Draining the School-to-Prison Pipeline” is a monthly publication addressing issues of community school reintegration, sharing practical recommendations to support returning students, tracking relevant public policy and legislation, and addressing racial and other inequities in Pennsylvania’s educational system.
Using an Inclusive Curriculum to Decrease Student Exposure to the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Over the past several years, the question of what students should learn in school has become a matter of increasing public attention — and debate. One aspect of the discussion that is attracting attention is the need for inclusive curricula within schools. An inclusive curriculum is one that: incorporates the needs of all children by including culturally relevant themes and contributions from minority and marginalized communities, seeks to eliminate the use of gender-conforming narratives and language, and adapts the curriculum to the learning style of all students (1). Inclusive curricula have been developed to reflect the lives and contributions of people of different races, ethnicities and religions, of people who identify as LGBTQIA+, and of people with disabilities.
The use of an inclusive curriculum is beneficial both for individual students as well as for the overall school environment and community (2). Some identified benefits to using an inclusive curriculum are that it: structures teaching to the needs of the students, destigmatizes differences among students, provides support for all students, and increases the expectation threshold for all students (3). Fostering learning environments that are reflective of the overall school community can have a positive and lifelong impact on students that will support adaptable life skills (4).
Inclusive curricula and school environments can prevent exposure to the school-to-prison pipeline in several ways. First the use of inclusive curricula encourages educators to build relationships with their students through a lens of cultural understanding and enables them to incorporate that understanding into their lessons (5). Second, students are more likely to maintain high interest and engagement in school materials in which they are reflected, and student engagement is key to decreasing truancy (6). Finally, inclusive curricula lay the foundation for building restorative schools by fostering a strong school community and using discipline practices that minimize out-of-school time (7).
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Resources:
- Staff, S. I. (2019, October 9). Inclusive curriculum in schools: What are the benefits? Study International. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://www.studyinternational.com/news/benefits-inclusive-curriculum/#:~:text=According%20to%20OpenSocietyFoundations%2C%20%E2%80%9CAn%20inclusive,children%20with%20special%20education%20needs.%E2%80%9D
- Stetson and Associates, Inc. (2015, June 10). Together we learn better: Inclusive Schools Benefit All Children. Inclusive schools.org. Retrieved March 23, 2022, from https://inclusiveschools.org/together-we- learn-better-inclusive-schools-benefit-all-children/
- Team, U. (2021, March 30). 4 benefits of inclusive classrooms. Understood. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.understood.org/articles/en/4-benefits-of-inclusive-classrooms
- The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. (n.d.). Curriculum highlights. Partners in Policymaking: Curriculum Highlights. Retrieved March 23, 2022, from https://mn.gov/mnddc/pipm/curriculumeducation.html
- Krasnof, B. (2016, March). Culturally responsive teaching – education northwest. Retrieved March 28, 2022, from https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/culturally-responsive-teaching.pdf
- American University: Online programs. (2020, May 19). The role of Special Education Teachers in promoting an inclusive classroom. Role of Special Education Teachers in an Inclusive Classroom | American University. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/promoting-an-inclusive-special-education- classroom#:~:text=Inclusive%20educational%20settings%20lead%20to,25%20countries%20by%20Abt%20Associates.
- Reimer, K. (2022, January 13). How to use restorative justice in your classroom and school. Monash Education. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.monash.edu/education/teachspace/articles/how-to-use-restorative-justice-in-your-classroom-and-school