The problem addressed by this study was that new school administrators are not prepared to lead special education programs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore new school administrators' perceptions of their preparation and knowledge in leading special education programs in a kindergarten through 12th grade school setting. Social cognitive theory was the most suitable framework to guide this study as it is paired well with social applications. New school administrators of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Americas Region were the targeted sample for this study. Purposive sampling was used to obtain a sample of 10 participants with the following inclusion criteria: school leaders (i.e., principals and/or assistant principals, instructional systems specialists) leading special education programs and less than 36 months of leadership and/or supervisory experience in a kindergarten through 12th grade school setting. Social media platforms were utilized to recruit participants. Semi-structured audio recorded interviews via Microsoft Teams were conducted to collect the data to capture an understanding of the school administrators' experience in leading special education programs. A thematic analysis was utilized to analyze and code the data manually and by a computer software, NVivo. Research Question 1 focused on preparation and garnered two themes: not enough and confidence to lead. Research Question 2 focused on knowledge and garnered four themes: comprehension of regulations and processes, awareness of supporting professionals, expertise in supporting families, and recognizing when to seek support. New school administrators would benefit from trainings prior to and after accepting the role of school administrator leading special education programs. New school administrators are responsible for supporting students with special needs, their families, and teachers to ensure legal compliance and a free and appropriate education for all students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]