Special Education Teachers in Demand

by Sheryl Nance-Nash

“There is nothing better than the reward of watching students who have had a difficult time in school begin to succeed and gain confidence in their abilities to master school-related tasks. I cannot think of a better job in this world,” says Barbara Jentleson, a special education teacher and administrator for 20 years, and currently an assistant professor and program director of Project H.O.P.E. at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

Despite the rewards, she says, historically there has been a shortage of special education teachers. Now, though, “we are nearing a crisis of epic proportions,” says Linda Harrill, president and CEO of Communities in Schools of North Carolina, an independently incorporated nonprofit.

“It is so serious in some states that they often put in less trained and uncertified teachers in classrooms. The situation has gotten so desperate that they are looking for ‘warm bodies’ hoping to provide on-the-job training,” Harrill adds.

There’s always been a shortage of certified highly qualified teachers since special needs students were included in schools in the 1970s after the federal law was passed, explains Harrill. In the beginning it was due to a lack of universities and colleges ready to train and certify teachers in the field. As special education emerged, and more and more teacher training institutions began to offer programs, there was a major recruiting effort. Now, there are other contributing factors. For starters, a historic turnover is taking place in the teaching profession. While student enrollments are rising rapidly, more than 1 million veteran teachers are nearing retirement, according to the National Education Association.

Experts predict there will be a need for more than 2 million new teachers in the next decade. The teacher recruitment problem is most acute in urban and rural schools, especially in high-need subject areas such as special education and for teachers of color. Despite the value placed on education, teachers are still paid less than professions that require comparable education and skills. Over the last 10 years, the average salary for public school teachers increased only 1.3 percent after adjusting for inflation, according to the NEA.

When it comes to special education teachers the degree of specialty required goes beyond that of a regular classroom teacher. Special education teachers have to have content areas plus additional training in different areas of disabilities, says Harrill. There is also a lack of positive reinforcement and community and school support for special needs teachers, she adds. There is a lot of additional paperwork on top of teaching responsibilities.

The onset of significant federal monitoring and assessment of children via No Child Left Behind further complicated the issues in special education, creating a conflicting tension between the intent of the Individualized Education Plan and the national standards of accountability, says Molly Kelly-Elliott, clinical faculty and undergraduate adviser of the special education program at Miami University in Ohio. “These outside forces eliminate much of the creative element, or what I call the art of teaching, leaving only the science of teaching, when every good educator knows both must co-exist,” she adds.

If the shortage is not addressed, the situation will continue to get worse, says Dave Saba, president of the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C. “The percentage of special education students in public schools has steadily increased from 8.3 percent in 1977 to 13.5 percent in 2007. The numbers of special education students increased from 3.7 million to 6.7 million over the same time frame,” he adds. Many of these students are children of color.

Creative Recruitment and Retention Required
It’s tough to attract teachers to the field and once they are in, keeping them can be tougher. “Some underestimate the work involved, are overwhelmed by the complexity of the position and the behaviorally challenged students, while others may lack teacher preparation that adequately prepares them to meet the needs of the population they are hired to serve. Teacher pay, teacher burnout and the lack of respect for the teaching profession contribute to the special education teacher shortage,” says Chiquita Martin, assistant director of education for the Ridge School of Montgomery County, a therapeutic school for grade 6-12 students in Rockville, Md.

The statistics for turnover for the teaching profession overall are startling. Some 20 percent of all new hires leave the classroom within three years. In urban districts, the numbers are worse – close to 50 percent of newcomers flee the profession during their first five years of teaching, according to the National Education Association.

What’s being done to stem the outflow? “Successful efforts that I’ve participated in have included active recruiting among undergraduate and graduate students that have included significant financial incentives. These have been incentives such as fellowships for licensure and training programs, signing bonuses and also higher starting salaries. Once in the field, similar incentives and also opportunities for growth and development aligned with the interest of the professional can be effective. Active administrative support for teachers and their professional interests and initiatives is important,” says Jentleson.

Making student loan forgiveness more readily available and easily accessible would also help attract young people to the field, says Martin. Simply taking the guess work out of getting students loans forgiven for work in critical need areas would help propel recruitment, she adds. “Costs for higher education are staggering and any assistance helps. Increasing opportunities for aspiring teachers to further their education once in the field at no or low cost will also attract new recruits,” says Martin.

Giving more young people the chance to work with special- needs students as part of community service would give them the chance to realize the joys and rewards of teaching them. “We need a national campaign to highlight the joys and rewards of teaching students with special needs,” says Harrill.

Think outside the box. There are places outside of the colleges of education where candidates for special education jobs can be found. “There may be talented people working as substitutes or volunteering. There may be occupational or physical therapists and employees of nursing homes or Head Start programs, or nurses who might want to make a career change,” says Saba.

Some school districts and state departments of education are going outside of the country to hire teachers, turning to places such as Germany, the Philippines and Mexico, says Lisa Thomas, spokeswoman for Educational Issues at the American Federation of Teachers. “They are using a career-changer model (Troops for Teachers) and alternative certification programs like Teach for America,” she adds.

Mentoring, ongoing administrative support and offering individualized career plans are other ways school leaders can retain the best. Incentives such as housing allowances might help too. Furthermore, universities must recruit students of color and linguistic diversity says Kelly-Elliott who touts the work of Miami University and its Urban Cohort Teacher Academy Program.

Challenges and Rewards
Such measures are necessary to help combat the challenges. “Special education teachers have to take the initiative to collaborate and build relationships with all the other professionals in the school, to work with general ed teachers who may be resistant, to respond to both the Individualized Education Plan of the student and the state standards for content and mandated testing, which often are in conflict, ” points out Kelly-Elliott.

