COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RATINGS OF PROPOSED RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT MANAGER COMPETENCIES WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUBJECT CONTENT AT THE BACCALAUREATE LEVEL

This study was undertaken because of the increased
role of the building level administrator in the administration
of special education programs at the school level.
' The essential purposes of the study were to assess the
special education competencies of regular elementary,
middle, and high school principals or designees, in a
school-based managed public school system in Florida, and
to locate sources of knowledge/training contributing to
the attainment of competencies. As a basis for the study, eight competencies
previously delineated by Nevin in Vermont in 1977 were
utilized. A portion of the present study sought to
validate the eight competencies as essential for
implementation of special education programs in Florida. Major findings were that most respondents: (1) considered
all eight competencies to be essential, (2) have
not mastered all eight competencies but possessed each to
a degree of understanding, and (3) obtained knowledge/
training most often from on the job experience and wished
to receive further training by in-service provided by the
district.
Competencies not mastered tended to be those
requiring specific knowledge in special education involving
due process, student records, federal and state mandates,
programming policies, and staff functions/qualifications. Several implications relative to competency status,
pre-service and in-service training, and future research
with building level administrators are discussed.