Managerial Behavior of Special Education, Elementary, and Secondary Principals: An Empirical Assessment.

Overview & Synopsis

Findings of this study of the managerial behavior of special education principals are compared with findings of other studies of managerial behavior of elementary and secondary principals. Mintzberg's theoretical model of administrative behavior (1973) was applied to special education principals. Five structured observations were conducted with five special education principals; field notes were coded for analysis. Similar coding systems were used among the three levels of principalship to derive comparisons. Special education principals and other principals spend similar proportions of their time on the activities of pupil control and organizational maintenance. Differences among the three are as follows: (1) Special education principals work at a less hectic pace, engage in fewer activities, and are minimally interrupted; (2) special education principals have a flexible work routine organized into blocks of time to attend meetings; and (3) special education principals spend more time completing deskwork, have longer meetings, and complete fewer supervisory activities than do regular principals. Special education principals were identified as figureheads and maintained a leadership position in daily operations. Nine tables of data and 23 references are included. (CJH)