A big problem today in schools is how they can be so different in their approach to IEP teams and their approach to inclusion.

How are the Administrators, the Principals, and the Directors of Special Education addressing their programs? What are their philosophies on inclusion and special education, and how are they setting the stage for their teachers? How are we going to reform the education system that seems to have so many problems?

Amanda and Vickie discuss all these questions and more with today’s guest, Dr. Jackie Wilson, from the Delaware Department of Education. Dr. Wilson discusses her 40-year career in education, her position as the Director of the Delaware Academy for School Leadership, and the Special Education Administrative Leadership (SEAL) Program, an innovative way to train those administrators who are in charge of Special Education programs at the local level.

Dr. Wilson was integral to the development of the program and her passion for the children it affects is apparent.

She will be invited back at year-end to discuss the results of the program and how neighboring states might benefit from creating and implementing similar training.

Show Highlights:

• Dr. Wilson shares the history and an overview of The Special Education Administrative Leadership (SEAL) Program.
• In developing SEAL, her department looked for ways to work with current policy to leverage it and to not see policy as a barrier to doing good work. If it was a barrier, then it needed to be changed.
• There were two strong partners in the development of the SEAL Program: 
  • The Center for Disability Studies, experts in Special Education.
  • The Department of Education, the regulators.
  
  
• This program is accepting applications now to begin classes in the Fall. 
• The 18-month program will lead to Delaware Certification as a Special Education Director. For this year, there will be no charge. For next year, the charge will be about half of what it would be to go get a Master’s or Doctorate for this program.
• It’s important to design a set of competencies about what you want people to know and to be able to demonstrate at the end of training.
• We need to build a group of Directors who understand they must educate their Principals, who are those leading the Special Education support with their teachers.
• Dr. Wilson addresses the benefits of early intervention.
• A parent should be an advocate, a collaborator and feel like they’re a part of the IEP team.
• The “Professional Learning Network” is where 10 school teams in Delaware come together and network, and discuss what works and what doesn’t.
• The Directors in the SEAL program will be learning the law but they will also be learning instruction and how kids, particularly children with learning disabilities, learn.
• Dr. Wilson offers suggestions for those who want to model this program in their own state.

Links/Resources:

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Connect with Dr. Wilson!

Dr. Wilson’s Email

Program Information: Special Education Director Certification Program

Delaware Academy for School Leadership Website