Leadership Dynamics Promoting Systemic Reform for Inclusive Service Delivery

Abstract

This article presents a multicase study of two systems of schools striving to reform service delivery systems for students with special needs. Considering these systems as institutional actors, the study examines what promotes the understanding and implementation of special education service delivery within a system of schools in a manner that strengthens the capacity of schools to welcome students with special needs. Key findings illustrate how central office support and relationships across horizontal, vertical, and diagonal dimensions mediate efforts to reorient organizations, establish policy coherence, provide instructional leadership, and maintain the focus on reform. The article concludes with implications across school sectors for policies and practices that promote inclusive service delivery for students with special needs.