A Scoping Review of the Knowledge Base, Landscape, and Trends in Leadership Literature in Early Intervention, Early Childhood, and Early Childhood Special Education

Effective leadership is regarded as pivotal to the vitality of organizations. In early childhood programs, strong leadership is particularly critical because program leaders are the gatekeepers of quality. However, the fields of early intervention, early childhood, and early childhood special education (EI/EC/ECSE) continue to struggle with the challenges of being overlooked regarding leadership research, potentials, qualities, and abilities. This scoping review aimed to identify and synthesize the available evidence by understanding the nature and extent of leadership literature in EI/EC/ECSE between 2000 and 2018. Collectively, 1,416 articles were reviewed. A total of 106 articles that met the inclusion criteria were summarized using a number of variables. The review confirmed the long existing paucity of leadership research in EC and more specifically in EI and ECSE with specific findings in terms of research scopes and approaches. Presentation and discussion of findings along with implications for future research are provided.