My Why
Educational diagnosticians enhance educational equality for students with disabilities. Full Individual Evaluations allow for the identification of students that potentially have a disability and the continuous support of those with a previously determined disability. Equality is established for students with disabilities through Full Individual Evaluations that guide the development of Individualized Education Plans which detail supports and services for students to reach their full academic potential.
The Time is Now
Kotter details the necessity of creating a sense of urgency when leading change. This is a step that is often overlooked, but incumbent upon the success of change (Sinek). A sense of urgency promotes loyalty from teammates that share in the “why” of the change (Sinek). The “why” promotes an opportunity to when over the heart and mind, which is incumbent when facilitating change (Kotter, 2011). Therefore, there is a need for change agents to vocalize what they believe, to attract others that believe. The “what” of the change supports the communicated why. There is no reason for change without urgency, and urgency is fostered through the why (Kotter, 2013.).
Just as society has evolved and technology has advanced, the needs and requirements of school systems have also changed. Specifically, there have been drastic developments in identifying and supporting students with special education services (Peyton et al., 2021). The critical role that educational diagnosticians have in the identification and support of students with special needs is evident. To comply with state and federal guidelines, while ensuring this student population receives necessary support, it is critical that knowledge gaps are addressed and individual professional needs are met (De Zell Hall, 2014). An influx of special education referrals and added job responsibilities has generated the need to hire more educational diagnosticians, while inadvertently fostering a need for school districts to support additional diagnosticians (Fielding, 2004).
The development of educational diagnosticians allows for the support of students receiving or needing special education services. The entire reason and purpose of an educational diagnostician is to enhance equality and strengthen the foundation of a vulnerable population of students that need additional assistance beyond the traditional classroom setting. The knowledge of teachers, parents, and administrators surrounding disabilities has resulted in an increase in special education referrals. Educational diagnosticians, especially novice diagnosticians, must be equipped with the appropriate knowledge and tools to ensure students have what they need in an educational setting to offer them the best growth and development possible. The time is now to support educational diagnosticians, who in turn support a community of students, parents, and educators.
References
De Zell Hall, L. (2014). Educational diagnosticians play diverse, unique roles. DiaLog, 43(1), 4.
Fielding, C. (2004). Low performance on high-stakes test drives special education referrals: A Texas survey. The Educational Forum 68 (2), 126-132. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131720408984619
Kotter, J. (2011, March 23). Dr. John Kotter - The Heart of Change. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/1NKti9MyAAw
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Kotter, J. (2013, August 15). Leading Change: Establish a Sense of Urgency. [Video] YouTube. https://youtu.be/2Yfrj2Y9IlI
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Peyton, D. J., Acosta, K., Harvey, A., Pua, D. J., Sindelar, P. T., Mason-Williams, L., Dewey, J., Fisher, T. L., & Crews, E. (2021). Special education teacher shortage: Differences between high and low shortage states. Teacher Education & Special Education, 44(1), 5–23. https://doi.org./10.1177/0888406420906618
Sinek, S. (2009, September 28). Start with why: How great leaders inspire action. YouTube.