Education Specialist in Special Education Leadership

The mission of the Ed.S in Special Education Leadership is to prepare leaders with deep expertise in leadership strategies and special education policy and practice. Faculty prepare graduates in best practices to administer federally-mandated special education programs and related services to ensure provision of free and appropriate public education for all students with disabilities. Graduates are knowledgable about special education law and legal compliance, and also deeply committed to ethical principles of equity, access, and inclusion for all students with disabilities.

The EdS in Special Education Leadership is designed as a dual-degree pathway that enables students to earn a post-master's certificate with leadership endorsement and an education specialist degree. Students first apply to and complete* the Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) in Educational Leadership & Administration, an 18-credit accredited program that fulfills the credentialing requirements for leadership endorsement. Upon completion, students submit a streamlined application to the EdS program, where they complete 12 additional credits in special education to reach the required 30 credits for the EdS degree.

*Returning students who previously completed the PMC in ELA within the last five years should apply directly to the EdS in Special Education Leadership.

The Post-Master's Certificate in Educational Leadership and Administration program includes courses and internship experiences designed to meet the academic requirements for administrative certification/licensure in the District of Columbia (DC). Though our alumni have successfully applied and met the requirements for certification/licensure in DC, many have also met the requirements for other interstate compact agreement partner states, such as Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. In the event that alumni plan to practice outside of DC, the location of our university’s campus, please consult with the local licensing board in the state any plan to practice may be envisioned to establish the requirements. For your convenience, GW provides you with general professional licensure disclosure and State / local board contact details to begin/conclude your state specific research.

The program will not lead to special education licensure, but will provide the student the necessary coursework to apply for a state educational administrator license.

Graduates will be prepared for leadership roles in universities, systems, programs, and academic settings serving children and families from diverse backgrounds.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the developmental sciences and developmental processes as they relate to typical and atypical child and adolescent development.
• Understand and appropriately use knowledge, data, and evidence to inform decision making and research.
• Translate research findings into practical knowledge, policy development, and strategies for developmental and educational interventions and future studies.
• Design and lead learning for school improvement.
• Make decisions about and manage necessary operations and allocate resources for school improvement and change.
• Build and foster a collaborative school community.
• Understand the social, legal, and political context of education and their communities and use these systems to advocate for change.
• Describe and demonstrate visionary and ethical leadership.
• Innovate to lead change in their school environments and in larger educational organizations.
• Promote and demonstrate equity, engagement, and excellence in education.
• Appraise and demonstrate theoretical and practical aspects of instructional and operational leadership.
• Analyze and demonstrate building capacity of self and the learning community.