An Examination of Current Leadership Practices in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education: A Mixed Methods Study

Jul 8, 2026

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The study examines current leadership practices in early childhood (EC) and early childhood special education (ECSE) programs using a mixed-methods design. A survey of 143 leaders from state- or federally funded EC/ECSE programs (phase I) and interviews with four state-level leaders (phase II) identify local implementation status, leadership challenges, and professional development needs. Findings align across phases and indicate a demand for more targeted leadership support beyond managerial support, including discussion of licensure, standards, and credentials.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

Abstract

Research approach and participants

Key findings

Implications for practice and policy

Leadership in the EC and ECSE context

Early Education and Development ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: [https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/heed20](https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/heed20) An Examination of Current Leadership Practices in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education: A Mixed Methods Study Sara Movahedazarhouligh, Rashida Banerjee & John Luckner To cite this article: Sara Movahedazarhouligh, Rashida Banerjee & John Luckner (2021): An Examination of Current Leadership Practices in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education: A Mixed Methods Study, Early Education and Development, DOI: 10. 1080/10409289 .2021.1909937 To link to this article: [https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2021.1909937](https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2021.1909937) Published online: 06 Apr 2021. | Submit your article to this journal | | --- | | Article views: 71 | | View related articles | | View Crossmark data | Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at [https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=heed20](https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=heed20) An Examination of Current Leadership Practices in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education: A Mixed Methods Study Sara Movahedazarhouligha, Rashida Banerjeeb, and John Lucknerc aDepartment of Education, Watson College of Education, University of North Carolina Wilmington; bMorgridge College of Education, University of Denver; cSchool of Special Education, University of Northern Colorado ABSTRACT Research Findings: Effective leadership is one necessary element of achieving high quality in early childhood (EC) and early childhood special education (ECSE) programs. To date, little leadership literature and research are available for EC/ECSE professionals. Using a mixed-methods research approach, this study investigated local leadership practices in one western state in the United States. A hundred forty-three leaders from state or federally funded EC/ECSE programs participated in an online survey (phase I). Four state-level EC/ECSE leaders participated in individual interviews (phase II). The findings of phase I provided valuable insight into local leadership implementation status, implementation challenges, and professional development needs and were well-aligned with the phase II state-level leaders’ perceptions. Practice or Policy: The findings suggest that the local leaders need more targeted support opportunities to improve as a leader than a manager. The need for EC/ECSE leadership licensure, endorsement/certification, specific leadership performance standards, and credentials are discussed. The importance of quality programs and services for young children is evident in many countries’political agendas worldwide (Davis et al., 2015) . This focus has been accompanied by increasing recognition that effective leadership in early childhood and early childhood special education (EC/ ECSE) programs a positive difference to children, families, and communities (Davis et al., 2015; Hujala et al., 2016) . In the united states, recognition and evidence of the value of EC/ECSE education have shifted the attention to the development of quality programs, and the need for effective leadership has become more critical. The service systems within which EC/ECSE professionals work in the United States (US) are highly complex and are composed of multiple entities, administered by different agencies (e.g., education, health, human services), funded through numerous sources, and governed by various federal and state laws (Division for Early Childhood [DEC], 2015). Thus, effective leadership is critical to the success of EC/ECSE settings, quality service provision, and service integration and the need has never been greater than at this time of increased accountability (Davis et al., 2015) . Leadership in EC and ECSE Context There have been different definitions of leadership because of the diversity of contexts

FAQs

What research design and methods did the study use?

The study used a mixed-methods approach with an online survey (phase I) and individual interviews (phase II) to examine local leadership practices.

Who participated in the study?

Phase I included 143 leaders from state- or federally funded EC/ECSE programs. Phase II involved interviews with four state-level EC/ECSE leaders.

What do the findings suggest about support needs for local leaders?

Local leaders need more targeted support opportunities to improve as leaders rather than focusing only on managerial support, and the study discusses leadership licensure, endorsement/certification, performance standards, and credentials.

Jul 8, 2026

Upload by Jiven