This qualitative study examines the preservice learning experiences of principals who created inclusive schools for students with disabilities. Two research questions guided the study: (1) How do successful principals describe their university-based principal preparation in the area of special education as well as leading inclusive schools for students with disabilities? and (2) What are the leadership practices, skills, and beliefs principals identify that are central to leading special education and inclusive reforms and how were they learned? Findings focus on principal beliefs and values, knowledge and expertise, and instructional leadership practices. The article concludes with implications for leadership preparation programs.
AinscowM.DysonA.GoldrickS.WestM. (2012). Making schools effective for all: Rethinking the task. School Leadership & Management, 32, 197-213.
2.
AngelleP.BiltonL. M. (2009). Confronting the unknown: Principal preparation training in issues related to special education. AASA Journal of Scholarship & Practice, 5(4), 5-9.
3.
BallK.GreenR. (2014). An investigation of the attitudes of school leaders toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education setting. National Forum of Applied Educational Research Journal, 27, 57-76.
4.
BaysD. A.CrockettJ. B. (2007). Investigating instructional leadership for special education. Exceptionality, 15, 143-161.
BettiniE.JonesN.BrownellM.ConroyM.ParkY.LeiteW.CrockettJ.BenedictA. (2017). Workload manageability among novice special and general educators: Relationships with emotional exhaustion and career intentions. Remedial and Special Education, 38(4), 246-256.
7.
BillingsleyB.BanksA. (2019). Leadership for inclusive schools: 1995-2015. In CrockettJ.BillingsleyB.BoscardinM. L. (Eds.), Handbook of leadership and administration for special education (pp. 180-195). New York, NY: Routledge.
8.
BillingsleyB.DeMatthewsD.ConnallyK.McLeskeyJ. (2018). Leadership for effective schools: Considersations for preparation and reform. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 42(1), 65-81.
9.
BillingsleyB.McLeskeyJ.CrockettJ. (2019). Conceptualizing principal leadership for effective inclusive schools. In CrockettJ.BillingsleyB.BoscardinM. L. (Eds.), Handbook of leadership and administration for special education (pp. 306-332). New York, NY: Routledge.
10.
BishopK. D.FosterW.JubalaK. A. (1993). The social construction of disability in education: Organizational considerations. In CapperC. A. (Ed.), Educational administration in a pluralistic society (pp. 173-202). Albany: State University of New York Press.
11.
BolmanL. G.DealT. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley.
12.
BoscardinM. L. (2007). What is special about special education administration? Considerations for school leadership. Exceptionality, 15, 189-200.
13.
BoscardinM. L.JacobsonS. (1997). The inclusive school: Integrating diversity and solidarity through community-based management. Journal of Educational Administration, 35, 466-476.
14.
BoscardinM. L.McCarthyE.DelgadoR. (2009). An integrated research-based approach to creating standards for special education leadership. Journal of Special Education Leadership, 22, 68-84.
15.
CarpenterB.DiemS. (2013). Talking race: Facilitating critical conversations in educational leadership preparation programs. Journal of School Leadership, 23, 902-931.
16.
Causton-TheoharisJ.TheoharisG.BullT.CosierM.Dempf-AldrichK. (2011). Schools of promise: A school district–university partnership centered on inclusive school reform. Remedial and Special Education, 32, 192-205. doi:10.1177/0741932510366163
17.
CookB.HaggertyN.SmithG. (2019). Leadership and instruction: Evidence-based practices in special education. In CrockettJ.BillingsleyB.BoscardinM. L. (Eds.), Handbook of leadership and administration for special education (pp. 18-38). New York, NY: Routledge.
18.
Council of Chief State School Officers and Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform Center. (2017). PSEL 2015 and promoting principal leadership for the success of students with disabilities. Retrieved from https://www.ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-10/PSELforSWDs01252017_0.pdf
19.
CreswellJ. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
20.
CrockettJ. B.BeckerM. K.QuinnD. (2009). Reviewing the knowledge base of special education leadership and administration from 1970-2009. Journal of Special Education Leadership, 22, 57-67.
21.
CrockettJ. B.MyersS. T.GriffinA.HollandsworthB. (2007). The unintended side effects of inclusion for students with learning disabilities: The perspectives of school administrators. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 14, 155-166.
22.
CrowG. M.WhitemanR. S. (2016). Effective preparation program features: A literature review. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 11, 120-148.
23.
