Professional and Educational Goals Statement

Submitted with Application to Ph. D in Education Program on 8/20/2008

The first job I had after college was as a Residential Instructor at Oakland School in Keswick, Virginia.  My responsibilities were to live with a group of boys, apply the structure of the program, target and modify specific behaviors, and help develop the recreational program.  Since I was twelve, when I did my Eagle Scout project on handicapped awareness, I had wanted a career that focused on helping other people.  Having graduated from college with a degree in psychology, the position at Oakland was the ideal opportunity because it allowed me to apply my knowledge while also fulfilling my dream.  At the end of my third year, I was promoted to Director of Residential Services.  If I could impact the lives of a group of boys by working with them, I believed that through this position I could share that knowledge with a staff of people and thereby have an influence on more children at once.  It took me a while to develop the leadership skills necessary for working with a group of people who had just graduated from college.  Once I attained those skills, I found immense satisfaction in the position.  It allowed me to grow as an individual and simultaneously develop the residential program.  I was able to recruit and develop a wonderful staff while significantly reducing the turnover rate.

As I became more comfortable in the position, I took on more responsibilities.  I became Oakland’s representative for the Virginia Association of Independent Special Education Facilities (VAISEF).  I joined the VAISEF Government Affairs Committee which  is very active in tracking proposed legislation and making recommendations.  The committee also follows public policy and studies its potential impact on the member facilities.  My first assignment was to track a bill on 15 passenger vans, research the safety implications, and look into alternate forms of student transportation that would conform to the bill.  After that assignment VAISEF asked me to form and chair an ad hoc committee to research the proposed changes to the Office of Interdepartmental Regulation Standards for Children’s Residential Facilities.  I was thrilled by this assignment because it allowed me to influence state policy that would impact the lives of children throughout Virginia.  The committee developed a position paper that became VAISEF’s official position.  The efforts I put into both the Government Affairs Committee and the ad hoc committee allowed me to be the inaugural recipient of the VAISEF Volunteer of the Year Award.  I realized the importance of the public policy work I did with VAISEF and the ability it gave me to help children who experience challenges in their lives on a global level.  I decided that I wanted to pursue a career that included influencing legislation and public policy in education.  However, I realized that I needed more education to continue my success in this area.

I left Oakland in pursuit of a position that would allow me to gain experience in the classroom with a more extreme population of students while simultaneously work on a Master’s degree in Special Education.  I accepted a position at Phillips School-Annandale working in a self-contained classroom for 16-18 year old boys with both learning and emotional disabilities.  Phillips had formed a cohort for a Master’s of Education in Special Education with George Mason University.  I worked with the same population at Phillips for three years while completing my Master’s degree.  I also continued to be involved with the VAISEF Government Affairs Committee and as I was close to finishing the degree, I was asked to co-chair the committee.  Phillips recently promoted to Administrative/Technology Coordinator which has allowed me to return to administration.  As Administrative/Technology Coordinator I am responsible for coordinating the individualized educational programs for all of the students, ensuring that the program is in compliance with its licensing and accreditation agencies, ensuring that all teachers and related services providers are current with their licensure, and overseeing the technology development for the program.  This position has allowed me to continue to be active with the VAISEF Government Affairs Committee and I recently wrote a position paper for VAISEF on the proposed special education regulations during the public comment period.

Overall, my goal is to be able to have an impact on students with disabilities on a global level.  While the classroom and direct contact positions were extremely rewarding, I discovered through my work in administration and public policy the ability to reach a much broader audience.  I would like to obtain a Ph. D in Education that focuses on special education public policy.   With this degree I would hope to continue as an administrator or work for the Department of Education at either the state or federal level.  In addition, I would like to conduct research on effective public policy and educational leadership that I could publish for the educational community.  Finally, I would like to be able to research and teach at the collegiate level to help influence future educators in empirically based teaching practices.  Having completed my Master’s degree at George Mason University, I was impressed with the education program and want to continue my education there in pursuit of a Doctorate in Education.

Professional and Educational Goals Statement

Revised for First Portfolio 11/22/2009

           As I read and reflect upon the original goals statement I am amazed by the changes that have occurred since composing that statement just over a year ago.  Though the educational interest to pursue a doctorate in education policy with a secondary concentration in special education remains the same, my professional goals have shifted.  In many ways, I feel like a whole new world has opened up and I have greatly enjoyed experiencing the new world.

