First Advisor

Cieminski, Amie B.

First Committee Member

Vogel, Linda R.

Second Committee Member

Taylor, Aryn

Third Committee Member

Bowen, Sandra K.

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Document Type

Dissertation

Date Created

8-2025

Department

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Leadership Policy and Development: Higher Education and P-12 Education, LPD Student Work

Abstract

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to investigate rural secondary principals’ perceptions of their role and challenges experienced in transition planning for students with disabilities. Transition planning for students with disabilities has been federally mandated since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 1990), emphasizing positive postsecondary outcomes. However, limited research has existed on principals’ roles, particularly in rural contexts.

Participants included 11 principals from small rural districts across 5 regions in Colorado. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a hybrid approach of inductive and deductive coding, guided by Kohler et al.’s (2016) Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2.0. Trustworthiness was ensured through member checking, peer debriefing, reflexive journaling, and an audit trail.

Findings revealed three key themes: principals identified their roles as resource navigators, skill developers, and collaborators. Challenges within the rural context included serving multiple roles, staffing limitations, logistical barriers, external agency constraints, community and environmental difficulties, and attitudinal barriers from parents and the community.

Implications for practice suggested incorporating special education law and transition planning into principal preparation programs, explicitly training principals in transition services using frameworks like Kohler’s Taxonomy and providing ongoing professional development. Principals, particularly those entering through alternative licensure, should be empowered to strategically advocate for resources addressing special education staffing shortages. Clarifying responsibilities among school personnel, Board of Educational Cooperative Services (BOCES), and external agencies can enhance service delivery and collaboration. Policies and procedures should utilize post-school outcome data, specifically indicators 1 (graduation rate), 2 (dropout rate), 13 (transition goals and services in the IEP), and 14 (post-school outcomes). These indicators provided accountability metrics to ensure equitable, individualized transition supports.

Future research should focus on effective interagency collaboration strategies, the impact of principal leadership on transition outcomes, and principals’ roles in advocating for systemic improvements in rural education.

Abstract Format

html

Places

Greeley, Colorado

Extent

171 pages

Local Identifiers

Ruffatti_unco_0161D_11351.pdf.pdf

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

Digital Origin

Born digital

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