Special Education Leadership Strategies Learned From Highly Effective Principals

• In Event: School and District Reform: Examining What Works

Abstract

The role of the principal is vital in ensuring educational success for every child. This role is particularly true of students receiving special education services. This study examines school leadership strategies at schools whose students receiving special education services scored in the top 1% as compared with 702 schools in south central Texas on Math and English Language Arts statewide assessments. Researchers then conducted panel interviews and follow-up site visits to glean information on commonalities among the campus-wide strategies used by the leaders of these highly effective schools. Three main themes were identified as common correlates among these high performing campuses: use of data, staffing, and leadership expectations/support.

Authors

• Sean Kearney, Texas A&M University - San Antonio

• Theresa Ann Garfield, Texas A&M University - San Antonio