About

We are parents and siblings of students who need support to be included in general education, allies and students themselves needing support. Through education and political advocacy we aim to bring systemic change to the California education system.

We are tired of ad hoc, cobbled together inclusion won through adversarial, expensive and often unproductive IEPs and settlements. We want inclusive education in the schools where our children would attend if not disabled, to be the norm, the default, and at the very least the starting point.

An inclusive education is one that takes place in the most integrated setting possible, with the provision of appropriate support, accommodations and modifications to approach the greatest equity in access to meaningful learning and qualifications leading to further opportunities in economic, social and civic life.

We expect inclusive education to include ALL children. Schools and classrooms that exclude children with cognitive disabilities requiring modified curriculum, with intellectual diabilities, with autism and with multiple disabilities are NOT inclusive schools.

“I would not change you for the world, but I will change the world for you.”

Amy Wright, mother of two and founder of Bitty and Beau’s Coffee Shop

Inclusive education invokes a preference for:

Learning in the school and classroom the child would attend if not disabled
Placement in language rich environments
Placement in environments where nondisabled people of the same age also study
Access to a curriculum aligned to the state standards and enriched with arts, health and civic education.
Evidence-based practices to support successful educational outcomes in inclusive environments.
Student-centered approaches to planning education policy both on an individual and on a systems/policy level
Authentic family engagement in education both on an individual and on a systems/policy level
Services and supports provided as push-in or as additional to and outside of the typical school day
Programs to support participation in extracurricular and community activities
Education leading to qualifications recognised by employers in our community
Access to all levels of education from preschool to college.

Our Mission

Our mission is to advocate for systemic change through increased access to inclusive education for Californians with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual disabilities and significant support needs. Our primary purpose is to educate the general public and advocate with decision-makers in the field of education, both public and private, on inclusive education in California.

Our Vision

We envision a California in which children and adults with disabilities have equal and equitable in access to inclusive education, regardless of the nature of their disability, the level of support that they need, their (or their family’s) race, ethnic or linguistic culture, shared ancestry, socio-economic or immigration status, gender or sexuality, or the location of their residence.