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Increasing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for Students with Disabilities
Overview
Belongingness occurs at the intersection of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Healthy educational systems seek to ensure all students, including those with disabilities, enjoy this experience. Unfortunately, many years of Colorado and National data identify many inequities for these students. This website is designed to provide resources for school and district personnel to close opportunity gaps for youth with disabilities. Resources, training, opportunities to collaborate with others, and links to other sources of information regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion are available below.
What is a Community of Practice (CoP)?
Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly!
The purpose of this Community of Practice is to facilitate connections, awareness, and access to information, learning opportunities, and resources that will improve the lives of students with disabilities and benefit the families, communities, and professionals who support them. Sharing of information is encouraged; however, it is at the discretion of the CDE what information will be posted. This service is chat-free and does not include advertisements from vendors or contract-based companies.
To subscribe to the EDI CoP Listserv, please follow the directions below.
Advancing Equity for Students with Disabilities in Schools
This equity-focused community of practice (CoP) is designed to bring together people who share a passion for addressing the opportunity gaps experienced by students with disabilities. Education leaders committed to making meaningful systemic change and promoting equitable learning opportunities will benefit from participating in this quarterly, one-hour virtual meeting.
Sessions are co-hosted by:
- Dr. Michael Ramirez, Supervisor, Equity Projects Specialist, Exceptional Student Services at the Colorado Department of Education
- Dr. Bryn Harris, Professor / Faculty Fellow for Strategic Initiatives, Office of Faculty Affairs, School of Education and Human Development and Department of Pediatrics, at the University of Colorado Denver.
Register to participate in future sessions no later than two weeks before each event. All sessions are scheduled between 8:30-9:30 am:
- September 10, 2024
- November 12, 2024
- February 11, 2025
- May 13, 2025
Education leaders and advocates dedicated to fostering equitable learning environments for students with disabilities are welcome to join future sessions.
Topic for 2023-24:
Community of Practice Kickoff Meeting
- Co-Creating Your Communities of Practice Toolkit - Organisational Development in Higher Education, United Kingdom
- Communities of Practice Guide - Communities of Practice Network
- Communities of Practice Toolkit - UC Davis School of Medicine
- Planning for Communities of Practice: A Guide for Model Systems Grantees Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center
- DEC Communities of Practice Division of Early Childhood, Council for Exceptional Children
Topics for 2024-25:
Session 1, Pre-work (September 10, 2024) Using Data to Dismantle Education Inequities (PDF), 9/10/2024 Session 3, Pre-work (February 11, 2025) Watch: Session 4, Pre-work (May 13, 2025)Session 1: Using Data to Dismantle Educational Inequalities
Session 2: MTSS to Advance Equity
Session 3: Advancing Equitable Evaluation Practices
Session 4: Promoting Equitable Disciplinary Practices
Please register to attend the virtual CoP
Stay Tuned for topics and dates for 2025-2026 school year
To subscribe to the EDI CoP Listserv, please follow the directions below.
Join The EDI CoP Listserv
The purpose of this Community of Practice is to facilitate connections, awareness, and access to information, learning opportunities, and resources that will improve the lives of students with disabilities and benefit the families, communities, and professionals who support them. Sharing of information is encouraged; however, it is at the discretion of the CDE what information will be posted. This service is chat-free and does not include advertisements from vendors or contract-based companies. To subscribe to the EDI CoP Listserv, please follow the directions below.
To subscribe to the EDI CoP listserv:
- Open a new email.
- In the “To” field, type the email and send the message EDI-COP-subscribe-request@cdelist.cde.state.co.us
- Once added, you will receive a confirmation email.
- If you have a problem, email Michael Ramirez at ramirez_m@cde.state.co.us.
To unsubscribe from the EDI CoP listserv
- Open a new email.
- In the “To” field, type the email EDI-COP-signoff-request@CDELIST.CDE.STATE.CO.US
- In the body of the message write, “unsubscribe EDI-COP” and send the message
- You will automatically be unsubscribed.
Disclaimer: A variety of learning opportunities, information, and resources are provided on this listserv. These materials do not represent an exhaustive list, nor are they required or endorsed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). The identification or description is to provide information and resources and does not constitute CDE's endorsement. Every effort has been made to identify the citation for the resource; please maintain the citation and/or authorship when adapting or modifying these materials.
Resources
CDE Resources
- CDE’s Equity Toolkit
- Equity Resources for Districts and BOCES
- Culture Shirt: Four Traps that Undermine Action Steps Toward an Equitable Learning Environment for All Students
Other Resources
For more information, please contact:
Michael Ramirez
Equity Projects Specialist
Phone (720) 460-6251
Email Michael Ramirez
Having trouble with this webpage?
If you have problems with broken links or accessing the content on this page, please contact the Exceptional Student Services Unit at ESSU@cde.state.co.us. Please copy the URL link for this page into the email when referencing the problem you are experiencing.
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