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Inclusionary Practices in Washington State

Partner Stories, Washington

SWIFT began a statewide professional development partnership through the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in the state of Washington on the cusp of the COVID-19 pandemic. SWIFT adapted the original plans for the project to offer online professional learning for school leaders across the state.

map of washington with markers for swift locations

Facts & Figures

school leaders participated

94

schools represented

46

districts represented

Project Description

SWIFT offered a professional learning series for educational leaders across the state of Washington. Participants did some background reading before each of the four sessions, which lasted about three hours each. Following the sessions, SWIFT offered individual coaching calls for participants to help them apply what they learned.

School leaders from 46 districts participated in the initiative, which included five cohorts to explore how to best support the implementation of Equity-based MTSS. SWIFT hosted communities of practice for each of these cohorts following the learning series so school leaders from across the state could come together to collaborate and share best practices.

Project Goals

This professional development series addressed how school leaders can develop their equity mindset and understand the complete range of student variability in their school community. It also laid out pathways for schools to further develop their equitable and inclusive learning environments to support students with all types of learning needs and life circumstances. SWIFT set objectives aligned with four of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s priorities for special education: leadership, growth-mindset, evidence-based practices, and resource allocation.