February 2025 – The Brookings Institution has published a commentary on the significant barriers to quality, inclusive education facing children with disabilities, despite the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities being ratified by 191 member states nearly two decades ago. While the treaty established their right to education, implementation varies substantially across countries, leaving the estimated 10 percent of children worldwide with disabilities underserved. Considerable work remains to transform these international commitments into meaningful educational opportunities within local communities for all children.
The Brookings Institution convened key policy and decision makers, researchers, practitioners, and learners with intellectual disabilities to discuss strategies on how to transform education systems to be truly inclusive for learners with disabilities. In the article they share some of the lessons on family, school, and community engagement, and a workshop plan for school educators, education leaders, and organizations striving to identify barriers to and opportunities for stronger family, school, and community partnerships.