The Federal Role in the Preparation of Special Education Doctorates

Three studies are described in this article. Each is focused on a different aspect of the long-standing initiative that supports special education doctoral students. This initiative is one of the discretionary programs of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act that is managed by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Study 1 sought to determine the graduation rate of OSEP-supported special education doctoral students. Study 2 analyzed funding patterns provided to these doctoral students. Study 3 used data from the first two studies to make comparisons with information provided by other federal agencies that provide funding for students’ pursuit of doctorates across many disciplines. From the authors’ findings, they conclude that OSEP’s projects are critical to the nation’s capacity to produce a sufficient supply of special education doctorates, who in turn produce a sufficient supply of general and special educators who can be effective in inclusive educational settings. This article includes key findings from each study, provides overarching conclusions about how the specific funding and support packages might be modified, and suggests a process to use when making adjustments to these projects’ and doctoral students’ award levels.