Examining the Perspectives of School Administrators Regarding the Participation of Students with Disabilities in Career and Technical Education

Abstract

Research consistently indicates that career and technical education (CTE) programs offer significant benefits for students. Participating in CTE programs has been shown to improve academic performance, increase graduation rates, and support successful post-school outcomes for all students. While laws and regulations require clear and intentional post-secondary transition planning, participation in CTE among students with disabilities in New York State remains low, less than one in five take part. Using a phenomenological, qualitative design, this study applied Theoharis and Causton’s (2014) framework of Seven Steps to Inclusive Leadership Practices to add to the research the perspectives of school administrators on the inclusion of students with disabilities in CTE programs. Data were collected from 10 school administrators whose roles included general education, special education, and career and technical education programs. Three findings became evident after analysis of the data. First, administrators who currently make a difference persevere through inequitable systems. Second, stakeholder collaboration is needed to set conditions for including students with disabilities. Third, students with disabilities continue to be an invisible subgroup in leadership preparation, as well as professional development programs. The findings confirm that school administrators can positively impact systems and structures to support the inclusion of students with disabilities in CTE programs and provide the basis for recommendations for educators, policymakers, and leadership preparation programs