Leadership in Special Education: Administrators' Current Challenges in One Western State

Overview & Synopsis

The purpose of this study was to conduct an initial investigation to examine the perceptions of a sample of special education administrators from a western state to identify the challenges they encounter that may negatively affect their ability to do their jobs well. It was anticipated that the results of the study would be of interest to faculty in institutions of higher education that prepare special education administrators and provide PD training opportunities. The following research question was addressed by this study: What are the challenges currently faced by special education administrators in one western state? An investigator-developed cross-sectional online survey was used to explore the research question. According to respondents, special education administration is a rewarding, complex, and dynamic profession. However the results indicated that responsibilities for hiring, retaining, supervising, and evaluating qualified personnel were their primary challenge. Providing and evaluating services for students with disabilities was the second greatest challenge.