On May 7, 2026 the Shapiro Administration announced that it is giving 10 schools funding to join a pilot program designed to teach K-12 students about the political, economic, and social contributions of individuals with disabilities.

The Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program influences the overall culture and environment of schools by reducing stigma and including disability education as a part of a school-wide strategic plan. This is the second round of $30,000 grants, which cover the cost of implementing the curriculum over three years. With this second round of funding, the Shapiro Administration has committed a total of $600,000 to 20 school entities to incorporate disability inclusive educational programming in classrooms since the Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program launched in 2023-24. 

The following entities received grants:
-Carbondale Area School District in Lackawanna County
-Chester County IU24
-Delta School (Approved Private School) in Philadelphia
-Middle Bucks Institute of Technology in Bucks County
-Pittston Area School District in Luzerne County
-Upper Bucks County Technical School in Bucks County
-Reach Cyber Charter School
-Tri-Valley School District in Schuylkill County
-Intermediate Unit 1 in the Southwest Region
-Plum Borough School District in Allegheny County

In 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) developed a toolkit to assist schools with implementation of the Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program. The toolkit resources are inclusive of all age/grade levels and include sample lesson plans, professional development offerings/opportunities, ideas for implementing a disability inclusive curriculum, disability-led organizational contacts, and other resources.

Pennsylvania’s Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Grant was established by a state law in 2022 and is open to all school districts, charter school entities, intermediate units, career and technical centers, and nonpublic schools.