Adapted Physical Educators Navigating Relationships With School Administrators

Area of Science:

• Education
• Special Education
• Physical Education

Background:

• School administrators are key socialization agents for teachers.
• Adapted physical educators (APEs) work with youth with disabilities, often across multiple school sites.
• Understanding the administrator-APE relationship is vital for program success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how adapted physical educators build and navigate relationships with school administrators.
• To identify challenges and facilitators in these professional relationships.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semistructured interviews with 24 adapted physical educators in California.
• Utilized a multiphase approach for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Administrators often lack understanding of adapted physical education, impacting programs and students.
• Relationship building is essential for securing principal support.
• Intentional relationship development fosters trust and motivation for APEs.

Conclusions:

• Effective administrator-APE relationships require intentional effort.
• Improved understanding and support are needed for adapted physical education programs.
• Recommendations are provided for training both APEs and principals.