Inclusive education, in the year we celebrate 30 years since the Salamanca Declaration (UNESCO, 1994), is still an issue that needs more convincing solutions, both from research and practice. Research has shown that inclusive education has academic and social benefits for the entire school community and is considered a step towards a more inclusive and equitable society (Antoninis et al., 2020). In the current conceptualization, diversity and interindividual differences (including those based on race, ethnicity, sexuality, culture, or disability) are regarded as inherent characteristics of any system or school. Full educational inclusion is understood as providing equal learning opportunities for all spectrums of diverse students, not just those with disabilities. Despite various efforts to conceptualise and implement this understanding of inclusive education, one cannot yet speak of qualitative full inclusion in Romania (Vrășmaș & Vrășmaș, 2021). That`s why this research aims to determine the characteristics and specificity of school inclusion in Romania in terms of inclusive culture, practices, and policies, from the teachers` perspective. The specificity is measured using the Index for Inclusion (Booth & Ainscow, 2016), a widely used instrument internationally.

Effective school management, particularly embodied by school principals, plays a pivotal role in the successful implementation of school inclusion initiatives (Khaleel et al., 2021). School principals serve as key orchestrators, influencing the overall organizational climate, policies, and practices within an educational institution (Lian, 2020). In the context of inclusion, they bear the responsibility of fostering an environment that embraces diversity, equity, and accessibility for all students (Theoharis & Scanlan, 2020). Principals contribute significantly to the development and execution of inclusive policies, ensuring that they are aligned with the school's mission and vision (Villa, 2016). Their leadership is instrumental in creating a supportive and inclusive culture that goes beyond mere compliance with regulations. Moreover, principals act as advocates for inclusive practices, fostering collaboration among educators, parents, and the community to create an environment where every student, regardless of diverse abilities or backgrounds, can thrive academically and socially (Cobb, 2014). In essence, school principals' effective management is crucial for the successful integration of inclusive practices, which in turn shapes a learning environment that respects and accommodates the individual needs of every student. Given the significance of school management in the implementation of inclusion at school level, we aimed to identify the differences in the perception of school inclusion between managerial levels (principals) and teachers. 

Developing inclusive cultures, policies, and practices, the three dimensions on which the Index for Inclusion is structured, can contribute to improving a more inclusive school environment.  The Index for Inclusion refers to the whole process of giving equal access to education for all children and young people, according to the concept of "schools for all" (Booth & Ainscow, 2016), a concept we embrace as a vision for the schools of tomorrow, paraphrasing the title of the ECER conference. 

The Index for Inclusion (Booth & Ainscow, 2002), in its fourth revision (Booth & Ainscow, 2016), served as a distinctive tool to measure the effectiveness of inclusion in our research. Assessing inclusive policies, practices, and cultures, the Index acts both diagnostically and as a basis for concrete measures in institutional development (Nes, 2009). Schools across various countries engaging in activities based on the Index for Inclusion reported an enhanced understanding of inclusion and observed improvements in school development (Nes, 2009). 

This study aims to delineate, based on the Inclusion Index, the characteristics and specificity of school inclusion in Romania from the perspectives of teachers and principals. The emerging conclusions, grounded in empirical evidence, will serve as a foundational point for proposing measures to foster institutional development and cultivate a more inclusive school community.

Two research questions were formulated: 1. What are the characteristics of school inclusion in Romania in terms of inclusive culture, practices, and policies? 2. What are the differences in the perception of school inclusion between managerial levels (principals) and teachers? We asserted the following assumptions: 1. There are differences in the perception of school inclusion between school principals and teachers (H1). 2. There are differences in the predictive factors of school inclusion for principals and for teachers (H2). To address the research purpose and answer these research questions, a quantitative, non-experimental comparative, and correlational design was employed. Teachers in Romania, with and without management responsibilities, received the Index of Inclusion (Booth & Ainscow, 2016) through convenient recruitment and snowballing techniques. A total of 125 teachers holding managerial positions (such as inspectors and school principals) and 964 teachers with diverse specializations participated in responding to the Index of Inclusion. The Index of Inclusion demonstrated its validity as a quantitative measure for assessing school inclusion in the Romanian context. The validity indices for the Romanian version, including χ2=9156.274, CFI=.99, IFI=.99, RMSEA=.064, and SRMR=.035, support its reliability. The results underwent statistical analysis to determine variations in the perceptions of school inclusion between principals and teachers. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed for this purpose. Additionally, to assess differences in the factors predicting perceptions of school inclusion for principals and teachers, standard multiple regression analyses were conducted. The results showed that principals, in comparison to teachers, have a higher perception of the school's inclusivity across all three dimensions—policies, practices, and inclusive culture. There is a clear correlation between the three factors that make up inclusivity: the school's policies and practices both have a positive impact on the school's inclusive culture. No significant differences were identified between principals and teachers concerning the factors predicting inclusive perceptions. For both groups (directors and teachers), the three dimensions emerged as the most influential predictors. As a result, it is recommended that principals be more involved in the implementation of inclusive policies at the school level, promoting their implementation, which can contribute to the advancement of an inclusive culture and, consequently, enhance overall school inclusion.

The results confirm the first hypothesis, indicating that principals perceive the school as more inclusive than teachers across policies, practices, and inclusive culture. Principals' heightened perception is attributed to their pivotal role in advocating and implementing inclusive policies, resulting in a higher level of responsibility compared to teachers. The tendency to give socially acceptable responses may influence a positively skewed perception as a result of this increased responsibility. In contrast, teachers dealing directly with inclusive classrooms have a more realistic and less optimistic perspective due to the daily challenges. Further exploration of qualitative research is recommended to comprehensively understand this nuanced phenomenon. The results do not support the second hypothesis because there were no significant differences between principals and teachers in predicting inclusive education factors. Both school policies and practices positively influence the establishment of an inclusive culture, indicating a strong correlation among the three dimensions of inclusivity (Barrero Fernández et al., 2023). This suggests that developing and implementing inclusive policies and practices positively impacts the creation of an inclusive culture in the school (Yan & Sin, 2014; Ainscow, 2020). For both directors and teachers, the three dimensions emerged as the most influential predictors, emphasizing the crucial role of inclusive policies, practices, and cultural aspects in shaping perceptions of inclusion. The study recommends increased involvement of principals in implementing inclusive policies for enhanced overall school inclusion. In what ways can principals actively participate in fostering an inclusive culture? This question prompts the need for the extension of the study through qualitative research methods, including focus groups or in-depth interviews with both principals and teachers. Employing these methods has the potential to yield practical insights and solutions aimed at enhancing school inclusiveness.

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