Indiana Program Addresses Special Education Teacher Shortage
Correspondent Dan Lieberman traveled to the state to see how the program works and whether it’s filling the gap.
THOSE STORIES RIGHT NOW ON MATTER OF FACT. ABOUT 15% OF STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION OR RELATED SERVICES. THAT’S MORE THAN 7 MILLION STUDENTS NATIONALLY, THOUGH THERE AREN’T ENOUGH TEACHERS TRAINED IN THIS AREA FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, 74% OF PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS REPORT HAVING DIFFICULTY FILLING SPECIAL EDUCATION VACANCIES. THIS IS A LONG RUNNING PROBLEM. IN 2021, THE STATE OF INDIANA DECIDED TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. IT LAUNCHED A PROGRAM AIMED AT MAKING IT EASIER FOR TEACHERS TO BECOME LICENSED IN SPECIAL ED. OUR CORRESPONDENT DAN LIEBERMAN, TAKES US TO THE HOOSIER STATE TO SEE HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS AND WHETHER IT’S HELPING FILL THE GAP. WE’VE HAD GREAT EDUCATORS, BUT THE CONSISTENCY GONE. ONE YEAR. HALF THE YEAR THEY’RE THERE AND THEN THEY’RE NOT THERE ANYMORE. SHAWANDA TYSON SAYS THAT FINDING CONSISTENT AND GOOD TEACHERS FOR HER 16 YEAR OLD SON WITH SPECIAL NEEDS HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE. THEY DIDN’T HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE FOR HIM. THEY DIDN’T TAKE THE TIME TO FIGURE OUT ANY ADJUSTMENTS FOR HIM. IN INDIANA, WHERE TYSON AND HER SON MARELL LIVE SCHOOLS HAVE LONG STRUGGLED TO KEEP SPECIAL ED TEACHERS IN THEIR JOBS. THE TEACHER, THAT’S THEIR BEST FRIEND, AND THEY CLING ON TO THEM AND THEY LOOK FOR THEM. THEY LIVE FOR THEM TO HELP THEM THROUGH THE DAY. AND THEN THEY SHOW UP ONE DAY. AND THIS PERSON DOES NOT RETURN. THE PROBLEM? HIGH TURNOVER AND DIFFICULTY RECRUITING IS NATIONWIDE, AND IT’S GOTTEN WORSE SINCE THE PANDEMIC. ACCORDING TO RECENT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DATA, NEARLY HALF OF SPECIAL ED JOBS ARE CURRENTLY VACANT, AND 78% OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE REPORTING DIFFICULTY IN HIRING SPECIAL ED STAFF. BUT SOME STATES, LIKE INDIANA, ARE SUCCESSFULLY CHIPPING AWAY AT THE SHORTAGE. THEY NEEDED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, AND I’M THINKING TO MYSELF, OH, YOU KNOW, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT BECAUSE I’M NOT GOING BACK TO SCHOOL. AND THEY WERE LIKE, NO, THEY’RE THE STATE OF INDIANA IS TRYING TO FIX THE TEACHER SHORTAGE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. SO THEY’LL PAY FOR IT. YOUR DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ARE WORTH 20 POINTS. INDIANA RESIDENT KALANI TOOKS TRIED OUT DIFFERENT CAREERS, BUT DECIDED TO GO INTO SPECIAL ED AFTER SEEING HER DAUGHTER, WHO HAS ADHD, STRUGGLE TO GET THE HELP SHE NEEDED IN SCHOOL. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE KIDS ARE OUR FUTURE. IF WE DON’T TEACH THEM, WHO WILL? TOOKS FOUND A WAY IN WITH I SEAL. A STATE FUNDED PROGRAM WHERE BOTH TEACHERS AND NON TEACHERS CAN RECEIVE FREE FAST TRACK TRAINING AND LICENSURE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2021 AFTER THE STATE WAS FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW FOR GRANTING THOUSANDS OF EMERGENCY PERMITS TO UNQUALIFIED SPECIAL ED TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO FILL ITS WORKFORCE SHORTAGES. THE SHORTAGE IS REAL. WE’RE STILL HAVING TROUBLE. