I saw an article recently that said that there is not conclusive evidence that inclusion actually leads to the best outcomes for children with learning disabilities. For those who don’t know the lingo, inclusion is when a child with learning disabilities in included in a regular education classroom, either for part or all of the school day. Many schools have a special education classroom that students can spend all or part of the day in, where they get more one on one attention. The debate about which is best for students has been going on for a long time. Evidence show that students who spend time in a regular education classroom get more exposure to science, social studies and other higher level concepts that the special education classrooms are less likely to teach.

Here’s my big thought. Why do we think any of the kids are getting the best possible education in that regular classroom? What research do we have that supports the way public school is implemented in most places?

What does the research say?

I went looking for research that the current public schools in America are doing things right, for any kids. I did not find any research at all that backs up that idea.

First, I found research that suggests the school day should start later, especially for teens, so they can get more sleep. Starting the school day 9AM, or later, led to students, teachers and parents being better rested and performing better. The research about whether the current length of the school day or year is the right amount of education to provide is entirely mixed. One study suggests a longer school year or day is better and the next suggests it is more important to have highly qualified teachers.

Are we teaching things the best ways in those inclusive classrooms?  Historical data shows we haven’t been teaching reading the best. Though new studies push for phonics in all classrooms, not all schools have made the change. Our test scores, which we all hear so much about, also do not point to the idea that our schools are universally doing things right.

Are they getting enough exercise and play time to be healthy? Research by the NIH indicates that school age children need at least 30 minutes a day of recess for good health.  Other experts recommend having recess 4 times a day for at least 15 minutes each. The increased amount of time to play outside is correlated to higher levels of vitamin D, more core muscle strength and even better grades.

So, if we rethink education, what happens?  What is the ideal education of a child?

I think the ideal education is one where children have plenty of sleep, so the school day doesn’t start so early. They have recess at least 3-4 times a day, so their bodies can develop along with their brains. They need rich ideas to explore. Learning not just the skills of reading and writing, but also social studies, science, art, music and more. They need classrooms with a reasonable number of students, so the teachers are not overwhelmed. Research suggests that 15 is a good number of students in a class.  That is half of what many classrooms across the country have.

If we had school like I describe, what would that look like? Teachers would have small classes of 15 students. Those classes would go out to play 4 times a day. There would be a later start time so everyone was well rested, at 9AM or later. And most importantly, they would have research backed curriculum options that teach the way students are made to learn based on their age and development. Then we would have schools that made inclusion ideal for most students. Those breaks, would help our neurodivergent children regroup between classes. Research backed ways to teach phonics and math would be in all classrooms and all students would benefit from them. Every student would learn art, music, science and social studies in a hands on way, that worked for all learning styles.

Unfortunately, this is not what most American schools are doing right now. If this school I am fantasizing about was an option, homeschooling would not have been so attractive to so many of us. But this is where we are. Our schools are struggling to do any of these research backed things, so the best education for many children, is at home.