Chapter 12: Inclusive Leaders Building Bridges to Learning

Inclusive leaders create systems where each human—child and adult—feels valued, supported, and safe. Leaders leverage strengths so individuals advance their learning within the system (Cowart Moss, 2020; Ryan & Cox, 2017; Mette, 2019). Although inclusive leadership practices are grounded in special education, inclusivity is about creating equity and opportunity for all students, not just those with special needs (Theoharis et al 2008). The need for inclusive leadership is critical following a global pandemic, societal unrest, and growing political and cultural divides. School leaders are not just leading humans in school buildings. They are also explicitly leading them in their homes, their communities, and their places of shelter from life’s storms. It is increasingly evident that school leaders must build inclusive bridges across divided communities and lead systems that help students navigate the sometimes-disrupted world between their places of learning.