Building Administrators’ Perceptions of their Preparedness as Leaders of Special Education

Abstract

Principal preparation programs often lack the necessary content to provide preservice building administrators with the prerequisite knowledge about special education and students with disabilities (SWDs). Principals and vice principals play a pivotal role in shaping the educational environment, yet often find themselves feeling unprepared when it comes to addressing the needs of this diverse student population. Training in school-based administrative roles has yet to keep pace with the ever-expanding field of special education. This phenomenological study investigated the impact of special education training or background on building administrators’ ability to effectively lead inclusive schools for SWDs. It also examined the professional development (PD) administrators felt they needed to improve their leadership and support for SWDs. Through interviews with 26 principals and vice principals, this study investigated the impact of special education training on administrators’self-efficacy and their perceived need for professional growth in special education. Findings indicated that there is an overwhelming lack of special education content in principal preparation programs, with almost all participants utilizing their experience to support SWDs and not their principal preparation courses. The participants with a background in special education viewed themselves as advocates, spent many hours during the week handling special education matters, and demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the word “inclusion.” In contrast, those without relied more heavily on the special education staff. Findings suggest that there is a need for more PD opportunities as well as more special education content for preservice administrators.