Principals are responsible for supervising the educational and legal requirements for their students who have been identified with special education needs, yet they have not necessarily been specifically trained to do so. The research reviewed in this dissertation suggests that building administrators are often placed in situations in which they are responsible for making lasting and legal decisions for which they have little specific background training. Cooner, Tochterman, & Garrison-Wade (2005) assert that principals are the key to implementation of programs and services and for student success and without adequate knowledge, training and understanding, equitable educational opportunities for achievement are in jeopardy for the more than six million special education students nationally. The survey research of this dissertation builds upon previous studies of principals to glean understanding of the current preparedness and knowledge of special education regulations for administration of all students. This research examined the possible relationship between principals' certification and their perceptions and knowledge of special education regulations. Information was gathered from one Mid-Atlantic school system garnering principals' responses about their knowledge and perceptions of special education regulations and procedural requirements. Responses were collected through a quantitative, non-experimental survey. No conditions were manipulated for the collection of this data. This research found that the principals' possession of a degree or endorsement in special education made a statistically significant difference for principals in the area of feelings of preparedness to meet the needs of students with special needs. There was also a positive impact of the possession of a special education degree or endorsement in relation to the facilitation of special education programming for principals who attended workshops or seminars. Principals with a degree or endorsement in special education had a marginally statistically significant agreement that discipline of students with special education needs was not a burden, as compared to their counterparts with general education certification. Suggestions for future research include an investigation into where principals garner their knowledge about special education regulations and a study into the knowledge and perceptions of special education supervisors who dispatch information to principals. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]