This eLeadership guide explores how system education leaders can strengthen inclusive education practices to support optimum learning for all students. Increasing classroom complexity and growing awareness of the connections between learning, mental health, and well-being require coordinated system responses that extend beyond individual classrooms.

This guide highlights emerging leadership practices that support inclusive learning environments and strengthen system coherence. Alberta stories of practice illustrate how school authorities are working collaboratively with health, community, and government partners to build coordinated supports for students.

Using the Explore, Develop, Take Action, and Evaluate framework, the guide invites system education leaders to reflect on their own contexts, examine current approaches to inclusive education and student well-being, and identify opportunities to strengthen partnerships, system coherence, and coordinated supports.

Embedded throughout the guide are structured leadership reflection and action-planning opportunities designed to support individual and collaborative professional learning. These reflections encourage leaders to move beyond examining current conditions toward identifying strategic priorities and next steps within their own systems.

The goal is to support leadership decisions that strengthen inclusive education, student mental health and well-being, and optimum learning conditions for every student.

Participants are encouraged to download the eLeadership Guide Reflection Companion, which will guide them through this eLeadership Guide.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will:

• analyze how inclusive education, student well-being, and system partnerships contribute to optimum learning for all students;
• identify leadership practices that strengthen a coordinated continuum of supports;
• examine how system structures and partnerships influence access to supports for students and families; and
• apply insights from research and Alberta stories of practice to strengthen system education leadership and design.

Source: This graphic is adapted from the Continuous Improvement Cycle in the Alberta Education Funding Manual for School Authorities 2026/27 School Year.