A Case Study of Federal Leadership Perspectives on Special Education

Abstract

This article is part of an illustrative study of federal leadership in special education based on interviews with persons who served as Assistant Secretaries in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services and Directors of the Office of Special Education Programs. The perspectives cover the time period since the inception of the HEW—Bureau of Education for the Handicapped in 1967 until 2012. A phenomenological approach to interpreting the data revealed that these leaders faced similar barriers in their efforts to implement their vision, that their family background experiences influenced the policies they pursued, that their accomplishments frame major evolutions of the field, and, that their work represents a lifelong commitment to improving education and services for students with disabilities and special needs. We believe what we learned has value not only in helping to understand the challenges and accomplishments that have passed but also in its potential for guiding the future of federal and other legislation protecting the rights of and improving and sustaining the services needed for individuals with disabilities.

Federal Leadership Perspectives on the Early Years of Special Education

“…We used case study methodology (Merriam, 1998) to document views of federal leadership personnel (cf. Kleinhammer-Tramill et al, 2021). The interest of the larger study was the phenomenon of federal leadership in special education and exploration of its role.…”

“…Every participant answered the same research questions on vision, familial and life experiences, challenges, politics and finances, accomplishments, and views of the future (cf. Kleinhammer-Tramill et al, 2021). Each interview lasted approximately 2 hr.…”

“…This article reports on a subset of data from a larger study (cf. Kleinhammer-Tramill et al, 2021) and uses qualitative methods to analyze the data. We used case study methodology (Merriam, 1998) to document views of federal leadership personnel (cf.…”

Federal Leadership Perspectives and Role on the Era of Access, Accountability, and Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education

“…This article reports on a subset of data from a larger phenomenological study (cf. Karanxha et al, 2022; Kleinhammer-Tramill et al, 2021) and uses qualitative methods to analyze the data. We used case study methodology (Merriam, 1998) to document the views of federal leadership personnel (cf.…”

“…However, it is informed by advocacy, state, and local practices and by the views of those charged with administering policy. Previous research (Karanxha et al, 2022; Kleinhammer-Tramill et al, 2021) has detailed how federal special education leaders struggled to enact, maintain, and fulfill the promise of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) prior to the time period covered by this study. Martin (1968) has provided an insider account of his work with presidential administrations and congressional committees to pass the Education of the Handicapped Act, P.L.…”