Using Contextual Intelligence to support students with disabilities
Issue #3 of a new weekly series
Supporting students with disabilities...
Last week, the federal administration set in motion plans to move the Education Department office that oversees special education and employment programs for adults with disabilities to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This decision will not impact funding, as Congress already allocated more than $15 billion for special education programs in February. School districts will begin seeing this money for direct services to students next month. However, several national organizations that support students with disabilities signed a letter opposing this move.
An excerpt from the letter states:
Students with disabilities deserve educational systems that are designed around their needs, rights, and opportunities, not administrative restructuring that risks disrupting critical services and protections. They deserve equitable access to education, robust protections under the law, and an intact Department of Education that is committed to their success and steadfast in defending their rights.
Contextual intelligence requires leaders to look beyond the immediate headline and ask deeper questions. How might moving oversight responsibilities to a different federal agency change the guidance districts receive? Will there be shifts in how compliance is monitored, technical assistance is delivered, or research priorities are established? Could changes in leadership, staffing, or organizational culture influence how disability rights are interpreted and protected? These questions matter because the experiences of students with disabilities are shaped not only by funding but also by the systems designed to support them.
As this potential transition unfolds, the most effective leaders will be those who remain informed without becoming reactive, curious without becoming complacent, and focused on student outcomes rather than political rhetoric. Contextual intelligence allows leaders to navigate the ambiguity between policy announcements and practical realities while keeping the needs of students at the center of every decision.
Reflection Questions for Leaders:
What information do you still need to understand the potential impact of this policy shift on your district or school?
What local indicators would help you identify early signs of disruption to services or supports?
Who needs to be included in conversations about this change to ensure multiple perspectives are heard?
How might this policy shift affect your district’s long-term planning for special education services, staffing, and professional learning?
Navigating Power, Harnessing Possibility is HERE:
Navigating Power, Harnessing Possibility: A Guide for Leading Schools Through Uncertain Times is out! If you got a copy of the book, I would appreciate an Amazon book review. It helps others find out about it.
I’m working on a digital train-the-trainer workbook for facilitators who want to integrate the book into their professional learning and course syllabi. That will be available soon!
Other Ways to Partner With Leading-Within:
Grounded in Navigating Power, Harnessing Possibility: A Guide for Leading Schools Through Uncertain Times, these individual and small group coaching sessions equip system- and school-level leaders to effectively navigate the formal and informal political landscapes that shape their work. Leaders build the awareness, strategy, and confidence needed to exercise influence, make principled decisions, and lead through uncertainty with intention.
Our keynote speaking services engage school leaders in critical conversations that shape their work and influence. Focus areas include supporting leaders of color, navigating today’s political landscape, and leading systems-level transformation, offering participants practical tools and perspectives to lead with clarity and purpose.
Research and writing services support schools and organizations in assessing and documenting their learning across programs and initiatives. This work includes partnering to evaluate impact to produce clear, compelling reports, as well as writing and editing journal articles that highlight best practices across the diaspora.
Reach out to mary@mriceboothe.com to discuss more.
If this is your first time reading, please go back and read my Introduction post.
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