Being a special education teacher is not only about teaching. “Really, they are case managers. They must coordinate the related services programming for their students – physical, speech, occupational therapy and counseling services. They also have to work closely with family members in managing their students,” says Jentleson.

“There is an emotional toll on teachers because the needs are not just academic,” adds Harrill. The average caseload for special education teachers is 17 students with 2.2 disabilities, says Saba.

But the rewards are huge. “There is a joy in knowing that you can make a difference in their lives. It’s worth the effort. You can make the difference between the child staying in school and graduating or dropping out of school,” says Harrill.

Jennifer Coots, chairwoman of the educational psychology, administration and counseling department with the College of Education at California State University at Long Beach recalls fond memories, “One reward I found of particular importance to me when I was a teacher was the reward that came from figuring out the mystery of why a child is not progressing and then figuring out how to intervene so that the child would progress and grow.”

You’ll need patience, love, energy, passion, understanding, problem-solving savvy and commitment – to be champions for the children. But mostly, Harrill says, “Remember that the most important thing is to teach the child, not the subject.”

Says Saba, “We cannot ignore the crisis any longer. We must ensure that every child has an opportunity for a great education.”

Below are helpful resources for those teaching special education, including grants and awards.

Marva Collins Diversity Award
The Marva Collins Diversity Award honors a special education teacher who makes a significant impact in the education of children and youths with Learning Disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The award consists of a $200 stipend and free registration to the DLD National Conference.
More information: www.teachingld.org/about/awards.html

Outstanding Educator of the Year Award
Outstanding Educator of the Year Awards are designed to recognize outstanding professionals who serve students with specific learning disabilities. Nominees may be special educators, general educators, administrators, or other educators who have spent at least five years serving students with learning disabilities at any grade level. The award consists of: (a) a $200 stipend, (b) a free registration to the DLD National Conference for the year they are receiving the award OR the following year, and (c) a commemorative plaque.
More information: www.teachingld.org/about/awards.html

The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation
The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation awards grants on an annual basis to non-profit organizations and schools that provide services, education and advocacy for children with autism spectrum disorder and to organizations that conduct research on the causes and effects of autism. Grant Guidelines are posted on the foundation’s Web site each year in July.
More Information:www.dougflutiejrfoundation.org

CVS Caremark Community Grants
Community Grants target effective and innovative programs that align with the group’s philanthropic values and criteria. The 2008 Community Grants Program will focus on programs targeting children with disabilities in the areas of health and rehabilitation, physical movement and play, and inclusion in student activities and extracurricular programs.
More information: www.cvscaremark.com/community

The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation Grant
The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation is dedicated to helping young Americans with disabilities maximize their potential and full participation in society. The Foundation supports organizations and projects within its mission that address important needs, have broad scope and impact, and demonstrate potential for replication at other sites.  A major program emphasis is inclusion: enabling young people with disabilities to have full access to educational, vocational and recreational opportunities and to participate alongside their non-disabled peers.
More information: www.meaf.org/apply-priorities.php

The Lawrence Scadden Teacher of the Year Award in Science Education for Students with Disabilities
This award is open to all current K-12 teachers who have taught for at least 5 years and must have made an outstanding contribution to science students with disabilities.
The recipient will be recognized at the annual National Science Teachers Association Convention and will receive a $1,000 award to be applied to travel expenses for the conference.
More information: www.sesd.info/scadden.htm

Pete & Carrie Rozelle Award
The Pete & Carrie Rozelle Award is given to a school or school-related program that addresses the educational and social/emotional needs of all children, including those with learning disabilities. This $5,000 award will allow for expanded programmatic and staff development opportunities that focus on incorporating effective research-based practices into classroom and school-wide practice. Preference is given to programs that serve underprivileged and underserved communities, or programs that have demonstrated unique impact for students with LD.  *Note: Only schools that have met Annual Yearly Progress goals will be considered.
More information:  1-888-575-7373
www.ncld.org

Virginia Council on Learning Disabilities Mini-grant
VCLD mini-grants are intended to support innovative, classroom-based programs/interventions designed for students with learning disabilities. Applicants must be full-time teachers in Virginia schools and current members of VCLD. Mini-grants of up to $500 will be awarded on a semi-annual basis. VCLD funds may not be used for staff development, personnel, or hardware. Mini-grant recipients are expected to submit a summary report to VCLD and to disseminate results of their programs/interventions at the VCLD annual symposium. More information: www.vcld.org

Geraldine K. Fergen Scholarship Fund
Established in 1971 and amended in 1986 through various donations, this fund supports worthy graduate students enrolled in the department of special education. Geraldine K. Fergen was honored by this scholarship after her many years of service to the University of Missouri and Special Education.
More Information:  www.education.missouri.edu/academics/financial_aid/scholarships-graduate.php

P. Buckley Moss Foundation and Moss Society Arts Teacher Award
These awards recognize outstanding teachers who consistently integrate the arts into the teaching of children with learning disabilities and other special needs.  The awards also encourage and reward instructional collaboration among teachers whenever arts are included in the classroom learning experience as an essential ingredient in the education of all children.
More Information: www.mossfoundation.org

Candace S. Bos Innovative Project Grants
Grants to support teachers of students with learning disabilities and support personnel as they develop creative projects to enhance instruction, curriculum, action research and service delivery. DLD allots a yearly total of $5,000 for support, funding individual projects from $100 to $1,000. Applicants must be members of DLD.
More information: www.teachingld.org/about/awards.html

Related Information on Teachers of Color:

How To Get The Teaching Job You Want

Milton Hershey School, PA