Special Education Teacher Supply and Teacher Quality: The Problems, The Solutions

Abstract

Special education is facing the daunting challenge of increasing the supply of teachers while simultaneously upgrading its quality. Shortages of fully qualified teachers have plagued special education for two decades, and schools also have struggled to find qualified math, science, and ESL teachers. Shortages in all of these fields are likely to worsen as the teaching workforce ages and as statewide initiatives (such as reductions in class size) fuel increased demand. The quality of the teaching workforce also has come under scrutiny, as schools across the country are initiating standards-based reforms in which teacher competence is linked to student performance on high-stakes assessments.In this article, we first consider two policy initiatives that address the dilemma of increasing numbers and improving quality simultaneously. We then consider the problem of attrition, which contributes in significant ways to both the quantity and quality issues. We explain why attrition is a particular problem for beginning teachers and describe programs that have proven effective in combating it.In response to burgeoning demand and dissatisfaction with the quality of the existing workforce, the Bush Administration has promulgated policies to increase supply, notably through the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the most recent authorization of what had been known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. These initiatives are designed to promote easy entry to the profession via alternative training routes for specific populations of teacher candidates.Previously, the National Commission for Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) had issued a policy blueprint in 1996 that addressed shortages and quality in a different manner, emphasizing the professionalization of teaching and the enhancement of schools as workplaces. It was argued that fewer teachers would leave the field-and more candidates would be attracted to it-if they ~ere to teach at schools that would support their work and foster their professional growth, and if they were to earn a professional wage.

Republication of “NCLB and the Demand for Highly Qualified Teachers: Challenges and Solutions for Rural Schools”

“…Prior to the passage of NCLB, states and districts concerned over looming teacher shortages started engaging in rather aggressive recruitment strategies that involved financial incentives for recruiting teachers, particularly those willing to work in hard-to-staff schools and critical shortage areas (Brownell, Sindelar, Bishop, Langley, & Seo, 2002). A considerable number of states and districts have implemented costly strategies in an attempt to recruit adequate numbers of teachers into the classroom (Prince, 2002; SCTQ, 2002).…”

“…Drawing on the rural adult population to recruit and prepare prospective teachers, however, may not be sufficient to reduce shortages. Districts must also consider the duration and quality of alternative preparation programs, as these factors are likely to influence the retention of quality special education teachers (Brownell et al, 2002). Limited research on preparation routes suggests that quick routes to the classroom produce less prepared teachers who are unwilling to remain in the classroom; whereas more intensive “grow your own” programs are more likely to produce competent teachers who will stay (Clewell & Villegas, 2001; DeWitt Wallace Reader’s Digest Fund, n.d.…”

Inclusion of Students With Special Needs in Private Schools in Kuwait: Challenges That Face School Administrators

“…Preparing student teachers to a high level of quality is a lofty ambition; there is a significant gap between research and practice. Scholars must analyze and interpret the outcomes of special education teacher programs to fill this gap and improve upon the current situation (Brownell, 2002). In the end, it is imperative to underscore the challenges faced and make urgent strides toward reform so that teachers can be equipped, outfitted, and prepared to provide special needs students with the opportunity to be educated in a general education atmosphere (Zigmond et al, 2009).…”

The Construction and Initial Validation of the Student Teachers’ Efficacy Scale for Teaching Students With Disabilities

“…Teaching jobs in special education are usually linked to high levels of stress and burnout rates (Billingsley, 2004; Brunsting et al, 2014; Ruble, Usher, & McGrew, 2011). These factors often contribute to shortages in teacher and related service personnel in special education (Brownell, Sindelar, Bishop, Langley, & Seo, 2002; Zhang, Wang, Losinski, & Katsiyannis, 2014). Teacher efficacy in teaching students with disabilities is reportedly related to teachers’ stress-coping abilities (Fives, Hamman, & Olivarez, 2007).…”