Olivia Chandler

Document Type

Research Paper

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

This study proposes that special education teachers’ perceptions of psychological empowerment serve as a meaningful indicator of school administrators’ ethical leadership. The Perceptions of Ethical Leadership for Special Education (PELSE) survey instrument was developed to assess this construct, incorporating validated measures of procedural justice and psychological empowerment. Employing a quantitative observational methodology, the study examined responses from 488 special education teachers assigned to online teaching at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Internal consistency reliability for the PELSE was confirmed (α = .76). Findings are interpreted through a retrospective lens, highlighting how ethical leadership was perceived during a period when the U.S. Department of Education reinforced the mandate for continued compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. The study presents the PELSE as a replicable tool with relevance for pre-service leadership preparation, in-service administrator reflection, and future empirical inquiry into ethical leadership within special education contexts.

Comments

Co-author John M. Palladino, Ph.D. is a faculty member in EMU's Department of Special Education, and Communication Sciences and Disorders.

This article originally appeared in the European Journal of Educational Management:

Palladino, J. M., & Chandler, O. (2025). Ethical leadership for online special education during the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective analysis & construct validation of a new measure. European Journal of Educational Management, 8(3), 151-160. https://doi.org/10.12973/eujem.8.3.151

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