Public schools are facing difficulties in hiring special education teachers.

For the upcoming 2024-25 school year, 72% of public schools with vacancies for special education teachers have reported challenges in filling these positions, as per data from the Education Department’s National Center for Education Statistics.

YSL News consulted with specialized education professionals to explore the reasons behind the shortage of special education teachers and potential strategies to resolve it.

1. Focus on Mental Health

Students in special education often have disabilities that impact their learning and interaction; therefore, their teachers must manage both their emotional and educational needs, explained Deborah Schadler, interim associate dean and director of the Autism Institute at Gwynedd Mercy University in Philadelphia.

Challenges related to the “unpredictability of human behavior” can dissuade teachers from entering the profession or cause them to leave, Schadler added.

Providing mental health resources and regular check-ins from administrators can make a significant impact in retaining teachers and helping them manage stress, noted Aron Boxer, a former teacher.

Boxer, who used to teach special education and now runs a tutoring company in Greenwich, Connecticut, cited the lack of support and low pay as reasons he left public education almost nine years ago, despite enjoying his work with challenging students.

Following his departure from the classroom, Boxer spent two years managing special education services at a private school. Now, he leads his own special education tutoring business, employing individuals with advanced degrees in the field.

“While special education is fulfilling, it’s also demanding,” he expressed. “We work with students who have emotional disturbances, so it’s crucial that teachers receive mental support.”

Offering special education teachers consistent training in social-emotional learning, group therapy access, and relaxation techniques could be beneficial, Boxer suggested. Additionally, school leaders should facilitate opportunities for teachers to bond “outside of the teacher lounge, away from administrative scrutiny,” he mentioned.

Schadler agrees that regular mental health check-ins from administrators can help retain special education teachers and prevent them from leaving the field.

“Administrators should proactively ask, ‘What do teachers need?'” she recommended. “It’s essential to engage in dialogue before a teacher reaches the breaking point and says, ‘I can’t do this anymore.'”

2. Support Through Coaching and Mentoring

Students in special education have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), designed to provide tailored educational services based on their specific needs.

Managing these legal requirements leads special education teachers to handle significant documentation and planning, resulting in workloads that far exceed those of general education teachers, Schadler highlighted.

“The workload can become overwhelming for many teachers, leading to feelings of confusion and discouragement,” she remarked.

The excessive workload is a primary reason many teachers leave special education, according to Kimber Wilkinson, a special education professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She frequently hears concerns about workload and morale from new teachers.

Wilkinson shared the stories of two special education teachers in Beloit, Wisconsin, who were excited to return to their school district but promptly left the profession due to increased responsibilities after a colleague’s departure and the strain of additional work.

“Constant stressors are detrimental,” she stated. “These educators are valuable assets in the system.”

School administrators can help these teachers by reducing their stress levels through ample support, manageable workloads, effective mentoring, and encouraging open communication about their challenges, Wilkinson advised.

3. Easier Pathways to Entering the Profession

Attracting individuals to a career in special education represents another hurdle, according to both Wilkinson and Schadler.

This fall, first-year college enrollment nationwide has decreased, affecting the pool of potential teachers.

Schadler explained that there was already a shortage of special education teachers before this latest decline in enrollment.

The pursuit of education, particularly in special education, is gaining attention.

According to Schadler, colleges should foster connections with potential students to entice them. Her institution plans to introduce an apprenticeship program aimed at providing more accessible and affordable training to high school students interested in special education teaching, as well as paraprofessionals currently working in classrooms.

To engage high school and middle school students, Schadler mentioned that the program will enable teenagers to enroll in community college courses specific to their career interests during the first two years, after which they can transition to a university.

This initiative would help reduce costs and allow students to gain experience in special education classrooms, which would also earn them college credit. Schadler emphasizes the importance of exposing young individuals to special education settings to reduce stereotypes regarding teaching disabled students.

Apprenticeship programs have the potential to uplift existing staff in special education environments, such as aides who may lack a college education. Many paraprofessionals face challenges in balancing work or childcare responsibilities with their education. Through an apprenticeship program, they would be able to convert some of their classroom experience into college credits as they work toward earning a degree.

Schadler expressed that the role can be incredibly fulfilling.

“The best day in a typical classroom doesn’t compare to my top day in a special education setting because the needs are so distinct,” Schadler remarked. “If you can meet those needs, there’s a real sense of achievement.”