Missouri Special Education Directors’ Perceptions of Their Knowledge, Graduate Preparation, and Necessity of Knowledge

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of Missouri specialeducation directors regarding whether directors learned about compliance with specialeducation law and regulations, special education finance, completion of state reports, bestinstructional practices, and relationship building and collaboration with all stakeholdersduring coursework in graduate school and/or on the job. Additionally, the purpose of thisstudy was to determine whether special education directors perceived that learning aboutthe above-mentioned topics was necessary. The final purpose of this study was todetermine whether educational degree, years of experience, or number of IndividualEducation Plans (IEPs) in a district affected special education directors’ perceptions thatlearning about compliance with special education law and regulations, special educationfinance, completion of state reports, best instructional practices, and relationship buildingand collaboration with all stakeholders was necessary.This study involved a quantitative research design using an original surveycreated for this study. The population of interest for the study was special educationdirectors from Missouri during the 2015-2016 school year. Multiple one-sample t testsand one-factor analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were conducted to address the researchquestions.The findings indicated the participants disagreed that they learned aboutcompleting state reports during coursework in graduate school. On average, specialeducation directors with fewer district IEPs agreed less strongly than special educationdirectors with more district IEPs that learning about special education finance isnecessary. On average, Missouri special education directors agreed that learning about best instructional practices is necessary. Special education directors with Ed.D./Ph.D.degrees agreed more strongly than special education directors with Specialist degrees thatlearning about best instructional practices is necessary. Additionally, on average, specialeducation directors with fewer district IEPs agreed less strongly than special educationdirectors with more district IEPs that learning about best instructional practices isnecessary. On average, Missouri special education directors agreed that learning aboutrelationship building and collaboration with all stakeholders is necessary. Specialeducation directors with Ed.D./Ph.D. degrees agreed more strongly than did specialeducation directors with Specialist degrees that learning about relationship building andcollaboration with all stakeholders is necessary. Special education directors with fewerdistrict IEPs agreed less strongly than did special education directors with more districtIEPs that learning about relationship building and collaboration is necessary.