Learning How to See
I had the privilege of contributing my experiences in the book, Urgent Care for Educators: Situating Responsibility as a Way for Educators to Transform School Culture (Barbara J. Smith). It is a must-read for leaders who want to ensure all students achieve.
I encourage you to reach out to continue the conversation.
CHAPTER 7
Learn How to See
by Kate Anderson Foley, PhD
I have had the privilege of leading several large local and state education agencies. No matter where I served, I brought the students whom I advocated for with me to those positions. So it was when I designed a transformational graduate-level special education law course for aspiring principals and superintendents. It unapologetically pushed candidates to examine the contours of their personal and professional beliefs against how the current education system did or did not meet the needs of all students, including those furthest away from opportunity, and those with disabilities.
Improving student learning has always been the central responsibility of district-level leadership. But too many schools/districts struggle to provide an equitable education to the children they serve, and in particular, students with disabilities. To address this ethical responsibility, it is imperative to acknowledge that students with disabilities are, first and foremost, general education students. Thus, district-level leaders needed to understand and implement special education laws effectively to ensure equitable opportunities, access and achievement of rigorous grade-level content that could lead to college, career, and other post-secondary pathways, which can lead to economic dignity. Special education programming at the local level in the United States has been significantly affected by the policies of federal and state governments. This complex network has involved interrelated federal and state statutory provisions, regulations, and administrative and judicial decisions concerning special education. Thus, I designed a special education law course to produce knowledgeable administrators regarding their legal and ethical responsibilities- ties as professionals and as advocates for students with disabilities. The purpose was to examine the processes, procedures, and techniques necessary for administrators to carry out the many dimensions of building and district-wide leadership. For social change to emerge, personal reflection and the application of critical reading, writing, thinking, and analysis skills on the legal and ethical dimensions of special education law in public school districts was an important outcome so leaders would possess a relentless focus for high expectations for ALL as their north star.
I designed this course around the Equity Audit© that I developed so that candidates could dive deeply into the laws, organizational structures, and the policies and practices that drive the PK-12 system. This data gathering tool provided the context to grapple with the legal and ethical competencies needed to be an effective district leader and for the primary responsibility for ensuring equitable access to learning for students with disabilities. These were major tenets for addressing issues of social justice. Here is the description of each condition that can make up a holistic strength-based system.
1 Five Conditions
The purpose of the Equity Audit is to examine the level of implementation across the five conditions for creating a comprehensive improvement process. The five conditions for creating a comprehensive, equity-focused process include the following:
1. General and Social Characteristics
The purpose of this condition is to understand the organization as a whole. It provides a meaningful way to understand the context. It provides a connected understanding of who the students are and the educators who are responsible for ensuring learning.
2. Students
The purpose is to measure the conditions under which students have access to high-quality educational and socioemotional instruction and supports. It examines the degree to which a high-quality, rigorous curriculum and a system of support are implemented within the classroom and across disciplines.
3. Practices
The purpose of this condition is to understand the adult competencies related to the practices of teaching and learning, as well as socio-emotional, cultural, and linguistic competencies to address opportunity gaps. It identifies the effective practices that benefit all students, including students with disabilities.
4. Resources
The purpose of this condition is to assess the human, fiscal, and material resources that support students, families, teachers, schools, and districts. It assesses the degree of aligned resources across and within the district and school(s).
5. Governance
The purpose of this condition is to determine the alignment of governance across and within the system that supports the development of teacher, principal, and district leadership.
© Kate Anderson Foley, 2025 | doi:10.1163/9789004736658_010
Further Discussion
The internal shift that occurred for the aspiring principals and superintendents was profound. Candidates said they had never viewed the law through the lens of equity in such a way that it raised the collective consciousness of their practice. As an educational leader who has given voice to those without one, it was gratifying to hear. Moreover, each of the candidates’ audit reports had empowering actions that they could immediately take. Some shared their results with their supervisors, who were struck by the findings, while others did not want the results to see the light of day. For those districts that did not want to share the results, it showed them and me that politics overshadowed the social change that was needed to change the practices. I looked at this as a victory because once you know a truth, you can’t unknow it. It would be my hope that these future leaders, many of them current classroom teachers, would look through their refocused lens and challenge the system that has kept so many of our students away from ambitious instruction.
It is paramount that leaders understand federal and state laws governing education. The greatest opportunity to address long-standing structural inequities that have kept many students, including students with disabilities, away from ambitious education is by dismantling a fragmented system and reengineering a comprehensive system that correctly situates all aspects of teaching and learning under the collective responsibility of every educator. Examining these structural inequities, beliefs, and laws can break through the barriers and change the trajectory of a student’s life.
Reference
Foley, K. (Ed.). Policy consulting. https://www.edpolicyconsulting.com
