Addressing the Shortage of Special Education Teachers of Color: Implications for Teacher Education Programs and K-12 Systems

A critical shortage of special education teachers persists nationwide, challenging the realization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandate of providing Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for students with disabilities. Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this sh...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social sciences (Basel) 2024-11, Vol.13 (11), p.622
Main Authors: Myrie, Doreen N, Dowd, Nicci T, Latiker, Michelle D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administrators
Blended learning
Burnout
California
COVID-19
Darling-Hammond, Linda
Disability
Disabled children
Economic policy
Educational programs
Educational systems
Epidemics
faculty of color
Higher education
Individualized education programs
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 1990-US
Management
Minority & ethnic groups
Minority teachers
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Pandemics
Policy making
Professionals
Public schools
Quality of education
Recruitment
Shortages
Special education
Special education teachers
Students with disabilities
Supply and demand
Teacher centers
Teacher education
teacher shortage
Teachers
teachers of color
Teachers of disabled children
Teaching
Training
United States
Washington
Washington, D.C
Workforce
Workloads
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A critical shortage of special education teachers persists nationwide, challenging the realization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandate of providing Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for students with disabilities. Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this shortage disproportionately affects teachers of color. Moreover, it extends beyond K-12 systems, impacting special education educator preparation programs, where faculties are often drawn from practicing teachers pursuing advanced degrees. This paper delineates the multifaceted implications of the shortage of special education teachers of color in both teacher education programs and K-12 systems. Emphasizing the indispensable role and specialized skill set of special educators, we offer strategies to mitigate this crisis, including improvements in preparation, recruitment, and retention efforts. Anticipating a diverse readership encompassing teacher education programs, K-12 administrators, teachers, and education policymakers, we aim to foster awareness, prompt dialog, and inspire actionable steps to address this pressing issue.
ISSN:2076-0760
2076-0760
DOI:10.3390/socsci13110622