Special Education Director - Ed.S. in Educational Leadership Online
Prepare for a special education leadership role at the campus or district level with the Education Specialist in Educational Leadership, Special Education Director online program.
Program Overview
Learn more about our online Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Special Education Director program
Arkansas State University offers an affordable online Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership, Special Education Director program. If you are already a special education teacher and possess a master's degree, this post-graduate program will prepare you for a leadership role as a Special Education Director at the campus or district level. The degree includes an internship that can be completed while you continue working as an educator or school administrator.
The program prepares special education teachers to administer and coordinate learning and activities for special education students. You will learn how to provide leadership and expertise in assessing, identifying, and implementing special education goals and to collaborate with related services and personnel, including psychologist, speech therapists, school administrators, and teaching staff.
This program includes an internship requirement that can be completed while you continue working as an educator or school administrator. In addition, some of the coursework you complete as part of this post-master's degree program may apply to an Arkansas State University doctoral degree in education.
Please refer to the Program Approval Map for eligibility information related to this program.
Additional documents
This program requires Student Learning & Licensure (SL&L).
In this program you will learn how to:
- Improve your general education and specific professional competencies
- Prepare for a special education director leadership role at the campus or district level
- Administer and coordinate learning and activities for special education students
- Provide leadership and expertise in assessing, identifying and implementing special education goals
- Collaborate with related services and personnel, including psychologists, speech therapists, school administrators and teaching staff
- Create and implement curriculum specific to special education students
- Improve your general education and specific professional competencies
- Prepare for a special education director leadership role at the campus or district level
- Administer and coordinate learning and activities for special education students
- Provide leadership and expertise in assessing, identifying and implementing special education goals
- Collaborate with related services and personnel, including psychologists, speech therapists, school administrators and teaching staff
- Create and implement curriculum specific to special education students
As a graduate of this online program, you will be prepared for leading special education roles, including:
- Director of Special Education
- Special Education Lead Teacher
- Special Education Administrator
- Educational Diagnostician
- Director of Special Education
- Special Education Lead Teacher
- Special Education Administrator
- Educational Diagnostician
Also available:
A-State offers a variety of post-graduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online post-graduate programs.
Accreditation
Licensure programs within A-State’s College of Education & Behavioral Science are accredited by CAEP.
Tuition
Our budget-friendly tuition can be paid as you go
Our Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Special Education Director online program offers the same affordable tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
Here are the milestones to guide your student journey
Our Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Special Education Director online program is designed to be flexible and convenient for working professionals, featuring accelerated coursework and multiple start dates a year.
Please note that the internship course lasts a full semester and only starts in Fall 1 and Spring 1 of terms.
Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 1 | 1/12/26 | 12/15/25 | 12/15/25 | 1/8/26 | 1/9/26 | 2/27/26 |
| Spring 2 | 3/9/26 | 2/23/26 | 2/23/26 | 3/5/26 | 3/6/26 | 5/1/26 |
Now enrolling:
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Admissions
Read the details of our admission criteria for the online special education director program
Students who are interested in our Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Special Education Director online program must have a master’s degree from an accredited institution and one year of teaching experience as a special education teacher. For students seeking Curriculum/Program Administrator (SPED) licensure in the state of Arkansas, you must have 3 years of teaching experience and have an existing Special Education endorsement on your teaching license in order to acquire this licensure. Review full admission requirements below. At this time, International students may not be accepted into any Educational Leadership program – only students with a valid US teaching license that are working in a US school district are eligible for this program.
Admission Requirements:
- Online application
- Master's degree
- Active teaching license
Admission requirements
- Master’s degree from an accredited institution with at least 3.25 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
- A valid state-issued special educator's teaching certificate/license
- One year of experience as a certified special education teacher in an educational institution
- Commitment from an appropriate professional who will function as your mentor during the degree program. View acceptable mentors (PDF).
- Candidates will be required to submit the self-disposition document provided and verification for teacher effectiveness and leadership abilities
Note: If you have a 3.0-3.24 GPA, you must make a grade of B or better during the first 9 hours of graduate work at Arkansas State University.
Application submission requirements
- Complete online application
- Pay the nonrefundable $30 fee
- Send official transcript(s) from the college/university attended. Official transcripts are sealed transcripts sent from the granting institution. For this program, we will only need an official transcript that shows your conferred master's degree.
Submit all documents to:
A-State OnlineP.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467
Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]
Additional information
While not required for admission, Teacher/Leader Effectiveness Credentials will be required prior to registering for your first course.
For more information on state eligibility, please visit our State Authorization and Licensure Disclosures page.
Additional required documents
As part of the student's portfolio, the following information is required to be completed prior to registering for the 3rd term (second semester):
- Video Essay
- Writing Sample
These additional documents are not required to render an admissions decision.
Appeals process
- Email a written Letter of Appeal and GRE or GMAT scores (may be unofficial) to [email protected]
Transfer credits
Up to 9 graduate hours from A-State or other higher education institutions may be credited toward a program subject to department approval. No course can be older than six years by graduation time. The course must have been taken at the level of the program you are seeking. To request prior credit be evaluated, please complete the Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation Form.
Courses
Gain the knowledge you need from our online special education director curriculum
Students pursuing this Ed.S. program must complete a total of 30 credit hours, including four core courses (12 credit hours) and six courses (18 credit hours) specific to either the Advance Perspective track or the Professional Practice track.
University Requirements: ELFN 6773, or an equivalent course, must be taken as a prerequisite; this does not count toward total hours needed for degree completion.
Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.
What is school and community relations?
School and community relations builds reciprocal partnerships between educational institutions and communities to support student success. It involves family communication, collaboration with organizations, media engagement, and leveraging external resources. This practice recognizes that achievement depends on strong home-school connections and coordinated services.
This course examines the concepts, programs and procedures for building and maintaining positive relationships between schools, their constituents and related agencies. Topics include media and public relations, publications and strategies for increasing community and parental involvement. Special emphasis is placed on transitional student support services through collaboration with non-school agencies such as social services, law enforcement and disability service providers.
Upon completion, students will be able to:
Collaboratively engage diverse families to strengthen student learning in and out of school
Cultivate relationships with diverse community members, partners and constituencies to support school improvement and student development
Communicate effectively through oral, written and digital means within organizational, community and political contexts to advocate for school and community needs