The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to learn more about the experiences of school principals pertaining to special education leadership and the management of special education teachers in their buildings. The researcher hoped to become aware of how public-school building principals first learned about special education and how they maintain current special education knowledge. The researcher also hoped to determine helpful interventions and courses of action for principals to utilize in the future to retain special educators in their buildings and in the field of special education. In this study, a total of 9 eligible principals from public schools in Central Pennsylvania participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews The findings from this study demonstrate that principals overall learned little regarding special education in their formative coursework. Further, it was clear that many principal participants do not choose to actively seek experiences in which to deepen their understanding of special education as their years in the role continue. Conclusions from this research will help the state of Pennsylvania's principal preparation programs prepare coursework that better serves the principals, special education teachers, and students who receive special education services in the state. The results of this study will also help principals in the state of Pennsylvania to become stronger leaders of all faculty, staff, and students in their buildings. [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://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]