Inclusion in the time of anti-DEIA: lessons learned from a research-practice partnership promoting a critical inclusion framework for students with disabilities

Purpose This work examines lessons learned from a research-practice partnership (RPP) centered on educational equity via increasing meaningful inclusion and considers how these lessons guided the partnership's evolution and sustained its persistence. We reflect on addressing both agency and structure in RPP work and argue that adaptability and grounding in local language and needs can support equity-centered collaboration amid political polarization. Design/methodology/approach Employing a case study design, we examined multiple data sources: public data, interviews and focus groups, artifacts and meeting notes. In our initial iteration, we utilized publicly available data to determine a shared priority between our research team and district partners, which led to the co-design of a teacher professional development series. We conducted interviews and focus groups with teachers and district leaders, which foregrounded our second iteration. The third iteration responds to continued data collection and reflection. Each data source informed ways to increase meaningful inclusion. Findings We distill four lessons that might advance equitable learning opportunities for students labeled with disabilities in the face of political polarization: (1) agency in the absence of structure limits the ability to achieve meaningful inclusion; (2) structure in the absence of individual capacity limits meaningful change; (3) RPPs require adaptability to center equity and (4) grounding in local need and language is a vehicle for equity. Originality/value Our insights will inform researchers and practitioners pursuing educational equity aims, even within politically contentious contexts, particularly when working from a dis/ability justice lens.