The Supply

Abstract

As the field of special education (SE) examines issues related to supply and demand of SE teachers and faculty, an investigation of students currently enrolled in doctoral programs and doctoral graduates is an important perspective to consider. The results of two components of the Special Education Faculty Needs Assessment (SEFNA), focused on the aforementioned two populations, are described. Students enrolled in SE doctoral programs during the spring of 2009 (n = 1,263) and graduates of SE doctoral programs between 1999 and 2008 (n = 626) were surveyed about their educational backgrounds, experiences in applying to doctoral programs, doctoral programs and studies, postgraduation plans, postgraduation career choices, and background information. Results indicated that key predictors of doctoral students who become college and university faculty include the following: intent to pursue a faculty career, financial support (e.g., teaching assistantship, research assistantship, traineeship, fellowship), age when enrolling in a doctoral program, reduced time to complete the doctoral degree, and willingness to relocate after graduation for employment. Comparisons are made to results from the 2001 Faculty Shortage Study, a predecessor to SEFNA.

Assessment in Special Education Teacher Preparation: An Examination of Practices

“…Similar to PreK-12 schools, EPPs grapple with balancing the delivery of impactful learning experiences and accountability expectations for undergraduate and graduate students. The pressure placed on EPPs that train special educators is even greater due to pervasive shortages of special education teacher educators (Robb, Smith & Montrosse, 2012;West & Hardman, 2012) and the demand of fully qualified special educators in PreK-12 schools (Tyler, Montrosse & Smith, 2012). To assist special education EPPs with ensuring they develop and implement high-quality programs, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC, 2015) released the following set of six preparation standards:…”

“…Research has shown that PreK-12 special educators contend with increased assessment responsibilities and educational decision making for students with disabilities (Dukes et al, 2014;Smith et al, 2010;Tyler et al, 2012). Significant growth in the emerging number of multilingual students in U.S. schools requires that special educators and evaluators have the skills necessary to minimize bias, distinguish cultural and linguistic difference from disability, and implement needed services to students with disabilities (Chen & Lindo, 2018).…”

Considering a Doctoral Degree?

“…These funding opportunities may make the ultimate difference in your success, as many believe that “academic integration,” or becoming fully assimilated within the university, is the single most important factor in predicting those who complete their programs versus those who do not (Lovitts, 2001). Moreover, individuals who take advantage of some sort of assistantship (such as in teaching or research) or an available fellowship to support their doctoral program are 1.6 times as likely to become a university faculty member (Tyler, Mostrosse, & Smith, 2012). For this reason, taking advantage of opportunities that will allow you to be a full-time student may be invaluable.…”