Systems Change Webinar Series

How does a leader focus its district on teaching and learning for all students? How do they systematically build the capacity of the district to sustain its focus on teaching and learning for all students? 

The System Change Webinar Series describes the five domains that are present in powerful inclusive systems for all students: 

• Inclusive Instructional and Organizational Leadership 
• System-Wide Learning 
• Prioritizing Teaching and Learning 
• Building Capacity through Support and Accountability 
• Sustaining a Culture of Openness and Inquiry 

These videos can be used for individual learning or to build a team's capacity around each domain. Each video has embedded reflection questions for applying the content to individual contexts. 

Video #1: Inclusive Instructional and Organizational Leadership (Length - 15:49)

Sustainable, inclusive education systems for students with significant cognitive disabilities do not stand alone. Districts must focus on building inclusive education systems for all students…systems that embrace all students for the benefit of all. Based on the research, there are four key strategies for guiding LEA actions: (1) Promote System-Wide Learning, (2) Prioritize the Improvement of Teaching and Learning, (3) Build Capacity Through Support and Accountability, and (4) Sustain an Open and Collaborative Culture 

Video #2:  System Wide Learning (Length - 23:37)

For a district to build an effective and inclusive system, it must adopt and sustain  system-wide learning practices grounded in effective data use. Not all educators are familiar with how to build data systems or comfortable with using data systems to answer important questions. Assisting districts in focusing their work, identifying needs, and developing data systems, as well as accessing and using their data for continual improvement are value added services that State Education Agency's can provide to districts. Gathering meaningful data and using those data well are necessary practices to support systems change; they are necessary for building inclusive systems for all students.

Video #3: Prioritizing Teaching and Learning (Length - 21:11)

The central mission of schools and districts is teaching and learning. In effective systems, all participants are learners--both the students and the adults. For sustainable change to occur, districts need to prioritize teaching and learning by focusing their goals and strategies in this area, employing administrators who serve as lead learners, providing staff with multiple opportunities to learn to use evidence-based practices, and providing the resources that support professional learning. 

Video #4: Building Capacity through Support and Accountability (Length - 19:23)

Effective and inclusive districts build capacity for high-quality instruction, equitable community engagement, professional teaming, and productive decision-making. Districts build the capacity of all personnel and hold all personnel accountable for the education of all students. This type of accountability--high expectations coupled with appropriate supports--is called “reciprocal accountability.”

Video #5: Sustaining a Culture of Openness and Inquiry (Length - 17:28)

Districts need to shape their organizational cultures in ways that make those cultures collaborative, caring, ethical, equitable, and amendale to positive change. Building a collaborative culture that values the contributions of all members and is open to self-reflection and learning is key to the development of sustainable, inclusive systems.