Article summary
- Teachers with a special education bachelor’s degree can now complete Illinois State’s principal preparation programs with a concentration of Director of Special Education (DOSE) courses.
- The fully online, affordable degree can be completed in fewer than three years.
- The program helps scratch a growing itch in Illinois schools. The workforce needs 1,000 new principal candidates annually but is only graduating 400.
- The new offering may double the number of principal candidates Illinois State can prepare each year.
- Tuition waivers and financial aid may be used as part of this new concentration.
- Information sessions for interested students are taking place through March.
Special education teachers in Illinois can now earn their principal licensure and complete the required courses for the Director of Special Education (DOSE) licensure through one online program at Illinois State University.
The new program adds just 2-3 classes to the principal preparation program housed in the Department of Educational Administration and Foundations (EAF).
The degree is a collaboration between EAF and the Department of Special Education. The departments are a large part of Illinois State’s top-ranked graduate programs in education, per U.S. News & World Report.
To qualify, educators must possess at least two years of teaching experience as a special educator with a Learning Behavior Specialist 1, Low Vision and Blindness, and/or Deaf/Hard of Hearing license.
To receive their licenses, students must pass all required licensure examinations and adhere to ISBE licensure guidelines.
Drop into a DOSE-Principal Prep virtual information session!
EAF Information Sessions happening through March 2024.
Join the Department of Educational Administration & Foundations (EAF) for one of our information sessions for our P-12 master’s and doctoral programs. Our program application deadline is March 15, 2024.
Sign up!A rising need
Directors of special education are in demand, but Illinois’ principal coffers could soon be barren without an influx of new leaders.
“To keep pace, the Illinois Principals Association (IPA) tells us that the state needs about 1,000 new qualified principals each year, but our colleges and universities are only graduating in the neighborhood of 400,” said Dr. Lindsey Hall, EAF’s P-12 coordinator.
According to Dr. Hall, the concern is partly the result of an overcorrection in the field. Through the mid-2010s, the unfocused Type-75 certificate was the default approach to preparing principals. Unfortunately, these programs were too-often a catch-all for some educators who only wanted to move along the pay scale. While Illinois graduated around 2,700 Type-75 educators in 2010, too many were uninterested or underprepared candidates for the role of principal.
In response, Illinois overhauled principal licensure requirements. The effort resulted in more rigorous, refined curricula at principal preparation colleges and universities. New principal candidates were undoubetedly better prepared than their predecessors. Meanwhile, veteran principals were feeling the stresses and difficulties of the job, leading to quits and early retirements. In short, the principal candidate pool continues to experience attrition, and innovative ideas are sorely needed.
A collaborative solution
To further build the state’s ranks, Dr. Allison Kroesch from Illinois State’s Department of Special Education (SED) pitched the idea of a partnership between EAF and SED.
“I noticed that Redbirds who completed EAF’s principal preparation master’s degrees were also on the cusp of finishing their DOSE requirements,” Dr. Kroesch said. “Dr. Hall loved the idea of a partnership; she really ran with it from there.”
The development is a win for both programs and the field. It increases enrollment, scratches an important itch in the field, and better serves students in PK-22 schools.
“I knew that this was a program that was needed based on program evaluations completed [from SED alumni] and conversations had with directors in the field,” Dr. Kroesch said.
“Students in our school systems continue to need a strong special education administrator who can support general and special educators in the field. It’s an exciting development.”
Why it’s important
In addition to the extra classes, the DOSE-principal prep students’ internship experience will pair the aspiring leaders with a principal who also has a special education background or a DOSE.
“I understood why that was an important distinction for Dr. Kroesch, and we committed to incorporating it into the program,” said Dr. Hall.
Dr. Kroesch adds, “I love that students complete their professional practice with a school administrator in the principal prep program. Having a seasoned administrator with the same specialized background as the mentor adds another invaluable dimension to this degree.”
Once they’ve completed the program, DOSE-principal prep alumni offer a valuable skillset for any school, particularly those with a large population of students with IEPs and 504 plans.
“We need more people with learning and behavior specialist backgrounds in administration to help guide practices and inclusion,” Dr. Kroesch said. “I’ve heard so many principals talk about their struggles when it comes to making a connection between their general education and special education teachers,” Dr. Kroesch said.
Special education administrators also possess the potential to change the way teachers discuss and take responsibility for the needs of all students in their building.
“This program with DOSE concentration has the potential to increase awareness and understanding of the value of the critical need for inclusive practices for students with IEPs’” Dr. Kroesch said.
An affordable & convenient option
Because the DOSE-principal preparation master’s is a degree program leading to licensure, tuition waivers are available for applicants. The EAF department also offers several scholarships for its students. The cost for a three-credit course is about $1,600.
Students complete course work (12 courses) while taking classes part time in less than three years, including an internship. Classes meet two times per week virtually. The program is set up as a cohort, so students build strong professional relationships and networks with their colleagues and classmates.
This was offered as an option for many years, glad to see it is once again. This provides many options for those in the field as well as may increase the enrollment at ISU.