03/17/2026
By Zakkiyya Witherspoon

The School of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Kerry Murphy “Bridging the Gap from Preparation to Practice: Developing the Efficacy of Novice Special Education Building Administrators through Professional Development."

Candidate: Kerry Murphy
Degree: Doctoral- Ed.D. Leadership in Schooling
Defense Date: March 27, 2026
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Thesis/Dissertation Title: Bridging the Gap from Preparation to Practice: Developing the Efficacy of Novice Special Education Building Administrators through Professional Development

Dissertation Committee

  • Chair: Michelle Scribner, Ed.D., Clinical Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Committee Member: William Goldsworthy, Ed.D., Adjunct Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Committee Member: Kaitlyn Angulo, Ed.D., Adjunct Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract
The lack of adequate preparation for special education responsibilities among building-based school administrators contributes to the disproportionate representation of racial and linguistic minorities within these programs. This three-manuscript dissertation in practice utilizes improvement science principles to define this problem of practice and implement a solution through an initial Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. Manuscript 1 describes the literature review and local needs assessment that defined the problem of practice, and identified root causes and variables that drive the problem. In this case, the unspecified expectations of roles and responsibilities, a lack of standardized performance expectations, and the variability in administrators’ knowledge base were identified as actionable intervention points. Manuscript 2 describes the actions taken to develop and implement a change action. Using baseline and post-intervention interviews and surveys, it was determined that participants’ efficacy for their special education role and responsibilities was positively affected by professional development. Structured observations and post-intervention also demonstrated that participants were consistently implementing the supports provided during professional development; however, they demonstrated a degree of variability in their ability to implement district processes and protocols for racial and linguistic minority students. Manuscript 3 describes the insights and action steps generated from this research. It was concluded that if the recommendations are implemented and cultural competency is included in each stage, Southford Public Schools (pseudonym) will create a self-sustaining system of support for special education building administrators that may also ameliorate the district's significant disproportionality.
Key words: Special education administration; special education leadership; disproportionate representation; significant disproportionality; professional development