If you want to be a school administrator and also help special needs students, then a Master’s in Leadership in Special Education is the move for you. With this degree, you can help children and young adults in your community who have learning disabilities or other challenges in their education.
In particular, leaders in special education provide administrative support to teachers, parents, and students on how to best meet the needs of those with learning disabilities. They serve as a liaison between the families of special needs children and the educators who work with them.
Leaders in special education also provide professional development for teachers on how to better support their students. Additionally, they may round out the teaching staff by serving as a classroom teacher, coach, or mentor.
The Leadership in Special Education (LSE) program is a highly specialized and intensive master’s degree program designed to prepare professionals in the field of special education. The program combines high-level coursework with practical application and experience.
The LSE program is unique because it offers the opportunity for students to complete their coursework online, while still providing the opportunity to network with classmates and professors in person. For example, students will have the opportunity to come together on campus once every semester for a weeklong residency that allows them to network with professors and peers face-to-face while they complete a week of intense, hands-on training led by leaders in the field of special education.
The first half of the course focuses on theory and research in the field of special education. Students will learn about the history of special education, various models of special education service delivery, and legal frameworks and mandates related to special education services.
The second half of the course builds on this academic foundation by incorporating a field experience component. Students will have an opportunity to apply what they are learning by observing special educators in their setting and participating in a professional development activity with their class cohort.
Teaching is a rewarding profession; however, it can also be frustrating when you feel like you are stuck in the classroom without the ability to influence change at the district or community level. If this sounds familiar to you, then the Leadership in Special Education program may be just what you need.
The Leadership in Special Education program is designed for current and aspiring principals, assistant principals and district office staff who want to develop their leadership skills in order to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. The program draws on research from education, psychology and other disciplines related to the learning process. The program was developed by experts in education leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). It is delivered in collaboration with MGH’s Lurie Center for Autism.
Leadership is an essential component to successful teaching in any subject area, and special education is no exception. Students with special needs face specific challenges in the classroom, and teachers must be prepared to deal with these challenges. It is important that special education leaders have a broad understanding of not only their students’ needs, but also the political and legal landscape of special education. These leaders must also be prepared to navigate the unique social dynamics of a classroom which includes students with varying abilities. [program name] provides educators with the leadership skills they need to create a successful learning environment for their students with special needs.
The Special Education Supervisor works collaboratively with building administrators and district staff to provide support for students with disabilities, to ensure compliance for the district’s special education programs, and to meet State and federal requirements. The Special Education Supervisor reports directly to the Director of Student Services.