ABSTRACT
In this chapter the authors emphasize the importance of aligning leadership in special education administration with the legal mandate for collaboration with the diverse range of families whose children are served by special education, including a vision of effective leadership and collaboration. The chapter includes a review of research on the role of leadership in family collaboration and examines the differing needs of three specific service provision contexts, namely, early intervention, preschool, and school-age services. the differences in challenges facing administrators in community-based versus building-based programs are noted. The chapter closes with a call for more explicit attention to the challenges of collaboration with families of diverse cultural and social backgrounds, especially in light of the disproportionate placement of students of color in high-incidence disability categories and restrictive placements.
