Leadership and Special Education: A Study of Power Shifts

Abstract

The reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) signals dramatic changes for all facets of education. This autoethnography investigates the diagnostic and placement practices in an urban school district. Analysis revealed that although the reauthorization of IDEA opens the door to transformation, educators in this study interpreted the law in ways that constrained their work. Discussion focuses on how administrators and staff members who understand the intentions of the reauthorized IDEA might view it less as a mandate and more as an opportunity to shift power.