Journey to Inclusion
Every student deserves a high-quality education that prepares them for future success.
For students with disabilities, this means access to the full rigor of grade-level instruction. Yet despite their best intentions, districts, schools, and families often lack the systems, structures, and professional development needed to make this vision a reality, and may inadvertently perpetuate existing inequities. Inclusive education offers a solution. It provides a proven framework for delivering high-quality, equitable programming that expands access and opportunity for all learners.
In support of this work, the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) Office of Special Education offers annual grant funding to support Nebraska’s Journey to Inclusion through districts’ Targeted Improvement Plans (TIPs).
NDE recognizes Inclusive Education as a framework to implement many of the evidence-based practices identified in districts’ TIPs. Inclusive Education offers a model for providing high-quality, equitable educational programming that improves access and opportunities for all learners. Districts and ESUs that choose to Improve Reading as their General Focus for Improvement and that choose to leverage Inclusive Education in the implementation of their TIPs are eligible to apply for the Journey to Inclusion Grant.
Hechinger Report
Nebraska made national news recently when The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on innovation in education. You may read two of the articles from the report by selecting the images below to access the corresponding articles.
We encourage you to take a closer look at what is happening in Nebraska, as we are rethinking the traditional approach to special education and seeing promising, measurable results.
"How I knew this was the state to show what inclusion can do"
"This state is rethinking how we teach kids with disabilities - and seeing promising results"
The links below provide application materials and resources to support educators with comprehensive, research-based resources that support inclusive education for students with disabilities.
