Leading the Charge for Students with Disabilities

Principals carry a substantial responsibility for ensuring that all students in their buildings have access to a high-quality education. And “all” includes the 7.5 million—15 percent of students nationwide—who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The numbers are growing, and it is now more important than ever to give principals the skills they need to promote progress for students with disabilities.

At the Lead IDEA Center, we have found two things to be true: First, principals play a key role in ensuring school success for students with disabilities, and second, principals need support to have the capacity to meet this charge. From our ongoing conversations with principals, we consistently hear that in preservice preparation, principals received only a “crash course” in special education that didn’t prepare them for the challenges they face every day on the job.

Further, while principals have standards such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) that outline the knowledge and skills they need to contribute to students’ academic success and well-​being, the standards don’t offer advice on establishing systems to support students with disabilities. Establishing and communicating these standards is a central goal of the Lead IDEA Center, a technical assistance center funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

The Lead IDEA Center recently reviewed more than eight sets of leadership standards and frameworks and existing research to prioritize six IDEA Leadership Essentials. These essentials clarify the school leader’s role in promoting an ecosystem that leads to progress for all children, including those with disabilities:

1. Professional, legal, and ethical practices
2. Educator/provider supports
3. Instruction and intervention leadership
4. Vision-setting and strategic leadership
5. Institutional (school/program) leadership: operations, systems, and resources
6. Family and community engagement

Over the past five years, the PROGRESS Center—a federally funded center focused on promoting progress for students with disabilities in grades K–12—identified eight U.S. schools where students with disabilities were exceeding expectations according to reading and math state accountability measures. What did the principals at these schools say were the secrets to their success? They highlighted three key actions to complete:

1. Establish a shared vision for the success of students with disabilities. The principals understood that students with disabilities are, first and foremost, general education students. In fact, 66.7 percent of students with disabilities spend more than 80 percent of their school day in general education classrooms, and an additional 18.5 percent spend at least part of their day in general education classrooms. No single general education or special education teacher has the time, knowledge, and skills necessary to adequately support every student, including those with disabilities, in their classroom, though. Thus, leaders who promote shared responsibility for the learning of students with disabilities are better able to meet the diverse needs of their students while maximizing limited staff.

In addition, when educators understand their responsibilities for educating students with disabilities, they are more likely to provide the special education and general education instruction necessary for these students to progress in the general curriculum. In schools where students with disabilities succeed, leaders’ actions communicate the importance of staff collaboration and high expectations for all students.

Not sure about the roles of staff in the design and implementation of instructional programming for students with disabilities? Check out the PROGRESS Center’s free Special Education Law Course Collection, as well as the Lead IDEA Center’s indicators of success for vision-setting and strategic leadership.

2. Support educators. This might seem obvious, but did you know that supporting educators entails more than just providing professional learning? A recent study published by Penn State College of Education researcher Soo-yong Byun found that an overwhelming majority of teachers felt undervalued, with special education teachers in particular feeling overwhelmed and isolated. This might be one reason an EdWeek Research Center survey found that 62 percent of principals reported difficulty filling special education positions.

In schools where students with disabilities excelled, special education teachers and support staff reported a sense of belonging in the school community and believed that their special education expertise was valued by school leaders and other teachers. In addition, leaders who ensured that staff had access to job-aligned professional learning and coaching reported higher rates of job satisfaction and retention, even when faced with challenging behaviors or job stressors.

How can leaders build a committed, collaborative, and capable workforce dedicated to fostering the success of children with disabilities? Start by asking what their teachers need to help them prioritize instruction for students with disabilities. In some cases, it might be as simple as helping reduce disruptions during instruction or building time into the weekly schedule for staff collaboration. Providing adequate educator supports and valuing the contributions and expertise each educator brings helps leaders build a competent and confident educator workforce.

Learn more about Educator/Provider Supports with IDEA Leadership Essentials to build and sustain a committed, collaborative, and capable workforce.

3. Promote and maintain authentic family partnerships. School staff often think about family engagement and partnerships in terms of family nights or “donuts and dads” events. Such events are great for building community in the school overall, but families of students with disabilities—particularly those with children with more intensive needs—often report feeling isolated and unwelcome.

Leaders can build family partnerships by creating a sense of belonging. This might include engaging families in discussions about some of the barriers they experience when participating in school and community events and establishing ongoing, positive, accessible communication channels. Families of students with disabilities who trust their school leaders are more likely to have children who experience positive school and postschool outcomes.

If you are looking for quick and simple strategies for building authentic partnerships, check out the National PTA’s Strengthening School and Family Partnerships for Students With Disabilities. The PROGRESS Center has also developed parent-friendly resources to promote meaningful engagement of families in the development of individualized education programs (IEPs).

Meaningful family engagement in IEP development ensures that schools meet their procedural obligations for providing a free, appropriate public education and facilitates trust-building and a school-home partnership that is more likely to promote academic and behavioral success for students with disabilities.

The PROGRESS Center found that when school leaders focused on these actions, teachers and students reported a school culture that promoted a sense of belonging and high expectations that served as the foundation for rigorous and consistent grade-level instruction for all students, including students with disabilities. They fostered environments in which all children could succeed. And while these three elements are critical, the Lead IDEA Center also found the importance of other IDEA Leadership Essentials, such as Institutional Leadership (Operations, Systems, and Resources); Instruction and Intervention Leadership; and Professional, Legal, and Ethical Practices.

More IDEAs on the Way

The Lead IDEA Center is just getting started. Soon, it will offer resources and professional learning to help principals take their leadership to the next level, including online modules and job aids that principals can use to deepen their understanding and application of essential IDEA leadership responsibilities. The center is also working directly with a cohort of principals nationwide to develop these skills through a blended learning model that includes workshops, peer-to-peer learning, and coaching.

Soon, we hope to help districts and states enhance their professional learning systems with the IDEA Leadership Academy curriculum, which integrates many of the great resources available through the PROGRESS Center. We also aim to engage and spotlight the eight schools that the PROGRESS Center identified as “beating the odds” to show what leading schools to help students with disabilities excel looks like in practice.

Abigail Foley is director of the Lead IDEA Center.

Tessie Bailey is senior adviser to the Lead IDEA Center and director of the PROGRESS Center.