We arrived at the classroom that was full of musical instruments and brightly colored floor tiles, risers and folding chairs lined up in rows to greet us. My husband and I found seats in the front and watched as the students began to file in, waving at smiling parents who returned their greeting.

My daughter Jasmine was performing a variety of tunes and dances she had learned along with the rest of her third-grade class. Between songs, I watched as she bent down quickly to tie her partner’s shoe. Smiling, the little girl with Down's syndrome waited patiently for Jasmine to finish before they both launched into the actions for the next song.