Training the Leaders Who Will Shape Special Education in Oklahoma

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NORMAN, OKLA. - The University of Oklahoma Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education is launching a powerful new initiative aimed at strengthening special education leadership across the state. This effort is designed not only to address critical shortages but also to build long‑term capacity that benefits Oklahoma’s children, families and schools.

Funded by a competitive $3.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education and led by  Auburn University with George Mason University and OU as co-collaborators, the new program will prepare eight doctoral scholars at each university (a total of 24) to become high‑impact leaders in special education, with a focus on research‑based interventions in reading, mathematics and behavior. The OU scholars, who will begin the program this summer, are established professionals working in districts and communities across Oklahoma.

While national rankings and workforce shortages often dominate conversations about education in Oklahoma, faculty leaders behind the program are intentionally reframing that narrative.

“We talk a lot about deficits,” said Brittany Hott, Ph.D., BCBA-D, lead researcher on the project and a faculty member with the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at OU. “What we don’t talk about are the resilience and strength of our teachers and our leaders. Our teachers are professionals, they care deeply about kids, and their goal is to enhance their skills.”

The new doctoral preparation program, named Project Training special edUcatoRs To Lead with Evidence and Support (nicknamed TURTLES), is intentionally designed to build on those strengths. Rather than pulling educators out of their districts to study full-time, OU’s model allows scholars to remain embedded in their schools and communities while completing their doctoral coursework. This approach ensures that what scholars learn in the program is applied immediately, improving services for students even as leaders are being trained.

“That’s how you build capacity across a state,” Hott said. “If we can train these eight special education leaders well, it creates a ripple effect. These leaders mentor teachers, support administrators, and help schools provide higher‑quality services for kids.”

Graduates of the program are expected to serve in leadership roles at the school, district and state levels, bringing deep expertise in intervention to the decision‑making spaces that most directly affect students with disabilities. Research shows that effective leadership influences everything from instructional quality to student engagement, attendance and disciplinary outcomes.

Beyond coursework, scholars will engage in collaborative problem‑solving focused on challenges facing Oklahoma schools, identifying not only areas of need but also the strengths present in communities, particularly in rural areas where relationships and partnerships are critical assets.

“We’re really focused on quality and reach,” Hott said. “Our students will be in spaces and places that we can’t even imagine yet, and the impact they’ll have will extend far beyond what we can predict.”

The grant also provides comprehensive support to remove financial barriers for scholars, covering tuition, fees, books, conference travel and additional assistance for educators who commute long distances to campus. In return, graduates commit to two years of service in high‑need areas for each year of funding, ensuring that Oklahoma directly benefits from the investment.

At its core, the initiative reflects OU’s long‑standing commitment to educating leaders who stay, serve and lead in Oklahoma.

“This is about paying it forward,” Hott said. “We live and work in the communities that we serve, and we want our schools to be better. When we invest in our educators, we invest in the future of our state.”