K-12 Principal\u27s Perceptions of Educational Programming for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD)

This study investigated school administrators\u27 perceptions of the effectiveness of their programs serving students with emotional behavioral disorders (EBD). Specifically, the perceptions of principals in schools that provided self-contained programs were compared to the perceptions of principals in schools without self-contained programs. Also explored were perceptions of administrative time required to support the teachers of these students and to deal directly with these students\u27 behavioral issues. The study found that administrators felt that meeting the needs of students with EBD represented a complex challenge for school principals. Responses indicated that, while administrators viewed providing quality educational services to these students as both a legal and moral obligation, their teachers\u27 best efforts to do so were generally inadequate in significantly impacting either the students\u27 behavioral or academic progress. At minimum, surveyed administrators expressed the need for more training for themselves and their teachers in order to address the needs of students with EBD