Special Education Teacher Shortage: Data and Solution
Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability and Reform Conference – Live Stream
April 23, 8:45 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. MST
The Special Education teacher shortage is multi-faceted problem. For example, rather than shortages, some states have distributional problems disadvantaging both remote rural districts and high poverty, low achieving schools that suffer high turnover. Furthermore, we lack teachers of color, to be sure, and we lose SETs due to attrition, both to general education as well as out of teaching. Although these different problems require unique solutions, all would be mitigated by increased supply. In this presentation, Dr. Sindelar will present OSEP data to describe recent trends in SET shortage and discuss their implications. SET employment has increased since the recession, but not nearly as fast as SWD prevalence. As a result, after dropping to less than 5% during the recession, shortage has increased to nearly 7%, still short of its historical average of 10%. Dr. Bianco will discuss an innovative precollegiate program designed to encourage high school students of color to become teachers. Through the Pathways2Teaching program students learn about special education and the important role special educators play.