History of Inclusion

March 12, 2021

In 1990, the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) required all school districts to develop and provide a free, appropriate public education for all children. The first major legislation of its kind, IDEA required that education be provided in the least restrictive environment for each child, meaning that students with disabilities should be taught in neighborhood schools in general education classes. The re-authorization of IDEA in 1997 guaranteed more than access to education for students with disabilities; it ensured the rights to a quality education and quality outcomes.

Another re-authorization of IDEA occurred in 2004 to align it more closely with the general education No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, while retaining, expanding, and clarifying important elements of the 1997 law. The onset of inclusion has resulted in over 90% of students with disabilities receiving education in typical schools and almost half were included in the general classroom 80% of the day. An increasing number of students with disabilities are graduating from high school, with over half a million earning a diploma.

Ten years ago, B-A established the Life Skills program for students in adapted learning. Health and physical education teacher Mr. Nick Lovrich has been working with the Life Skills programs since the beginning, alongside P.E teachers Mrs. Lori Nyman and Mr. Brent Hughes, in an adaptive  physical education class. There, the teachers often work to partner Life Skills students with those in traditional education.

A few years ago, the district began to spread the inclusion message through the hashtag #ChooseToInclude, which embraces children with disabilities and supports why they should not be excluded solely based on their capabilities. In 2018, the high school fielded its first Unified Bocce team, where regular education students paired with those eligible for Special Olympics to compete in a PIAA sponsored sport. More recently, the Inclusion club was recently established by Mrs. Leah McNaul, spreading awareness on the topic.

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