Principal leadership for special education: perceptions of principals and directors of special education

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of public school leaders about principal leadership for special education in ten leadership categories: understanding law and policy, using data to improve teacher performance, using data to improve student performance, creating an inclusive culture, collaborating with families, participating in the IEP process, scheduling and service delivery, differentiated practices, allocating resources, and hiring and supporting quality personnel. A survey was developed and deployed to all principals and directors of special education program in the public schools of North Carolina. Participants were asked to provide a rating of the knowledge and skills of principals in each area as well as to respond to two open-ended questions within each category of leadership. Twenty-nine major themes emerged in the ten leadership categories from the responses of 183 principals and fourteen directors of special education programs. Five thematic categories were identified: IEP Process, Collaboration, Data Analysis, Planning for Service Delivery and Implementation, and Personnel Development. The findings of this study inform the body of research about what principals do to be effective in the area of principal leadership for special education and the knowledge and skills that principals need in order to be more effective