Educational leaders, including directors of special education (DSE), often lack the depth and breadth of knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to effectively manage the nuanced needs of special education. It is critically important, both legally and morally, for DSEs to have skills and mindsets to be effective in their roles. It is imperative that the field identify effective methods of training, developing, and supporting DSEs in the competencies they need to successfully serve all learners. This piece shares one Institute of Higher Education's (IHE's Council for Exceptional Children) process for revising an existing preparation program through an innovative partnership with statewide, practicing DSEs. Results of statewide program reviews and DSE surveys and focus groups highlight the critical capacities needed for DSEs to be effective on the job as well as ways to rethink what effective DSE licensure programs could and should look like.