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE. OUR KIDS NEED MORE NOWADAYS, AND WE JUST DON’T ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DO THAT. ICL PROVIDES ONLINE COURSES AND HANDS ON TRAINING IN THE CLASSROOM. MORE THAN 1000 PEOPLE HAVE ENROLLED IN. HUNDREDS ARE NOW TEACHING IN CLASSROOMS AROUND THE STATE. TOOKS COMPLETED THE PROGRAM AT THE END OF 2024 AND IS NOW FULLY CERTIFIED. WHAT IS IT? THE TEST? SHE’S JUST JUMPED IN, SO SHE’S REALLY TAKING HER CLASSES VERY SERIOUSLY. SHE’S ALWAYS SHARING WITH ME WHAT SHE’S LEARNING. AND SO I’M SO VERY, VERY HAPPY THAT OUR DISTRICT SAID, HEY, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, GET THE CERTIFICATION. TOOKS TAKES PRIDE IN BEING A SPECIAL ED TEACHER, BUT SAYS SHE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY OTHERS LEAVE THE PROFESSION. MOST SPECIAL ED TEACHERS ARE DOING, UNFORTUNATELY, DOUBLE WHAT GEN ED TEACHERS ARE DOING. YOU GET BURNED OUT SO FAST. THE BURNOUT STEMS IN PART FROM LACK OF FUNDING. IN 1975, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO COVERING 40% OF THE COST OF SPECIAL EDUCATION. BUT IN THE 50 YEARS SINCE, IT HAS TYPICALLY ONLY COVERED ABOUT 15%. YOU HAVE TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR THESE KIDS JUST BECAUSE THEY CARE ABOUT THOSE KIDS. THE LACK OF SUPPORT MAKES YOU EVENTUALLY FEEL LIKE, WHY AM I WASTING MY TIME IF I’M THE ONLY ONE THAT CARES ABOUT THESE BABIES? SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS REPORT THAT THEY HAVE FAR TOO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THEIR RESOURCES. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ELIZABETH BETTINI STUDIES WORKFORCE ISSUES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. SHE SAYS THAT WHILE PROGRAMS LIKE IXL ARE GREAT FOR GETTING NEW PEOPLE IN THE DOOR, THEY DON’T ADDRESS THE BIGGER ISSUE, WHICH IS RETENTION. THESE KINDS OF PROGRAMS TO BE EFFECTIVE, THEY CAN’T JUST BE BRINGING PEOPLE IN. THEY NEED TO BE SUPPORTING THEM ONCE THEY’RE THERE. THAT SUPPORT, SHE SAYS, SHOULD COME FROM SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS WHO AREN’T GIVEN ENOUGH TRAINING IN SPECIAL ED. SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, SCHOOL VICE PRINCIPALS. THEY’RE TYPICALLY REQUIRED TO TAKE ONE COURSE THAT ADDRESSES SPECIAL EDUCATION. AND THAT BASICALLY IS A COURSE ABOUT HOW NOT TO GET SUED. IT’S NOT A COURSE ABOUT HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS. WELL, HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR SCHOOL WELL. AND THAT, I THINK, IS A REAL FLAW IN OUR PREPARATION PROGRAMS FOR LEADERS THAT COULD BE FIXED AT A POLICY LEVEL. IS THAT MISS SMITH’S AGAIN? NO. MISS WEST. SEEING MARELL GO THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, HOW DO YOU THINK IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE? WHAT I REALLY WANT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS TO SIT DOWN, WORK ON KEEPING AND RETAINING TEACHERS THAT REALLY CARE, THAT REALLY PUT THEIR ALL INTO IT. PARENTS THAT HAVE ALL CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. WE REALLY JUST WANT TO BE HEARD, AND WE JUST REALLY WANT OUR KIDS TO HAVE THE BEST. FOR
Indiana Program Addresses Special Education Teacher Shortage
Correspondent Dan Lieberman traveled to the state to see how the program works and whether it’s filling the gap.
More than seven million students in the U.S. reply on special education or related services, but nationally, there aren’t enough teachers trained in this area. According to the Department of Education, 45% of public schools have vacancies in these positions, and 78% of schools report difficulty hiring special education staff. To address this long-running problem, the state of Indiana launched a program aimed at making it easier for teachers to become licensed in special ed. Correspondent Dan Lieberman traveled to the state to see how the program works and whether it’s filling the gap.
More than seven million students in the U.S. reply on special education or related services, but nationally, there aren’t enough teachers trained in this area. According to the Department of Education, 45% of public schools have vacancies in these positions, and 78% of schools report difficulty hiring special education staff. To address this long-running problem, the state of Indiana launched a program aimed at making it easier for teachers to become licensed in special ed. Correspondent Dan Lieberman traveled to the state to see how the program works and whether it’s filling the gap.
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