Preparing Special Education Leaders for Predominantly Hispanic Schools

• In Event: 16.057 - Roundtable Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: 16.057-17 - Leadership for Social Justice: Preparing Culturally Competent School Leaders

Abstract

Emphasizing the importance of equitable responsiveness to Hispanic special education students in public schools, this mixed methods study used a survey by Frost and Kersten (2011) , to answer the questions: 1) Do principals of predominantly Hispanic schools perceive themselves as having adequate knowledge in special education? 2) Which areas are these principals most involved in with special education teachers? 3) What suggestions do these principals have for principal preparation programs? Results indicated that the principals’ greatest knowledge was in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, their highest involvement with teachers was in conducting evaluations. Their most frequent recommendation for inclusion in principal preparation programs was instruction in the area of special education laws, Section 504, and Response to Intervention.

Authors

• Maria Banda Roberts, Texas A&M University-Texarkana

• Fred Guerra, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley