Washington Leading Inclusive Schools 2026-2027 Community of Practice

Description

Join the Washington Leading Inclusive Schools 2026-2027 Community of Practice (CoP)! This CoP is hosted by WA CEEDAR and Lead IDEA and is designed for early career principals (including current administrator interns) to help build a system to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Participants will be expected to attend five virtual sessions over the academic year, plus the in-person Leading Inclusive Schools Conference in May 2027. Over the course of the CoP, participants will engage in ongoing professional learning with sessions led by Washington leader preparation program faculty from universities including City University of Seattle, Gonzaga University, Saint Martin’s University, Seattle Pacific University, and Seattle University and the Washington Office of Public Instruction. All sessions will include application-focused discussion and a collaborative problem of practice designed to improve school leadership practice for serving students with disabilities.  

Session Materials

Session 1 Belonging by Design: Leading “Support-First” Decisions for Students with Intersecting Needs

Lead Presenter: Kristen Arnold, Assistant Professor, Gonzaga University

This session will engage school principals in examining how leadership decisions and schoolwide systems can strengthen educators’ capacity to meet students’ diverse academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and disability-related needs. Through dialogue, reflection, and shared problem-solving, participants will explore strategies for building cohesive supports, collaborative teams, professional learning, and inclusive learning environments that reduce barriers and promote meaningful access to high-quality instruction for all students.

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