Critical tasks for job effectiveness for special education administrators: A Delphi study forecast

The purpose of this research was to identify and prioritize critical tasks for job effectiveness for the special education administrator (SEA). A Delphi panel of 25 special education administrators was nominated and selected to participate in the study.; Through a series of three rounds, employing reiterative questionnaires, the panel moved toward consensus on the priority ratings of 263 critical tasks, representing 21 categories, for the immediate future (0-5 years) and the distant future (10-20 years). The priority ratings were computed, and a mode for each was calculated. Members who were unable to move toward consensus were asked to write a minority report. The data collected is reported in 18 tables that detail the rank order of those tasks found to be of critical importance for each period, percentage consensus within categories and percentage consensus between categories. A complete summary of all tasks is provided in the appendices including the frequency distribution of responses, movement toward consensus from Round Two to Round Three, and minority reports.; The critical tasks enumerated by this Delphi panel of SEAs reflect the current literature and the results of ongoing trends in education across the country. Ten tasks were rated highest priority for 1996-2001 by 65% of the respondents and 22 tasks were rated highest priority for 2006-2016. The tasks identified as highest priority point out the necessity for advanced knowledge in eight of these category areas.; It is recommended that departments of educational administration preparatory programs emphasize such topics as Finance, Administration, Communication, Mediation/Conflict Resolution, Technology, Leadership, School Law and Program Delivery. It is also recommended that this study serve to aid superintendents in identifying those tasks to be performed by SEAs and as a basis for how they should be evaluated.; Implications for further research included a survey of special education administrators to determine if there are differences in perspective because of small versus large school size, rural/urban/metropolitan area, building or district wide supervision. Also, to survey college and university course offerings in special education administration to determine if current educational administration coursework addresses the critical tasks identified by this study.