            Over the past year I have developed a different perspective on how I look at the world.  I have learned to distinguish between what I truly know as fact and assumptions I have made about the world or different situations.  I have learned to examine situations with a much more refined eye in recognizing the context of the situation and understanding the perspectives of others.  The transition of learning how knowledge is created in Ways of Knowing to applying research methodology to evaluate that knowledge and build upon it has been fascinating.  Developing knowledge is an ongoing practice that is practiced by a community of scholars through both empirical practice and social construction.  Refining knowledge in a particular paradigm never ceases as the development moves incrementally in a continuous direction but never reaches an ultimate goal.  Building knowledge is an essential practice whether it is in an academic setting or within the structure of an organization.  An organization that fails to develop and refine its knowledge will struggle with its ability to adapt to the changing environment in which it exists.  It is not enough to look at issues as they exist in the present but it is also essential to predict problems that may occur in the future. Therefore an organization must constantly be learning in order to adapt and survive.

            When I started the program, I had recently become the Administrative/Technology Coordinator for Phillips School.  I have been able to use the skills I have developed to research state regulatory information and make predictions of the trajectory of certain issues.  The contributions I have been able to make based on that research have been beneficial to Phillips.  I have also had the opportunity to apply these skills to my continued participation on the Virginia Association of Independent Special Education Facilities (VAISEF)  Government Affairs Committee.  Currently I am working on developing a task force to make public comments on a set of draft regulations.  The critical thinking and leadership skills I have developed since beginning the program have provided the necessary tools to evaluate the draft regulations and lead the task force to develop a cohesive position on them..

            I have developed a thirst for research and a strong desire to begin making contributions to the field.  I have found an existing data set consisting of 30 years of data from students with exceptional learning needs who attended a separate private day school.  I plan to start doing preliminary research to identify questions that can be answered by that data.  The disparity in the quality of education for students from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds is an area I would like to conduct further research.  In particular, I have become interested in the manner in which special education policy affects students from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds.  I plan to conduct further research on this topic and determine if information in the data set to which I have access can be applied to this area of special education policy.  In addition  I am also interested in conducting research on the policies surrounding special education teacher preparation particularly in the area of working with students with emotional and behavioral disorders.  I am also interested in becoming more involved with the research being conducted by George Mason University. I plan to become a student reviewer for the International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership.  Eventually I would also like to become a graduate research assistant.  Participating as a student reviewer and a graduate research assistant will help me continue to develop and hone my research skills so that I can effectively make contributions to the field of education policy.

            Though I am still interested in continuing as a school administrator when I have completed my degree I have realized that there will be many other opportunities available.  The idea of conducting research has become very attractive whether it is being done for my current employer, in a university setting, or for an association.  For the present, my greatest desire is to influence policy in the area of special education in the most effective manner possible.  Rather than work for a government agency, I think it would be more beneficial to work for a group that represents the interests of the population I am trying to help.  Through that practice I can continue to help students with exceptional learning needs through a global approach of recommending research based policy to political decision makers.

Professional and Educational Goals Statement

Revised for Second Portfolio 4/12/2010

            Though it has been a short period of time since my first portfolio, I feel as though I have continued to grow as a learner.  My present coursework has focused on specific research practices for developing knowledge and discovering truths.  Prior to starting the program my understanding was that research was conducted via statistical analysis or through a qualitative procedure.  The last two semesters have taught me about the different types of research design that these broad categories entail and the types of research questions they will answer.

            Within my professional life, I have continued in the same position as Administrative/Technology Coordinator for Phillips School.  The education I have received thus far has helped me make suggestions about policy issues that may influence the daily operation of the school.  Recently, I have been tracking federal legislation in both the house and senate on restraint and seclusion.  I have been tracking this legislation to make sure we are consistent with the practices being proposed.  In preparing for the internship interview at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) I researched their position on highly qualified teachers in special education.  Since the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is due for reauthorization, the qualifications for highly qualified teacher in special education may become defined.  In addition, Virginia has requested data on specific endorsements the teachers at Phillips currently have and the classes they are teaching.  As a result, I have spoken with our Program Director about the potential for the qualifications for special education teachers who are teaching content courses to change after the reauthorization of ESEA.

            Learning about different research techniques has brought me closer to being able to design different research projects.  I continue to be interested in studying how policy impacts the disparity in the quality of education that is being provided to students from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds.  I am also interested in researching if special education policy has any influence on the identification of specific disabilities for students from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds.  Currently I am working on a project for a class that will study if teacher to student ratios and cost per student has any relationship with the percentage of students identified with disabilities in different school districts.  Finally, I am interested in studying the effectiveness of residential programs on students with emotional or behavioral disabilities.

