Demonstration Classrooms

Inspire. Implement. Transform.

Create truly inclusive schools
with evidence-based practices.

Why Demonstration Classrooms

Most students with disabilities in DC spend the majority of their time in general education classrooms. It’s critical that all educators are equipped with the knowledge and skills to create truly inclusive classrooms. While professional development is an important mechanism for building skills, seeing best practices in action allows educators to visualize what these practices could look like in their own classrooms. The Co-op’s Demonstration (“Demo”) Classrooms, each highlight an evidence-based practice and serve as living models for schools striving to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.

~10%

of students with disabilities in DC are proficient in reading

Landscape Analysis, Office of the State
Superintendent of Education, 2019

85-90%

of students with disabilities can meet grade-level standards with the right support

Students with Disabilities in Educational Policy,
Practice, and Professional Judgment: What
Should We Expect? (NCEO Report #413)

How This Program Advances Equity

Inclusive Instruction

Hands-on training helps teachers use proven strategies so students with disabilities can fully participate in general classrooms.

Closing Gaps

Breaks down barriers that prevent students from receiving high-quality interventions.

Schoolwide Change

Builds school capacity to make effective practices the norm, not the exception.

Our Solutions

Evidence-Based Intervention

Targeted supports with a proven track record in improving academic outcomes for students with disabilities.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

A teaching framework that ensures all students can access and engage with rigorous instruction.

Learning Labs

Flexible, inclusive spaces designed to support both academic and social-emotional growth.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

A data-driven system that helps schools identify and support students’ academic and behavioral needs early.

Case Studies

Bridges Public Charter School

Expanding Access to Effective Instruction

Focus: Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Challenge: Diverse learners with significant needs
Solution: UDL training and a Demo Classroom model
Impact: 93% of students met or exceeded growth targets

Case Studies

Washington Latin Public Charter School

Closing the Opportunity Gap

Focus: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
Challenge: Gaps in achievement and discipline for students with disabilities
Solution: Data-driven interventions and schoolwide academic supports
Impact: Students with disabilities grew at the same rate as peers; suspensions dropped to under 1%

Case Studies

Thurgood Marshall Academy

Delivering Intensive, Targeted Intervention

Focus: Tier 3 Math and Reading Intervention
Challenge: Students entering 3-4 grade levels behind
Solution: Embedded intervention with individualized support and progress tracking
Impact: Students doubled projected growth; over 60% met or exceeded RIT goals

Case Studies

DC Bilingual Public Charter School

Empowering Schools to Lead Change

Focus: Flexible Learning Labs
Challenge: IEP services and schedules weren’t aligned to student needs
Solution: Redesigned schedules and labs centered on student-driven support
Impact: 85% of students with disabilities met growth goals; strong ELA and math gains

Our Partners

We’re proud to call CAST a partner in our work and excited to have our Demonstration Classroom at Bridges PCS highlighted. This video reflects our shared commitment to inclusive, high-quality instruction for students with disabilities.

The unique position of the Co-op in DC’s special education landscape enables us to both support improvement at individual schools and drive systemic, city-wide change.

What We’ve Learned

The Demonstration Classrooms prove that real change is possible when schools prioritize students with disabilities and back that with the right practices.

Mindsets Matter

Targeted supports with a proven track record in improving academic outcomes for students with disabilities.

Leadership Drives Results

Buy-in from school leaders is essential to shift culture and drive schoolwide transformation.

Start With Students

Effective models put students with disabilities at the center of planning, not the margins.

Let Data Lead

Real-time data guides decisions about who needs support, what kind, and when.

Keep Evolving

Change isn’t one-and-done. Schools must adapt as student needs change.

PD That Works

Educators need more than theory. Demo Classrooms show what inclusive excellence looks like and how to make it real.

Transform Possibility Into Practice

Join the Movement for Educational Equity

Explore additional ways to support DC Special Education Demonstration Classrooms

Inspire. Implement. Transform.