Watch, Listen, Ask, Learn: How School Leaders Can Create an Inclusive Environment for Students with Disabilities (an Education Leader's Guide to Navigating the Complexities of Special Education)

This is your comprehensive resource on providing effective special education services in your school. Written for current and aspiring administrators and teacher leaders, the book offers action items, case studies, and reproducible tools to help you stay in front of special education law, know and support your learning services team, and ensure students with disabilities receive equitable, inclusive education. This book will help district administrators, building leaders, and general and special education teachers: Understand legal regulations and policy surrounding special education Think ahead, be proactive, and set up supports for each student Discover a variety of special education service delivery models and practices Know how to best support the paraeducators, speech and language specialists, therapists, and other essential staff who comprise their learning services team Build and sustain strong parent and community support Utilize an effective MTSS model that includes academics, behavior, and mental health Embrace the challenge to remain professional learners, whether they're veteran educators or just starting out Contents: Introduction Part 1: What Every Leader Should Know About Special Education Chapter 1: The Legal Basics of Special Education Chapter 2: Service Delivery Models--Striving to Meet the Least Restrictive Environment Part 2: How Effective Leaders Support Special Education Personnel Chapter 3: Supporting and Mentoring Special Education Personnel Chapter 4: Supporting Paraeducator Personnel Chapter 5: Collaborating With Related Services Personnel Part 3: Measure Your Progress Toward Schoolwide Implementation of Support for All Chapter 6: Inclusive Education Is Equitable Education--All Means All Chapter 7: Eleven Steps for Establishing an Inclusive School Appendix A: At-a-Glance Review of IDEA (2004) Appendix B: Sample Learning Services Team Referral Form Appendix C: A Sample Parent Notice of Learning Services Team Meeting Appendix D: Student Response Form for Learning Services Team Appendix E: Learning Services Team Log Sheet Appendix F: Learning Services Team Summary Form Appendix G: Sample Special Education Referral References and Resources Index