Six Principles for Building a Truly Inclusive School: A Call to Action for K-12 Leaders

“[Barton] rejects savior-laced deficit views that unfortunately are prominent in discussions about disability and inclusion….. Instead, she provides us with the knowledge and tools we need to create change within our spheres of influence. And she brings a powerful intersectional view, never hiding racism or other forms of oppression behind ableism. If you’re looking for ten easy steps to make a school a little less inequitable without having to confront my harmful ideologies, this is not the book for you. No, actually, this is the book for you. Please read it.”

Paul C. Gorski, founder of the Equity Literacy Institute and coauthor (with Katy Swalwell) of Fix Injustice, Not Kids and Other Principles for Transformative Equity Leadership

This action-oriented guide details how school leaders can take an active role in transforming school systems so that they are truly inclusive―promoting belonging and academic success for exceptional learners and across all student subgroups. Centered around the key idea that learner variability is the norm rather than the exception, and that everyone from the school leader to the general education teacher to policymakers to community members must play a role, the book takes readers on a learning journey through student stories, self-reflection questions, goal-setting activities, practical tips, and community-based calls to action. It details six research-based core principles that provoke deep thinking and prompt actionable change, asking each reader to understand their role in disrupting the current status quo for exceptional learners. Six Principles for Building a Truly Inclusive School is key reading for school leaders, educators, and educational professionals learning how to be advocates and change makers for inclusivity in their schools and communities.

Toni R. Barton, JD, is a professor in the Education Leadership Program at Arizona State University and works with schools and organizations nationally, supporting them with designing systems and programs that improve outcomes for exceptional learners.