Inclusion Academy Builds Systems Where All Students Thrive

This year, the San Mateo County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), in partnership with Supporting Innovative Practices, a statewide resource lead, launched the Inclusion Academy. The academy promotes regional collaboration between local education agencies, the SELPA, and the County Office to expand meaningful opportunities for belonging for students with disabilities. 

Funded by the California Department of Education’s Special Education Division and grounded in the San Mateo County SELPA and the County Office’s commitment to whole‑child outcomes, the academy focuses on developing a shared understanding and responsibility for dismantling ableist mindsets, policies, and practices. This work is essential to ensuring that students with disabilities have rightful access to inclusive learning environments.

The Inclusion Academy recognizes that inclusion is not the work of one department. Meaningful inclusion requires strong partnerships across leadership teams responsible for curriculum and instruction, student services, and budgeting and staffing. By working together, departments can better align policies, funding, and supports to improve outcomes for students.

In the 2025-26 school year, cross‑departmental teams from seven school districts—alongside County Office teams—took part in a series focused on examining mindsets, policies, and data to strengthen access and belonging for students with disabilities. Leadership teams also learned from each another, presenting their work and connecting it to statewide systems of support.

Early outcomes point to the effectiveness of deeper collaboration, stronger professional learning, and more intentional planning to serve students together in the least restrictive environments.

The Inclusion Academy is expected to continue as a multi‑year effort as part of the SELPA’s strategic plan, supporting teams as they build sustainable systems in which every student feels valued, supported, and successful.