Figure 3: District Considerations for Co-Teaching
Co-teaching is most successful when it is implemented with fidelity, integrated into school and district long-term plans, and supported through professional development and accountability strategies. Here are questions regarding co-teaching to consider at the district level. 1. How have expectations for co-teaching been articulated at the district level? What formal policies and procedures exist related to co-teaching? What policies and procedures should be approved to foster sustainability for co-teaching? 2. To what extent have district-level personnel received professional development about co-teaching? (Note: This question pertains to general education as well as special education leaders.) 3. What supports has the district offered to create a viable infrastructure for co-teaching (e.g., assistance in scheduling; clarification of service delivery options)? 4. How has co-teaching been integrated into options related to strategic and school improvement planning? 5. How are resources allocated to support co-teaching (e.g. funding for professional development, periodic common planning time for co-teachers, data collection and aggregation, and so on)? 6. How is co-teaching presented in district materials and media (e.g., district website, student handbooks, parent communication)? 7. How is co-teaching part of the interview and hiring practices of the district? 8. How are site administrators accountable for co-teaching implementation integrity? 9. How is co-teaching incorporated into teacher evaluation protocols and procedures? 10. How is co-teaching incorporated into principal and other site administrator evaluation protocols and procedures? 11. How is essential information about co-teaching disseminated to site administrators, teachers, and others? 12. What data are reported to the district in order to determine the impact of co-teaching on key student outcomes?