The percentage of students identified as eligible to receive special education services in the United
States has grown from 8.3% in the 1976-77 school year to 14% during the 2018-19 school year (Hussar et al.,
2020). Given this level of growth and the myriad of levels of support principals provide for students with
disabilities, one would assume that principal preparation programs have adjusted their curriculum to ensure
future school administrators are prepared to support every student, including those with disabilities. The
purpose of this research study is to better understand how current school administrators learned special
education-related information for their role, what they believe are the most important aspects of special
education, and to identify how background, experience, and self-efficacy play a role in principals’ skills
related to their role as their building’s special education leader. A web-based survey was used to gather
information from current school administrators working in Idaho’s P-12 school districts. Results of this study
show that the majority of Idaho’s school administrators are learning special education-related knowledge and skills
on the job and through professional development, rather than as part of their principal preparation programs.
Recommendations are made to enhance the learning opportunities in both principal preparation programs as well as
in-service professional development to develop strong, supportive, school-based special education leaders.