69ý

Special Education

Special Ed. Teacher Shortage Targeted

By Christina A. Samuels — October 25, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Two organizations devoted to the needs of children with disabilities are leading an effort to address shortages of special education teachers and other professionals in the field.

The fledgling organization, the National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services, has met four times since its formation in August, said Susan T. Karr, the director of state education practices for the Bethesda, Md.-based American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association, or ASHA, which is one of the coalition’s leaders.

The coalition has ambitions to pool the resources of several different organizations to tackle the complex problem, Ms. Karr said.

“We hope that because [recruitment and retention] would be our focus, that we are unique in that sense,” Ms. Karr said.

The National Association of State Directors of Special Education, based in Alexandria, Va., is the coalition’s other lead group. Other members include the Council for Exceptional Children, the Council of Administrators of Special Education, the Higher Education Consortium for Special Education, and the National Education Association.

“We have all the different perspectives together in one room,” Ms. Karr said. “We’re trying to be as comprehensive as possible.”

Her organization is working to get firm numbers on the recruitment and retention of speech-language pathologists.

In a 2004 ASHA survey of school-based speech-language pathologists, 62 percent of the respondents reported that there were more job openings in their schools than people seeking to fill them.

Anecdotally, Ms. Karr said, speech-language pathologists are concerned about a lack of planning time and an overwhelming amount of paperwork. Large caseloads are also a problem for many speech and language professionals who work in schools, she said.

In addition to pooling information, the coalition plans to lobby government officials and craft recommendations that can help districts address persistent shortages.

“We’re in our infancy stages, and this is not going to be something that’s solved overnight,” Ms. Karr said. But, she added, “we have a focused initiative.”

A version of this article appeared in the October 26, 2005 edition of Education Week

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Teaching 69ý to Use Artificial Intelligence Ethically
Ready to embrace AI in your classroom? Join our master class to learn how to use AI as a tool for learning, not a replacement.
Content provided by 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Special Education How Trump's Policies Could Affect Special Education
The new administration's stance on special education isn't yet clear—but efforts to revamp federal policy could have ripple effects.
13 min read
A teenage girl from the back looks through the bars, the fenced barrier, at the White House in Washington, D.C.
iStock/Getty Images
Special Education The Essential Skill 69ý With Learning Differences Need
69ý must teach students with learning differences how to communicate about their needs.
4 min read
Vector illustration of three birds being released from a cage.
iStock/Getty
Special Education A Guide to Bringing Neurodiverse Learners Into the Fold
Three tips for teachers and principals to accommodate learning differences.
3 min read
Neurodiversity. Thinking brain. Difference concept.
iStock/Getty Images + Education Week
Special Education 5 Key Ways to Support 69ý With Learning Differences
Teachers are often uncertain about how to support students who have dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia.
4 min read
Black teacher smiling and giving a student a high five in a classroom of Black elementary students.
E+/Getty