The past two decades have been a period of active education reform throughout much of the world, and East Asia is no exception. This paper synthesizes findings from a series of empirical studies of educational reform in Thailand where an ambitious educational reform law was adopted in 1999. The purpose is to identify lessons learned about…

Through the literature review, the study aims to explore the relationship between the emotional intelligence (EI) of principals and the turnarounds of low-performing schools and generate some hypotheses regarding this issue. Rigorous, empirical studies published in the last 15 years are selected and reviewed around three relevant topics: the…

As inclusive practices and accountability continue to shape American education, special education and general education leaders will be challenged to join together in solving the problems of practice inherent in a diverse, complex, high-stakes educational environment. Professional standards provide a policy framework for the knowledge and skills,…

When the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (now known as the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act [IDEA]) was initially passed in 1975, it indicated that districts were required to provide children in private schools with access to special education and related services, but it was unclear whether they were entitled to…

The primary purpose of this article is to track the trend in the number of due process hearings that have been adjudicated under the IDEA (i.e., in which the hearing officer issued a written decision) nationally for the past 15 years. The secondary purpose is to rank order the states by the number of adjudicated hearings both on an overall basis…

The study of leadership in schools today tends to be dominated by a paradigm obsessed with the recent, the relevant, and the principal. Drawing on past and recent reviews of the literature on middle leaders in secondary schools in the UK, eight key criticisms of the field are identified and a case made for an inclusive view to knowledge in which a…

The special safeguards and standards under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for disciplinary "removals," or suspensions and expulsions, are complicated and controversial. The manifestation-determination (M-D) requirement plays a central role in this special framework (Zirkel, 2003). The 2004 Amendments of the IDEA made…

This paper describes the process of principal licensure reform in Iowa. Upon adoption of the ISLLC standards, the state department of education required revision of all principal preparation programs to conform to state code and guidelines developed by an external review panel. This paper analyzes the review process and compares five programs that…

This article reviews availability, certification, and preparation of special education administrators, with an emphasis on their roles in maintaining a quality workforce in special education. Findings indicate a special education administrator shortage, a shift to on-the-job training, and the importance of administrative support in recruitment and…

This article presents the challenges that urban special education administrators face in serving students with frequent behavior problems. New strategies for creating supportive environments are shared, including creating a positive school climate, increasing capacity to initiate and maintain research-validated practices, and implementing programs…

This article discusses how the concept of efficiency in special education services is translated into specific practices. A paradigm is presented that quantifies a measure of student need, ties school allocations to student needs, tracks actual expenditures on special education, and links those expenditures to quantifiable measures of student…

This article discusses urban teacher shortages, the interaction between poverty, ethnicity, and academic performance, and how licensure contributes to poor results in urban schools. Two partnerships between local universities and school districts to address these shortages are described. The need to prepare general and special education teachers…

A review of the research on the shortage of special education teachers and the role of attrition leads to eight recommendations to improve special educators' work environments and increase retention. Four of these recommendations are: hire certified teachers; use salaries and bonuses as incentives to remain; develop responsive induction programs…

This article investigates the rising costs in special education and discusses results from a study of 34 states that indicate federal funding for special education has changed relatively little, state share of funding has decreased, and localities are shouldering an increased financial burden (from 37 to 45 percent). (Contains references.) (CR)

The restructuring process helps convert principals from instructional to transformational leaders who can identify and articulate a vision; foster acceptance of group goals; convey high performance expectations; provide appropriate models, intellectual stimulation, and individual support; and promote a strong school culture. Collaborative and…