CussonM. M. (2010). Empirically based components related to students with disabilities in tier 1 research institution’s educational administration preparation programs (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). The University of Texas at Austin, Austin.
24.
Darling-HammondL.LaPointeM.MeyersonD.OrrM. T.CohenC. (2007). Preparing school leaders for a changing world: Lessons from exemplary leadership development programs. Stanford, CA: Stanford University, Stanford Educational Leadership Institute.
25.
DavidsonD. N.AlgozzineB. (2002). Administrators’ perceptions of special education law. Journal of Special Education Leadership, 15(2), 43-48.
26.
DavisS.Darling-HammondL.LaPointeM.MeyersonD. (2005). School leadership study: Developing successful principals. Stanford, CA: Stanford Educational Leadership Institute.
27.
DeMatthewsD. E. (2015). Clearing a path for inclusion: Distributing leadership in a high performing elementary school. Journal of School Leadership, 25(6), 139-166.
28.
DeMatthewsD. E.EdwardsD. B. (2014). Preparing school leaders for special education: Old criticisms and new directions. School Leadership Review, 9(2), 41-50.
29.
DeMatthewsD. E.KnightD. (2019). The Texas special education cap: An investigation into the statewide delay and denial of support to students with disabilities. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 27(2), 1-34.
30.
DeMatthewsD. E.MawhinneyH. (2013). Addressing the inclusion imperative: An urban school district’s responses. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 21(61), 1-30.
31.
DeMatthewsD. E.MawhinneyH. (2014). Social justice leadership and inclusion: Exploring challenges in an urban district struggling to address inequities. Educational Administration Quarterly, 50(5), 844-881.
32.
DiPaolaM. F.Tschannen-MoranM.Walther-ThomasC. (2004). School principals and special education: Creating the context for academic success. Focus on Exceptional Children, 37(1), 1-10.
33.
DiPaolaM. F.Walther-ThomasC. (2003). Principals and special education: The critical role of school leaders. Arlington, VA: National Clearing House for Professions in Special Education.
34.
FrostL. A.KerstenT. (2011). The role of the elementary principal in the instructional leadership of special education. International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, 6(2), 1-21.
35.
GuzmánN. (1997). Leadership for successful inclusive schools: A study of principal behaviours. Journal of Educational Administration, 35, 439-450.
36.
HessF. M.KellyA. P. (2007). Learning to lead: What gets taught in principal-preparation programs. Teachers College Record, 109, 244-274.
37.
HittD. H.TuckerP. D. (2016). Systematic review of key leader practices found to influence student achievement: A unified framework. Review of Educational Research, 86, 531-569.
38.
HoppeyD.McLeskeyJ. (2013). A case study of principal leadership in an effective inclusive school. Journal of Special Education, 46, 245-256.
39.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), Pub. L. No. 108–446, 118 Stat. 2647 (2004).
40.
JacksonB. L.KelleyC. (2002). Exceptional and innovative programs in educational leadership. Educational Administration Quarterly, 38, 192-212.
41.
JonesN.YoungsP.FrankK. (2013). The role of school-based colleagues in shaping the committment of novice special and general education teachers. Exceptional Children, 79(3), 365-383.
42.
KaranxhaZ.AgostoV.BellaraA. P. (2014). The hidden curriculum: Candidate diversity in educational leadership preparation. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 9, 34-58. doi:10.1177/1942775113498374
43.
KozleskiE. (2019). System-wide leadership for culturally responsive education. In CrockettJ.BillingsleyB.BoscardinM. L. (Eds.), Handbook of leadership and administration for special education (pp. 180-195). New York, NY: Routledge.
44.
LashleyC. (2007). Principal leadership for special education: An ethical framework. Exceptionality, 15, 177-187.
45.
LaskyB.KargeB. D. (2006). Meeting the needs of students with disabilities: Experience and confidence of principals. NASSP Bulletin, 90, 19-36.
46.
LeithwoodK.HarrisA.HopkinsD. (2008). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership. School Leadership & Management, 28, 27-42.
47.
LiasidouA.AntoniouA. (2015). Head teachers’ leadership for social justice and inclusion. School Leadership & Management, 35, 347-364.
48.
LynchJ. M. (2012). Responsibilities of today’s principal: Implications for principal preparation programs and principal certification policies. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 31(2), 40-47.
49.
MayrowetzD.WeinsteinC. S. (1999). Sources of leadership for inclusive education: Creating schools for all children. Educational Administration Quarterly, 35, 423-449.
