Lee Ann Jung – författare

To reach all, we must reach each

Every classroom is filled with amazing individuals who vary wildly in who they are as people. This includes BIPOC students, LGBTQIA+ students, and students who are new to the language of instruction, have learning differences, are experiencing poverty, need behavioral supports, have had poor previous instruction, or have endured trauma. This diversity is an asset that educators can leverage when we ensure our instruction is tailored to the strengths and needs of each student. That’s where Universal Design for Learning (UDL) comes in.

UDL ensures all students succeed by enabling educators to remove barriers to learning. Supported by neurological and education research, the tenets of UDL challenge educators to engage students and sustain their interest, represent instruction in accessible ways, and support students to demonstrate their learning in multiple ways. This guide shows how UDL can serve as a pathway to equitable learning outcomes through

Practical advice for creating safe, affirming learning environments that encourage belonging Demonstration of how to represent content, concepts, and skills in different ways to provide students with multiple modes of expression Tables for planning and reflection Graphics illustrating multiple means of expression

By applying UDL principles, educators can anticipate potential barriers to learning and adjust from the start, driving the accessibility of learning for all students by meeting the needs of each student.

See beyond content standards to the broader context of life-changing skills.

The standards-based learning and grading movement of the past twenty years has ushered in a critical shift in assessment that demands clarity in both what is being measured and how well students are learning. Seeing the value in this evolution, a wave of schools has invested enormous effort to institutionalize the policy and practices of the movement. In doing so, many focused their initial efforts squarely on grading and fell short of the more important work–classroom assessment. There are important lessons in these missteps and failures.

This groundbreaking, “next generation” approach to classroom assessment challenges educators to reflect on the connections between growth, mastery, and student self-efficacy and to prioritize the transferable skills of metacognition and self-regulation in assessments. A powerful call-to-action, this guide includes: 

A conceptual framework that guides the questions and order of assessment reformAn approach to assessment, grading, and reporting that prioritizes student growth over a standard definition of success for everyone Strategies to develop metacognition and catalyze motivation in studentsOrientation to each chapter with learning intentions with success criteria Vivid case stories and prompts to power deep reflection

Underscoring the importance of learning environments that work for the full range of learning profiles, this book calls for a revolution in the narrative around assessment and grading, emphasizing the ultimate goal of nurturing students who are metacognitive, expert learners, motivated by the joy of learning.

Lay the foundation for inclusive, impactful classrooms where every student thrives

Every student deserves an education that is meaningful, memorable, and built for them. When we design learning with intentional, universal support, the impact extends beyond individual students—it transforms entire classrooms.

In Every Child Deserves a Special Education, the authors introduce five powerful mindframes that reshape the way we think about teaching, learning, and inclusion. These mindframes spark a cycle of reflection and growth, shifting not just what we do, but how we see our students, our classrooms, and our role as educators. Inside, you’ll find:

Five essential educator mindframes—helping you plan for both diverse learners and the diversity within each learnerStories and examples that bring these mindframes to life through real classroom experiencesReflection tools to help you examine and refine your own beliefs and practices

True inclusion starts with how we think, not just what we do. Every Child Deserves a Special Education will help you build the mindset every classroom needs for all students to thrive.

A powerful model for helping struggling students succeed

How can you ensure that you are grading your exceptional students fairly? Teachers receive very little guidance for grading students with disabilities, English learners, and those receiving services through a response-to-intervention (RTI) process. This practitioner-friendly book provides teachers and administrators with an effective framework for assigning grades that are accurate, meaningful, and legally defensible. The authors' easy-to-follow, five-step standards-based inclusive grading model helps teachers:

Determine appropriate expectations for each student Understand the differences between accommodations and modificationsGrade based on modified expectationsCommunicate the meaning of grades to students and their families

Included are a graphic illustration of the grading model, sample report cards and progress reports, and vignettes that show how to tailor applications to each subgroup and grade level. This invaluable guide takes the mystery out of grading exceptional learners and focuses on what matters most—helping all students learn.