ABSTRACT
Over the past 15 years there has been a marked evolution of professional standards and their implementation in response to the various iterations of education reform. The contributions of researchers and scholars, professional organizations, practitioners, and other stakeholders to the identifi cation and development of professional standards contributes to their universal application beyond that of preservice training. The utilitarian application of professional standards provides a disciplinary framework for better understanding the complex fi eld of special education leadership and administration, thus, guiding and enriching the work lives of preservice, novice, and experienced educational leaders and administrators of special education.
