Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Dissertation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to dive deeper into the real-life experience of a public school teacher/administrator that ventured into the role of a Catholic school administrator and their role as an advocate for students with special needs. A great deal of the research for the inclusion of students with special needs has been in the realm of public K-12 institutions and their rights as individuals with disabilities, since the introduction of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975. However, many private, Catholic K-12 schools have recognized not only a stronger demand for services for students with special needs but also have battled with an internal dilemma that true inclusion into a Catholic institution is a direct and divine mission of the Catholic Church. As an administrator, this meant providing essential services and offering the opportunity for all students to take part in a Catholic, academic institution, regardless of need.

Private schools have historically declined admission to students with special needs due to many different variables: lack of understanding in instructional differentiation, accommodations and modifications, limited exposure or experience of teaching students with special needs, and a narrow philosophical awareness to the Catholic educational calling for inclusion. This historic precedent had me as a researcher seeking to understand my own past practices in “why we do what we do” and the mentality of “we have always done things this way” when it came to serving students with special needs in a private setting. I began seeking a deeper understanding of my Catholic faith and God’s calling to include individuals of all ability levels. This research has led me to the path of an autoethnographic study. The following dissertation consists of a Catholic School administrator’s experiences, beliefs, and journey with students with special needs being served within the Catholic school system. This research will examine the teachings of the Catholic church and how this impacted the administrator’s call towards advocacy for students with special needs.

Year of Submission

2025

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Department of Educational Leadership and Postsecondary Education

First Advisor

Lori Norton-Meier

Date Original

2025

Object Description

1 PDF file (xiii, 80 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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