Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment
In the Downeast School in Bangor, teachers are preparing for the upcoming school year. Crayon boxes and name plates sit on small desks, and signs spell out the alphabet. One classroom features a banner that reads “All Are Welcome.” This welcoming atmosphere is a reflection of the school's ongoing efforts to better serve and include students with disabilities.
Principal Sarah Vickers explained that the elementary school has been working for several years to improve its support systems for these students. This includes fostering collaboration across departments, developing proactive strategies to address negative behaviors, and designing lessons that cater to a wide range of needs.
“We have students who receive special education services for most of their day, and with the current support and practices in place, we’ve been able to transition them into less restrictive environments,” Vickers said. “Being able to spend more time or the majority of their day in the regular education setting without additional supports, or with much less support than before, has been a big success.”
According to state data, about a third of the children at the school require special education services. This year, Downeast’s commitment to inclusive education is expanding as it joins two other schools—Turner and Leeds Central—as part of a five-year pilot program. The initiative, supported by federal grants from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and a partnership with the University of Maine at Farmington, aims to help teachers integrate students with diverse needs into their classrooms.
The program is particularly timely as special education costs in Maine continue to rise, and federal priorities shift. While the exact cost of the program remains undisclosed, the initiative seeks to reduce barriers between special education and general education, promoting a more integrated system.
National and State Context
Nationally, around 15% of students need special education services. However, in Maine, this figure is higher, at 21%, according to 2023 data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Maine is tied with New York and Pennsylvania for the second-highest rate, behind Puerto Rico.
In 2022, only 56% of Maine’s special education students spent most of their day in general education classrooms, which is 10% lower than the national average. Since then, the inclusion rate has increased by just 1%. Disability rights advocates argue that the siloed approach to education for students with disabilities has long been problematic.
Atlee Reilly of Disability Rights Maine emphasized that the goal of IDEA is to prepare students for life in the broader community. “We need to do it in integrated settings because it doesn’t make sense to prepare children in a segregated environment to live in a community,” Reilly said. “Why not support them to live in their communities from the start?”
Reducing Barriers and Building Capacity
The pilot program will provide leadership and teacher training, as well as help schools restructure their schedules to increase the time special education students spend in general classrooms. Only four applications were submitted for the three available spots, highlighting the importance of school investment in the initiative.
Tracy Whitlock, a special services coordinator, stressed the need for educators to be passionate about the work. “We never want to come in and say ‘you’re going to do this,’ it needs to be something educators are committed to,” she said.
The goal is to develop a model of inclusive education that can be adopted by other schools. Kate MacLeod, an associate professor at the University of Maine at Farmington, is leading the professional development and data collection process. The first year will focus on leadership training, assessing current inclusion practices, and forming improvement plans.
Over the next four years, the program will incorporate training on inclusive practices such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which involves creating multiple access points to learning. For example, a lesson on a book may include groups for independent reading, audio reading, and guided reading. Teachers will also offer multiple ways for students to engage with the text, such as writing summaries or sharing responses aloud.
Benefits for All Students
MacLeod explained that UDL reduces barriers for the most people possible, minimizing the need for individual differentiation. “That’s the goal, and that’s what great teaching can be,” she said.
The pilot program hopes that improving support in general classrooms will decrease the number of students needing special education services. Some advocates point to weaknesses in identifying students early, leading to over-identification in later years.
A recent report by the Maine Education Policy Research Institute (MEPRI) highlighted the growing issue of challenging student behavior, which can lead to increased special education referrals and contribute to teacher shortages. Carrie Woodcock of the Maine Parent Federation noted that how schools address behavior is tied to the siloed structure of special education.
“If classrooms use a more universal design for learning, kids who are struggling can find more success, and students who may not have a specific disability could be helped too,” Woodcock said. “When you do inclusion right and universal design of learning right, every student benefits.”
Looking Ahead
Reilly of Disability Rights Maine sees the pilot as a positive step, but the challenge lies in scaling it across the state. “If those things make financial sense for schools, then they’re more likely to do them,” she said.
As special education costs rise, so do other school costs in Maine, sparking debates over funding. Administrators have called for changes to the state’s school funding model, while towns upset about tax increases have attempted to leave school districts.
Lawmakers and researchers are examining the cost of special education to preserve resources. Two bills aimed at increasing the state’s share of special education funding were introduced but ultimately failed.
MacLeod emphasized that inclusive support can make schools more effective with their resources. “Having a more tightly integrated team of educators might mean schools could get by with fewer staff members overall,” she said.
As the pilot program begins, MacLeod believes it builds on existing efforts by educators. “I think folks are hungry for this,” she said. “They can see that there are better ways for all learners.”