Funding has been received from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs to support efforts by the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology’s Division of Special Education to increase the number of doctoral special education graduates who are prepared to assume leadership roles in the field.

The program addresses the substantial shortage of highly qualified doctoral leadership personnel in the field of special education by preparing the doctoral students for research and university teaching, as well as the use of technology and on-line instruction, preparing these candidates for working in leadership settings. At the end of this four-year program, at least 8 doctoral students will have completed their coursework and dissertation requirements and receive mentoring for leadership positions in the field.