Part II: Why Inclusion?
By Kyle Van Frank, One Classroom Executive Director
In part I of this blog series, I focused on the importance of human dignity and viewing inclusion through the lens of justice, obligation and joy. I cited the wise words of popes, the Gospel and the Catechism of the Catholic Church in making my case for “why inclusion.” In this blog, I’m taking that a step further by talking about specific fruits that result from inclusive education and our call to expand access.
One of our board members, Dr. Michael Boyle of the St. Louis Hermann Center for Innovative Catholic Education, said “Inclusion is not a trend, it is an imperative.” Dr. Boyle is right, and it’s not just because he’s a brilliant guy. Decades of research and expert analysis have come to the same consensus – inclusion of students with IDD benefits everyone.
When we make the leap of faith and welcome students with IDD into our Catholic schools, our proverbial fruit baskets overflow. From personal experience, I can tell you these are not your standard, variety-size fruits. These are Kingdom of God-sized fruits that will move you from the mindset of “Do I have to?” to “I want to!”
You can ask any of our nearly 30 partner schools and they will tell you that inclusion has resulted in the spiritual fruits of prayer, service, gratitude, humility, relationship and encounter with Christ. They will also tell you that inclusion has yielded good fruit in terms of academics, long-term success and cost considerations. Here’s what the experts say in relation to the latter.
Academics. Students with disabilities who are included develop stronger skills in reading and mathematics, have higher rates of attendance, are less likely to have behavioral problems and are more likely to complete secondary school than students who have not been included. And “students without disabilities [have] higher academic performance when learning with students of varied abilities, including those with disabilities, than their peers in less integrated classrooms” (Szumski et al., 2017).
Long-Term Success. “As adults, students with disabilities who have been included are more likely to be enrolled in post-secondary education and to be employed or living independently. Furthermore, research indicates non-disabled classmates who are educated in inclusive classrooms hold less prejudicial views and are more accepting of people who are different from themselves” (Evidence on Inclusive Education, Abt Associates).
Cost. Inclusive education is often more cost-effective than segregated schooling systems. Despite higher up-front costs, inclusion makes more efficient use of resources because they benefit all students (Open Mind School, 2022). It’s important to note with regard to cost, that One Classroom grants help cover some of the added costs for paraeducators needed for students in our programs. Families of students with IDD are required to pay tuition like everyone else, which benefits our Catholic school budgets and enrollment.
So, if inclusion supports better learning, long-term success, and cost-efficiency, and our children are going to be better people, what is stopping us? Honestly, for many principals and pastors, I think it is the fear of the unknown. Considering all they have on their plates, that is understandable. But we also know that the unknown often leads us closer to Jesus.
We are called to expand access and that is why One Classroom exists.
Let me propose a few “if/then” statements for consideration. I’ve given my answers below, but feel free to ponder your own.
If Catholic schools exist to form young people for the world…
If we want to prepare children for a lifetime of challenges…
If we want to equip our children with the right tools and resources…
If Catholic schools exist as an extension of the parish…
If a parish is the entirety of its geographic domain, not just those in the pew every Sunday…
Then, we must form them in the goodness and truth of the Gospel.
Then, we must teach them to the adapt and grow in their Christian identity.
Then, we must commit to a well-rounded, education centered on Christ.
Then, we must be open to welcoming all the children of the parish.
Then, we must keep the Body of Christ unified in purpose and mission.
Whatever your answers, we can all agree that Catholic education is inherently good for our children. I think we can also agree that the fruits of implementing an inclusive education model have the potential to far outweigh any risks. We just need to try. There are spiritual, societal and formative reasons for pursuing inclusion of students with IDD as a springboard for unlimited greatness. The upside is there for the taking!
So, when One Classroom comes knocking on your door, please leave it open; even if it’s just a crack. Know that we are grateful for all you do and appreciative of you giving us a listen. At the end of the day, any decision to implement inclusive education should be made from a place of “want to,” not “have to.” But one word of warning. Our joy is contagious, and we’re keen on spreading it!
Shalom.