"Moving Your Numbers", a technical assistance and dissemination initiative begun in 2010 by the National Center on Educational Outcomes, described the work of 10 school districts that were using assessment and accountability to increase performance for students with disabilities as part of their overall district reform and improvement…

In this brave new world of education that has so much technology in it, there are many questions educational leaders must consider: (1) How can educational leaders keep up with the changes in technologies with educational applications? (2) How can technologies be used to level the playing field for students with disabilities, English language…

Many schools are currently faced with the difficult task of including increasing numbers of students with disabilities and improving academic outcomes for these and other students who struggle to learn academic content. Recent research has shown that the principal is the key to ensuring that a school meets both of these goals and is both inclusive…

Principals are a critical component of creating a positive school environment that supports new teachers to meet the diverse needs of their students. The induction process for beginning special educators can often be more challenging for school administrators and may require different supports than those provided for novice general educators. The…

With all the current discussion on teacher effectiveness, this author believes that superintendents are compelled to think more deeply about the supports teachers need to be effective in successfully fulfilling their responsibilities. Given the increased and competing demands on their time to meet school- and district-level priorities while…

Five years ago, the "Journal of Special Education Leadership" (JSEL) dedicated a special issue to "Critical Issues in Urban Special Education" and offered insights into the challenges of special education leadership in urban school districts. These perspectives focused on access to the curriculum, school-wide behavior supports, disproportionality,…

This study examined secondary principals' perceptions of the phrase "the best interests of the student" as a viable professional ethic for the field of educational leadership. Findings indicate that participants make clear distinctions between the best interest of the student (one) and the best interests of students (as a group). These findings…

Leadership in schools matters today more than ever, since school leaders are faced with leading schools through an era of profound social change that has required fundamental rethinking of what schools do and how they do it. The challenges facing educational leadership have grown tremendously in recent years because of increased public…

The author recently left her position as special services director in an urban school district in Vermont, a state that embraces inclusion for students with disabilities, to accept the position of superintendent of schools in the same district. The new job requires overseeing the educational mission of six elementary schools, two middle schools, a…

Few educators today would argue with statements about the growing diversity of the children being educated in most schools. There is acceptance and often celebration of this diversity, including the growth and dispersal of the population of children and youth from diverse linguistic backgrounds, but there are also concerns about the ability to…

School districts, like many other societal groups, function as a system--a dynamically complex web of interaction in which each aspect of the district affects all other aspects. School districts have many outside forces to which they must respond, including state and federal mandates. These mandates impose top-down initiatives with little to no…

English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities are an emerging population in the U.S. and therefore command special attention in assessment systems. Research has demonstrated that "universal design of assessment" approaches are effective in helping to make assessments more accessible for ELLs with disabilities. Special education leaders can…

IDEA and NCLB support the case for including English language learners with disabilities in standards-based reform and school accountability efforts. Few states make statewide data on the participation and performance of English language learners with disabilities publicly available. Therefore, district assessment data on English language learners…

In today's educational climate of increased accountability for learning, parent involvement in the education of children is a topic that permeates educational discussions. Schools urge parents to support their child's learning at home by assisting with homework and reading every night, to participate in school committees, and to volunteer in…

Since 1990, Vermont legislation has required all schools to establish an Educational Support System (ESS) that provides a comprehensive set of supports and services designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities as well as those at risk of school failure. Given the need to promote the success of an increasingly heterogeneous group of…