Special education teacher shortage leaves schools searching for more support
By Emma Carter
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Intro
Special education teachers often do more than teach lessons. They may also advocate for students, coordinate support and help young people take part in school life. A new account of teachers’ experiences highlights both the rewards of the work and the continuing shortage of qualified educators.
Vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| advocate verb | verb | Meaning: to publicly support or speak in favor of someone or something | Example: Teachers often advocate for students who need additional support. |
| navigating verb | verb | Meaning: managing or finding a way through a difficult situation | Example: She is navigating several changes at work this year. |
| shortage noun | noun | Meaning: a situation in which there is not enough of something needed | Example: The hospital is dealing with a shortage of nurses. |
| services noun | noun | Meaning: organized help or support provided to people | Example: The community offers services for older adults. |
| separated adjective | adjective | Meaning: kept apart from other people or groups | Example: The new employees felt separated from the main team. |
| recruit verb | verb | Meaning: to find and persuade people to join an organization or profession | Example: The company is trying to recruit experienced engineers. |
| confidence noun | noun | Meaning: the belief that you can succeed or perform well | Example: Regular practice helped the student build confidence. |
The story
Special education teachers often play several roles at once. They teach academic skills, help students manage challenges and advocate for their participation in school life. Their work can be demanding, but teachers also describe moments when students make important progress.
Kathleen Tejeda, a special educator in Riverside County, California, has worked in the field for 20 years. One of her students began high school mainly trying to get by while navigating school as a blind person. With support from Tejeda and other staff, the student later joined the cheerleading squad and school choir. The student also sang the national anthem in front of the school.
Tejeda said that advocating for students is as important to her job as teaching. However, educators who can provide this kind of support are difficult to find. The story reports that 45 of the 50 states have a shortage of special education teachers.
The shortage is becoming more serious as the number of students receiving special education services rises. More than 8.2 million public school students now receive these services, or about one in six public school students. Teacher turnover also became much worse after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The problem, however, did not begin with the pandemic. It has continued since special education became part of federal law through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 1975. Researcher Liz Bettini said the shortage is not explained by the idea that students are simply too difficult to teach.
Instead, special educators may feel separated from other school staff and may have too many different student needs to manage. These pressures help explain why schools continue to struggle to recruit and keep teachers, even though the work can have a powerful effect on students’ opportunities and confidence.
Warm-up questions
- What kinds of support can help students participate more fully in school life?
- What challenges might make a teaching job rewarding but difficult at the same time?
Comprehension questions
- What roles do special education teachers often perform?
- What changes did Tejeda’s student make with support from school staff?
- How widespread is the shortage of special education teachers?
- When did the shortage begin according to the article?
- What pressures make it difficult for schools to retain special educators?
Opinion questions
- Should schools provide additional support for special education teachers? Why or why not?
- Which achievement described in the article seems most meaningful, and why?
Further discussion
- How might teacher shortages affect students’ opportunities and confidence over time?
- What changes could make special education teaching more sustainable as a career?
Writing prompt
- Write a well-organized paragraph explaining why special education teachers are important and what schools could do to support them.
