Blazing New Trails - Connexions

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CRITICAL ISSUES IN SHARED LEADERSHIP
Special Education Director Burnout in Montana
Debra Lynn Ferris
William G. Ruff
The interaction between two major federal education policies, the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), has been
described as the perfect storm producing unique challenges for American educators (Barbour,
2005). Increased standards for student achievement based on standardized assessments that
explicitly conflict with eligibility parameters and requirements for individualized instruction
for students with disabilities underscore the fact that special educators work within the center
of this storm. Smith and Leonard (2005) in exploring these challenges found that both special
education and general education teachers experienced value conflicts in seeking educational
equity within a culture focused on school accountability. For example, general education
teachers tend to focus their goals and approach on achieving grade-level curriculum standards,
while special education teachers tend to focus their goals and approach to the Individual
Education Plan which may or may not be aligned well with the curriculum standards. Skilled
leaders with a deep understanding of the needs of children with disabilities and expertise
necessary to implement effective instructional processes responsive to these needs are
essential for creating and sustaining educational systems able to bridge the conflict between
educational equity and excellence. Yet, job-related burnout for special education
administrators remains high thus constraining the potential of achieving both equity and
excellence in educating children with disabilities (Edmonson, 2001). This study explored the
level and some parameters of job related burnout among special education administrators in
Montana.
Special education administrators work in school districts or cooperatives serving
several school districts. Their role is to identify children with disabilities throughout the
community and ensure a free and appropriate public education is provided to each child
qualifying for special education or related services (Lashley & Boscardin, 2003). To be
effective, special education administrators must advocate for the children with special needs
to educators, other administrators and community members and align the appropriate
instructional resources necessary for each student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
Public education has changed significantly in how special education services are administered
and delivered to students with disabilities (Stevenson-Jacobson, Jacobson, & Hilton, 2006).
Due to these changes, special education administrators face significant leadership challenges.
Often pressured by interest groups with differing goals and intentions, the continuous demand
for demonstrating program efficiency, increasing budgetary concerns of special education
services by district school boards and superintendents, and the dominant litigious climate that
is prevalent in special education, a significant degree of stress is associated with the job of
Special Education Administrator (Burrello & Zadnik,1986; Lashley & Boscardin, 2003).
Additionally, there is considerable role ambiguity concerning the functions and tasks to be
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Debra Lynn Ferris, Montana State University
William G. Ruff, Montana State University