Unifying Educational Systems Leadership and Policy Perspectives

Unifying Educational Systems encourages leaders to move beyond the traditional forms and rituals of leadership for special education that are caught within traditional definitions of a continuum of services. Grounded in public policy debates, research on teaching and learning, and an emerging consensus throughout the leadership community that calls into question our current practices, chapters in this volume provide a discussion of the purpose, principles, and paradoxes extant in the implementation of current special education policy. Chapter authors discuss how students are currently served, the feasibility of re-conceptualizing special education leadership in the current policy context, and the challenges for the future. Ultimately, Unifying Educational Systems calls for a new policy framework to integrate special education within the larger instructional support system in schools, in order to support a social justice and inclusive practices agenda.

Part One – Introduction and the Proposal for Unifying Systems Chapter One – Special Education: A Critical Perspective on Re-framing Public Policy for Students with Disabilities, Jeannie Kleinhammer-Tramill, Leonard C. Burrello, and Wayne Sailor Chapter Two – Shifting Perspective to Frame Disability Policy, Wayne Sailor and Leonard C. Burrello Part Two – Legal and Financial Basis of Services for a Unified System Chapter Three – Toward a Human Capabilities Education Policy, Carl L. Lashley Chapter Four - Busting Barriers to Fully Integrating Systems of Education: Analyzing IDEA and Applying Models of Disability, Shana J. Haines and Rud Turnbull Chapter Five - In Support of a Seemless Special Needs Students Services System:A Heuristic Examination of Education Finance Policy, Special Needs Revenue Components, and Flexibile Expenditure Possibilities, Anthony Rolle, Pakethia Harris, and Leonard C. Burrello Part Three – New Conceptions of Practice Chapter Six - Aligned Service Delivery: Ending the Era of Triage Education, Todd A. Gravois Chapter Seven – Serving Students with Extensive Support Needs in General Education Contexts in a Re-conceptualized System of Education, Diane Lea Ryndak, Ann-Marie Orlando, and Debra Duran Chapter Eight – Accountability for What Matters: Using Post-School Outcomes to Build School and Community Renewal, Mary E. Morningstar, Gregory Knollman, Sarah Semon, and Jeannie Kleinhammer-Tramill Part Four – Leading Diversity in a Unified System Chapter Nine - Worth, Burden, and Control: The Rejection of Personhood and the Most Dangerous Assumption, Julia M. White Chapter Ten - Educational Leaders and the Capabilities Approach, Amy L-M Toson and Elise Frattura Chapter Eleven – The Dangerous Politics of Difference: How Systems Produce Marginalization, Elizabeth Kozleski, Alfredo Artiles, and Lisa Lacy Part Five – Summary and Closing Chapter Twelve - Reflections and Human Capabilities, Leonard C. Burrello, Jeannie Kleinhammer-Tramill-Wayne Sailor

Leonard C. Burrello is Professor and Chair of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at University of South Florida, USA. Wayne Sailor is Professor of Special Education, 2012 Budig Teaching Professor, and Co-Associate Director of the Beach Center on Disability at University of Kansas, USA. Jeannie Kleinhammer-Tramill is Professor and Doctoral Program Coordinator for the Department of Special Education at University of South Florida, USA.