Inclusive Schools Week is an annual event sponsored by Inclusive Schools Network (ISN) and Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) as a way of acknowledging the hard work and commitment of teachers, administrators, students, and parents in making their schools more inclusive, and thereby, significantly contributing to the development of a more inclusive society.  The Week highlights and celebrates the progress of our nation's schools in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students with disabilities and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The Week also provides an important opportunity for educators, students, and parents to discuss what else needs to be done in order to ensure that their schools continue to improve their ability to successfully educate all children.

Since its inception in 2001 under the auspices of the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative, Inclusive Schools Week has been celebrated by tens of thousands of students, families, and educators in schools and communities in virtually every state in the United States as well as several countries around the world.  This event grew out of research that the Urban Collaborative conducted in 1999 as part of its work with the National Institute for Urban School Improvement which focused on the public's perceptions of inclusion and inclusive educational practices. The Collaborative found that "inclusion" was broadly omitted from the education and public debate. Armed with this realization, the Collaborative developed the Week to promote a national dialogue on the benefits of inclusion and inclusive educational practices.

The Week quickly surpassed the Collaborative's initial goals—celebrating how far we have come and where we need to go with regard to inclusive educational practices. Its influence extends beyond this single week: It encourages teachers to try new practices, it improves communication across school communities, and it honors the diversity of the children and youth in our nation's schools.

Many schools and school districts have made it a yearly event and use the activities and lesson plans throughout the school year, and in years past, the White House and U.S. Department of Education have both endorsed the Week.  In 2002, Canada replicated the Week, with Inclusive Education Week, which is held each November.

Held annually, the first full week of December, 2008 marks the 8th anniversary of this celebration that recognizes the importance of building schools and communities that are welcoming of all children and youth.

The following articles are examples of media coverage from past years' Inclusive Schools Week:

• "Wireside Chat" on Transition Planning (Education World, November 29, 2006)
• Partnerships Help Disabled Students Move into Adulthood (Baltimore Examiner, December 6, 2006)