Preparing Urban Special Education Leaders: What Works

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.