Publication Date

2002

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

MacFeely, Richard W.

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Leadership in Educational and Sport Organizations

LCSH

Special education--Administration; Elementary school principals--Training of--Illinois; Middle school principals--Training of--Illinois; Elementary school principals--Illinois--Attitudes; Middle school principals--Illinois--Attitudes

Abstract

The purpose of this research project was to determine what Illinois elementary- and middle-school principals, with and without special-education training, identified as competence needed to perform the daily administration of building-level special-education programs. The extent to which principals without special-education training have preparation in special education, special-education service delivery indicators, and implications for principal preparation programs were also studied. Illinois college- and university-approved programs for the general administrative certification were surveyed to determine the extent to which these programs included special-education requirements. This study included 150 Illinois elementary- and middle-school principals, with and without special-education training. The study revealed (a) the 10 competencies most needed to perform the daily administration of special-education programs as identified by participants, (b) the need for adequate background in special-education for effective special-education service delivery, and (c) that over half of the principals without special-education certification had taken a maximum of one special-education course in their undergraduate studies and nearly two thirds had taken a maximum of one special-education course in their graduate-level coursework. This study also indicated that of the 28 approved principal preparation programs in Illinois, only three programs had special-education coursework requirements for the general administrative certification. These three programs required only one special-education course. General questions posed by this study provided information that may assist with the restructuring of principal preparation programs to prepare building-level principals more adequately for the administration of special education.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [121]-127)

Extent

xiii, 169 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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