Crafting Coherence from Complex Policy Messages: Educators’ Perceptions of Special Education and Standards-Based Accountability Policies

Oct 15, 2026

Federal special education and accountability policies require educators to individualize instruction for students with disabilities while also ensuring most students meet age-based grade-level standards and assessment targets. Analysis of policy documents and educator interviews examines how educators handle this dual implementation dynamic. Educators viewed some policy elements as complementary and others as contradictory, noting clear alignment on highly qualified teacher guidance and tensions regarding placement and inclusion. Findings conclude with theoretical propositions on how alignment shapes interpretation and enactment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages25

Reading Time1 h 3 min

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Policy messages and educator perceptions

Alignment, contradictions, and implications

| education policy analysis archives
A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal |

epaa

aape | | --- | --- | | | Arizona State University | | Volume 21 Number 12 February 11th, 2013 ISSN 1068-2341 | | Crafting Coherence from Complex Policy Messages: Educators’ Perceptions of Special Education and Standards-Based Accountability Policies Jennifer Lin Russell Laura E. Bray University of Pittsburgh Citation: Russell, J. L. & Bray, L. E. (2013) . Crafting coherence from complex policy messages: Educators’ perceptions of special education and standards-based accountability policies. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 21(12). Retrieved [date], from [http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/1044](http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/1044) [Abstract:](Abstract: Federal special education and accountability policies requires that educators)[ Federal special education and accountability policies requires that educators](Abstract: Federal special education and accountability policies requires that educators)[ ](Abstract: Federal special education and accountability policies requires that educators)individualize instruction for students with disabilities, while simultaneously ensuring that the vast majority of these students meet age-based grade-level standards and assessment targets. In this paper, we examine this dynamic interplay between policies through analysis of policy documents and interviews that reveal how a sample of educators grapple with their simultaneous implementation. We found that educators made sense of some facets of the policies as complementary and others as contradictory. NCLB and IDEA offered consistent and specific guidelines defining “highly qualified” teachers and educators reported a clear and accurate understanding of these policy demands. On an issue where there was no specific guidance from NCLB–the placement of special education students–educators interpreted the law as promoting the inclusion of more students in general education courses, often to an extent that contradicted the guidance offered by IDEA. With respect to fundamental issues of teaching and learning, NCLB and IDEA represent contradictory theories of action and educators perceived conflict and expressed concerns about unintended consequences for students. Based on our empirical findings, we conclude with a set of theoretical propositions regarding how the alignment of Journal website: [http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/ ](http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/ Manuscript)[ Manuscript](http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/ Manuscript) received: 11/16/2011 Facebook: /EPAAA Revisions received: 5/27/2012 Twitter: @epaa_aape Accepted: 9/28/2012 Education Policy Analysis Archives Vol. 21 No. 12 2 policy messages influences educators’ interpretation of policies, which in turn may have implications for how they enact policies. Keywords: Accountability; education policies; special education. Creando consistencia en mensajes políticos complejos: La percepción de los Educadores de Educación Especial y las Políticas de rendición de cuentas basadas en estándares Resumen: Las políticas nacionales para la educación especial y la rendición de cuentas (accountability) requiere que los educadores individualicen la instrucción para los estudiantes con discapacidades, garantizando al mismo tiempo que la mayoría de estos estudiantes puedan alcanzar los estándares basados en su edad, nivel de educación y los objetivos de la evaluación. En este artículo se discute la interacción dinámica entre las políticas a través del análisis de documentos de política y entrevistas que revelan cómo una muestra de educadores se encarga de su ejecución simultánea. Se encontró que algunos educadores interpretan estas facetas como complementarias de las políticas y otras como de índole contradictoria. Las directivas de NCLB (Ley No Child Left Behind) e IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act-Ley para los Individuos co

FAQs

What requirements do federal special education and accountability policies place on educators?

They require educators to individualize instruction for students with disabilities while ensuring most students meet age-based grade-level standards and assessment targets.

How did educators interpret the relationship between NCLB and IDEA?

Educators viewed some aspects as complementary and others as contradictory, particularly noting tensions around special education placement and inclusion guidance.

What conclusion does the paper draw from its empirical findings?

It concludes with theoretical propositions suggesting that alignment of policy messages influences how educators interpret policies, which can affect how they enact them.

Oct 15, 2026

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