Administrators Lack Comprehension in Handling Special Education Requirements, Causing Issues
In an effort to better equip school leaders in special education, several U.S. states offer specialized training programs. While a comprehensive list of states offering such programs wasn't found in the given data, it's common for these programs to be provided through universities or educational departments, focusing on administration and special education leadership.
One such program is the Principals Understanding Leadership in Special Education (PULSE) training, launched in Pennsylvania in 2009. PULSE, a three-day training providing 30 hours of Professional Development (PD) credit, covers topics ranging from legal needs to best practices for instruction and inclusion. Over the past nine years, about 800 principals have completed the PULSE training.
Carole Clancy, the bureau director of special education at the Pennsylvania Department of Education, emphasizes the importance of well-trained principals who feel confident and equipped to support students with disabilities. She believes that such principals can help students meet their outcomes.
Clancy's sentiments are shared by Cathi Davis, the principal of Ruby Bridges Elementary School. Davis highlights that existing special education training often focuses on legal education or creating an inclusive environment, and should encompass both.
A study conducted by Natasha Veale, the dean of the School of Social Sciences and Education at Greensboro College in North Carolina, found that principals may not be confident in their ability to provide feedback across every indicator. Veale also noted that self-efficacy for a principal's ability to lead in special education can sometimes be low due to a lack of knowledge.
The study used the Autism and Low Incidence Classroom Observation Tool to assess principals' understanding of special education indicators and their confidence in evaluating special education teachers. The results showed that principals may not be confident in their ability to provide feedback across every indicator.
Principals are responsible for ensuring all students are learning and reaching their outcomes. This role includes sitting in on individualized education program meetings and supervising and providing feedback to special education teachers. Principals expressed a desire for better relationships with special education teachers and more professional development in this area.
Lack of special education training for principals can contribute to the high turnover rate in the special education field. Clancy believes that having well-trained principals can improve outcomes for students with disabilities. As of 2012, only eight states required principals to receive specific special education training.
In conclusion, specialized training for school principals in special education is crucial for ensuring all students, including those with disabilities, receive the best education possible. Programs like PULSE are making strides in providing this training, but more efforts are needed to ensure all principals are equipped to support students with disabilities.
Read also:
- visionary women of WearCheck spearheading technological advancements and catalyzing transformations
- Recognition of Exceptional Patient Care: Top Staff Honored by Medical Center Board
- A continuous command instructing an entity to halts all actions, repeated numerous times.
- Oxidative Stress in Sperm Abnormalities: Impact of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) on Sperm Harm
