Special education classrooms go beyond labels
In 2016, we published a book entitled Yes We Can! General and Special Educators Collaborating in a Professional Learning Community. Our “why” was multifaceted. At the time, we were struck by the absence of clear expectations regarding how special educators and special education, in general, “fit” into professional learning communities (PLCs).
A common question we encountered while working with schools across the country was, “How does special education align with PLCs?”
The impact of PLC practices on special education outcomes
Over six years, our focused PLC work significantly improved outcomes for students qualifying for special education classrooms and services. This success fueled our urgency to document the PLC practices that led to higher levels of learning for all students.
In shifting traditional practices, it was our aim to make access to rigor universal, regardless of the adverse effects of a disability!
Fast forward to 2024, progress has been made, but it remains uneven. Some schools have embraced the idea that all educators must share collective responsibility for the learning of all students, including those receiving special education services. While we cannot say that we believe a majority of schools across the country have a sense of urgency around this, we can say that schools who are deeply engaged in PLC work are recognizing that this is essential to their continuous improvement journey.
How collaboration created a powerful shift
Some schools have continued to prioritize creating designated time for collaboration, ensuring that staff can consistently work together to improve student outcomes and support professional growth. For those schools, the question has shifted from why should they collaborate to what exactly should they be collaborating about? What does that collaboration look like? This shift signals a deeper understanding of high leverage collaboration and how collaboration supports high levels of learning.
This also underscores a powerful shift in educational practice—moving from isolated efforts to a collaborative approach that leverages the strengths and expertise of both general and special educators. We believe this is the way it was always meant to be, but over time, silos were constructed and the walls of those silos became difficult to dismantle. This paradigm shift is not merely about meeting compliance or fulfilling legal mandates; it is about transforming lives through intentional, collective action.
Beyond Labels emphasizes the importance of high-leverage, on-going collaboration between general and special educators.
Beyond Labels Six Core Concepts
Aligning Beliefs and Behaviors
This core concept focuses on ensuring that there is alignment between what a school or district espouses to believe in as an organization and the day-to-day behaviors, beliefs, policies, and practices of the professionals in that organization. Misalignment will act as a barrier to this work.
Collaboration for ALL by ALL
At the heart of general and special educators’ collaboration is ensuring all students have access to a guaranteed and viable curriculum. This core concept delves into not only collaborative structures, but getting clear on what each professional brings to the table and the high-leverage practices that collaboration must focus on.
Standards Focused Planning, Instruction and Assessment for ALL
At the heart of general and special educators’ collaboration is ensuring that all educators deeply understand and commit to all students having access to a guaranteed and viable curriculum and have the skills they need in order to support high levels of learning.
Tailoring Instruction
This core concept clarifies what tailoring instruction should and should not look like, especially as we aim to close achievement gaps. It focuses on actionable strategies that ensure instruction meets individual student needs.
Planning Goals and Monitoring Progress
Based on the work of Megan Clarke and Kristen Bordonaro in their book The Collaborative IEP (2024), this concept emphasizes that the strength of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) lies in the collective effort and shared commitment of the entire team.
Responding When Students Haven’t Learned
This core concept focuses on the importance of students having full access to a multi-tiered system of support and services as identified in their IEP. Some of the most common mistakes made in this regard are outlined and addressed.
By focusing on these six core concepts, Beyond Labels provides a clear path from beliefs to action, offering tools and strategies that help teams, schools, and systems improve learning for all students in a professional learning community!
About the educators
Authors of Yes We Can! 
Julie Schmidt recently retired as superintendent of schools for Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96 in Illinois. The district began its professional learning community (PLC) journey 22 years ago, and all seven schools have been recognized as Model PLC at Work® schools. Woodlawn Middle School in District 96 was the 2018 DuFour Award winner.
Heather Friziellie is currently superintendent of schools for Fox Lake Grade School District 114, located in the suburbs northwest of Chicago. Prior to this position, Heather served as director of educational services for Kildeer Countryside District 96, also located in the northwest suburbs. She previously served as both an elementary principal and a middle school principal.
Jeanne Spiller is assistant superintendent for teaching and learning for Kildeer Countryside District 96 in Illinois. Her work focuses on implementation of the Common Core State Standards. She guides the process of unpacking, powering, scaling, and pacing the CCSS for English language arts for numerous schools, districts, and teacher teams.
