Our Strategy
The Challenge
Arizona offers abundant school choice opportunities. With the universal expansion of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) and robust Tuition Tax Credit Scholarship programs, the private school population will only increase. But students with disabilities can have difficulty accessing these opportunities. Most faith-based schools would love to offer all students—including students with disabilities—a high-quality, inclusive education, yet many schools are simply unprepared. Consequently, these schools are missing out on the chance to develop diverse student populations composed of individuals who enrich their community and reflect the image of God.
The Solution
The Arizona Inclusion Network—a community of educators dedicated to expanding high-quality, faith-based and inclusive education opportunities for students with disabilities and to providing participants with strategic, ongoing, and multi-tiered support to meet the needs of each learning community. Through the Network, school leaders will receive professional development as well as onsite training, peer networking, and online collaboration tailored to meet the needs of faith-based schools. Because the needs, resources, and capabilities of each learning community will vary, we will customize support and services within a framework that offers four distinct paths: explore, launch, transform, and sustain. This continuum offers multiple entry points to meet the individual needs of learning communities.
Our Strategies
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Deploy Inclusion Coaches: Our coaches have both the private school experience and special education expertise to provide individualized, classroom-based support so educators can develop strategies to help all children learn–especially those with learning challenges.
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Build the Network: The Arizona Inclusion Network is a community of faith-based educators dedicated to expanding high-quality, inclusive education opportunities for students with disabilities. A variety of in-person and virtual events help build camaraderie and personal connections.
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Offer Convenings: Our convenings are the foundation of the Network, where school leaders will have opportunities to collaborate as well as share resources and lessons learned. The Network will hold in-person convenings throughout the state where educators will receive professional development, peer networking opportunities, and access to new resources.
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Develop Resources: The Network will develop a toolkit of concise, usable briefs, Q&A guidance, and checklists for private schools to help families access services for their children. This toolkit can help make ESAs work for students with disabilities by empowering private schools to build the capacity necessary to welcome all students.
For More Information on Our Network
Making School Choice a Reality for Students with Disabilities