Public Elementary School Administrators\u27 Perceptions Of The Systemic Factors That Relate To The Implementation Of Inclusive Education Within Their Schools

Abstract

This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of public elementary school administrators in Washington state and their perceptions of the systemic factors that relate to the implementation of inclusive education within their schools. Inclusive education was defined as the placement of students with and without disabilities into general education classes to create inclusive communities, in which no differentiation is made between students with and without disabilities (Heyder et al., 2020). Systems theory was used as a theoretical framework to examine existing literature on factors that relate to inclusive education as well as to analyze data from semi-structured interviews with eight participants. The data from these interviews was analyzed, and four main themes emerged: organizational structures affecting the implementation of inclusion, the quality and quantity of training, troubles maintaining adequate staffing levels, and the existence of a school culture centered on belonging and inclusion. The most commonly named internal factor that relates to inclusive education was found to be the administrators’ own leadership, while staffing challenges and district initiatives and supports were the most commonly named external factors. Recommendations for action are three-fold: building-based administrators should prioritize and communicate inclusive education goals and initiatives, district-based administrators should redirect resources and lead district-wide initiatives that support inclusion, and finally, state-level policy makers should promote higher salaries for qualified paraeducators. Opportunities for future research include gathering information from a larger sample of participants using a quantitative research design