Search

The purpose of this article is to report on the findings of a mixed-mode study that examined the effect of mentoring on 20 doctoral students and 21 mentors in the National Urban Special Education Leadership Initiative (NUSELI), a federally funded urban special education leadership doctoral program. Each doctoral student was provided a school-based leader with a doctorate to serve as his or her mentor. The mentors received training from the NUSELI director, served as a member of the student's dissertation committee, and provided access to opportunities in the school district. Mentor and mentee reports on the mentoring experience are presented.

This study assessed the needs of urban school leaders for special education preparation in a large public school district in the USA in order to assist the school administrators with improving their knowledge and skills for providing appropriate services to students with disabilities and their families to support inclusive education. The needs survey was created based on the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC 2009) standards for school administrators in the USA and the literature in special education. The validity and reliability of the instrument were verified. The needs assessment measures 10 aspects regarding special education knowledge and skills as indicated by 10 factors in the exploratory factor analysis. Quantitative data analyses on a sample of 289 participants revealed that there were significant differences in the needs of training in special education knowledge based on the school administrators' backgrounds. The current research supports the call for the professional development and inclusive education for school leaders. The findings of the current study indicated that school leaders wanted the knowledge to make them more successful in serving students with disabilities to answer the call for inclusive education.

Special education administrators play a critical role in the implementation of successful inclusion in diverse, standards-based environments. They provide the vision and leadership necessary to guide educators in both general and special education as they deliver instructional programs to meet the needs of diverse students with disabilities. (Voltz & Collins, 2010, p. 70). The National Urban Special Education Leadership Initiative (NUSELI) Program is a federally funded doctoral leadership project created to address the critical need for highly qualified doctoral-level urban school district special education administrators who possess both the research-validated knowledge and skills and the practical wisdom to develop, implement, and evaluate exemplary programs, practices, and services for students with disabilities. This article describes the conceptual framework of NUSELI, why it is needed, 12 key components of NUSELI that lead to success, and how urban school districts can translate these components into a viable professional development program for school leaders and aspiring school leaders.

When one compares educational systems of western cultures with those of eastern cultures, many distinct differences exist. These differences become more apparent when the education of students with disabilities is part of the discussion. Can East meet West when it comes to serving students with disabilities? Elllsworth and Zhang (2007) found when surveying school leaders in China, that one way to improve special education services in China was to provide more qualified teachers. In conceptualizing the work discussed in this article, the authors' experiences mirrored those found in the literature that indicated a lack of special education teachers and special education services in China. The authors, two from China and one from the United States, created a project to provide a week long model of professional development concerning the education of students with disabilities to teachers in China. The project personnel, at the invitation of the principal of the Alexaman School (name changed for privacy) outside Beijing, implemented the training in July 2007. Five modules concerning the education of students with disabilities were delivered to 88 educators who work with children who have disabilities in China. Data on effectiveness were gathered through the use of a survey. Demographic data on participants, gathered at the initial session, are discussed. Data analyses indicating differences in teachers' perceptions of teaching students with disabilities also are discussed. Implications for future initiatives are presented. (Contains 1 table.)

Preparation of high quality personnel to provide educational services to students with disabilities living in rural areas is, at best, challenging. Findings from a comprehensive study concerning the status of the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in rural settings and the issues such implementation presents to teacher education programs in these areas are discussed. Members of the American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES) participated in the study. Results indicated that strategies for enhancing personnel preparation, recruitment, and retention of individuals to institutions of higher education and K-12 schools in rural settings include distance learning, on-site professional development opportunities, salary incentives/increments, and benefits. Linking evaluation data to the general education curriculum and determining how the student's disabilities affect his/her progress in general education are issues for practitioners implementing IDEA in rural settings. Recommendations are provided for enhancing personnel preparation and service delivery based on the results. [Reprinted from "Rural Special Education Quarterly," v21 n4 Win 2002.]

The purpose of this article is to report on the findings of a mixed-mode study that examined the effect of mentoring on 20 doctoral students and 21 mentors in the National Urban Special Education Leadership Initiative (NUSELI), a federally funded urban special education leadership doctoral program. Each doctoral student was provided a school-based leader with a doctorate to serve as his or her mentor. The mentors received training from the NUSELI director, served as a member of the student's dissertation committee, and provided access to opportunities in the school district. Mentor and mentee reports on the mentoring experience are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the needs of urban school leaders for special education preparation in a large public school district in the USA in order to assist the school administrators with improving their knowledge and skills for providing appropriate services to students with disabilities and their families to support inclusive education. The needs survey was created based on the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC 2009) standards for school administrators in the USA and the literature in special education. The validity and reliability of the instrument were verified. The needs assessment measures 10 aspects regarding special education knowledge and skills as indicated by 10 factors in the exploratory factor analysis. Quantitative data analyses on a sample of 289 participants revealed that there were significant differences in the needs of training in special education knowledge based on the school administrators’ backgrounds. The current research supports the call for the professional development and inclusive education for school leaders. The findings of the current study indicated that school leaders wanted the knowledge to make them more successful in serving students with disabilities to answer the call for inclusive education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The National Urban Special Education Leadership Initiative (NUSELI) is a federally funded doctoral leadership project. The key points presented in this article are ○ the need for such a project, ○ the research supporting the need and the components of the project, ○ the components that lead to successful completion of the project, and ○ ideas on how schools can use the components of the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation of high quality personnel to provide educational services to students with disabilities living in rural areas is, at best, challenging. Findings from a comprehensive study concerning the status of the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in rural settings and the issues such implementation presents to teacher education programs in these areas are discussed. Members of the American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES) participated in the study. Results indicated that strategies for enhancing personnel preparation, recruitment, and retention of individuals to institutions of higher education and K-12 schools in rural settings include distance learning, on-site professional development opportunities, salary incentives/increments, and benefits. Linking evaluation data to the general education curriculum and determining how the student's disabilities affect his/her progress in general education are issues for practitioners implementing IDEA in rural settings. Recommendations are provided for enhancing personnel preparation and service delivery based on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]