The Cumbersome Burden of Translating Policy Into Practice

Abstract

Translating policy into practice is a challenging task for many fields, including education. Despite the legal foundations aimed to support families' involvement in special education, culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families and schools experience cultural, political, and linguistic barriers. The pathologized conceptions of difference and ability, racialized politics of parent involvement, and the culture of compliance preclude schools and educators from engaging effectively with CLD families. Racist and ableist practices nested within involvement strategies must be interrogated to shift from colonial engagement to building equitable partnerships with CLD families. This shift requires disrupting deficit-oriented systems of thinking, breaking the culture of compliance cycle, including CLD families in decision-making, and building culturally sustaining relationships with CLD families.