Unified School District’s (SBUSD) Inclusion philosophy is that students with special needs have the right to receive their education in a general education setting with necessary supports and services.  This philosophy is in alignment with SBUSD’s 21^st Century theme “Every Child, Every Chance, Every Day”.  In addition, SBUSD’s Inclusion philosophy adheres to Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) 2004 requirements such as an emphasis in least restrictive environment, encourages general education participation, requires access to general education curriculum, and stresses collaboration between stakeholders.  Furthermore, Inclusion addresses the No Child Left Behind requirements such as ensuring “highly qualified” content teachers are providing instruction to all students, raises the bar on standards-based instruction, and requires assessments and accountability.

SBUSD’s Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education District Departments collaborated and created a District Inclusion Action Plan.  While the District Leadership staff provides Inclusion professional learning for school site leadership, and convene meetings with the District Inclusion Committee to obtain input, they collaborate with Dr. Wendy Murawski, Inclusion Consultant, to assist in the implementation of the District’s Inclusion Action Plan. 

Dr. Wendy Murawski will provide an update on the implementation of Inclusion, share the recommendations from the District Inclusion Committee, and explain the next major steps of Inclusion. 

Dr. Wendy Murawski is an experienced co-teacher and an accomplished presenter. Dr. Murawski is the Eisner Endowed Chair of the Center for Teaching and Learning at California State University, Northridge. She has published numerous articles in the areas of co-teaching, collaboration, and teacher training, and has published four books on co-teaching.