Special education management competencies and inservice education needs of selected California school principals

Despite the responsibility for managing special education programs, the school principal in California has been offered minimal preservice preparation and inservice education in special education management. The objectives of the study were to: (1) identify special education management competencies considered most important by principals; (2) determine their need for information or training in special education management; and (3) describe the preferred methods for receiving such information or training.;The study utilized a descriptive survey research design. Mail survey questionnaires were completed by 149 elementary, intermediate, and secondary school principals in Northern California.;The data analysis employed the descriptive statistics of frequency distribution, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and mean rank and the comparative statistic of one-factor analysis of variance.;Principals perceived 30 of the 34 special education management competencies included in the survey questionnaire to have a high degree of importance to their role. Knowledge and skills in the area of Organization and Leadership were perceived to be most critical. Eighteen specific special education management competencies were determined to be most important.;Principals perceived a need for inservice education for 32 of the 34 competencies, but only at a moderate level. The need for inservice education was low for the two remaining competencies. Information and training in the area of Curriculum and Instruction was considered to be most needed. Inservice education was determined to be most needed for seven specific special education management competencies.;The three methods ranked by the principals as the most preferred for receiving information or training in special education management were: (1) local inservice programs; (2) workshops or conferences; and (3) consultation with special education personnel.;No significant differences were found in the principals' perceptions of the importance of special education management competencies according to the grade level or locale of their school or their recent inservice education. There were significant differences, however, in their perceptions according to the enrollment of their school and their preservice preparation. No significant differences were found in the principals' perceptions of the need for inservice education in special education management according to the grade level, enrollment, or locale of their school, their preservice preparation, or their recent inservice education.