A Partnership with Purpose

The development of special education leaders able to assess and address the needs of students within complex urban environments is a challenge faced by schools and districts across the country. Recognizing this, Drexel University and the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) continue to partner in exploring new and effective methods to increase the number of leaders equipped to help guide special education students within the district to positive and successful outcomes.

Leveraging their respective resources and expertise, Drexel's School of Education and the SDP created the Philadelphia Special Education Leaders of Tomorrow (PSELT) project, a hybrid approach to professional development that builds on the success of Drexel's Urban Special Education Leaders of Tomorrow (USELT) program — a doctoral program at Drexel for special education leaders from Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Officially launched in January of 2018, this 18-month project provided a cohort of 25 aspiring SDP educators with the training and professional development needed to grow as specialists equipped to meet the needs of students with disabilities within the district.

Selected from an initial pool of more than 80 applicants, this cohort was composed of SDP classroom teachers, speech and language therapists, hearing therapists, school psychologists, and special education liaisons that have direct interaction with student populations requiring specialized services. Led by faculty and instructors at Drexel, project participants undertook an intensive curriculum consisting of online courses, internships, and monthly evening sessions, along with over 750 hours of practical application work. Subject specializations included leadership and program development, assessment and instructional leadership, special education law and compliance, and collaboration with stakeholders. The end result was the successful development of a cohort of SDP educators versed in the best practices of special education, ready to lead the district to future success.

Although the project's long-term intended outcomes are expected to be realized over the next one to three years, it has already yielded dramatic results: 24 of the 25 participants successfully completed the program and have earned Special Education Leadership certificates, along with Collaborative Special Education Law and Process certificates. Even more so, six participants have already been promoted to leadership roles within the district, bolstered by knowledge of best practices and applications gained through the PSELT curriculum.

"The School of Education at Drexel is a natural fit for this endeavor," said Janet Sloand, EdD, Drexel associate clinical professor and Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis program director. "The USELT program demonstrates that Drexel University has the expertise and the infrastructure to prepare special education leaders for complex urban environments."

Through impactful programs such as PSELT and USELT, the partnership between Drexel and the Philadelphia School District continues to produce dramatic results for district educators and their students. Together, they are building the instructional knowledge and practicum needed to ensure that the needs of all Philadelphia students are met and that each child is positioned to succeed.