A national survey was conducted of local administrators of special education who administered more than two special education programs and who spent at least 50% of their time in special education administration, in order to gather normative data about the local administrator. It was found that the majority of administrators were married men between the ages of 35 and 49 years. Administrative experience and preparation usually consisted of 10 to 19 years of professional experience as teacher, supervisor, or administrator, with an average of 1 to 3 years as a special education administrator; more than half the administrators had studied 1 year beyond the Master's degree. Conditions of employment were found to usually include a 12 month contract, a 45-hour work week, and an annual salary average of $14,687. As administrators, many viewed themselves as leaders who performed important roles in policy development for the educational system and as supervisors, many viewed their roles as that of modifying and adapting curriculum of special education programs. Also examined were the organizational characteristics of the special education program, resources available for administration, community relations, and selective administrative opinions. (CB)