Rethinking Equity in Special Education: Interview with ODE Leaders

As we wrap up season 4, we have spent the last seven episodes shifting our thinking about so many important considerations for supporting students with disabilities: our mindsets in general, curriculum, assessment, family engagement, and so much more. But there’s an overarching theme that we haven’t touched on yet, and that is the topic of equity in education. The word equity has become a bit of a buzzword lately, but what do we really mean by equity? Does it mean that everyone gets the same thing? Does it mean we are lowering our standards? What does it have to do with special education? In just the last few weeks, our team at SST8 been talking with ODE about some thought-provoking ways to think about and apply equity in our work, and how we can leverage these ideas in our work with students with disabilities. This week on 8 with 8, we'll hear from two key leaders at the Ohio Department of Education: JoHannah Ward, Director of the Office for Exceptional Children (OEC), and Joe Petrarca, Associate Director of OEC, about how we can better think about equity to make a meaningful difference for students with disabilities. Co-Hosts: Jenine Sansosti, SST8 Director, and Rachel Undercoffer, SST8 Educational Consultant Additional Resources Each Child Our Future - Ohio’s Strategic Plan for Education Each Child Means Each Child - Ohio’s Plan to Improve Learning Experiences and Outcomes for Students with Disabilities