Special Education Teacher Shortage: Solutions & Support

According to the Learning Policy Institute, 45 states reported special education educator scarcities in 2024-25 based upon data reported to the Education and learning Department. An LPI evaluation shows that 48 states and the District of Columbia had 365,967 educators who were not totally certified for their placements.

“We ‘d enjoy to have many, many scholars, yet we need to do what to get them there? Assistance them economically,” Cummings said. To ideal assist the universities, the facility has a tiered system of assistances that consists of extensive personalized aid for establishments in requirement, she claimed.

Addressing Special Education Teacher Scarcity

Chauntea Cummings, assistant supervisor of the facility, said during a Tuesday session that there’s a need to construct the special education and learning educator pipeline from underrepresented areas. Virtually 80% of special education and learning educators in 2022 were White, regardless of an overall trainee populace that is currently concerning 53% non-White, Cummings said.

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Under both pathways, individuals will get coursework, fieldwork, student mentor experiences and mentoring particular to special education, said Chrissy Brown, a professional assistant teacher of special education at the College of Chicago Illinois.

Minority serving establishments, while representing 21% of all educator preparation providers, deal with creating and submitting gives to sustain instructor prep work programs, she claimed. The obstacles consist of lack of support for grant writing and lack of sources for program layout and training for professors.

Supporting Minority Teacher Preparation

Maria Silva, task coordinator at the facility, claimed at the very same session that give aid for minority serving institutions includes mentorship from those who have experience in using, protecting and applying grants.

ARLINGTON, Va.– Innovative services to solving the special teacher scarcity calls for lots of collaboration, preparation, persistence and adaptability, stated audio speakers at the U.S. Department of Education and learning’s Office of Special Education and learning Programs’ yearly conference this week.

Innovative Solutions and Collaboration

Teacher preparation registration information is also preventing for basic and special education. Somewhat more than half of states– 27– saw instructor preparation program registration declines of 5% or even more between 2016-17 and 2020-21, according to LPI.

Support them financially,” Cummings said. To finest aid the colleges, the center has a tiered system of supports that includes intensive individualized assistance for organizations in demand, she stated.

The first is for experts– ideally with a bachelors degree– who want to gain their instructor permit, and the second, which is still in advancement, will be for those seeking both a degree and permit. Developers want to include high school students curious about the teaching career in the second path.

Chauntea Cummings, assistant director of The DREAM Center, talks about unique education specialist preparation throughout a session at the Workplace of Special Education and learning Programs meeting Aug. 6, 2025, in Arlington, Va
. Kara Arundel/K -12 Dive

Enhancing access to very early treatment, special education and learning mentor and relevant solutions preparation programs is a goal of The DREAM Center, an OSEP-funded technical support center. The facility– which stands for Delivering Resources, Education And Learning, and Access to Minority offering institutions– sustains traditionally black colleges and universities, tribally managed institution of higher learnings, and various other minority serving organizations in looking for gives to help prepare unique education experts.

Apprenticeship Paths for Teacher Licensing

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Severe unique instructor scarcities in Illinois led the University of Illinois Chicago to develop 2 apprenticeship paths for individuals to make a teacher license with a special education endorsement, claimed Maggin.

While the job to fill up special education and learning training vacancies is substantial, it’s necessary for supporting pupils with handicaps who require personalized scholastic and developing supports, Maggin said.

“These things do not just appear over night. They require a great deal of involvement, a great deal of job, a great deal of initiative,” stated Daniel Maggin, associate dean of study, special education and learning chair and teacher of unique education at the University of Illinois Chicago, throughout a session Wednesday.