Principals’ Perceptions of Needs in Hispanic Special Education

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-60
Author(s):  
Maria B. Roberts ◽  
Federico Guerra
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Section 504 ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Principal Preparation Programs ◽  
Predominantly Hispanic ◽  
Adequate Knowledge ◽  
Special Education Laws ◽  
Principals Perceptions

This mixed methods study used a survey by Frost and Kersten to answer the following questions: (a) Do principals of predominantly Hispanic schools perceive themselves as having adequate knowledge in special education? (b) Which areas are these principals most involved in with special education teachers? (c) What suggestions do these principals have for principal preparation programs? Their most frequent recommendation was instruction in the area of special education laws, Section 504, and Response to Intervention.

Explaining the Decline in Special Education Teacher Employment From 2005 to 2012

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Dewey ◽  
Paul T. Sindelar ◽  
Elizabeth Bettini ◽  
Erling E. Boe ◽  
Michael S. Rosenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Public Law ◽  
General Educators ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Disability Prevalence ◽  
Constituent Elements

Demand for special education teachers grew continuously from the passage of Public Law 94-142 in 1975 through 2005, when this trend reversed. From 2005 to 2012, the number of special education teachers employed by U.S. schools declined by >17%. The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine factors that contributed to this decline. We parsed change in number of special education teachers employed into four constituent elements and found that these recent reductions were fueled by decreases in disability prevalence and the relative ratio of teachers to students in special versus general education, which favored the latter. These changes have important implications for teacher preparation programs’ efforts to adequately prepare special and general educators and for policies designed to improve teacher quality.

Guiding Online Graduate Special Education Candidates Through E-Performance Assessments and edTPA

2022 ◽  
pp. 1021-1036
Author(s):  
Charmion Rush ◽  
Karena J. Cooper-Duffy
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Candidate ◽  
Performance Assessments ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Online Teacher ◽  
Field Supervisors

As online teacher preparation programs continue to grow, guiding the process for edTPA candidates can pose varying challenges. As such, teacher preparation programs must be equipped to provide guidance to online candidates as they complete the actionable items required for edTPA. Provided from the field supervisors' perspective, this chapter outlines the current process Western Carolina University has in place to provide effective clinical and teacher candidate experiences for students in their online program. The purpose of this chapter provides guided structure for graduate special education teachers pursing initial licensure through an online masters' program. This chapter will include 1) the challenges of guiding online students through the e-portfolio process, 2) an exploration of the provided structure for the teacher candidates to fulfill the requirements of edTPA, as well as 3) recommendations for teacher preparation programs and teacher candidate readiness in the practice and application of e-performance assessments and edTPA.

What Are High-Leverage Practices for Special Education Teachers and Why Are They Important?

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 331-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
James McLeskey ◽  
Bonnie Billingsley ◽  
Mary T. Brownell ◽  
Lawrence Maheady ◽  
Timothy J. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Core Curriculum ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Initial Attempt ◽  
Preparation Programs

Improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities and others who struggle in school largely depends on teachers who can deliver effective instruction. Although many effective practices have been identified to address the academic and behavioral needs of students who struggle in school, including those with disabilities, these practices are not used extensively in classrooms. This article provides a rationale for and description of major changes that are occurring in teacher preparation programs that are designed to improve the practice of beginning teachers. This is followed by a description of a set of high-leverage practices that was recently approved by the Council for Exceptional Children. These practices represent an initial attempt to delineate a core curriculum for special education teacher preparation to support the changes that are occurring in teacher education.

Collaboration of General and Special Education Teachers: Perspectives and Strategies

2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Alexandra Da Fonte ◽  
Sally M. Barton-Arwood
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Potential Barriers ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Teachers Perspectives ◽  
Successful Collaboration

Schools today focus on inclusive models of education for students with disabilities that include higher expectations and increased teacher accountability. Within this inclusion framework, both general and special education teachers have responsibilities for the education of diverse learners. Collaboration skills take time to develop, with many potential barriers that can limit successful teamwork. Therefore, teacher preparation programs have a responsibility for preparing general and special education teachers for collaboration with a focus on strategies to minimize potential barriers and support outcomes for students with disabilities. In order to be more responsive to teacher candidates’ development, a first step is to understand their perspectives about collaboration. This article outlines the hopes and fears of both general and special education preservice candidates regarding collaboration and how their perspectives align with documented views of practicing teachers. Strategies to minimize fears and potential barriers for successful collaboration in school settings are presented.

scholarly journals Understanding Principals’ Knowledge of Special Education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Whitney G. Schexnider
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Principal Preparation ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
The United States ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Principal Preparation Programs ◽  
Related Information ◽  
School Year

The percentage of students identified as eligible to receive special education services in the United States has grown from 8.3% in the 1976-77 school year to 14% during the 2018-19 school year (Hussar et al., 2020). Given this level of growth and the myriad of levels of support principals provide for students with disabilities, one would assume that principal preparation programs have adjusted their curriculum to ensure future school administrators are prepared to support every student, including those with disabilities. The purpose of this research study is to better understand how current school administrators learned special education-related information for their role, what they believe are the most important aspects of special education, and to identify how background, experience, and self-efficacy play a role in principals’ skills related to their role as their building’s special education leader. A web-based survey was used to gather information from current school administrators working in Idaho’s P-12 school districts. Results of this study show that the majority of Idaho’s school administrators are learning special education-related knowledge and skills on the job and through professional development, rather than as part of their principal preparation programs. Recommendations are made to enhance the learning opportunities in both principal preparation programs as well as in-service professional development to develop strong, supportive, school-based special education leaders.

scholarly journals Preparing For Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Classrooms: Pre-Service Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Rashed A. Aldabas
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Descriptive Research ◽  
Communication Impairments

The purpose of this study was to examine pre-service special education teachers’ perceptions regarding their skills and knowledge about the use of AAC, with respect to how well it prepared them to use AAC with students who have severe communication impairments. A descriptive research design was used to address the research questions. A total of 27 special education pre-service teachers (emphasized whether Early Childhood Special Education or Intellectual Disabilities) completed an online survey. The findings indicate that participants responded positively about their knowledge, ability, skills, and attitudes about teaching and using AAC for students with severe communication disabilities. However, the results found that the majority of participants felt their preparation programs were not adequate in preparing them to implement and use AAC in classrooms. Although the participants felt more confident in their ability to teach students who use AAC, the general consensus was that more preparation training would be helpful in the classroom and with the students themselves. More implications for practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Guiding Online Graduate Special Education Candidates Through E-Performance Assessments and edTPA

2019 ◽  
pp. 120-142
Author(s):  
Charmion Rush ◽  
Karena J. Cooper-Duffy
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Candidate ◽  
Performance Assessments ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Online Teacher ◽  
Field Supervisors

As online teacher preparation programs continue to grow, guiding the process for edTPA candidates can pose varying challenges. As such, teacher preparation programs must be equipped to provide guidance to online candidates as they complete the actionable items required for edTPA. Provided from the field supervisors' perspective, this chapter outlines the current process Western Carolina University has in place to provide effective clinical and teacher candidate experiences for students in their online program. The purpose of this chapter provides guided structure for graduate special education teachers pursing initial licensure through an online masters' program. This chapter will include 1) the challenges of guiding online students through the e-portfolio process, 2) an exploration of the provided structure for the teacher candidates to fulfill the requirements of edTPA, as well as 3) recommendations for teacher preparation programs and teacher candidate readiness in the practice and application of e-performance assessments and edTPA.

Experience of Black Male Special Education Teachers: Are Alternative Licensure Programs the Desired Route for Recruitment and Preparation?

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 332-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
LaRon A. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Black Men ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Alternate Route ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Traditional Preparation ◽  
Core Components ◽  
Effective Choice

Many Black men interested in special education careers enroll in alternate route special education programs over traditional preparation programs. However, there is little research that focuses on their reasons for choosing special education alternate route programs and what makes these programs an effective choice for Black men pursuing teaching careers in special education. This qualitative study interviewed Black men regarding (a) reasons they chose an alternate route special education program, (b) core components of the program they found effective, and (c) support needs once they exited programming. Several themes emerged from this study and indicated that funding, targeted recruitment, and mentoring from Black faculty were among important factors for recruitment and retention. Recommendations for the field, implications and recommendations for policy and practice, and future research are also discussed.

Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Black Male Special Education Teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 236-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
LaRon A. Scott ◽  
Quentin Alexander
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Black Teachers ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Recruitment And Retention ◽  
Teacher Workforce

In 2015, the National Goals Conference for and with people with intellectual disability encouraged the field of special education to recruit and retain more Black teachers. In this grounded theory study, 18 Black men were interviewed to learn more about experiences surrounding recruitment and retention in special education teacher-preparation programs (SETPPs) and for teaching careers in special education. Findings led to the development of a theory based on three constructs: (a) motivations for becoming a special education teacher, (b) attractions to SETPPs, and (c) focused strategies for recruitment and retention that indicated several strategies that SETPPs and school divisions should consider (e.g., funding, distance education program, mentorship) when attempting to recruit and retain Black males into training programs and for special education careers. The implication for the special education teacher workforce and potential for future research are discussed.

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