How can I request training on inclusion for gen ed teachers at school?

In some districts, inclusion training is not mandatory for gen ed teachers, leading to lower participation rates. This can be difficult for schools because they have union agreements, and mandatory training can be hard to be part of the contract. If your SELPA director is not focused on inclusion, they need to have more of a signal “from the top,” the special education director(s).

Undivided Education Advocate Karen Ford Cull suggests that you talk to one or two school board members and then make an appointment with the special education director to discuss your concerns. Bring photos of your kids to your meeting to show who you are advocating for (and that they’re cute!).

Then, go to the school board meeting. Start with something positive. “We love our district! We want to have more inclusion in our district. A big problem is the training, and teachers don’t have to go to the training.” Bring kids with you. It's a good idea to bring multiple parents so that you can have more time to speak about this concern. Be prepared for school board members to have no idea about any of this, and they may believe that they have no control over it or that it is all handled by SELPA. They likely won’t know what a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is, so you have to explain from the beginning.

See our article Inclusion 101 for some great resources to share about how inclusive education benefits all students, not just students with disabilities.