Visibility + Policy Advocacy:

In education, we often say “all means all.” We design inclusive classrooms, differentiate for student needs, and advocate fiercely for every learner to access their education. But what about the adults in the room?

The truth is—many educators with disabilities are hiding in plain sight.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over 4 million K–12 educators in the U.S. have disabilities, yet very few feel safe disclosing them. The reasons are layered:

Fear of bias or stigma
Ableist workplace expectations
Lack of access to accommodations
Inaccessible digital systems
Cultural norms that define professionalism in narrow, exclusionary ways

And here's the part we don’t talk about enough: we’re losing some of our most brilliant, creative, and resilient educators because the system wasn’t built to support them.

Why This Matters to Me

I want to support all educators the same way we support all students. But too often, I see meetings where tech is banned, neurodivergent communication styles are misunderstood, and assumptions are made about who is or isn’t “listening” based on outdated norms. I’ve heard comments like:

"They must not be paying attention—they’re always doodling.""Why can’t they just sit through the meeting without a device?"

But those strategies—note-sketching, stim tools, using accessibility features—might be the exact things that help a neurodivergent educator stay regulated, process information, and participate meaningfully.

This isn’t just about inclusion. It’s about equity, retention, and redefining what professionalism looks like in a field that claims to value diversity.

What I Learned at CEC 2025

This session, inspired by the work of Terry Friedrichs and Kuna Tavalin, opened my eyes to what systemic advocacy can look like for educators with disabilities.

One quote that stuck with me:

“We don’t need pity—we need policy.”

Here are some powerful insights I walked away with:

1. Most Educators With Disabilities Don’t Disclose

Fear of judgment or retaliation keeps people quiet. In fact, nearly 70% of professionals with disabilities do not disclose in the workplace (National Organization on Disability, 2023). When they do, they often experience microaggressions, assumptions about their capabilities, or outright dismissal.

2. Legal Protections Exist—But Awareness is Low

Educators with disabilities are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but many don’t know what accommodations they can ask for—or how to navigate HR systems. We must demystify this process and provide clear, compassionate guidance from day one.

3. We Must Normalize Conversations About Adult Accommodations

Accommodations aren’t just for students. We should be talking about access in every staff space—onboarding, professional development, even team meetings. If we celebrate student self-advocacy, we must also champion it for adults.

My Go-To Resource: The Visibility + Policy Action Guide

To support this movement, I created a one-page tool for schools and staff:

It includes:

Tips for normalizing adult accommodations
Ideas for inclusive hiring and onboarding practices
Suggestions for policy shifts and leadership advocacy
Reflection prompts for schools and admin teams

You can use it during PD, share it in staff meetings, or print it for your onboarding packet.

What Schools and Leaders Can Do Today

If you’re a school leader or HR professional, here are a few places to start:

Adopt a disability-inclusive employee handbook
Offer PD on adult UDL (Universal Design for Learning)
Encourage affinity spaces or mentorship programs for disabled educators
Audit your digital systems and meetings for accessibility (captions, screen readers, alternate formats)
Redesign your hiring practices to include diverse representation on every panel

The Bigger Picture

When we fail to support educators with disabilities, we send a message to students with disabilities, too.

But when we champion access, normalize difference, and build inclusive policies, we create ripple effects across the entire school community. We show our students—especially those with IEPs, 504 plans, or learning differences—that they can grow up to become the teachers, leaders, and change-makers they deserve to see.

Let’s make sure the field of education reflects the diversity, creativity, and brilliance of those who teach within it.