When Inclusion Backfires: Why One-Size-Fits-All Classrooms Are Failing Everyone | Blog Post 5

By: Mikaela Ostrander

Inclusion was supposed to be the answer.

The laws were written with the best of intentions — every child deserves access to the same classroom, the same curriculum, the same opportunities. And that is true. But somewhere between the legislation and the lived reality, inclusion started to create a different kind of problem:

Exclusion.

Not on paper.Not in policy.But in practice.

When Inclusion Ignores Individual Needs

What we’re seeing in classrooms across the country is this:

• General education classrooms filled with students with wildly different needs — without the support staff, training, or tools to serve them all well.

• Teachers burned out from trying to manage complex behaviors with no clear strategies.

• Students with chronic dysregulation disrupting the learning environment — not because they’re bad, but because they’re overwhelmed.

• Peers losing access to calm, focused instruction because crisis management has become the norm.

And the most heartbreaking part? Nobody’s thriving.Not the kids with high needs.Not the kids who need quiet to learn.Not the teacher.Not the classroom community.

This isn’t real inclusion. This is containment.

Inclusion Without Support = Abandonment

Here’s the truth no one wants to say out loud:Inclusion laws, as they currently operate, are not equipped for the complexity of real children in real schools.

When we push students with significant behavioral, emotional, or sensory needs into general education settings without the structure, training, or targeted interventions needed to support them, we aren’t giving them access — we’re setting them up to fail.

And we’re also setting up their teachers and classmates to be collateral damage.

This is where understanding the personality types and targeted intervention can offer a path forward.

The 16 Personality Types: Every Brain, Every Classroom

The traditional classroom is still designed for only certain personality types - those that naturally  follow rules, stay organized, and work well in linear, structured environments.

So what happens to the other 14 types?

• The ENTP who needs to ask “why” before complying?

• The ISFP who shuts down completely when overstimulated?

• The ESFP who performs for attention because it’s their only form of connection?

They get labeled.They get punished.They get misunderstood.And in many cases, they get excluded within the inclusive setting.

And yet — these are the students who need the most thoughtful support. Not generalized interventions. Not sticker charts. Not isolation.

They need:

• Classroom placements that tap into their interests and strengths

• Educators who know what makes their brain “tick” — and what to avoid

• Predictable, differentiated environments designed for real humans, not ideal models

Data Points We Can’t Ignore

• According to CDC data, 1 in 6 children now has a developmental disability — and the number continues to rise.

• Dysregulation is one of the leading causes of student removals and suspensions — especially among neurodivergent children.

• Over 60% of teachers say disruptive behavior affects their ability to teach daily (EdWeek, 2023).

Inclusion without strategy creates chaos.Inclusion with strategy creates community.

So What Does Real Inclusion Look Like?

Real inclusion says:

• Yes, all children deserve access.

• Yes, all children can learn.

• Yes, classrooms should be safe for everyone.

But it also says:

• We need multi-modal environments — not just one classroom model.

• We need program-aligned schools that match learning styles and personalities.

• We need specialized social-emotional lessons targeted to personality type.

• We need collaborative behavioral plans that go deeper than “be safe, be respectful, be responsible.”

And we need to stop pretending that throwing every student into the same room with the same expectations is the most equitable thing we can do.

Because it’s not equity if nobody’s needs are being met.

Where We Go From Here

If we want to truly honor inclusion —  we have to:

• Rethink school design to reflect human diversity

• Pair inclusion with support, structure, and individualized strategy

• Train teachers in personality-informed behavior response

Because right now? We’re calling it inclusion.But to the kids who are drowning, the teachers who are burning out, and the classmates who are missing instruction?

It feels like exclusion.