Who's Teaching Our Children with Disabilities? Part 6

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National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities

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Are There Shortages of Special Educators?

Yes. Since the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (originally called the Education for the Handicapped Act), there has been a concern about having enough qualified special education teachers (and related services personnel) to meet the growing number of children covered by the law. Special education teachers have been consistently in short supply and have been designated as a critical shortage teaching area.

Although the number of special education teachers employed has risen almost every year, so has the number of teaching positions that are vacant or filled by teachers who are not appropriately licensed for their assignment. The most recent data (from the 1993-94 school year) indicate that 330,866 fully certified special education teachers are employed in the schools, with 27,124 positions either vacant or filled with teachers who were not fully certified (U.S. Department of Education, 1996). Although there has been an increase in the number of bachelor is degrees granted in special education over the last decade (6,507 in 1987-88; 7,867 in 1991-92), this increase is not enough to meet the annual shortage. Clearly, there are not enough new graduates each year to meet the demand.

The greatest numerical shortages are for teachers of children with specific learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, and multiple disabilities. The greatest percentage of shortages (number of needed teachers divided by the number employed) are for teachers of children with autism, serious emotional disturbances, traumatic brain injury, deaf-blindness, and multiple disabilities (U.S. Department of Education, 1996).

Data from every state show an inadequate supply of qualified special education teachers, but some areas of the country have greater shortages than others. It is not surprising that those states whose population is growing (e.g., Florida, Arizona) continue to have the greatest need for special education teachers. Typically, rural and urban areas in all states have greater shortages than suburban areas. Some school districts have such a hard time filling their special education teacher vacancies that they offer bonuses or other incentives to teachers willing to relocate there.

Another component to the shortage issue is that a higher percentage of special education teachers leave the field of special education from one year to the next than do general education teachers (Boe, Bobbitt, Cook, & Weber, 1995). About 11% of special education teachers leave special education each year, compared with 6% of general education teachers. However, of the 11% of special education teachers who leave annually, 5% transfer to general education and 6% leave the teaching profession altogether. Therefore, the major source of the difference in attrition rates is the number of special education teachers going into general education teaching positions. Although these special education teachers may bring excellent skills and insight into general education classrooms, it still means that they leave a vacant position behind.

Why Do Special Education Teachers Leave?

Special education is a demanding profession with many challenges. This can be especially true for first- or second-year teachers. Special education teachers are most likely to leave teaching during the first five years. Those who make it through those first challenging years are more likely to continue to teach for many more.

Beginning special education teachers encounter many of the same problems as general education teachers, including discipline concerns, parent difficulties, and inadequate or insufficient materials. Beginning special education teachers also have to put into practice collaboration skills they may or may not have learned as part of their college education; they must face IEP requirements; and, perhaps for the first time, they must supervise paraprofessionals. Because those beginning teachers who have had a positive first employment experience are more likely to remain as teachers, or, if they do leave teaching, are more likely to return at a later date, over 30 states have implemented programs to help ease the transition for novice teachers (Andrews, 1996). Some states have mentor programs, where an experienced teacher is assigned to a first-year teacher to help ease his or her adjustment.

Job stress leads some special educators, both novice and experienced, to switch to general education or to leave teaching altogether (Gonzalez, 1995). As mentioned earlier, paperwork is often cited as a primary stress for special educators. Having to spend so much time completing required reports, including evaluations and transition plans for students moving out of special education, is frustrating to many special education teachers because it means that they are not able to spend the time they would like with their students. And for most, teaching the children is why they chose special education as a career.

Other frequently mentioned sources of stress are lack of support by administrators and isolation from other school faculty. If administrators do not understand the roles and responsibilities of the special education teacher, they may fail to recognize the significance of the teacher's challenges and accomplishments. This can translate into limited assistance with specific problems like discipline, lack of appropriate materials, and release time for necessary planning and collaboration.

Often there may be only one or two special education teachers in a school building, and, too frequently, the special education teacher's office or classroom (if there is one at all) is in an outlying or isolated part of the building. This makes it difficult for the special education teacher to interact with general education teachers and to become an involved, participating member of the school environment. Without other special education professionals at hand for support, advice, new ideas, and encouragement, special educators can feel alone and professionally out on a limb. They may also be resented by general educators who think special educators have it easy because of their smaller classes and who do not understand the additional demands and paperwork involved (Greene, 1993-94).

Another source of stress for special education teachers can be overwhelming student needs. Many children with disabilities have social and emotional needs that go beyond their educational difficulties. Teaching these children can be highly demanding, both physically and mentally. It is not surprising that one of the highest attrition rates is for teachers of children with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Some states have implemented programs designed to help retain special educators. For example, Maine has developed the Maine Support Network, which provides fall and spring support meetings, a winter retreat, and summer teachers' academies to give special education teachers throughout the state opportunities for collegial support, forums for problem solving, excellent training opportunities, and the opportunity to tap into state and regional resources.

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