Date of Award

2021

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

School of Education

Abstract

This qualitative study will explore the educational beliefs and practices of elementary principals and teachers in inclusive schools. Nine elementary schools in a unit district are the focus of this study given the significant gains made in closing the achievement gap between students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers. The research questions in this study are as follows: (1) How are principals’ LRE beliefs and practices related to student achievement? (2) How are teachers’ LRE beliefs and practices related to student achievement? The elementary schools included in this study not only narrowed the achievement gap between students with IEPs and their non-disabled peers, but they have also exceeded state targets for educating students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. All schools referenced in this study are located in a northern Illinois school district near the city of Chicago. Online surveys will be administered to nine elementary principals and 15 elementary teachers in the district. The data obtained from the survey will inform the researcher about teachers’ and principals’ beliefs and practices related to academic outcomes for students with disabilities.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Download

Share

COinS