I am currently working as a tier one reviewer for the International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership.  Serving as a tier one reviewer has helped me think more about the application and evaluation of specific research designs.  Evaluating the research of others has helped me look at my own potential research and proposed designs through a more critical eye.  I have also very recently started working on a book chapter with Rick Brigham on school choice in special education.  The experience thus far has been very good in helping me find and synthesize information that is available on the different types of private schools and the benefits of school choice in special education.

I have realized that I am less interested in remaining in a school environment when I graduate from the program.  The idea of conducting research continues to be increasingly attractive either in a university or an association setting.  I continue to want to influence policy in the area of special education in the most effective manner possible.  It is still my desire to help students with exceptional learning needs through the global approach of conducting and synthesizing research for political decision makers.        

Professional and Educational Goals Statement

Revised for Final Portfolio 11/27/2011

As I reflect upon my stated academic and professional goals from my application, I realize the growth I have made and how those goals have changed.

In my professional life, I have maintained the same position as the Education Program Coordinator for Phillips School~Annandale.   As a result of the knowledge I have gained while working on my doctorate, my responsibilities have expanded.  I have begun working with a variety of different data to develop projections and analyze trends in both referrals and enrollment for the program.   I have also been working with data from the Virginia Association of Independent Specialized Education Facilities (VAISEF) to examine the impact of a policy related to residential programs.

My research interests have expanded in the time I have been in the program.  Currently, I am involved in research projects focusing on parental participation in special education decision making, nonpublic programs for special education, and teacher education policy.  In addition to those research interests, I am also interested in conducting research on cyberbullying, and programs designed to close the achievement gap.  I am also interested in writing a methods paper on research synthesis in single-subject design.

            Upon completion of my degree, I plan to return to George Mason University to take additional course work in research methods.  I plan to take classes on program evaluation, advanced quantitative methods, survey design, advanced qualitative design, and structural equation modeling.   All of these courses will provide relevant information for conducting policy research and program evaluation.

When I entered the doctoral program, I was hoping to either obtain a senior administrative position at a school or work for the Department of Education at either the state or federal level.   Those future plans have changed substantially during my time in the program as I no longer wish to work in a school or for a government agency.

            My ultimate goal upon entering the program was to be in a position where I could have a positive influence on the education of as many students as possible.  I believe the way to accomplish this goal is to work either for an association as a policy analyst or for a consulting firm doing program evaluation. 

While working at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) I was able to gain hands-on experience in tracking policy and being able to influence it.  I greatly enjoyed working in that environment as I felt like I was helping to make a real difference on a large scale.   The job I had there as an intern would be the perfect job for me in the future.  However, in the spirit of improving education for as many students as possible, I am interested in education policy beyond the realm of special education.  Though my professional background is in special education, the growth I have made in policy analysis will allow me to apply those skills to a variety of educational policy issues.   Regardless of the educational discipline, working for an association as a policy analyst for education policy would be my dream job.

Over the course of the doctoral program I have also learned how to frame a policy issue, identify data, collect data, and analyze that data.  I believe those skills would make it possible for me to work for a consulting firm doing program evaluation for an educational program.  Rather than influencing the policy development, conducting program evaluations would allow me to interact with the effectiveness of a policy.  I would be in a position to make recommendations to continue the policy, improve the policy, or look for an alternate policy that is related to a particular problem. 

The policy analyst position would allow me to influence policy a priori and the program evaluation policy would allow me to influence policy post hoc.  Either job would allow me to realize the same goal I had when starting the program which is to have a positive influence on education policy for the students of this country.  While engaging in either of these positions I am hoping either as part of them or independently to continue conducting research for the purpose of publication and presenting at conferences.

Eventually, I would be interested in teaching at a university level.  I am unsure at this point whether that would be as an adjunct or on a tenured professor path.  One of the qualities of the faculty at George Mason University is the amount of practical experience they have in addition to their theoretical knowledge.  It is my hope to obtain that balance before teaching at the university level.  Teaching at the university level would also allow me to continue conducting research and contributing to the knowledge base of the research areas in which I am interested.

As I am finishing my coursework and am beginning to focus on my dissertation, I do not see the completion of this degree as an ending.  I see it as a beginning to a whole new world that involves a different career and a different perspective on life.