Understanding policy reverberations across the educational ecosystem to effectuate change

ABSTRACT

We outline a multidimensional ecological systems policy framework to better understand how the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and patterns of racial disproportionality in special education relate. The framework engages with ideology, power, privilege, and context across the multiple layers of the policy-implementation process and educational ecosystem. It highlights how policy reverberates through the educational ecosystem via interpretation and implementation flows spanning from the exo-, macro-, and meso levels (e.g., federal policy, state education agency (SEA) guidance, local education agency (LEA) officials’ actions, educators) to the micro- level (e.g., families and students) and back up. The framework provides critical insights that can inform efforts to reduce racial and ability inequities.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional resources

1. Fergus, E. (2016). Solving disproportionality and achieving equity: A leader’s guide to using data to change hearts and minds. Corwin Press.

This book examines how educator beliefs and educational policies and practices converge to create systems of inequity. It also provides tools for dismantling disproportionate outcomes at the district and school level.

2. Khalifa, M. (2020). Culturally responsive school leadership. Harvard Education Press.

This book considers how educational leaders can grapple with language, race, and class inequalities across and within schools and districts. It provides education leaders with a multi-faceted and comprehensive approach for achieving more equitable outcomes.

3. Thorius, K. A. K. (2023). Equity Expansive Technical Assistance for Schools: Education Partnerships to Reverse Racial Disproportionality. Teachers College Press.

This book provides a comprehensive and critical analysis of racial disproportionality, along with strategies to address the inequity. It also provides insights for address racial disproportionality across various levels of the educational ecosystem.

4. Connor, D., & Ferri, B. A. (2021). How teaching shapes our thinking about dis/abilities: Stories from the field. Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.

This book contains personal narratives from leading scholars in special education and disability studies. From a variety of perspectives (teachers, students, leaders) they narrate how their experiences within and/or near to the special education impacted their personal and professional trajectories. Each chapter ends with thought providing questions that challenge how the current system operates and shapes educational opportunities.