Federal mandates require special education teachers to use instructional practices grounded in scientific research. Accordingly, the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder (NPDC) identified 27 evidence-based practices specific to teaching students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; Wong et al., 2014). Though these…

Administrators face multiple challenges in effectively managing special education programs and services. These challenges include communication failures between stakeholders, inconsistency in implementing policies, difficulty in collaborating with multiple personnel throughout a district, and inefficiencies in implementing special education…

The importance of self-determination and best practices in secondary transition serve as the basis for assertions that guardianship and the aims of special education are inherently conflicted. Few studies have explored the perspectives and experiences of special education administrators on the support of students with disabilities and their…

Educational leaders have many responsibilities across a variety of settings. This is especially true of special education leaders, who work with an expanded age range, expanded needs, and expanded complexity not only resulting from compliance expectations and enhanced regulation but because of increasing research in the field guiding best…

Retention of administrators is related to student achievement, but little is known about factors related to the retention of special education directors. The authors examine whether educational credentials, certifications, and number of years served are related to the number of years served as local education agency special education director.

Expectations of principals extend well beyond instructional leadership and include daily school operations, personnel management, government and public relations, finance concerns, professional development, and curriculum (Grissom & Loeb, 2011; National Association of Secondary School Principals, 2017; National Policy Board for Educational…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) continues to account for an expansive and expensive segment of education litigation. The most longstanding remedy under the IDEA is tuition reimbursement, interpreted broadly to include not only private school tuition, but also related transportation and stand-alone related services. Probably…

As a result of the economic and social changes that have taken place in recent decades, the role of women in the workplace has changed significantly. The entry of women into traditionally masculine positions has supposed a dramatic cultural change (Inglehart & Baker, 2000). The present research aims to explore how gender influenced the female…

Approximately 11% of Michigan's roughly 199,620 elementary and secondary students are eligible for special education under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Students with disabilities placed in a self-contained classroom by an individualized education program (IEP) committee are usually those in need of the most intense programs…

The charter sector has historically received significant federal support through the Charter School Program, which was allocated $440 million in fiscal year 2020. However, the sector has been criticized for not serving a proportionate share of students with disabilities and being less equipped to educate them. To gain a better understanding of how…

The field of special education has become increasingly interested in and concerned about the costs associated with delivering programs and services to students. Yet, to date, there has been relatively limited data on the costs or return on investment of special education services and preventive interventions. There is an opportunity to learn from…

State aid for special education shapes local decisions about identifying students for special education, the programs and services to which students have access and in which students with disabilities are educated, and how local educators structure and administer their special education programs. The connection between state funding for special…

In this paper, the authors explore the state of public education funding, and specifically special education funding, during COVID-19, discuss the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) fiscal requirements, and identify the following common challenges for state and local special education leaders: (1) compared to other federal and…

In light of the growing complexity of schoolwork, researchers and practitioners have highlighted the critical importance of transforming schools into learning organizations (Mulford & Silins, 2011). In such organizations, teachers continuously deliberate with one another as to how to solve problems that relate to teaching and learning (Fullan,…

The number of students with disabilities educated in general education classrooms is increasing due to legislative mandates and the appreciation for the importance and positive impact of inclusion for all students (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2019). In order to provide meaningful services to students…