Advanced Certificate in Special Education Leadership

Learning Outcomes

• Candidates will be able to describe political and economic issues that affect policy development within state and local educational agencies and across other service systems.
• Candidates will examine the ramifications of school noncompliance with current law and apply the principles to legal cases in the field that will promote review and updates to school-based policies and procedures for special education services.
• Candidates will examine federal, state, and local policies and procedures governing the discipline of students with disabilities, and draft district procedures that promote school-based policies and procedures that protect the welfare and safety of students and staff within the school.
• Candidates will identify current legal and policy issues surrounding assessment and accountability related to students identified as at risk or labeled with disabilities, and apply the principles to legal cases in the field that promote school-based policies and procedures for special education services.
• Candidates will be able to describe key instructional practices and strategies that support inclusion for students with disabilities, and examine district needs using evidence and data to create a comprehensive plan to improve student outcomes in the areas of instructional delivery and design.
• Candidates will examine data sets and/or data reports that promote school-based policies and procedures that protect the welfare and safety of students and staff within the school, and create a policy and action plan to address the district need.
• Candidates will explore professional development needs for a district through a needs assessment, research evidenced-based practices in the area of professional development, and apply the needs assessment and research to develop a professional development plan for a district.
• Candidates will identify several large-scale district initiatives to support student behavior, and describe best practices for supporting students with disabilities.
• Candidates will analyze case situations involving complex behavioral challenges and describe varying ways to respond to student behavior that is inclusive and culturally-responsive, recommending changes to school-based policies and procedures that protect the welfare and safety of students and staff within the school.
• Candidates will have direct experience developing the capacity to manage/facilitate administrative duties in order to become effective school leaders.
• Candidates will have direct experience in problem identification and the formation of solutions related to organizational leadership in the field of special education.
• Candidates will use professional language and conduct in all situations to support collaboration with school and community members pertinent to the improvement of the school’s educational environment.