image: With the help of a $3.75 milion grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Dr. Amanda Miller will collaborate with the University of Kansas and University of Arizona to train the next generation of leaders in special education.
Credit: Wayne State University
DETROIT – Faculty from Wayne State University, the University of Kansas and the University of Arizona have teamed up to launch a program funded by a $3.75 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, “Collaborative Approaches to Impactful Special Education Leadership.”
Led by Dr. Amanda L. Miller, associate professor of special education in the College of Education at Wayne State, the program will provide an innovative opportunity to prepare doctoral students for special education leadership roles in higher education and administration, focusing on interdisciplinary collaboration and student- and family-centered outcomes.
The four-year program, which will launch in fall 2026, will develop doctoral candidates’ abilities to develop and disseminate knowledge to improve outcomes for students with disabilities and their families at local, state and national levels.
“There is a critical shortage of leaders in special education who are well-qualified and can meet the needs of their communities across the country,” said Miller. “These positions are needed to guarantee that scientifically supported strengths- and needs-based initiatives are guiding meaningful education for youth with disabilities, ultimately improving their schooling experiences and outcomes and ensuring they will be engaged, successful citizens as adults.”
The tri-university collaboration will offer a comprehensive, competency-based doctoral training program that will prepare scholars through rigorous coursework, interdisciplinary collaboration and field experiences.
Partnering across three universities is an incredibly unique and rich opportunity for Ph.D. students, explained Miller.
“Not only will students be supported through a cohort model, but they will have ongoing opportunities to learn with and from each other and project faculty through shared coursework, monthly seminars and research learning communities,” said Miller. “Also, each summer in their first three years, students and faculty will travel to partner sites (i.e., Detroit, Lawrence, Tucson) to be immersed in local contexts, systems and practices, including local and national policy/advocacy organizations and local and state educational agencies. Our goal is that these diverse experiences foster ample opportunities for students to develop the professional and personal skills necessary to be successful leaders.”
The program is designed to cultivate a new generation of special education leaders who will be able to enact meaningful local and systemic change, ultimately improving outcomes for students with disabilities and their families.
“This program is an important investment in developing future special education leaders,” said Dr. Ezemenari M. Obasi, vice president for research & innovation at Wayne State. “It is a great example of how a multi-institutional collaboration aims to make an impact on a critical need, ultimately improving the lives of many. I look forward to the important outcomes of this program funded by the U.S. Department of Education.”
Applications for the program are currently being accepted from students with a master’s degree, U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, and preferably three years of experience as a special education teacher or comparable. To learn more, visit education.wayne.edu/research/special-education-leadership.
Co-principal investigators include Dr. Alison Zagona, assistant professor, and Dr. Jennifer Kurth, professor and chair, School of Education & Human Sciences, the University of Kansas; and Dr. Taucia González, associate professor, Dr. Kirsten Lansey, assistant professor, and Dr. Sunggye Hong, professor, College of Education, the University of Arizona.
The grant number for this U.S. Department of Education award is H325D250083. The total costs of the program are covered by Federal funds.
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Wayne State University is one of the nation’s pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu.