Teacher Shortage at Crisis Point in Special Education

[ScorpioRising007]

The teacher shortage is brutal in Special Education. At present, 49 states report a shortage in Special Ed.

There are many reasons for this: more students with special needs; fewer college students going into the profession; and a high turnover in the field. From my insider's view--I am NOT a special educator but I do work with special needs students and teachers--the field is much too demanding.

Here is what I mean.

1. Working with special needs students is highly rewarding. But federal and state demands and the endless paperwork have made the job administrative as well. So on top of the emotional/mental work of teaching children, add mounds and mounds of (shocker) governmental bureaucracy.

2. Admin, classroom Teachers and Parents of Special Needs children can be highly demanding.The admin wants his building to be compliant with all laws, etc. The teacher wants the child to follow rules, work with others, etc. And the parents can go from uninvolved to too involved and even litigious.

3. On top of managing admin, teachers and parents, Special Educators are also often managing their own staff of paraprofessionals. They can be wonderful coworkers--or not, and this too can be stressful.

4. Special Ed teachers are often physically assaulted at work. This is considered "part of the job". Yes, you understand that your students can't help it. Still, it is not uncommon to hear about Special Ed teachers hospitalized, in surgery, in casts and crutches because of their injuries.

How long are you going to stay in that job? Is it any wonder the turnover is so high?

About the Shortage

DON'T BELIEVE THE LIES THERE IS NO TEACHER SHORTAGE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION !

Believe me I have my Masters in it and licensed in it, been to over 30+ interviews and not hired as a teacher instead I have A CDL and drive a truck. I have 5 reference letters saying how great a teacher would be from teachers and paras. Renewed license several times over like 7 years I gave up last few years got a CDL and drive a truck Instead. Many of my classmates could not get hired in special ed either and have moved to other occupations, one girl I know same problem getting hired went into accounting instead.

There is no shortage but an oversupply of teachers with SPECIAL ED licences and not enough jobs !

Something stinks in Denmark right here.

Nope.

Oh really? You want to talk to the 30+ Schools I applied to for Special Education Teacher jobs that wouldn't hire me? Or ask my classmates why they couldn't get hired either as Special Ed teachers? The competition for teachers is FIERCE even in Special Ed. I would go to interviews and they would have 20+ people interviewing for the job. All had degrees in Education with Special Ed. licenses. Been 7 years or so since got Masters in Ed with Sped license renewed license over at least twice and about to expire...

I gave up and got a CDL and became a truck driver instead because all I was getting was substitute teacher assignments or teachers aid with no benefits that just didn't pay the bills. I would go to teacher interviews be denied teaching position and then they would try to talk you into taking a low pay substitute teacher job or teacher aids job with no benefits. My wife has large medical bills that won't cut it.

Unlike my Masters in Education with teaching license in Special Ed, as soon as I got that CDL I got hired immediately on the spot as a truck driver. Great pay starting out with good benefits and at least with trucking make a good salary and benefits for me and my wife that her medical bills can be covered.

 

[gipper]

There might not be a shortage if special ed teachers were paid appropriately. In some cases, combat pay would be more applicable.

 

[SweetSue92]

The teacher shortage is brutal in Special Education. At present, 49 states report a shortage in Special Ed.

There are many reasons for this: more students with special needs; fewer college students going into the profession; and a high turnover in the field. From my insider's view--I am NOT a special educator but I do work with special needs students and teachers--the field is much too demanding.

Here is what I mean.

1. Working with special needs students is highly rewarding. But federal and state demands and the endless paperwork have made the job administrative as well. So on top of the emotional/mental work of teaching children, add mounds and mounds of (shocker) governmental bureaucracy.

2. Admin, classroom Teachers and Parents of Special Needs children can be highly demanding.The admin wants his building to be compliant with all laws, etc. The teacher wants the child to follow rules, work with others, etc. And the parents can go from uninvolved to too involved and even litigious.

3. On top of managing admin, teachers and parents, Special Educators are also often managing their own staff of paraprofessionals. They can be wonderful coworkers--or not, and this too can be stressful.

4. Special Ed teachers are often physically assaulted at work. This is considered "part of the job". Yes, you understand that your students can't help it. Still, it is not uncommon to hear about Special Ed teachers hospitalized, in surgery, in casts and crutches because of their injuries.

How long are you going to stay in that job? Is it any wonder the turnover is so high?

About the Shortage

DON'T BELIEVE THE LIES THERE IS NO TEACHER SHORTAGE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION !

Believe me I have my Masters in it and licensed in it, been to over 30+ interviews and not hired as a teacher instead I have A CDL and drive a truck. I have 5 reference letters saying how great a teacher would be from teachers and paras. Renewed license several times over like 7 years I gave up last few years got a CDL and drive a truck Instead. Many of my classmates could not get hired in special ed either and have moved to other occupations, one girl I know same problem getting hired went into accounting instead.

There is no shortage but an oversupply of teachers with SPECIAL ED licences and not enough jobs !

Something stinks in Denmark right here.

Nope.

Oh really? You want to talk to the 30+ Schools I applied to for Special Education Teacher jobs that wouldn't hire me? Or ask my classmates why they couldn't get hired either as Special Ed teachers? The competition for teachers is FIERCE even in Special Ed. I would go to interviews and they would have 20+ people interviewing for the job. All had degrees in Education with Special Ed. licenses. Been 7 years or so since got Masters in Ed with Sped license renewed license over at least twice and about to expire...

I gave up and got a CDL and became a truck driver instead because all I was getting was substitute teacher assignments or teachers aid with no benefits that just didn't pay the bills. I would go to teacher interviews be denied teaching position and then they would try to talk you into taking a low pay substitute teacher job or teacher aids job with no benefits. My wife has large medical bills that won't cut it.

Unlike my Masters in Education with teaching license in Special Ed, as soon as I got that CDL I got hired immediately on the spot as a truck driver. Great pay starting out with good benefits and at least with trucking make a good salary and benefits for me and my wife that her medical bills can be covered.

K when was this? Long about 2008 or so? Because the market wasn't tight then, the economy was terrible and there were too many teachers and not enough jobs. And I would say this was true for the next few years or so. But it's definitely not true now. If you're in special ed and not getting a job NOW...there's something going on. With you, and your friends. Sorry, but it's just the truth.

 

[koshergrl]

We need to eliminate special ed from our schools. Disabled kids who need specialized daycare should go to special schools with a separate budget. Or be homeschooled.

I'm getting to the point that I agree with you when kids are a danger to others--and I don't mean 'safe space' words, I mean an actual, physical danger. And I would love to hear from liberals why gen ed children need to be put at risk (not to mention teachers) because of a child or teen's disabilities.

Short of a physical danger I think special needs children can be schooled with their peers.

No they can't. That's why there are special education classrooms and various adn assorted attendants and assistants and teachers.

When they are placed in the regular classroom, they pose a distraction or worse.

We are not obligated to babysit drooling retards and spastics or violent brain damaged teens in our classrooms. They suck up resources we need for kids who actually move on to become productive members of society.

Did you read your bible before spewing this shit ?

The bible says nothing about stealing the teachers of active, intelligent children for the purpose of babysitting children who can't be taught, and in reality are only in school to give their poor parents a break from wiping their asses and providing a living barrier between their child and the world.

I have no problem with putting kids in classrooms and I don't even have a problem with state resources being used for them.

I have a big fucking problem with our public schools being subverted to facilitate it. I have a big problem with schools who, because they get *extra* funding for retards, race around trying to encourage parents to get their kids medicated and/or diagnosed so the schools can get their hands on that cashola...while my extremely intelligent children aren't issued MATH books because there *isn't enough money*.

I have a problem with a wheelchair confined, non verbal, brain damaged nematode being rolled into a classroom by his *attendant* who stands by as he roars and farts and flops.....yet there are no tutors for my kids when they have problems with long division because we just don't have money for that.

Why do you see these kids as competing for funds with your kids ? Isnt the obvious answer to increase the fundng so that everybody gets a decent education ? Why do you need a minority group to blame every time ?

Lolol.

One of the many reasons our schools are failing is the fact that we are *mainstreaming* not only criminals but retards in our schools. When you shift the focus to accomodating children who are criminal or who constantly disrupt the classroom or demand the teacher's undivided attention, the quality of education the other children receive takes a shit.