50.
McHattonP. A.BoyerN. R.ShaunessyE.TerryP. M.FarmerJ. L. (2010). Principals’ perceptions of preparation and practice in gifted and special education content: Are we doing enough?Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 5(1), 1-22.
51.
McLeskeyJ.WaldronN. L.ReddL. (2014). A case study of a highly effective, inclusive elementary school. Journal of Special Education, 48, 59-70.
52.
MonteithD. S. (2000). Professional development for administrators in special education: Evaluation of a program for underrepresented personnel. Teacher Education and Special Education, 23, 281-289.
O’LaughlinL.LindleJ. C. (2015). Principals as political agents in the implementation of IDEA’s least restrictive environment mandate. Educational Policy, 29, 140-161.
55.
OrphanosS.OrrM. T. (2014). Learning leadership matters: The influence of innovative school leadership preparation on teachers’ experiences and outcomes. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 42, 680-700.
56.
OrrM. T.OrphanosS. (2011). How graduate-level preparation influences the effectiveness of school leaders: A comparison of the outcomes of exemplary and conventional leadership preparation programs for principals. Educational Administration Quarterly, 47, 18-70.
57.
PattersonK.GrennyJ. M.McMillanR. R.SwitzlerA. (2002). Crucial conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
58.
PazeyB.ColeH. A. (2013). The role of special education training in the development of socially just leaders: Building an equity consciousness in educational leadership programs. Educational Administration Quarterly, 49, 243-271.
59.
PazeyB.YatesJ. (2019). Conceptual and historical foundations of special education administration. In CrockettJ.BillingsleyB.BoscardinM. L. (Eds.), Handbook of leadership and administration for special education (pp. 18-38). New York, NY: Routledge.
60.
PiersonM. R.HowellE. J. (2013). Two high schools and the road to full inclusion: A comparison study. Improving Schools, 16, 223-231.
61.
PowellP. R. (2010). An exploratory study of the presentation of special education law in administrative preparation programs for aspiring administrators (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Dissertation Abstracts International. (Order No. AAI3390580)
62.
RobicheauJ.HaarJ.PalladinoJ. (2008, October28). Preparation and leadership in special education. Retrieved from http://cnx.org/content/m18123/1.1/
63.
RodriguezC. M. (2007). A qualitative assessment of elementary principals’ preparation for special education leadership (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest. (Order No. 3289187)
64.
SalisburyC. L.PalombaroM. M.HollowoodT. M. (1993). On the nature and change of an inclusive elementary school. Journal of the Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps, 18, 75-84.
65.
SirotnikK. A.KimballK. (1994). The unspecial place of special education in programs that prepare school administrators. Journal of School Leadership, 4, 598-630.
66.
SkibaR. J.HornerR. H.ChungC. G.RauschM. K.MayS. L.TobinT. (2011). Race is not neutral: A national investigation of African American and Latino disproportionality in school discipline. School Psychology Review, 40, 85-107.
67.
SkibaR. J.SimmonsA. B.RitterS.GibbA. C.RauschM. K.CuadradoJ.ChungC. G. (2008). Achieving equity in special education: History, status, and current challenges. Exceptional Children, 74, 264-288.
68.
TheoharisG. (2007). Social justice educational leaders and resistance: Toward a theory of social justice leadership. Educational Administration Quarterly, 43, 221-258.
69.
ThousandJ. S.VillaR. A. (1995). Managing complex change toward inclusive schooling. In VillaR. A.ThousandJ. S. (Eds.), Creating an inclusive school (pp. 51-79). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
ValeskyT. C.HirthM. A. (1992). Survey of the states: Special education knowledge requirements for school administrators. Exceptional Children, 58, 399-406.
72.
WakemanS. Y.BrowderD. M.FlowersC.Ahlgrim-DelzellL. (2006). Principals’ knowledge of fundamental and current issues in special education. NASSP Bulletin, 90, 153-174.
73.
WaldronN. L.McLeskeyJ. (2010). Establishing a collaborative school culture through comprehensive school reform. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 20, 58-74.
74.
WaldronN. L.McLeskeyJ.ReddL. (2011). Setting the direction: The role of the principal in developing an effective, inclusive school. Journal of Special Education Leadership, 24(2), 51-60.
75.
YoungM. D.CrowG. M.MurphyJ.OgawaR. T. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of research on the education of school leaders. New York, NY: Routledge.
