The Lived Experience of Secondary Assistant Principals and Special Education Leadership: A Phenomenological Study

Overview & Synopsis

Research has shown that the role of the assistant principal has changed little over the last 25 years (Searby et al., 2016). Assistant principals receive the same leadership preparation training as a principal; yet they are mostly tasked with basic compliance roles such as student management, personnel management, and discipline. After "No Child Left Behind," the role of the assistant has evolved to include instructional leadership and special education leadership. Research has shown many assistant principals feel inadequate in these new roles (Armstrong, 2010; Browne-Ferrigno et al., 2016). There has been a limited amount of research on the role of the assistant principal in special education leadership. This phenomenological study aimed to examine the lived experience of assistant principals as special education leaders. The participants discussed their perceived learning gaps in special education and the professional development that they received to prepare them for special education leadership. Transformational leadership constituted the framework for studying the type of special education leadership that could impact teachers, students, and parents. Transcripts from the interviews with the assistant principals were analyzed and coded. The anticipated findings included that most assistant principals received professional development in "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" compliance and components of the individual education plan; however, there would be a lack of training in leadership. The study theorized that most assistant principals are not prepared to lead special education, only manage special education. Another implication was that leadership preparation programs needed to focus more on the assistant principalship and special education leadership requirements. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]