Abstract:After decades of growth, the number of special education teachers (SETs) has begun to decline. In 2009, U.S. schools employed 13% fewer SETs than in 2006. The number of annual new hires of SETs also dropped dramatically in some states. The onset of these declines predated the economic downturn of 2008 and resulted in part from a steady decline since 2005 in the number of students with disabilities (SWD) served. We consider factors that may be contributing to declining demand for SETs, among them the number of … Show more
“…Rather, the shortage of qualified, prepared special educators available to work with students with specific disabilities, including emotional/behavioral disorders (EBDs), autism, and intellectual disabilities, as well as regional variations have been noted (Bowen & Klass, 1993; Lauritzen & Friedman, 1991, 1993; McLeskey, Tyler, & Flippin, 2004). More recently, evidence emerged that students with disabilities in high-poverty schools and districts were more likely to be taught by individuals with lesser qualifications and preparation (Fall & Billingsley, 2011; Mason-Williams, 2015), supporting what many researchers have long suggested: Teacher shortages and higher rates of attrition more often affect schools with high concentrations of poor and minority students and in exclusionary school settings (Boe, deBettencourt, Dewey, Rosenberg, Sindelar, & Leko, 2013; Brownell, Rosenberg, Sindelar, & Smith, 2004; McLeskey et al, 2004).…”
Section: Insufficient Supply and Attrition In Special Educationmentioning
confidence: 79%
“…Moreover, the federal definition of HQT includes those individuals currently enrolled in a program leading to full certification, no matter how recently enrolled. These subtle nuances in reporting, as well as declines in the overall number of identified students (Boe et al, 2013), may suggest that shortages no longer plague special education. More likely, shortages and high rates of attrition impact certain schools or students with certain characteristics more so than others, leading to an uneven distribution of qualified, prepared special educators (Brownell et al, 2004; Fall & Billingsley, 2011; Mason-Williams, 2015; McLeskey et al, 2004).…”
Section: Insufficient Supply and Attrition In Special Educationmentioning
This study provides nationally representative information about the qualifications and preparation of secondary content and special education teachers in special education and alternative school settings, as compared with teachers in regular schools. Findings demonstrate that a statistically significant relationship did not exist between school types and many teacher inputs. However, a relationship between special education preparation and setting did exist among secondary content teachers. Moreover, results highlight the inadequate number of secondary teachers, both in content areas and in special education, who held a degree and/or certification in special education. Practical and policy implications of these findings are discussed, and limitations are addressed.
“…Rather, the shortage of qualified, prepared special educators available to work with students with specific disabilities, including emotional/behavioral disorders (EBDs), autism, and intellectual disabilities, as well as regional variations have been noted (Bowen & Klass, 1993; Lauritzen & Friedman, 1991, 1993; McLeskey, Tyler, & Flippin, 2004). More recently, evidence emerged that students with disabilities in high-poverty schools and districts were more likely to be taught by individuals with lesser qualifications and preparation (Fall & Billingsley, 2011; Mason-Williams, 2015), supporting what many researchers have long suggested: Teacher shortages and higher rates of attrition more often affect schools with high concentrations of poor and minority students and in exclusionary school settings (Boe, deBettencourt, Dewey, Rosenberg, Sindelar, & Leko, 2013; Brownell, Rosenberg, Sindelar, & Smith, 2004; McLeskey et al, 2004).…”
Section: Insufficient Supply and Attrition In Special Educationmentioning
confidence: 79%
“…Moreover, the federal definition of HQT includes those individuals currently enrolled in a program leading to full certification, no matter how recently enrolled. These subtle nuances in reporting, as well as declines in the overall number of identified students (Boe et al, 2013), may suggest that shortages no longer plague special education. More likely, shortages and high rates of attrition impact certain schools or students with certain characteristics more so than others, leading to an uneven distribution of qualified, prepared special educators (Brownell et al, 2004; Fall & Billingsley, 2011; Mason-Williams, 2015; McLeskey et al, 2004).…”
Section: Insufficient Supply and Attrition In Special Educationmentioning
This study provides nationally representative information about the qualifications and preparation of secondary content and special education teachers in special education and alternative school settings, as compared with teachers in regular schools. Findings demonstrate that a statistically significant relationship did not exist between school types and many teacher inputs. However, a relationship between special education preparation and setting did exist among secondary content teachers. Moreover, results highlight the inadequate number of secondary teachers, both in content areas and in special education, who held a degree and/or certification in special education. Practical and policy implications of these findings are discussed, and limitations are addressed.
“…Focusing on the distribution of SETs is also important because policies aimed at solely increasing the supply of SETs will not be able to ensure that students with disabilities have access to qualified teachers (Boe et al, 2013). Studies examining the distribution of SETs have focused mainly on differences in SETs by school or district poverty levels.…”
the annual shortage of special education teachers (SETs) across the United States poses staffing challenges for local school districts (U.S. Department of Education, 2015a) and the education of nearly 6.5 million children with disabilities (U.S. Department of Education, 2015b). However, efforts to improve the supply of SETs often overlook key concerns about the diversity and distribution of SETs across schools. In special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 2004), students of color represent nearly half of 6-to 21-year-olds enrolled in classrooms (Snyder & Dillow, 2015), yet teachers of color represent only 17% of SETs (Schools and Staffing Survey, 2011). 1 These trends have led some to argue that cultural mismatch between teachers and students may contribute to racial disparities in special education and poor academic outcomes for students with disabilities (Tyler, Yzquierdo, Lopez-Reyna, & Flippin, 2004). In acknowledging the needs of students of color who will make up more than half of the total student population by 2024, the U.S. Department of Education (2016b) recently released a report emphasizing the need for racial diversity in a profession that remains majority White. Yet despite current and past calls for recruiting more teachers of color overall (Patton, Williams, Floyd, & Cobb, 2003), there is little research on whether this has improved in special education. A concern closely related to students' access to racially diverse SETs is the availability of SETs with appropriate
“…Although data available from the Data Accountability Center (www.ideadata.org) demonstrated that the proportion of SETs considered highly qualified increased to 94% by fall 2011 (U.S. Department of Education, 2012), questions remain regarding the extent to which schools rely on substitute teachers, the number of positions left unfilled, and the qualifications of indirect service providers who do not need to meet highly qualified teacher (HQT) requirements (Steinbrecher, McKeown, & Walther-Thomas, 2013). And although there may be an overall decline in demand for SETs, the uneven distribution of qualified, prepared SETs continues to hinder providing all students with disabilities an equitable education (Boe et al, 2013).…”
This study profiles the qualifications and preparation of special educators from the 2003–2004 Schools and Staffing Survey and investigates their relationship with teaching in a high-poverty school. Based on Berne and Stiefel’s (1984) equal opportunity standard, students with disabilities in high-poverty schools are not provided an equitable education. The results echo state accountability reports that document a shortage of special education teachers meeting the highly qualified teacher standards in high-poverty schools and other research studies on the uneven distribution of teachers. Policies such as alternative certification programs, economic incentives, and induction programs aimed at recruiting and retaining qualified, prepared special educators are considered along with ideas for future research.
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